Rent freezes in disaster zones

Written By: - Date published: 7:25 am, December 10th, 2013 - 80 comments
Categories: disaster, families, housing - Tags:

You need little more evidence of how Gerry Brownlee’s lazy-faire approach to the Christchurch rebuild has failed than the story of the (working) single mother forced to live in a tent with her 3 kids because there’s no affordable rentals. One of the automatic moves in a large scale disaster should be to freeze rents in the disaster zone. The Human Rights Commission agrees.

80 comments on “Rent freezes in disaster zones ”

  1. Colonial Viper 1

    Good pick Zetetic. I really wonder why none of the political parties put this forward with 12 months of the original earthquakes, when it was clear rents (and surviving house prices) were starting to spiral. What it tells me: they weren’t in touch with what was happening on the ground and/or they still use free market theory as an underlying rationale for proposed policies.

    • bad12 1.1

      CV, from memory Grant Robertson during the ‘leadership debates’ was voicing that very proposal of ‘freezing rents’ in Christchurch,

      Also from memory i think David Cunliffe put forward the ‘idea’ recently of the State ‘taking over’ Red Zoned properties that had little damage for use as State Housing,

      Two very practical solutions that along with the Green Party candidate for the Christchurch East by-election proposing villages of pre-built housing be urgently put in place would go a long way to ‘fixing’ the problem in Christchurch,

      Face it tho, Slippery’s National Government have no intention of doing anything about the dire housing situation building in Christchurch, except if it grows, to send in the Cops to bust up any ‘tent town’ that develops from such a cluster-f**k of Government inaction…

      • Colonial Viper 1.1.1

        Yes the idea of a rent freeze was mooted by Grant Robertson during the leadership debates. In Sept 2013.

        The big Christchurch earthquake was early 2011. So well after the majority of harmful rent increases had already occurred – freezing rents at the current higher level is a nice gesture but meaningless.

        • Ake ake ake 1.1.1.1

          From memory and Google, the Labour Party was led by someone who would have had a better fit with ACT’s ideology, going back to the 1980s. And then from 13 Dec 2011, the person he parachuted into the former PM’s electorate seat was engineered to lead the party.

      • Draco T Bastard 1.1.2

        Face it tho, Slippery’s National Government have no intention of doing anything about the dire housing situation building in Christchurch

        Of course they don’t – their constituents are making massive windfall profits out of it.

        • BrucetheMoose 1.1.2.1

          Since most of the local National representatives and their hangers on are heavily invested in property in Christchurch, it is no great surprise that they have absolutely no interest in dealing with the upward spiralling rents and housing prices. The worst offender, is the man himself, Lord Fool of Canterbury, Gerry Brownlee. He has for the last three years completely ignored concerns and warnings from various community factions and experts about the seriousness of the housing shortage, yet he did nothing, when he himself owns multiple properties in Christchurch. Through his deliberate negligence, he has benefited from the situation. He should be held accountable for abusing his position, deliberately causing a crisis for which he can benefit from. A clear case of conflict of interest.

  2. Sanctuary 2

    What? Freeze rents? Affect the income of rentiers and landlords? ARE YOU INSANE?????????

  3. Tracey 3

    Especially as the fear of escalating rents was mooted VERY EARLY ON

    April 2012

    “The rental housing shortage in Christchurch is at breaking point, agencies say. … Christchurch Earthquake 2011 … Children are unsettled, parents are becoming unwell and the elderly are losing themselves with worry and fear. … to live in the city, students and young adults were struggling with high rents”

  4. miravox 4

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9496170/Hunt-family-fights-on-in-Waltham-Park/

    Four hundred people are on the HNZ waiting list in Canterbury and 148 are listed as priority A.

    Priority A means they are “at risk” with a severe housing need that must be addressed immediately. They may be living in cars, tents or garages.

    The Press understands Hunt sits at number 40 on the list.

    While her two-bedroom tent was being pitched yesterday, people facing similar housing woes wandered into the park to share their stories.

    One man said he was on the brink of homelessness with his wife and 86-year-old mother.

    “He said he might pitch a tent alongside ours. We may have neighbours already,” Hunt said.

    Another elderly woman’s daughter was squatting in an abandoned house with her boyfriend.

    There are no words to describe the contempt I have for this government and the people who knowingly support this shit.

  5. infused 5

    What is capping rents going to do for that mother?

    • Colonial Viper 5.1

      Would have done something good 18 months ago. But you’re right, fuck all good now.

    • bad12 5.2

      Can you not see the ‘upside-down shit’ that is occurring in Christchurch, while the State pours massive resources into building new Courts, Cop-shops, Fire-stations etc etc etc 5000 State Houses sit idle with boarded up windows awaiting repair,

      How many of them have been fixed in the past 2 years, f**k-all is the number…

      • infused 5.2.1

        Isn’t the problem a labour shortage? That’s what I keep hearing.

        • Draco T Bastard 5.2.1.1

          That’s what the RWNJs keep saying but it’s actually BS. Thousands of NZers could have been trained and moved to Canterbury to help out. The only thing that stopped that from happening was that neither the government nor the capitalists were willing to pay for it. The capitalists were, of course, also quite happy with their super profits from massively increased rentals. The government were more concerned with cutting taxes for those same capitalists.

          The result is massive social dysfunction.

    • Lightly 5.3

      she can’t afford a private rental because they’re all too expensive

  6. tricledrown 6

    Brownlee allows landlords to make windfall profits out of disaster ..
    Dickensian days a here again.
    This miserable dickhead is also making it difficult for rebuild .
    Trademen can ‘t find reasonablepriced accommodation.
    Putting off many tradesman helping woth the rebuild.

