Selling assets to pay for tax cuts for richest 1%

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 7:50 am, January 28th, 2011 - 171 comments
Categories: privatisation, tax - Tags: stats

John Key reckons he can raise $10 billion by selling our assets and their future profits. That’s probably very over-optimistic. But I got wondering, how does that one-off $10 billion compare to the cost of the tax cuts that National has given the wealthiest 1% of Kiwis, which they will continue to get year after year? Answer: not well.

Money now is worth more than money later – a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. To calculate the present value of future money you use a fancy formula (already handily contained in this online calculator) and the discount rate, which is the interest rate. For the government, the interest rate it pays for borrowing is about 5.5%. Which, it turns out, means $10 billion now is worth the same as $550 million each year forever.

Now, how much less tax are the wealthiest 1% of Kiwi taxpayers paying as a result of National’s income tax cuts in 2009 and 2010? IRD’s stats tell us the wealthiest 1% earn over $165,000 of taxable income. They also tell us how many taxpayers are in each band of $5,000 and how much taxable income each band has – allowing us to work out the average income of each band. We can then work out the tax cut for the average income in each band, times it by the number of people in each band, and get a grand total.

Which is $586 million.

The 36,000 people in the top 1% of income earners, with an average income of $289,000 have received, on average, a tax cut of $16,000 from Key’s National Government costing, in total, $586 million a year.

And they’ll keep on getting that $586 million every year. In fact, the size of the tax cut for the top 1% will grow with their incomes – but erring on the low side and just leaving it at $586 million a year, how much is that worth in present value using the government’s discount rate?

$10.6 billion.

In summary:

Present value (optimistic) of Key’s plan to sell our assets if he did it today: $10 billion
Present value of the tax cuts that Key have given to the wealthiest 1% of NZers: $10.6 billion

And this is an extremely generous calculation because I haven’t counted all the dividends we’ll lose if Key sells our assets. In fact, that alone, according to Bernard Hickey and others, makes the present value of Key’s plan less than zero.

This means that, if debt was really a concern, National could simply restore the taxation for the wealthiest 1% of New Zealander’s that they were able to live with very well before 2009 and raise more money than asset sales might and we get to keep our SOEs’ profits. Only people on incomes over $165,000 would be affected. The other 99% of us get to keep the assets, the profits from them that pay for our schools and hospitals, and our sweet, sweet tax cuts.

Now, some of you are saying ‘yes, Marty, but the government needs the money now, not in $586 million blocks every year forever’. To which there are two answers: 1) we wouldn’t be getting the asset sale money for years anyway because these things take time to organise, indeed the deficit will be all but gone by the time these sales are ready to happen 2) ratings agencies can do the maths too, they know that increasing the government’s revenue by $586 million per year every year is more than getting a one-off of $10 billion.

Why do you think National is determined to sell assets when undoing its own tax cuts for just 1% of the population would be so much easier and more beneficial to the country in the long-run? Could it be that this isn’t about debt at all?

Could it be that debt is just the excuse they came up with so that the rich can keep their enourmous tax cuts and buy our assets cheaply?

The thing I note about this picture: it’s the whole households’ floorboards but only the rich guy in the suit is being kept warm.

171 comments on “Selling assets to pay for tax cuts for richest 1% ”

Comments are now closed

LynW 1

28 January 2011 at 8:13 am

Thanks for such an excellent rationale and also enjoyed your very insightful comment on the cartoon!
tony 2

28 January 2011 at 8:27 am

Gota say…Cunliffe (sounding like Cullen) was great on Nat Rad this morning on the subject of Burning the Family’s Floorboards. I reckon he could wipe the smile off Key’s face given half a chance. English wouldn’t have a sh!t show.

Goff just needs to let him off the leash.
arants 3

28 January 2011 at 8:28 am

“Could it be that debt is just the excuse they came up with so that the rich can keep their enourmous tax cuts and buy our assets cheaply?”

Could it be that we’ve lost sight of the big picture. These measures are ‘forced’ on NZ by a strategic deficit representing the culmination of years of work by National & the Treasury. We’ve bought into it.

