Reverse ferret bites PM on arse.

Written By: - Date published: 2:46 pm, June 24th, 2014 - 83 comments
Categories: john key, national, same old national - Tags: , , , ,

PM John Key has performed a backflip by now suggesting businessman Donghua Liu should front up with evidence to support the NZ Herald’s unsubstantiated claim that he donated substantial sums to Labour. This is a world away from his previous position that it was up to Labour to prove the negative; to show that no donation was made.

In the world of the UK tabloids, such a strategic move is known as a reverse ferret. The phrase apparently originated with Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie, who used to talk about the paper ‘sticking a ferret up the trousers’ of politicians and other targets. If the public didn’t like the story, or it proved to be complete bollocks, MacKenzie would order a ‘reverse ferret’ and the next edition of the paper would take the opposite line, without acknowleging it had ever thought differently.

Key has decided to reverse ferret on the Donghua Liu story because of two factors. One, it’s increasingly looking like it’s simply not true and the Herald has been played like a fiddle. And two, the fiddle player is Cameron Slater, the PM’s bestie from way back.

Key is suddenly finding a desperate need to distance himself from the story. Listen to how testy he gets with Radio NZ (second item, from 45 seconds in). The PM’s transparent, alright.

This is not a man in control of the narrative anymore and the story is becoming what did the PM know, when did he know it and who told him?

Even Tory cheerleader the Herald and Fairfax’s Dom Post are both starting to ask the right questions.

Ferrets have teeth, John, and they don’t much care who they bite.

Te Reo Putake

83 comments on “Reverse ferret bites PM on arse. ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Dan1 1
    24 June 2014 at 3:06 pm

    Sue them all: Key, National Party, NZ Herald, Whaleoil.
    It might even pay for Labour’s election campaign. The 150,000 may not have been dollars?? Yuan perhaps!!!
    I feel a new film coming on, starring Jonkey in “Lost in Translation”!

  2. tsmithfield 2
    24 June 2014 at 3:18 pm

    It looks like other organisations mentioned in Liu’s statement are finding the donations mentioned in the statement without too much problem. Hmmm. The rowing club had links to Rick Barker as well, according to the article.

    I don’t know if it would be wise to keep demanding the release of donation details. This could end up being a death by 1000 cuts for Labour.

    • Zorr 2.1
      24 June 2014 at 3:24 pm

      Just because he has said one or two things that are accurate does not make everything he says truthful.

      You are merely continuing to prove the fact that it’s impossible to prove the negative (and is in fact what conspiracy theorists rely on). If Key/Liu want to claim that there was a donation to Labour, then the burden of proof is on them.

    • Wonderpup 2.2
      24 June 2014 at 3:26 pm

      Or that faint fizzing sound might be you about to be hoisted with your own petard.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 2.3
      24 June 2014 at 3:49 pm

      Next they could be asking about the $50,000 auction to win John Keys ties, no mention of THAT in Nationals donations in 2007?

    • Clemgeopin 2.4
      24 June 2014 at 4:32 pm

      Hey, If this Liu fellow has REALLY given the $100,000 for a bottle of wine, surely he will have the receipt for it? His lawyer will have proof? His accountant will have his accounts audited for that year? The IRD will have his returns?

      He should put up his proof immediately or apologise and ask for forgiveness if he has lied.
      The same applies to Key and Whale oil who have made this issue and fanning innuendo on Labour and Mr Cunliffe.

      Labour should give then two days to do front up or sue them for millions of dollars all for dirty tricks, lies, slander and for trying to destabilise and damage Labour just before the election.

      • Tazirev 2.4.1
        24 June 2014 at 5:21 pm

        Surely if you paid that much for a signed bottle of wine you would still have the evidence or has it been drunk??