    • KJT 6.1

      Fletchers, and the Government have effectively “frozen” builders wages in Christchurch at the same time. A little stitch up to ensure Fletcher’s profits.

      Which is why they have had to import thousands of Filipinos to rebuild Christchurch. They don’t want to pay enough to get good NZ builders.

      Remember the fuss when a plumber tried to charge, “market rates”.

      Watch out for another leaky building scandal in a few years, as the houses rebuilt by cheap, poorly skilled labourers, in Christchurch, fall apart.

      The “free market” advocates soon try and remove the “free market” when it suits them.

      Of course too many politicians and their mates own rentals…………….

      • vto 6.1.1

        “Watch out for another leaky building scandal in a few years, as the houses rebuilt by cheap, poorly skilled labourers, in Christchurch, fall apart.”

        this

        for other reasons too

        there is some very shoddy work going on. mostly by our government-owned eqc in fact.

  7. vto 7

    Land prices in the central city were in freefall post-earthquake and rather than let the free market run its course this National government intervened to “shore up” property prices in the central city by taking out huge chunks of land for the green frames around the CBD (bought with your money btw). Complete and total nanny state intervention to stop free market forces from having a detrimental effect on landowners in the CBD.

    In contrast………… out in the wild east red and other zones ………..

    the free market has been left completely and totally untouched with collosal detrimental effects on the people who are unable to afford these post-earthquake effects.

    Brownlee is a cunt. So is John Key. And all the other national party goons. Witness shithead MP Nicky Wagner whining that her electorate has become unwinnable for National.

    They don’t even deserve to be pissed on.

    • Colonial Viper 7.1

      Great visual there mate.

    • Colonial Viper 7.2

      But I bet you could sell a lot of tickets for $10 apiece.

    • thatguynz 7.3

      I had guests on the weekend who are involved in the rebuild and who have accordingly worked extensively with Fletchers and CERA et al. They made two comments which were quite disturbing (which in fairness I haven’t tried to validate elsewhere so take them as you will).

      The first was that there was a strong directive to ensure that Cashmere residential properties were to be remedied prior to any of the other areas, and secondly that the residential reconstruction was due to end in Dec 2014 – irrespective of whether all houses/areas were done…

      • Colonial Viper 7.3.1

        This information should be fed to the good Mayor of Christchurch for further follow up. Looking at the work plan for the next 3 months should make it quite clear what is happening.

  8. TightyRighty 8

    she works full time, gets WFF and child support? she doesn’t need a rent freeze, she needs to be told to respect other peoples property

    • geoff 8.1

      Gerry, is that you?

    • Lightly 8.2

      jesus christ. you really are scum. you see a single mother, working nights on the minimum wage, unable to afford a rental in a disaster zone, reduced to living in a tent, and your response is to sneer. you’re just an awful person.

      • vto 8.2.1

        tightyrighty is your typical national party member, yep

      • Intrinsicvalue 8.2.2

        Lightly she can afford a rental. The only reason she’s living in a tent is because she chooses to.

      • Puckish Rogue 8.2.3

        Thats simply not true, on trademe searching for anything up to $400 per week for 4 or less bedrooms there were 344 listings

        • Rob A 8.2.3.1

          I notice you were very careful in your wording of 4 or less bedrooms. SO I’ve decided to have a look

          On trademe there are currently 8 4 bedroom homes under $400 a week, 24 3 bedroom homes and 149 2 bedroom homes (hardly ideal for 3 kids) and even worse 83 single rooms available

          I don’t know where you’ve got the 344 number from. But I’m calling bullshit

    • NZ Femme 8.3

      She needs to be told to respect other people’s property? Where on earth did you get the idea she wasn’t? She was given notice because the house was put on the market. She lived there for four years, in pretty shitty conditions too.

      “… The family have lived in their Waltham rental home for the past four years, paying $220 a week despite its poor condition.

      The earthquakes left the lounge yellow-stickered as part of the roof fell away.

      The front door opens in the wind, the floor has fallen away from the walls in areas, and the windows are rotten…”

      http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/9492116/Family-fallen-through-the-gaps

      • TightyRighty 8.3.1

        I read that. it hasn’t been verified either. so it could be bollocks. probably is bollocks acutally, if the house has been sold. it’s unlikely a developer is going to go the trouble of purchasing land in waltham., so i doubt it’s going to be bowled over. therefore it can’t be as bad as she is making out. better believe only her side of the story though. wouldn’t want to question the facts while she is crying.

        • McFlock 8.3.1.1

          So many words just to say “lalalalalala not listening”.

          • Draco T Bastard 8.3.1.1.1

            +1

            It’s truly amazing the lengths that these RWNJs will go to to deny reality.

        • Chris 8.3.1.2

          Where does it say the land was bought by a developer???

          It is more likely to have been purchased by a family for next to nics as a do up home to live in.

          There are some truly nasty people creeping around the net these days.

        • NZFemme 8.3.1.3

          Bollocks? Yeah Nah. The tenancy tribunal found otherwise.