In using tax cuts as a central theme, Goff’s lame ‘State of the Nation’ address effectively embraced the whole strategic deficit narrative, handicapping those in his team that actually ‘get it’ in the privatisation battle and broader economic analysis. Clark & Cullen resisted tax cuts for a long time before caving in, but now the surrender is complete. While tax cuts remain central to the discourse there’s no way back for Labour and its values. Instead we’re left arguing technical details.
- ZeeBop 3.1
  
  29 January 2011 at 4:14 am
  
  We in NZ reward the bookerkeepers and the shopkeepers were happy, the farmers were happy, the house buyers were happy, but the manufacturers and innovators lost out. Good times are over. The Goof Ball years of living easy on cheap high density energy gushing from growing numbers of oil wells is over. Labour is right, it is the tax system stupid, yet Labours policy of how it is the tax system is still hard to work out for good reason. Is Goff a Goof ball?
  
  NZ’s are glib, they the two second experts on everything, they’re told they can assume that we have to pay for health care, that we have to help the innovators by ignoring the problem that innovators have because innovators are super human and just need better bookkeepers to throw money at them (fiscal controls and so future profits without the risk exposure to bookkeepers), and so innovators problems will go away with the savior bookkeepers around. Unfortuately its not that easy, you see fairness and science are one and the same. When you are being fair you have walked in the shoes of those you talk about, just as a good science tries to mind meld with their subject. NZ is not a fair society, since kiwis don’t think they have to know why (for instance) the UK has a universal free healthcare system that so utterly proves the assumption private is good public is wrong. The basic lack of willness to walk in the shoes of others, the basic undercurrent that being caught without a opinion (cloaked in the rightwing unfair ethos prevading NZ) is too much for most kiwis to bear. To actually do the scientific thing and investigate their own assumptions. Socrete’s put it something like this, the unreflected life is not worth living. Kiwis are breed to be flightless (those that fly do so early and get the hell out of here and aren’t called kiwi anymore). There’s a reason cultural shifts in NZ take 30 years to catch up with ROW, kiwis will point out how when NZ last had a spourt of innovation at the turn of the last century (when some british suffergettes got off the boat) how they as a society have been at the forefront ever since ;-).
  
  NZ is a great country, NZ is a beautiful country, far less stark than Australia but so much more depth, yet we sell if off in increasely bigger fire sales to feed the bookkeepers demand for more. It cannot go on, it will not go one since the era of cheap oil is over, so do with have to dither for thirty years or are we going to retool our financial system to suit the demands of the coming scarcity. Food price spikes is scarcity. Energy price spikes is scarcity. Unaffordable extreme Weather is scarcity of resilience. Rubbish is scarcity of imagination. Sustainability a scarcity of versatility. NZ is old, tired, all bones and little muscle (lots of bookkeeper muscle).
  
  NZ has no resilience when we rely on so few industries, and so few products in those industries (bulk commodities). National are the party of the bookkeepers, when Key wins relection which he will because the media will echo Key’s lies (for fairness – sic) even as Key statements are obvious flaws in reason and fact. The under current will be don’t be a loser, vote for the winner – Key. The same old plea to the weak who spend their whole lives being two second experts. A fair society walks in the shoes of its poorest, oh and frak off jesusfoids, NZ is old unfair and a joke.
  Please evolve NZ.
Kevin Welsh 4

28 January 2011 at 8:30 am

Its the old Strategic Deficit raising its ugly head once again.
- Jim Nald 4.1
  
  28 January 2011 at 3:13 pm
  
  John Key & mates:
  Manufacturing debt
  Manufacturing deception
  Manufacturing foreign dependence
  
  Say it simply, manufacturing bullshit
mickysavage 5

28 January 2011 at 8:43 am

Very good analysis.

So (looking for the optimal sound bite) if we sell $10b worth of electricity companies we lose at least $10b worth of of future income and all that we are doing is financing the tax cuts John Key gave to the richest 1% of taxpayers.

Disgusting.
- Pete 5.1
  
  28 January 2011 at 9:05 am
  
  Why not look at another income group?
  