        • Colonial Viper 2.4.1.1
          24 June 2014 at 6:43 pm

          No LEC in the country runs a wine auction and gets $100K for a bottle. If it actually happened, it would still be the talk of the LEC involved and dozens of Labour Party members would recall it in a second. FFS you can still hear stories in some LECs about fundraising for Bill Rowling’s campaign.

    • McFlock 2.5
      24 June 2014 at 4:43 pm

      Proves the point that every organisation would have people who can recall any significant donation.

      $2k? The fact that nobody at the alleged labour fundraiser has come forward to corroborate $15k or even the alleged $100k “donations” speaks volumes about the likelihood of any such donation ever having been made.

    • jaymam 2.6
      24 June 2014 at 8:01 pm

      Your link shows that Liu has a habit of visiting the Hawke’s Bay. Therefore I would say it is very likely that Liu was really confused on June 3rd 2007 at the The Midland’s Hawke’s Bay Charity Wine Auction at the Hawke’s Bay Opera House and paid (he says) some $100,000 for a bottle of wine signed by Helen Clark, thinking it was going to the Labour Party, when in fact all the proceeds of the auction went to the Cranford Hospice.
      http://tizwine.com/index.php/ps_pagename/newsdetail/pi_newsitemid/478

    • Draco T Bastard 2.7
      24 June 2014 at 8:46 pm

      WTF have you been smoking? One donation has been found and even then it had nothing to do with Labour and was only ~$2000.

      If anything, this supports the possibility that all the rest is a beat up as well.

  3. hoom 3
    24 June 2014 at 3:22 pm

    I got the impression Key was concerned about the

    Meanwhile, National Party President Peter Goodfellow once again refused to comment on whether National had received any donations from Liu other than the $22,000 disclosed in 2012.

    If Liu donated 100k to both Labour & Nat but Nat can’t find it either then it makes Nat look just as bad as they are trying to make Labour look.

    • You_Fool 3.1
      24 June 2014 at 3:47 pm

      The whole narrative relies on the fact that having a donation from Liu is a bad thing no matter what the circumstance, but then also relies on the masses forgetting that Liu donated to National much more recently than Labour, and forgetting that National have been much more active in helping him out that Labour ever did.

  4. ianmac 4
    24 June 2014 at 3:48 pm

    Mr Key would not have got his hands dirty so he will have many choices of folk who are ready and willing to do the dirt. Like Whaleoil or Joyce. Wonder if Whale oil would have to reveal his source?

  5. wyndham 5
    24 June 2014 at 4:18 pm

    Shock ! Horror ! Liu gave $2k to a rowing club connected to the daughter of Rick Barker !
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11280804

    They really are scratching – – – – but never mind, it helps get the slippery one off the hook.

    • ianmac 5.1
      24 June 2014 at 4:25 pm

      But note wyndham. Not money to the Labour Party.

    • Grumpy 5.2
      24 June 2014 at 10:04 pm

      This is the guy Barker claims he does not know.

      [lprent: Yes, I’d be interested in that myself. Last I saw he was saying he’d had dinner with him. Perhaps you could provide a link. Otherwise who knows when I will lift the auto moderation. ]

      • Te Reo Putake 5.2.1
        24 June 2014 at 10:36 pm

        Um, Barker does know Liu. They’ve had dinner, remember? However, there is no evidence that Cunliffe ever met him. I can understand your confusion, it’s hard to keep track of Key’s lies without BLiP’s list close to hand.

      • McFlock 5.2.2
        24 June 2014 at 10:40 pm

        Barker claims to not know Liu?

        I haven’t seen that anywhere.
        You making shit up?

        • grumpy 5.2.2.1
          25 June 2014 at 9:22 am

          lprent is correct, my memory was clearly deficient.
          I have had a bit of a search and found that Barker actually knew Liu before becoming Minister of Internal Affairs. Interestingly, the link also throws up some very interesting facts that I did not know, including that Barker was involved in Liu’s application for citizenship and that Cunliffe was initially not impressed with Liu and originally intended to decline his residency application (until things obviously changed).
          Fascinating from 7.12 in the, link
          http://www.oag.govt.nz/2013/citizenship/part7.htm

          • grumpy 5.2.2.1.1
            25 June 2014 at 10:50 am

            Oops, I think this is the “other” Mr Lui, (Bill) (the report does not say)……interesting though.