          “…A landlord has an obligation to repair and maintain the premises in a reasonable state of repair and to complete any necessary repairs within a reasonable time. A breach of this obligation entitles the tenant to compensation. Ms Blair was unable to give evidence of why no attempt whatsoever has been made to improve the condition of the premises for over two and a half years because she said this was entirely in the hands of Ms Stewart. However, whatever the reasons, both Kennard’s and Ms Stewart were aware of the damage and simply doing nothing about it because Ms Hunt was an uncomplaining tenant is unacceptable and a clear breach of the obligation to maintain and repair the premises in a reasonable state of repair…”

          “…In the circumstances I consider that Ms Hunt is entitled to considerable compensation for the substantial inconvenience and stress the breach has caused. I order compensation to be
          payable to Ms Hunt in the sum of $4000. In assessing the amount of compensation I have
          taken into account that Ms Hunt and her children have not had a livingroom for over two and a
          half years and that she has incurred substantial electricity bills in her attempts to heat a house
          that is not weathertight because of the damage…”

          https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/TT/Documents/56042070.pdf

    • Macro 8.4

      She needs to be paid more – ie a decent wage you idiot
      AND the govt needs to pull its finger out and get some housing in there pronto. Tere are heaps of affordable options but Gerry hasn’t a clue.

  9. Intrinsicvalue 9

    This lady is NOT being forced to live in a tent; this is entirely of her own choice. There are over 50 houses for rent in Christchurch listed on Trade Me between $250 and $300 per week, and this lady is drawing almost $1,000 per week in paid work and welfare benefits.

    • Colonial Viper 9.1

      More bull shit up the arm from IV.

    • Policy Parrot 9.2

      IV – how many of those houses are for 3 or more bedrooms?

      Just remembering that this woman has her kids removed at one stage – so the family has a history of CYFS involvement. And that CYFS does not look kindly on any type of room sharing, let alone parents sharing with children, or 2+ kids in one room.

      Research is fine, but you do have usually make the next step yourself.

  10. tsmithfield 10

    The Human Rights Commission fails economics 101 in recommending price controls for rents.

    The commonly cited example to demonstrate the effects of price controls on the speed of recovery after a disaster is hurricane Hugo. The evidence was that price controls caused a mis-allocation of resources that slowed the recovery down.

    In the case of rent controls after a disaster, the effect would be to make it less attractive for investors to build housing for rent, and also make landlords much more fussy about prospective tenants.

    Spiraling prices after a disaster indicate a shortage. The way to fix a shortage problem is to address the supply side of the equation. This is where I think the government has dropped the ball.

    For instance, the government has purchased a large amount red-zoned properties. A large number of these are still satisfactory for habitation. Rather than demolishing all these houses, the suitable ones could be rented back to the community until the rebuild addresses the housing shortage on a more permanent basis.

    • Policy Parrot 10.1

      The problem with your assertion, is that:

      1. There was little building activity for 12 to 15 months because of the fear of repeated seismic events. This has caused a huge backlog in supplying the extra rentals.
      2. Meanwhile those who don’t have damaged properties but sufficient capital have little incentive to pursue moves (like helping to increase supply) that would ultimately reduce the windfall amount they receive in the short to medium term.

      • tsmithfield 10.1.1

        Agreed. However, price controls don’t address the problems you describe. There needs to be an increase in emergency supply one way or another until the market has time to address the problem.

        • One Anonymous Knucklehead 10.1.1.1

          “Needs.”

          No, “needed”. Back in 2010.

          Go on, tell us that the useless government you make excuses for is now, after three years, going to break the mould and do something competent. I could use a laugh.

        • Draco T Bastard 10.1.1.2

          The market won’t address the problem – which is kinda the point. The government could but it’s not as it wedded to the delusional market ideology.

          So, what should happen is rent controls to prevent the gouging that we’re seeing now and the government should build thousands of homes there – ideally to just over full supply. Rent controls can come off after that.

    • Colonial Viper 10.2

      Duh. “Fails Economics 101” is a pass in real life.

      Spiraling prices after a disaster indicate a shortage.

      It indicates rentier capitalism profiteering from a disaster. In war time, such people were sent to prison for good reason.

  11. Bill 11

    Rent freeze…yeah, nah, maybe. Then again, legislate for squatter’s rights and be done with it. Don’t want people to squat? Keep rents affordable.

    • miravox 11.1

      or legislate that a person can only own one house – trusts and businesses can own none.

      Housing is a perfect example of a the failure of the market in providing a social good/right.

      • tsmithfield 11.1.1

        That is one of the most stupid comments I have ever seen in print. So, if people can only own one house and trusts and businesses none, then where does the rental housing come from?

        • miravox 11.1.1.1

          How many people would need to rent? The housing bubble is burst so housing is affordable. For those that do need to rent, or if the developers feel they can make enough excess profit, so won’t build, the state can build and manage rentals.

          As for where does the rental housing come from?
          Can’t be any worse than tent and holiday park cities that are sprouting up now.

          I am quite happy to go with the rent cap and squatters rights if landlords and developers don’t play ball. You choose… just don’t expect me to believe that the rental ‘market’ we have now is the best option for providing housing.

        • Colonial Viper 11.1.1.2

          Existing ownership is not affected. The government provides all new rentals, not rentier capitalists. In other words, exclude a large chunk of demand from the Christchurch market.

          This is a more socially responsible form of capitalism.

          • tsmithfield 11.1.1.2.1

            You don’t actually believe the shit you type do you? 🙂

            • Colonial Viper 11.1.1.2.1.1

              I’m serious. And serious options need to be considered, because the current political economy is not working for far too many people.

            • Draco T Bastard 11.1.1.2.1.2

              The Great Depression and the GFC proved that market capitalism doesn’t work. So; You don’t actually believe the shit you type do you?

        • Draco T Bastard 11.1.1.3

          Government.

          • Colonial Viper 11.1.1.3.1

            Central and local. Preferably more local, even down to the level of community boards.