  Someone on $45k earns $865 per week gross – PAYE/EP on that is $150
  
  If they have two children (quite a common family):
  Family tax credit, $115.00
  In-work tax credit, $60.00
  Total WFF credit $175.00
  So effectively they don’t pay any tax.
  
  On top of that they may get up to $100 per week housing allowance.
  They may also get childcare subsidies.
  If they are on Kiwisaver they get another $17.31 per week from the government.
  Plus doctor subsidies.
  And all the other things provided by people who do pay tax.
  
  They get back more than they pay in tax. They may not pay tax for 15 years. Is that fair?
  
  How much is paid to nil tax payers? ‘The rich” who actually pay a large proportion of the tax.
  - Marty G 5.1.1
    
    28 January 2011 at 9:11 am
    
    Pete also fails to address the point, which one can only take as conceding it
    
    Pete: if you took the tax levels for the wealthiest 1% of Kiwis back to where they were just two years ago – when, remember, they were already super-rich – then it would raise more money than asset sales, and we wouldn’t be giving up all those dividends.
    
    [lprent: pwned arguments aren’t allowed – even for you. ]
    - Pete 5.1.1.1
      
      28 January 2011 at 9:16 am
      
      You’re avoiding my point (by your definition that means you’re conceding it?) – is it “fair” that a significant number of people don’t pay any tax at all, guaranteed for a decade or two? That taxpayers have to keep paying them?
      
      It’s only fair that if you want to look at fair tax levels you look across the board and don’t select a narrow band for your convenience?
      - mickysavage 5.1.1.1.1
        
        28 January 2011 at 9:27 am
        
        Pete
        
        I would much prefer that my taxes went to lower to middle income working families so their kids can be raised properly than to go to the uber wealthy.
        
        Answer your question?
        
        Now about Marty’s post, do you want to address his point?
        
        Pete 5.1.1.1.1.1
        
        28 January 2011 at 9:36 am
        
        No, it doesn’t answer my question. I asked if it is fair to everyone, not just how you feel about it.
        
        I think those with families deserve some tax leniency. But paying nothing, next to nothing, or actually getting back more than they pay is absurd, and it grots a lot of people off big time.
        
        Fairness is not someone choosing who gets to pay nothing and who has to cover that. Fairness is about everyone doing their bit, at least paying part of their way.
        
        ZeeBop …
        
        29 January 2011 at 4:23 am
        
        People when they buy stuff add value, that’s why marketing companies seek out buying preferences!
        So for fairness sake will you stop ignoring the fact that removing support, reducing redistribution of wealth will make us poorer as a society. Rob peter to pay paul. Nobody want a less wealthy society.
        If we did away with progressive taxes, the lower and middle classes would take you fairness argument and demand they should not support services that the wealthy use routinely every month that they the majority may use once a year (if that)! If a wealthy person gets a subsidy from the tax payer – no GST – on flights to Sydney because they are ‘working’ to enlarge their personal financial portfolio, then why shouldn’t the average kiwi also get some income support???? Why would taxpayers want to support the wealthy to make more wealth for themselves, but the majority not to support themselves to get more wealthy! You see your fairness argument is a crock of sh*t, you not being fair.
      - Marty G 5.1.1.1.2
        
        28 January 2011 at 9:31 am
        
        Yes. It is fair.the point of the tax and redistribution system is to make the distribution of wealth fairer than naked capitalism would – thereby helping to preserve capitalism, which would otherwise be politically unsustainable.
        If you reduce tax on the rich it can be paid for by increasing tax on those less able to afford it, by cutting the social wage, borrowing, or selling public assets, which just lessens future government revenue.
        Such has been the scale of national’s enrichment of the rich it is doing all four. But that was always the plan.
        
        Pete 5.1.1.1.2.1
        
        28 January 2011 at 9:39 am
        
        “Fairer” is not having some elite choosing who gets everything for nothing, and who has to subsidise that.
        
        Especially when “those who might vote for the elite choosers” are those who are chosen not to pay anything.
        
        jimmy …
        
        28 January 2011 at 9:57 am
        
        I think you will find there aint many libertarians here mate, ‘fair’ on paper doesnt mean squat in the real world.
        