            • Te Reo Putake 5.2.2.1.1.1
              25 June 2014 at 11:00 am

              You’re right (eventually). This is Bill Liu, though the report uses his formal name. Nothing to do with this smear at all.

              The report cleared the then minister (“We found no evidence that there was any improper motive, collusion, or political interference in the decision to authorise citizenship for Mr Liu.”), but did make recommendations on how marginal cases like his should be handled in future. Recommendations completely ignored by Williamson in the current case, obviously.

  6. One Anonymous Bloke 6
    24 June 2014 at 4:20 pm

    Love how our lying trash Prime Minister turns on RNZ as soon as they ask him a question he doesn’t like.

    They (RNZ interviewers) really need to grow a pair and challenge him directly on it.

    “Are you serious Prime Minister? Your response to this question is a veiled threat? Bring it on, trash.”

    • ianmac 6.1
      24 June 2014 at 4:26 pm

      A good sign that Key is rattled though OAB. And maybe RNZ is onto him?

    • phillip ure 6.2
      24 June 2014 at 4:44 pm

      maybe leave off the ‘Bring it on, trash.’..

      ..but the rest of it is a suitable response to bullshit like that…

      • One Anonymous Bloke 6.2.1
        24 June 2014 at 4:53 pm

        No, Phil, I think it appropriate for interviewers to call attention to their subjects’ ethics and tactics and to respond to them aggressively where appropriate: it’s one of the responsibilities duties of the Fourth Estate.

        There are other ways to phrase it, of course, Grass Mud Horse.

  7. tsmithfield 7
    24 June 2014 at 4:25 pm

    For the conspiracy theorists, perhaps Key’s statement that Liu should present his evidence was actually a signal to him that now is a tactically good time for evidence to start being presented.

    • Te Reo Putake 7.1
      24 June 2014 at 5:09 pm

      Key doesn’t need to ‘signal’ to Liu. He could just ask him directly to do so. After all, it’s pretty obvious Liu and senior Nats have been in close contact in recent times and at a lot higher level than Maurice Williamson. You don’t waste the kind of money Liu claims to have laid on them just to watch the organ grinder’s monkey do his little dance.

    • Tracey 7.2
      25 June 2014 at 12:15 pm

      like a second statement you mean?

  8. ianmac 8
    24 June 2014 at 4:34 pm

    Thanks Te Reo Putake. I agree that maybe Key is regretting his, “I hear gossip and rumour about thousands maybe hundreds of thousands of dollars that Mr Liu gave the Labour Party.”
    Gossip monger. Hope that ferret has sharp teeth.

    • Te Reo Putake 8.1
      24 June 2014 at 5:02 pm

      Cheers, Ianmac. As we know, in politics, it’s the lies that bring you down and the tiny tanty at the Radio Nz reporter strongly suggested to me that Key does not want to be asked questions about his role in the smear. And if that’s the case, then that’s exactly where the media needs to start probing. I’d love to see John Armstrong, for one, get stuck in to Key. If not remembering a letter is a resignation matter, then being part of a conspiracy to defame a political rival must be a hanging offence.

  9. Jack 9
    24 June 2014 at 4:50 pm

    Labour need to getaway from the Key/Whale Spew Gotcha Politics, Key has got the media in his backpocket and they are all besotted with the man.

    Playing Gotcha Politics will backfire on Labour, look how MSM destroyed Winstons credibility in the 2008 Election Build Up, MSM made him out to be the biggest crook on earth even though he was never found guilty of any wrongdoing.

    The problem is people believe what the media tell them, the average man in the street will believe Labour has been up to no good after this latest hoohah by Key and the MSM.