  12. captain hook 12

    no rent freeze.
    the rugged individualists need proof that there are losers and winners and they are winners because they can stand over people.
    what do you people think the main psychological benefits of capitalism are?

  13. KJT 13

    I don’t see a rent freeze as being useful.

    Increasing the supply of State houses, at reasonable rents, would be.

    • Draco T Bastard 13.1

      ATM, need both.

    • Colonial Viper 13.2

      It would take 12-18 months to substantially increase the number of rent controlled state houses. Assuming a major programme which was competently managed and led (haha). As DTB says – need both ASAP.

  14. aerobubble 14

    Immediate action is required. Look, take the example of a company, a socialist entity if there ever was one, where collective action is owned in common, and profits are divided up equally. A company will freeze prices to keep its brand value. Now you may not buy into brand Christchurch, and landlords that don’t should be shamed, but most people get that capitalism sometimes means delayed gratification. Oh, wait, you’re not a capitalist, go back to N.Korea where the singular of one individual right to rule is enshrined. Bad socialism or bad capitalism, much the same, greed allowed with impunity.

    Recent examples, Fonterra froze milk prices.

    • Colonial Viper 14.1

      Not so much any ordinary company, but particularly a partnership. And especially common amongst usual the 3-4 start up founders of many a new tech company. It’s as democratic socialist as you can get.

      • aerobubble 14.1.1

        Its essential, as a good neo-liberal, to ignore all cooperative endeavors, which have implied delay gratification, and reward immediately long term self-destructive policies with your consent.

  15. Poission 15

    The Australian political response to ”white collar looting ” certainly shows that attitudes are different.

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-24/nsw-bushfires-sydney-rents-arson-anthony-roberts/5042350

  16. Steve Wrathall 16

    Lots of Kiwis enjoy tenting this time of year. Must be a slow news week

    • One Anonymous Knucklehead 16.1

      Probably explains why ACT never got far above the margin of error in the polls: no-one likes voting for odious sociopaths.

    • Te Reo Putake 16.2

      The thought of the poor and displaced forced to live outdoors leads to a tiny tent in Steve’s trousers.

      • infused 16.2.1

        Only she wasn’t forced. Many people offered her assistance, which she turned down.

        • Te Reo Putake 16.2.1.1

          Yeah, read that on the sewer or WO didya?

          The people actually trying to help her (as opposed to the people trying to put her down) couldn’t do much, but at least they tried:

          “The best option social workers could find was to pitch a tent in Waltham Park, and roster Maori wardens for protection.”

          The earthquake didn’t cause this situation, neo liberalism did. But as long as Steve and you get your rocks off, that’s cool.

  17. Rob A 17

    My story may be an example of how people in Christchurch have been affected by the increases since the earthquakes. It’s frustrating seeing some of the shit posted by those in Wellington based on there 2 day visit to the ‘disaster zone’

    My wife and I have four kids. We both work, I’m a supervisor in a factory and she’s a nurse.
    We lost our own home in the February earthquake and were lucky enough to find a suitable rental soon after. Although our own house was red stickered we didn’t get an insurance payout for 18 months forcing us to rent during the waiting period. By the time we did get the money buying another house is virtually out of the question. What we paid for a 4 room, 2 bathroom, 2 living area home before the quakes barely get us a 3 bedroom house now.

    The rental we were in was sold and we had to move out at the end of the lease, getting another place was a nightmare. Some houses seemed to have 50 odd applicants. There’s tales of desperate people giving kickbacks to the agents to ensure getting somewhere to live. I was starting to consider trying it but luckily we ended up getting a house before we too ended up homeless but that was a few months of the worst stress I’ve ever been through. On top of that we are paying over $450 a week for a pretty modest house with no working heating. The landlord has been promising a heatpump ever since we moved in but has done nothing. He did shell out for insulation on the condition I put it in myself!

    It’s easy to say there’s x amount on trademe but people have to consider the amount of people wanting them. What I’ve seen and heard it’s only getting worse with all the tradeys moving into town. Also that many rentals are barely livable, certainly not for raising kids.

    Sorry I don’t write very well, I’m just a factory supervisor afterall 🙂

    • Arfamo 17.1

      You write well enough and you communicate superbly.

      • Rob A 17.1.1

        Thanks, but there was much that went unsaid. I guess the biggest thing is how powerless I can feel dealing with EQC, banks, the insurance company, property managers and real estate agents. Having a family in limbo almost while my wife and I were trying to get it all sorted. We still are in limbo really until we can get back into our own home. I didn’t mention the day we gave the dog away because the new landlord wouldn’t allow him and how my kids handled that. They’ve changed schools twice now since the earthquakes, I’d love it if they don’t do so again but can’t promise them anything if the lease on this house gets too expensive.

        I guess it’s all a part of living in Christchurch nowadays and we’ve all got a story down here but it’s frustrating when you get some prat from Wellington going ‘ but there’s a 100 houses on trademe!’

        • Arfamo 17.1.1.1

          No shortage of well off prats in this country dispensing worthless platitudes to those in difficulty. Yet. But their numbers are shrinking as some of them inexplicably find themselves in difficulty when they’re “let go”.