        Blighty …
        
        28 January 2011 at 11:15 am
        
        So, Pete is anti-democracy?
        
        Bazar …
        
        28 January 2011 at 5:52 pm
        
        Hell i’m anti-democracy, its the worst system out there, except for everything else that has been tried.
        
        And he has a fair point. Its NOT FAIR. Everytime i read this blog, its always tax the rich-picks, as they make the most. Its onyl fair they pay a disproportionate amount of tax….
        
        “The rich make the most money, therefore they should pay the most tax”.
        They already pay the most tax, but that doesn’t stop that arguement.
        
        Everytime i heard that arguement i have a hard time believing anything said isn’t just a form of low income greed. A more rational debate would be if they pay enough. But greed being what it is, it’ll always be easier to say the rich should pay more when you aren’t rich, more so when you can do it with other like-minded people.
        
        Anyway moving on.
        I actually appreate petes discuession here its been insiteful. But its worth pointing uot that higher tax rates might allow for a fairer tax system.
        
        If the rich were taxed more over, but the overall tax rate lowered for lower income famlies, then welfare could be removed for those low income famlies.
        
        Then we get a more transparent tax system.
        Of course thats just theorycrafting, the reality is labour will fight tooth and nail over welfare crutches, and even if such a system was introduced, it’d only be a matter of time before labour started handing out more welfare benifits.
        
        I’ve gone off topic far more then i thought, but i’ll actually post this.
        
        Oh, talking abuot transparent tax system i liked the tax change, lowering the tax rate for the rich to be in line with trust funds makes avoiding tax harder. Removing the tax expense that was depreceation on buildings is a huge tax bonus.
        I see it being about even. But i haven’t the figgures to back that up.
        
        I wonder why i never hear about the depreciation issue whenever the tax cuts are mentioned….
        
        [edit: Too tired to fix my grammer/spelling. Take it as it]
        
        Colonial Viper …
        
        28 January 2011 at 6:18 pm
        
        Hell i’m anti-democracy, its the worst system out there, except for everything else that has been tried.
        
        But we don’t have a democracy. We have a plutocracy.
        
        Roughly 5,000-10,000 people decide on the economic direction (and therefore the societal conditions) of the entire country at the moment. The other 4,300,000 NZ’ers living here have frak all say in it.
        
        The richest 20 NZ’ers personally control assets worth ~$30B. That exceeds the net worth of the bottom 50-60% of NZ’ers put together.
        
        Peter Jackson, a half billionaire, can get a law changed on the spot, to suit his companies better. I can’t. And neither can you.
        
        This ain’t no democracy, this is a plutocracy. (Or on the way to becoming one).
        
        Oh, talking abuot transparent tax system i liked the tax change, lowering the tax rate for the rich to be in line with trust funds makes avoiding tax harder.
        
        Yeah? Well increasing the trust tax rate to be in line with the income tax rate for the rich would also have made avoiding tax harder.
      - aj 5.1.1.1.3
        
        28 January 2011 at 11:24 am
        
        Pete @ 9:16
        
        They are paying tax. They pay GST, Fuel Tax, ACC levies etc
      - Graham 5.1.1.1.4
        
        28 January 2011 at 12:49 pm
        
        No it’s not fair for nobody to pay tax,
        but it is more fair than to have a significant number of people who are being under-paid for their hard work. We have the resources in New Zealand for everyone to have, at the very least, a simple, but comfortable, fulfilling and healthy lifestyle. It is a fact that many hard workers simply can’t afford this because a small group are taking many times more than their fair share. It is great that some people wish to work their way up the financial ladder but this needs to be regulated so that many others don’t miss out on their basic human rights.
  - Draco T Bastard 5.1.2
    
    28 January 2011 at 9:51 am
    
    Pete, you do realise that all those subsidies for the rich wouldn’t be necessary if people were actually paid a high enough income don’t you?
    - Pete 5.1.2.1
      
      28 January 2011 at 9:58 am
      
      You must mean subsidies by the rich?
      