    Just watch Key “butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth”, vile politics being played out by MSM.

    • vto 9.1
      24 June 2014 at 4:56 pm

      Yep, the left should now jump elsewhere, and heavily, while some of their lower life like Mallard continue to poke Key and Slater in the ribs over it ….

  10. vto 10
    24 June 2014 at 4:52 pm

    slippery oil
    whale oil
    snake oil
    salesman
    nought more

  11. john 11
    24 June 2014 at 5:03 pm

    I don’t think the Herald are worried about evidence. They did an investigation in to Labour Party donations in 2008.

    They have previously quoted former Labour Party members saying that Liu was well known at fundraising events.

    They have a statement from Lui, and even a photo of him receiving the wine.

    If Labour had admitted at the start that Liu had donated to them, they would look hypocritical, but the story would have ended then.

    Instead, they jumped in the hole, and for the last week have been digging it deeper.

    When the proof finally comes out (I wouldn’t be surprised if the Herald hasn’t had it for weeks, or even since six years ago), Labour will have destroyed public trust.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 11.1
      24 June 2014 at 5:09 pm

      Now, that was original. Well constructed, clear, a prediction even.

      Your bias is showing, but that’s to be expected.

      Well done: it’s not often a wingnut learns a new trick.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 11.2
      24 June 2014 at 5:13 pm

      …Labour will have demonstrated that they accept donations according to the law and offer nothing in return other than their stated policies. FIFY.

      • chris73 11.2.1
        24 June 2014 at 5:48 pm

        But its not about any laws that have or haven’t been broken is it, its about Cunliffe and whether the voters can believe what he says

    • One Anonymous Bloke 11.3
      24 June 2014 at 5:19 pm

      How does National make policy, John?

      • vto 11.3.1
        24 June 2014 at 5:29 pm

        When National make policy about the children of east Christchurch and their schools the sole driving factor is money, isn’t it John. The welfare of the children doesn’t get a look in.

        Just like the South Canterbury Finance investors and their reckless and useless investment habits and $1.7billion ….

        (… just to bang on a bit more about it …)

        • One Anonymous Bloke 11.3.1.1
          24 June 2014 at 5:59 pm

          This flies in the face of Nandor’s valedictory speech.

          Mit der dummheit kämpfen götter selbst vergebens. Schiller.

        • john 11.3.1.2
          24 June 2014 at 6:31 pm

          The govt effectively provided insurance for deposits.

          They took around $750m in premiums, and recovered around a billion dollars from SCF.

          The banking system survived, which was the whole point. Depositors got their money back.

          So $133 BILLION of deposits got guaranteed though one of the most turbulent financial time in living history, and the govt pretty much broke even on the deal.

          I know you like to bang on about it, but that’s because you wrongly think the govt lost $1.7b – it didn’t

          • One Anonymous Bloke 11.3.1.2.1
            24 June 2014 at 6:48 pm

            In the blink of an eye John, a pedestrian pre-conceived piffle pusher, can turn into Superjohn, a seasoned political campaigner who always argues in good faith on Planet Key.

            It’s a shame about John’s personal responsibility, but.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 11.3.1.2.2
            24 June 2014 at 8:07 pm

            How does National make policy, John?

            I know I asked you that already, and your response makes no attempt to acknowledge it, and I’d ‘hate’ to see your new-found creative originality tainted with bad faith, John.