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    Last month, National passed a racist law requiring local councils to remove their Māori wards, or hold a referendum on them at the 2025 local body election. The final councils voted today, and the verdict is in: an overwhelming rejection. Only two councils out of 45 supported National's racist agenda ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Homage to Simeon Brown

    Open to all - happy weekend ahead, friends.Today I just want to be petty. It’s the way I imagine this chap is -Not only as a political persona. But his real-deal inner personality, in all its glory - appears to be pure pettiness & populist driven.Sometimes I wonder if Simeon ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Government of deceit

    When National cut health spending and imposed a commissioner on Te Whatu Ora, they claimed that it was necessary because the organisation was bloated and inefficient, with "14 layers of management between the CEO and the patient". But it turns out they were simply lying: Health Minister Shane Reti’s ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • The professionals actually think and act like our Government has no fiscal crisis at all

    Treasury staff at work: The demand for a new 12-year Government bond was so strong, Treasury decided to double the amount of bonds it sold. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, September ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 6-September-2024

    Welcome to another Friday and another roundup of stories that caught our eye this week. As always, this and every post is brought to you by the Greater Auckland crew. If you like our work and you’d like to see more of it, we invite you to join our regular ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies; Excerpt Four.

    Internal versus external security. Regardless of who rules, large countries can afford to separate external and internal security functions (even if internal control functions predominate under authoritarian regimes). In fact, given the logic of power concentration and institutional centralization of … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • A Hole In The River

    There's a hole in the river where her memory liesFrom the land of the living to the air and skyShe was coming to see him, but something changed her mindDrove her down to the riverThere is no returnSongwriters: Neil Finn/Eddie RaynerThe king is dead; long live the queen!Yesterday was a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Bright Blue His Jacket Ain’t But I Love This Fellow: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power E...

    My conclusion last week was that The Rings of Power season two represented a major improvement in the series. The writing’s just so much better, and honestly, its major problems are less the result of the current episodes and more creatures arising from season one plot-holes. I found episode three ...
    4 days ago
  • Who should we thank for the defeat of the Nazis

    As a child in the 1950s, I thought the British had won the Second World War because that’s what all our comics said. Later on, the films and comics told me that the Americans won the war. In my late teens, I found out that the Soviet Union ...
    4 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #36 2024

    Open access notables Diurnal Temperature Range Trends Differ Below and Above the Melting Point, Pithan & Schatt, Geophysical Research Letters: The globally averaged diurnal temperature range (DTR) has shrunk since the mid-20th century, and climate models project further shrinking. Observations indicate a slowdown or reversal of this trend in recent decades. ...
    4 days ago
  • Media Link: Discussing the NZSIS Security Threat Report.

    I was interviewed by Mike Hosking at NewstalkZB and a few other media outlets about the NZSIS Security Threat Report released recently. I have long advocated for more transparency, accountability and oversight of the NZ Intelligence Community, and although the … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • How do I make this better for people who drive Ford Rangers?

    Home, home again to a long warm embrace. Plenty of reasons to be glad to be back.But also, reasons for dejection.You, yes you, Simeon Brown, you odious little oik, you bible thumping petrol-pandering ratfucker weasel. You would be Reason Number One. Well, maybe first among equals with Seymour and Of-Seymour ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • A missed opportunity

    The government introduced a pretty big piece of constitutional legislation today: the Parliament Bill. But rather than the contentious constitutional change (four year terms) pushed by Labour, this merely consolidates the existing legislation covering Parliament - currently scattered across four different Acts - into one piece of legislation. While I ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Nicola Willis Seeks New Sidekick To Help Fix NZ’s Economy

    Synopsis:Nicola Willis is seeking a new Treasury Boss after Dr Caralee McLiesh’s tenure ends this month. She didn’t listen to McLiesh. Will she listen to the new one?And why is Atlas Network’s Taxpayers Union chiming in?Please consider subscribing or supporting my work. Thanks, Tui.About CaraleeAt the beginning of July, Newsroom ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Inflation alive and kicking in our land of the long white monopolies

    The golden days of profit continue for the the Foodstuffs (Pak’n’Save and New World) and Woolworths supermarket duopoly. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, September 5:The Groceries Commissioner has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The thermodynamics of electric vs. internal combustion cars

    This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler I love thermodynamics. Thermodynamics is like your mom: it may not tell you what you can do, but it damn well tells you what you can’t do. I’ve written a few previous posts that include thermodynamics, like one on air capture of ...
    5 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Three.

    The notion of geopolitical  “periphery.” The concept of periphery used here refers strictly to what can be called the geopolitical periphery. Being on the geopolitical periphery is an analytic virtue because it makes for more visible policy reform in response … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago
  • Venus Hum

    Fill me up with soundThe world sings with me a million smiles an hourI can see me dancing on my radioI can hear you singing in the blades of grassYellow dandelions on my way to schoolBig Beautiful Sky!Song: Venus Hum.Good morning, all you lovely people, and welcome to the 700th ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • I Went to a Creed Concert

    Note: The audio attached to this Webworm compliments today’s newsletter. I collected it as I met people attending a Creed concert. Their opinions may differ to mine. Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • Government migration policy backfires; thousands of unemployed nurses

    The country has imported literally thousands of nurses over the past few months yet whether they are being employed as nurses is another matter. Just what is going on with HealthNZ and it nurses is, at best, opaque, in that it will not release anything but broad general statistics and ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • A Time For Unity.

    Emotional Response: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon addresses mourners at the tangi of King Tuheitia on Turangawaewae Marae on Saturday, 31 August 2024.THE DEATH OF KING TUHEITIA could hardly have come at a worse time for Maoridom. The power of the Kingitanga to unify te iwi Māori was demonstrated powerfully at January’s ...
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change: Failed again

    National's tax cut policies relied on stealing revenue from the ETS (previously used to fund emissions reduction) to fund tax cuts to landlords. So how's that going? Badly. Today's auction failed again, with zero units (of a possible 7.6 million) sold. Which means they have a $456 million hole in ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Two.