      It’s fair to quibble about how much the rich should subsidise others. But that is only a small part of the total tax equation. I think it’s also fair to quibble about those that benefit, and how much they should benefit.
      - orange whip? 5.1.2.1.1
        
        28 January 2011 at 10:05 am
        
        You make it sound as if people have some sort of natural right to hoard the world’s resources for their own benefit at the expense of everybody else, and as if the rest of us are supposed to sit meekly and allow it without compensation.
        
        Where did you develop this perverse world view, Pete?
        
        Pete 5.1.2.1.1.1
        
        28 January 2011 at 10:12 am
        
        That’s a strange assumption ow, and wrong.
        
        I don’t think “the rest of us” should sit meekly accepting a free ride. I think that the starting point should be for everyone to do their bit and pay their own way, but allow for some assistance for people in real need.
        
        orange whip? …
        
        28 January 2011 at 10:35 am
        
        Disingenuous Pete, and transparent.
        
        It is the rich who are getting a free ride on the backs of the rest of us.
        
        Pete …
        
        28 January 2011 at 10:39 am
        
        That’s a “perverse worldview” – the people who pay tax are getting a free ride of those who don’t pay tax?
        
        Draco T Bastard …
        
        28 January 2011 at 11:25 am
        
        No, the people in the top 1% income get a free-ride on the bottom 90% by:
        1.) Structuring their income so as to not pay tax
        and
        2.) not paying enough in wages to cover costs.
        
        orange whip? …
        
        28 January 2011 at 11:37 am
        
        The people who are hoarding all the resources are getting a free ride on the people who do all the work.
        
        Those paying the most tax are doing so because they have most of the money, most of the resources, and most of the power to influence important decisions about how our society functions.
        
        You’re allowed, in this society, to become rich. To take more than your share. To take more than you need. To take from the rest of us.
        
        But you pay a bit of it back to the rest of us in taxes, and not much considering the grossly disproportionate amount of money, land, resources and power controlled by a few percent of the population.
        
        Most of society are living on a tiny amount of money with very little power and not much hope that things will improve. Meanwhile you, Pete, are voicing the concerns of the <5% of society who own almost everything. Why is that?
        
        Pete …
        
        28 January 2011 at 12:50 pm
        
        I don’t think I’m just voicing the concerns of “the <5% of society who own almost everything". I'm not one of them.
        
        There wil always be a few people who get rich, and quite a few more that will be very poor. That always happens, even in so-called communist countries.
        
        The poor should be helped to an extent. The moderately well off have opportunities for getting better off, but even if they don't manage it or don't want to, they should still be prepared to earn their own way through life and not expect and try to force richer people to hand over what they have.
        
        Phil Goff and David Cunliffe must feel that they deserve their salaries, or else they would redistribute most of what they earn to poorer people. Or do they just want to redistribute other people's money?
        
        orange whip? …
        
        28 January 2011 at 6:41 pm
        
        I never said you were one of the richest in our society, Pete. I said you’re voicing their concerns. As you seem to have trouble with what this means I’ll spell it out for you:
        
        There are many, many people in our society who work hard all week and are not paid enough even to rent a house and feed a family.
        
        The reason they aren’t paid enough to live is that the people they work for are taking many, many times their share.
        
        It really is that simple, Pete. There’s no shame in being on the side of the ruling class but you should have the dignity to admit it to yourself. Your duplicity in this regard is embarrassing.
        
        Pete …
        
        28 January 2011 at 7:09 pm
        
        It really isn’t that simple. Maybe one day you will have experienced enough of the world to see that.
        
        I voice my concerns and opinions. I know employers who work bloody hard for bugger all. Some make more than is fair, but within our system they can do that, and it would be less fair to arbitrarily take it off them because someone else deems it too much.
        
        The starting position for any adult should be to earn at least enough to cover their expenses, not to expect that a “decent wage” is automatically owed to them.
        
        Many poor people are not helped as much as they should be – partly because other “poor” people abuse and overuse the assistance of others.
        