          • vto 11.3.1.2.3
            25 June 2014 at 8:24 am

            Wrong again john, and the point about the lack of consideration for the children’s welfare stands …. it is just all about the money aint it …. no wonder John Key cried “show us the money”. That is Key to a tee .

            and btw, get your facts and knowledge straight on the SCF and RDGS ’cause you are miles off. SCF was fraudulently letinto the scheme. If it had been left to fail this is what would have happened…

            one, the banking system would not have collapsed at all, that is a joke of a claim; and,

            two, the RDGS would have missed out on a very small amount of entry fees from SCF, negligible in fact; and,

            three, the government would not have to outlay $1,700,000,000 to SCF investors. Sure, a small portion of that has been recovered…. but ….

            the point is the considerations for decision-making by this government, namely $66m per year for the children of east Chch for a few years to recover from the earthquakes ($1.7billion for SCF anyone?); and further namely, bailing out people without insurance for their shonky investments (red zone Chch people cf SCF shabby investors anyone?); amongst much more ….

            you’re a shabby callous tory john and I don’t like you’re type for all the above reasons.

    • freedom 11.4
      24 June 2014 at 5:55 pm

      They have a photo of his partner receiving a bottle of wine.

      Accuracy of information john, it matters.
      It is how this mess started in the first place.

      • john 11.4.1
        24 June 2014 at 6:13 pm

        You’re right of course. My error, though the point remains – the Herald seem to have no trouble pulling out a new piece of evidence every couple of days to back up their claims.

        The will have information from their investigation into Labour donations from 2008, probably info uncovered in the Williamson investigation, they have quoted from former Labour Party members, and they have statements from Liu himself.

    • NZJester 11.5
      24 June 2014 at 6:54 pm

      Tell me john do you really think there is actually any evidence now that the other John has changed his position on the evidence? By the way do we pronounce the J in your name with the same Jamaican style Sh sounding J that we do when we pronounce the J in John Key’s first name?

    • framu 11.6
      25 June 2014 at 8:26 am

      “Labour will have destroyed public trust.”

      whos been spreading rumors again john?

  12. dave 12
    24 June 2014 at 5:54 pm

    this ultra fast broad band wait for the bill on that one 1.5 billion is a joke it will be 7 to 9 billion in the end

    • NZJester 12.1
      24 June 2014 at 7:16 pm

      The thing about the ultra fast broadband that will make it a real joke will be its speed and not its cost dave.
      National is building a big super fast Intranet inside of New Zealand. (And I do mean Intranet and not Internet)
      As long as what you want to access is inside New Zealand it will be nice and fast. But as what most people want to access is held mostly on servers outside this country, just watch the speed drop as everyone tries to use ultra fast speeds over those two cables in and out of New Zealand all at once. Meanwhile our ISP’s are being charged monopoly prices to access those cables and are having to pass those costs onto us making our Internet very costly compared to a lot of other countries.
      Until a competing cable is put in place our Internet prices will remain high.
      When my local exchange got upgraded some time back from ADSL to ADSL2 and I got some extra speed I noticed my access to sites inside NZ speed up but it made little difference to the speed of a lot of the international sites I accessed.

      • infused 12.1.1
        25 June 2014 at 12:19 am

        I guess you didn’t know southern cross carries 480gbit.

        And probably don’t know what a CDN is either.

        Might pay to do some research.

  13. NZJester 13
    24 June 2014 at 6:26 pm

    When I saw John Key had asked him to front up with the evidence my jaw nearly hit the floor from my open mouthed look of disbelief at what I was hearing.

    But then John Key has always been quick to change his story when things start going wrong and claim his new position is what it has been all along. Or if unable to change his story have a convenient brain fade and claim he just can not remember back that far even if it was something less than a week back. He was obviously hoping that because there was photos of Donghua Liu’s wife with someone from Labour that a donation record might turn up.
    The fact it is taking to log for the mud to stick and that it is getting shook back onto them as they try and toss it has him now running for cover.

  14. Sideshow Bob 14
    24 June 2014 at 7:19 pm

    Mr Liu does not necessarily need documentation to prove he spent his money. As long as it came from tax paid income then it is his to do with as he wishes. No accountants, no receipts, no proof of expenditure needed. Many a time I have been at a sports oriented auction rugby charities etc ( no political auctions I promise) and bought something with my own hard earned, tax paid dollars. Anyone want to buy a cricket bat signed by Ian Botham or assorted rugby jerseys from the 70’s 80’s 90’s and 00’s. I even have an Aussie jersey – jeez how much had I had to drink that day? No receipts necessary and I never paid less than $1,000 for any of them. Worthy causes though.