    A question of size. Small size generally means large vulnerability. The perception of threat is broader and often more immediate for small countries. The feeling of comparative weakness, of exposure to risk, and of potential intimidation by larger powers often … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago
  • Nicola Willis’s Very Unserious Bungling of the Kiwirail Interislander Cancellation

    Open to all with kind thanks to all subscribers and supporters.Today, RNZ revealed that despite MFAT advice to Nicola Willis to be very “careful and deliberate” in her communications with the South Korean government, prior to any public announcement on cancelling Kiwirail’s i-Rex, Willis instead told South Korea 26 minutes ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • Satisfying the Minister’s Speed Obsession

    The Minister of Transport’s speed obsession has this week resulted in two new consultations for 110km/h speed limits, one in Auckland and one in Christchurch. There has also been final approval of the Kapiti Expressway to move to 110km/h following an earlier consultation. While the changes will almost certainly see ...
    6 days ago
  • What if we freed up our streets, again?

    This guest post is by Tommy de Silva, a local rangatahi and freelance writer who is passionate about making the urban fabric of Tāmaki Makaurau-Auckland more people-focused and sustainable. New Zealand’s March-April 2020 Level 4 Covid response (aka “lockdown”) was somehow both the best and worst six weeks of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    6 days ago
  • No Alarms And No Surprises

    A heart that's full up like a landfillA job that slowly kills youBruises that won't healYou look so tired, unhappyBring down the governmentThey don't, they don't speak for usI'll take a quiet lifeA handshake of carbon monoxideAnd no alarms and no surprisesThe fabulous English comedian Stewart Lee once wrote a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Five ingenious ways people could beat the heat without cranking the AC

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Daisy Simmons Every summer brings a new spate of headlines about record-breaking heat – for good reason: 2023 was the hottest year on record, in keeping with the upward trend scientists have been clocking for decades. With climate forecasts suggesting that heat waves ...
    6 days ago
  • No new funding for cycling & walking

    Studies show each $1 of spending on walking and cycling infrastructure produces $13 to $35 of economic benefits from higher productivity, lower healthcare costs, less congestion, lower emissions and lower fossil fuel import costs. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • 99

    Dad turned 99 today.Hell of a lot of candles, eh?He won't be alone for his birthday. He will have the warm attention of my brother, and my sister, and everyone at the rest home, the most thoughtful attentive and considerate people you could ever know. On Saturday there will be ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Open Government: National reneges on beneficial ownership

    One of the achievements of the New Zealand’s Open Government Partnership Fourth National Action Plan was a formal commitment from the government to establish a public beneficial ownership register. Such a register would allow the ultimate owners of companies to be identified - a vital measure in preventing corruption, money ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt One.

    This project analyzes security politics in three peripheral democracies (Chile, New Zealand, Portugal) during the 30 years after the end of the Cold War. It argues that changes in the geopolitical landscape and geo-strategic context are interpreted differently by small … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    7 days ago
  • Tea and Toast

    When the skies are looking bad my dearAnd your heart's lost all its hopeAfter dawn there will be sunshineAnd all the dust will goThe skies will clear my darlingNow it's time for you to let goOur girl will wake you up in the mornin'With some tea and toastLyrics: Lucy Spraggan.Good ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago
  • NLTP 2024 released – destroying pipeline of shovel ready local projects

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Waka Kotahi yesterday released the latest National Land Transport Plan (NLTP) for 2024-27. The NLTP sets out what transport projects will be funded for the next three years, including both central and local government projects. As expected given the government’s extremely ideological transport policy, it’s ...
    7 days ago
  • Can Brown deliver his roads

    The Government’s unveiling of its road-building programme yesterday was ambitious and, many would say, long overdue. But the question will be whether it is too ambitious, whether it is affordable, and, if not, what might be dropped. The big ticket items will be the 17 so-called Roads of National Significance. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    7 days ago
  • New paper about detecting climate misinformation on Twitter/X

    Together with Cristian Rojas, Frank Algra-Maschio, Mark Andrejevic, Travis Coan, and Yuan-Fang Li, I just published a paper in Nature Communications Earth & Environment where we use the Computer Assisted Recognition of Denial and Skepticism (CARDS) machine learning model to detect climate misinformation in 5 million climate tweets. We find over half ...
    1 week ago
  • Excerpting “Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies.”

    In the late 2000s-early 2010s I was researching and writing a book titled “Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Chile, New Zealand and Portugal.” The book was a cross-regional Small-N qualitative comparison of the security strategies and postures of three small … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 week ago
  • Hating for the Wrong Reasons: Of Rings of Power, Orcs and Evil

    A few months ago, my fellow countryman, HelloFutureMe, put out a giant YouTube video, dissecting what went wrong with the first season of Rings of Power (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ6FRUO0ui0&t=8376s). It’s an exceptionally good video, and though it spans some two and a half hours, it is well worth your time. But ...
    1 week ago
  • Climate Change: “Least cost” to who?