        Pascal's bookie …
        
        28 January 2011 at 7:28 pm
        
        “Some make more than is fair, but within our system they can do that, and it would be less fair to arbitrarily take it off them because someone else deems it too much.”
        
        If some make more than is ‘fair’, and the system allows this, how can it not be ‘fair’ to make adjustments to the system?
        
        Many poor people are not helped as much as they should be – partly because other “poor” people abuse and overuse the assistance of others.
        
        Does the system allow this abuse? I don’t think you are being consistent here.
        
        But in any case, if people should be helped, then why shouldn’t they be helped again? Is it their fault that others abuse the assistance of others? How is it relevant? Or if it is relevant, then surely the ‘abuses’ by the wealthy of the system are relevant in the same way.
        
        Colonial Viper …
        
        28 January 2011 at 7:44 pm
        
        I know employers who work bloody hard for bugger all.
        
        And that is because we are in a low wage economy and people with low wages have no discretionary income to spend money in shops or buy other services.
        
        That’s a “perverse worldview” – the people who pay tax are getting a free ride of those who don’t pay tax?
        
        And why do they have more tax to pay Pete?
        
        Could it be because they are the ones making shitloads of money?
        
        The only perverse world view here is yours: protecting the interests of the top 5% of income and wealth earners who surely do not need your help.
        
        Phil Goff and David Cunliffe must feel that they deserve their salaries, or else they would redistribute most of what they earn to poorer people. Or do they just want to redistribute other people’s money?
        
        Don’t be a dick.
        
        A higher earner income tax threshold and a CGT will affect their salaries and their investment properties like everyone else.
        
        Maybe one day you will have experienced enough of the world to see that.
        
        You condescending loser. Who are you? Papa Smurf?
        
        Stop championing for those on over $90K p.a. and think of the 50% of NZ’ers who earn less than $27500 p.a.
        
        orange whip? …
        
        28 January 2011 at 8:41 pm
        
        The starting position for any adult should be to earn at least enough to cover their expenses, not to expect that a “decent wage” is automatically owed to them.
        
        Finally you get to the point. A person deserves to be paid at least as much as it costs to live in the society in which they work to earn that pay. Anything less is servitude at best.
        
        The fact that they aren’t is the elephant you’re so careful to avert your eyes from.
      - Draco T Bastard 5.1.2.1.2
        
        28 January 2011 at 10:12 am
        
        No, I most definitely meant subsidies for the rich. GST went up which, due to it being a regressive tax, mostly falls upon the poor.
Gina 6

28 January 2011 at 8:57 am

Could it be the tax cuts were intended to put NZ in this position in the first place. Could it be that the Nats allways intended to use an increasing deficit to push state assett sales and welfare reform.
Could it be that Key’s Banker mates in “Standard and Poors” will threaten NZ’s credit rating to force the sale of NZ assetts.

I suspected this was what they were up to before the last election with their tax cuts. They actually allways wanted cuts for the wealthy but to get elected they had to pretend those cuts were for everyone.

I’m sure many of you suspected this but are too pollite to say it. Its just so corrupt that a party would engineer a deficit or a crisis to bring in reform.

I have feared since before the last election that the Nats would rigg the 2011 election because they know NZ will never accept what they really want to do. I still think that is a possibility. And we know if they do rig it the media will not report it.
Under the guise of saving money they have combined what used ot be 3 departments that used to administer elections into 1 department. much easier for Natinal to corrupt one department. With the combinig and so called reform it’ll be much easier to make sure their people are in.

Be on your guard NZ.
- mickysavage 6.1
  
  28 January 2011 at 9:00 am
  
  As Kevin Welsh said strategic deficit
  
  Be afraid NZ, be very afraid …
  - arants 6.1.1
    
    28 January 2011 at 9:15 am
    
    Be even more afraid as Labour assumes the patsy role in this scam.
    
    To borrow from Anrig’s ‘strategic deficit redux’, apparently Labour still haven’t learned even in the midst of an economic crisis that prioritizing deficit reduction is a game for suckers. Somewhere Ruth Richardson is having yet another laugh.
- Marty G 6.2
  
  28 January 2011 at 9:08 am
  
  “Could it be the tax cuts were intended to put NZ in this position in the first place”
  
  definitely. Eddie hit on it last year:
  
  “Let’s face it. A government doesn’t accidentally spend $15 billion more than its revenue while cutting billions in taxes. The unsustainably high deficit is intentional policy, not happenstance.
  