    • Te Reo Putake 14.1
      24 June 2014 at 7:39 pm

      Did you pay cash? If not you’ll be able to provide bank statements to back up your big-noting. Liu can easily do the same.

    • framu 14.2
      25 June 2014 at 8:28 am

      “Mr Liu does not necessarily need documentation to prove he spent his money.”

      if hes making a claim that he did – then yeah, he does

      • Colonial Viper 14.2.1
        25 June 2014 at 8:42 am

        A ‘scouts honour’ should be quite sufficient, according to these people

    • Tracey 14.3
      25 June 2014 at 9:50 am

      He does if he paid through his company which is how he says he paid National.

  15. felix 15
    24 June 2014 at 7:37 pm

    From the linked article:

    Key accused Cunliffe of “gotcha politics” and “a fair degree of hypocrisy”.

    “When National engaged with a Chinese donor it was cash for access. Actually when they [Labour] do it, it wasn’t,” he said.

    What is it with these fucking racists? What the fuck has “Chinese” got to do with any of it?

  16. NZ Femme 16
    25 June 2014 at 11:46 am

    Liu is now saying that the $100 G is inclusive of the Barker cruise ($50G – 60G), the rowing club donation ($2G) and several bottles of wine he won at auction.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11281460

    • Colonial Viper 16.1
      25 June 2014 at 11:53 am

      “Labour has no more time to waste with Mr Liu’s changing story or National’s version of gotcha politics; we’re focussing on letting NZers know the Labour policies which are going to make a difference to them and the nation”

      • NZ Femme 16.1.1
        25 June 2014 at 11:57 am

        😀

      • James 16.1.2
        25 June 2014 at 12:16 pm

        What – No denial. Just blaming National and Liu?

        That will roll well with the voters.

        It smells like a rat. If Labour do not believe it – they need to deny they took the money. Else it looks smelly.

        Just blaming others makes them look incompetent, or like they are trying to avoid admitting taking the $$$$

        • lprent 16.1.2.1
          25 June 2014 at 2:13 pm

          Pretty damn hard when there isn’t enough detail to look for it. The NZ Herald’s reporting different amounts, different times, different possible venues, keeps reporting donations and auctions from non-Labour events as being for Labour, and hasn’t released the statements from Liu.

          How would you suggest searching any filing or accounting system for that?

          It appears that you are just thick.

    • Tracey 16.2
      25 June 2014 at 12:10 pm

      :l)

      And that some donations were made anonymously…

      Picture me shaking my head. Nice to see you back posting nzfemme

      • NZ Femme 16.2.1
        25 June 2014 at 12:26 pm

        On holiday from study so have more time to play online 🙂

        • Anne 16.2.1.1
          25 June 2014 at 2:27 pm

          You’ve been doing a fantastic job. I’m sure more people than just us are grateful for your efforts.

    • Kiwiri 16.3
      25 June 2014 at 12:38 pm

      true, CV. but some of us can continue to fact check.

      btw, that picture has now been cropped much more closely to totally exclude any hint of the third person in the picture that i saw.

      has someone been into that hawkes bay venue yet? in the picture, the light-fitting on the wall was quite distinctive and may well match the ones at that location.

      • NZ Femme 16.3.1
        25 June 2014 at 12:50 pm

        The Hawkes Bay Opera House underwent extensive renovations 2004-2007. Parts of it were closed earlier this year b/c of concerns around earthquake soundness, and I’m not sure it’s re-opened yet.

        Jared hasn’t published the photo again on twitter since he released the date-stamped version. He’s clammed up since last night.

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    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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 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
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
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    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 ...
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    7 days ago
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    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 ...
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  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

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  • '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 ...
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