    On Friday the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment released their submission on National's second Emissions Reduction Plan, ripping the shit out of it as a massive gamble based on wishful thinking. One of the specific issues he focused on was National's idea of "least cost" emissions reduction, pointing out that ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • Israeli Lives Matter

    There is no monopoly on common senseOn either side of the political fenceWe share the same biology, regardless of ideologyBelieve me when I say to youI hope the Russians love their children tooLyrics: Sting. Read more ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Luxon Cries

    Over the weekend, I found myself rather irritably reading up about the Treaty of Waitangi. “Do I need to do this?” It’s not my jurisdiction. In any other world, would this be something I choose to do?My answer - no.The Waitangi Tribunal, headed by some of our best legal minds, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Just one Wellington home being consented for every 10 in Auckland

    A decade of under-building is coming home to roost in Wellington. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday September 2:Wellington’s leaders are wringing their hands over an exodus of skilled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Container trucks on local streets: why take the risk?

    This is a guest post by Charmaine Vaughan, who came to transport advocacy via her local Residents Association and a comms role at Bike Auckland. Her enthusiasm to make local streets safer for all is shared by her son Dylan Vaughan, a budding “urban nerd” who provided much of the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    1 week ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #35

    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, August 25, 2024 thru Sat, August 31, 2024. Story of the week After another crammed week of climate news including updates on climate tipping points, increasing threats from rising ...
    1 week ago
  • An Uncanny Valley of Improvement: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power, Episodes 1-3 (Season ...

    And thus we come to the second instalment of Amazon’s Rings of Power. The first season, in 2022, was underwhelming, even for someone like myself, who is by nature inclined to approach Tolkien adaptations with charity. The writing was poor, the plot made no sense on its own terms, and ...
    1 week ago
  • Alcohol debris and Crocodile Tears

    I write to you this morning from scenes of carnage. Around the floor lie young men who only hours earlier were full of life, and cocktails, and now lie silent. Read more ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • When Do We Look Away?

    Hi,The first time I saw something that made me recoil on the internet was a visit to Rotten.com. The clue was in the name — but the internet was a new thing to me in the 90s, and no-one really knew what the hell was going on. But somehow I ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 week ago
  • The decades just fly by

    You turn your back for a moment and a city can completely transform itself. It was, oh, just the other day I was tripping up to Kuala Lumpur every few months to teach workshops and luxuriate in the tropical warmth and fill my face with Char Kway Teow.It has to ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • 2024 Reading Summary: August

    Completed reads for August: Aesop’s Fables (collection), by Aesop Berserk: Volume XXV (manga), by Kentaro Miura Benighted, by J.B. Priestly Berserk: Volume XXVI (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXVII (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXVIII (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXIX (manga), by Kentaro Miura ...
    1 week ago
  • Is recent global warming part of a natural cycle?

    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with John Mason. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is recent global warming part ...
    1 week ago
  • White Noise

    Now here we standWith our hearts in our handsSqueezing out the liesAll that I hearIs a message, unclearWhat else is there to decide?All that I'm hearing from youIs White NoiseLyrics: Christopher John CheneyIs the tide turning?Have we reached the high point of the racist hate and lies from Hobson’s Pledge, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • The Death Of “Big Norm” – Exactly 50 Years Ago Today.

    Norman KirkPrime Minister of New Zealand 1972-1974Born: 6 January 1923 - Died: 31 August 1974Of the working-class, by the working-class, for the working-class.Video courtesy of YouTubeThese elements were posted on Bowalley Road on Saturday, 31 August 2024. ...
    1 week ago
  • Claims and Counter-Claims.

    Whose Foreshore? Whose Seabed? When the Marine and Coastal Area Act was originally passed back in 2011, fears about the coastline becoming off-limits to Pakeha were routinely allayed by National Party politicians pointing out that the tests imposed were so stringent  that only a modest percentage of claims (the then treaty ...
    1 week ago
  • Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • The Principles of the Treaty

    Hardly anyone says what are ‘the principles of the treaty’. The courts’ interpretation restrain the New Zealand Government. While they about protecting a particular community, those restraints apply equally to all community in a liberal democracy – including a single person.Treaty principles were introduced into the governance of New Zealand ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • The Only Other Reliable Vehicle.

    An Elite Leader Awaiting Rotation? Hipkins’ give-National-nothing-to-aim-at strategy will only succeed if the Coalition becomes as unpopular in three years as the British Tories became in fourteen.THE SHAPE OF CHRIS HIPKINS’ THINKING on Labour’s optimum pathway to re-election is emerging steadily. At the core of his strategy is Hipkins’ view ...
    1 week ago
  • A Big F U to this Right Wing Government

    Open to all - deep thanks to those who support and subscribe.One of the things that has got me interested recently is updates about Māori wards.In April, Stuff’s Karanama Ruru reported that ~ 2/3 of our 78 councils had adopted Māori wards in NZ.That meant that under the Coalition repeal ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 weeks ago

  • Action to grow the rural health workforce

    Scholarships awarded to 27 health care students is another positive step forward to boost the future rural health workforce, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “All New Zealanders deserve timely access to quality health care and this Government is committed to improving health outcomes, particularly for the one in five ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Pharmac delivering more for Kiwis following major funding boost

    Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour has welcomed the increased availability of medicines for Kiwis resulting from the Government’s increased investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the Government,” says Mr Seymour. “When our Government assumed office, New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Sport Minister congratulates NZ’s Paralympians

    Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop has congratulated New Zealand's Paralympic Team at the conclusion of the Paralympic Games in Paris.  “The NZ Paralympic Team's success in Paris included fantastic performances, personal best times, New Zealand records and Oceania records all being smashed - and of course, many Kiwis on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago
  • Government progresses response to Abuse in Care recommendations

    A Crown Response Office is being established within the Public Service Commission to drive the Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. “The creation of an Office within a central Government agency was a key recommendation by the Royal Commission’s final report.  “It will have the mandate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Passport wait times back on-track