  In good times and bad, National’s answer is always to cut taxes:
  
  Economic good times and record surpluses? ‘Hardworking Kiwis are being overtaxed by that greedy Michael Cullen’
  
  Recession and record deficits? ‘We need tax cuts to boost the economy’
  
  It doesn’t seem to make sense that your answer to two diametrically opposite situations would be the same. Unless, of course, your objectives aren’t those stated.”
  http://thestandard.org.nz/starve-the-beast/
Colonial Viper 7

28 January 2011 at 8:59 am

Marty, your framing on the front page was succinct, to the point, and punched hard. Perfect, dude.

Damn, LAB could use more of this approach, much more.
big bruv 8

28 January 2011 at 9:07 am

Sigh…..The Standard, a truth free zone.

[lprent: big bruv – a fact free zone. *sigh* But I suppose even the mindless should have their say if it is within the behavior guidelines.. ]
- mickysavage 8.1
  
  28 January 2011 at 9:09 am
  
  Big bruv is up early today and has set out on his morning troll.
  - big bruv 8.1.1
    
    28 January 2011 at 9:25 am
    
    Morning Micky
    
    This is not early, I have already done a days work.
    
    An interesting concept work, you socialists should try it for a living.
- Marty G 8.2
  
  28 January 2011 at 9:09 am
  
  so, bug bruv has shown he has no rebuttal. Thanks for conceding the argument, BB.
  
  I mean, come on dude, with a comment like that you might as well have written: ‘you’re right but I can’t bear to admit it’
  - big bruv 8.2.1
    
    28 January 2011 at 9:21 am
    
    Marty G
    
    Labour (and its sycophants) have got nothing right since 1984 apart from the seabed and foreshore legislation.
    
    See, that is the difference between me and you guys, you blindly support Labour irrespective of the lies, irrespective of the corruption and irrespective of the appalling legislation they have passed or want to pass.
    
    Partially selling off SOE’s is a great idea, it would not kill you guys to admit it.
    - mickysavage 8.2.1.1
      
      28 January 2011 at 9:24 am
      
      And you Big Bruv blindly oppose Labour irrespective of National’s lies that you have fallen for and irrespective of the damage that has occurred to this country over the past two years.
      
      Admit it BB things were way better a few years ago.
      
      BTW paid your debt yet?
      - big bruv 8.2.1.1.1
        
        28 January 2011 at 9:32 am
        
        Micky
        
        “And you Big Bruv blindly oppose Labour”
        
        Given that you think 9.30am is early I will let that slide, I take it you missed the bit where I said that I supported Labour’s seabed and foreshore legislation.
        
        As for NZ being better now than it was two years ago, I do agree, while we have a gutless government who refuses to do anything about the parasites on benefits it is at least a government free of rampant corruption.
        
        Frank Macskasy 8.2.1.1.1.1
        
        28 January 2011 at 9:46 am
        
        Big Bruv, let me see if I can connect the dots…
        
        During a recession and a blow-out in government spending, the government gives a billion-dollars tax cut to the highest income earners in this country.
        
        To fund this, Key’s government borrows $300 million-plus each week to make up the balance. Essentially funding tax-cuts through borrowing.
        
        To pay for the interest on the borrowings that funded tax-cuts for the high-income earners, John Key is now stating that his government will partially-privatise our state assets.
        
        Does that about sum it up?
        
        big bruv …
        
        28 January 2011 at 10:00 am
        
        Frank
        
        So far you are failing miserably to connect the dots, let me help you.
        
        The tax cuts were long overdue, they offered relief to the vast majority of Kiwis, you also continue to overlook that the vast majority of Kiwis pay 17c in the dollar.
        
        The real issue you have is the left wing hatred of those who you consider to be “rich pricks”, it is a uniquely Kiwi disease, you would rather see the “rich” hammered than see everybody earn more.
        