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says passport processing has returned to normal, and the Department of Internal Affairs [Department] is now advising customers to allow up to two weeks to receive their passport. “I am pleased that passport processing is back at target service levels and the Department ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New appointments to the FMA board

    Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister has today announced three new appointments and one reappointment to the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) board. Tracey Berry, Nicholas Hegan and Mariette van Ryn have been appointed for a five-year term ending in August 2029, while Chris Swasbrook, who has served as a board member ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • District Court judges appointed

    Attorney-General Hon Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new District Court judges. The appointees, who will take up their roles at the Manukau Court and the Auckland Court in the Accident Compensation Appeal Jurisdiction, are: Jacqui Clark Judge Clark was admitted to the bar in 1988 after graduating ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government makes it faster and easier to invest in New Zealand

    Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour is encouraged by significant improvements to overseas investment decision timeframes, and the enhanced interest from investors as the Government continues to reform overseas investment. “There were about as many foreign direct investment applications in July and August as there was across the six months ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New Zealand to join Operation Olympic Defender

    New Zealand has accepted an invitation to join US-led multi-national space initiative Operation Olympic Defender, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. Operation Olympic Defender is designed to coordinate the space capabilities of member nations, enhance the resilience of space-based systems, deter hostile actions in space and reduce the spread of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government commits to ‘stamping out’ foot and mouth disease

    Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says that a new economic impact analysis report reinforces this government’s commitment to ‘stamp out’ any New Zealand foot and mouth disease incursion. “The new analysis, produced by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, shows an incursion of the disease in New Zealand would have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Improving access to finance for Kiwis

    5 September 2024  The Government is progressing further reforms to financial services to make it easier for Kiwis to access finance when they need it, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.  “Financial services are foundational for economic success and are woven throughout our lives. Without access to finance our ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Prime Minister pays tribute to Kiingi Tuheitia

    As Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII is laid to rest today, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has paid tribute to a leader whose commitment to Kotahitanga will have a lasting impact on our country. “Kiingi Tuheitia was a humble leader who served his people with wisdom, mana and an unwavering ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Resource Management reform to make forestry rules clearer

    Forestry Minister Todd McClay today announced proposals to reform the resource management system that will provide greater certainty for the forestry sector and help them meet environmental obligations.   “The Government has committed to restoring confidence and certainty across the sector by removing unworkable regulatory burden created by the previous ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • More choice and competition in building products

    A major shake-up of building products which will make it easier and more affordable to build is on the way, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Today we have introduced legislation that will improve access to a wider variety of quality building products from overseas, giving Kiwis more choice and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Joint Statement between the Republic of Korea and New Zealand 4 September 2024, Seoul

    On the occasion of the official visit by the Right Honourable Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of New Zealand to the Republic of Korea from 4 to 5 September 2024, a summit meeting was held between His Excellency President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Comprehensive Strategic Partnership the goal for New Zealand and Korea

    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol. “Korea and New Zealand are likeminded democracies and natural partners in the Indo Pacific. As such, we have decided to advance discussions on elevating the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • International tourism continuing to bounce back

    Results released today from the International Visitor Survey (IVS) confirm international tourism is continuing to bounce back, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey says. The IVS results show that in the June quarter, international tourism contributed $2.6 billion to New Zealand’s economy, an increase of 17 per cent on last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government confirms RMA reforms to drive primary sector efficiency

    The Government is moving to review and update national level policy directives that impact the primary sector, as part of its work to get Wellington out of farming. “The primary sector has been weighed down by unworkable and costly regulation for too long,” Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.  “That is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Weak grocery competition underscores importance of cutting red tape

    The first annual grocery report underscores the need for reforms to cut red tape and promote competition, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “The report paints a concerning picture of the $25 billion grocery sector and reinforces the need for stronger regulatory action, coupled with an ambitious, economy-wide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government moves to lessen burden of reliever costs on ECE services

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says the Government has listened to the early childhood education sector’s calls to simplify paying ECE relief teachers. Today two simple changes that will reduce red tape for ECEs are being announced, in the run-up to larger changes that will come in time from the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Over 2,320 people engage with first sector regulatory review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says there has been a strong response to the Ministry for Regulation’s public consultation on the early childhood education regulatory review, affirming the need for action in reducing regulatory burden. “Over 2,320 submissions have been received from parents, teachers, centre owners, child advocacy groups, unions, research ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backs women in horticulture

    “The Government is empowering women in the horticulture industry by funding an initiative that will support networking and career progression,” Associate Minister of Agriculture, Nicola Grigg says.  “Women currently make up around half of the horticulture workforce, but only 20 per cent of leadership roles which is why initiatives like this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government to pause freshwater farm plan rollout

    The Government will pause the rollout of freshwater farm plans until system improvements are finalised, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard announced today. “Improving the freshwater farm plan system to make it more cost-effective and practical for farmers is a priority for this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Milestone reached for fixing the Holidays Act 2003

    Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden says yesterday Cabinet reached another milestone on fixing the Holidays Act with approval of the consultation exposure draft of the Bill ready for release next week to participants.  “This Government will improve the Holidays Act with the help of businesses, workers, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • New priorities to protect future of conservation

    Toitū te marae a Tāne Mahuta me Hineahuone, toitū te marae a Tangaroa me Hinemoana, toitū te taiao, toitū te tangata. The Government has introduced clear priorities to modernise Te Papa Atawhai - The Department of Conservation’s protection of our natural taonga. “Te Papa Atawhai manages nearly a third of our ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Faster 110km/h speed limit to accelerate Kāpiti

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