        I happen to agree with you that it is madness to borrow $300 million a week, these borrowings are needed because Key refuses to do away with the 2005 criminal election bribes offered by Clark and Cullen (WFF and Interest free student loans).
        
        We would be far better off if Key did away with those and kept the tax cuts.
        
        Tell me Frank, why do you persist with the blatant lie that the tax cuts were only for the rich?
        
        Colonial Viper …
        
        28 January 2011 at 10:53 am
        
        The tax cuts were long overdue,
        
        Bull shit. Cullen was saving for a rainy day – which poured down with the GFC – while Bill and John only cared about being spendthrift with our finances for their rich mates.
        
        Taxes are to be spent on all the people of the country, not just the wealthiest 1%. Who I am pretty sure laugh at serfs like you leaping to their defence.
        
        big bruv …
        
        28 January 2011 at 11:10 am
        
        That is bollocks Viper.
        
        Cullen was/is an evil little man who refused to give tax cuts on idealogical grounds, there was no other reason.
        Cullen is also an economic illiterate, why on earth would you pay 1.2 Billion for a broken train set or make thousands of comfortable middle class Kiwis welfare beneficiaries, Cullen and Clark squandered the best economic conditions in living memory.
        
        Of course you will also refuse to admit that those economic conditions came about due to the reforms of Richardson and Douglas.
        
        About the only thing you did get right was the statement that tax’s are spent on everybody, what you fail to appreciate is that the wealthy already pay far more than their share of tax, in other words they have more money stolen from them than is fair.
        
        orange whip? …
        
        28 January 2011 at 11:42 am
        
        And they should pay far, far more seeing as how they own almost everything.
        
        Colonial Viper …
        
        28 January 2011 at 1:08 pm
        
        Cullen was/is an evil little man who refused to give tax cuts on idealogical grounds, there was no other reason.
        
        Oh apart from saving for a rainy day, and of course John Key’s banking mates made sure it rained real hard.
        
        arants …
        
        28 January 2011 at 1:16 pm
        
        So ideology is evil and not a reason for doing things…? An ideology of preserving public assets for the public good seems a hell of a lot better than relying on expediency, cynicism and corruption for rationale.
        
        Sanctuary …
        
        28 January 2011 at 11:01 am
        
        You missed one thing: We have a finance minister who genuinely believes that if he just wishes hard enough, magic will come true.
        
        Draco T Bastard 8.2.1.1.1.2
        
        28 January 2011 at 10:08 am
        
        while we have a gutless government who refuses to do anything about the parasites on benefits it is at least a government free of rampant corruption.
        
        There aren’t any parasites on benefits but there’s plenty that vote NACT and have multi-million dollar incomes for doing nothing whatsoever.
        
        This government is the most corrupt I’ve ever seen. The Blinglish housing rort, Worth using his ministerial position to promote his business and whatever else he did to get fired, Wong promoting her business with taxpayer funds, John Key lying about his shares, the firing of ECan because the farmers wanted the water and lots more I can’t remember ATM.
        
        Denying reality won’t make it go away.
        
        big bruv …
        
        28 January 2011 at 10:38 am
        
        “This government is the most corrupt I’ve ever seen”
        
        Amazing!…Draco admits to spending nine years with his eyes closed.
        
        Draco T Bastard …
        
        28 January 2011 at 10:41 am
        
        Ah, no, fact is that the previous government had little to no corruption in it. This one, well, it appears that every single minister is corrupt.
        
        big bruv …
        
        28 January 2011 at 11:12 am
        
        Draco
        
        Just because you keep telling lies about the Clark government does not make it true.
        
        Plenty of commentators have gone on record as saying that the Clark government was the most corrupt in this nations history.
        
        That is a statement of fact.
        
        Colonial Viper …
        
        28 January 2011 at 11:19 am
        
        That is a statement of fact.
        
        No, saying that aliens from deep space have been watching human kind for thousands of years is a statement of fact.
        
        In comparison, yours is just fan fiction.
        
        Yes I know peeps, DNFTT…
        
        mickysavage …
        
        28 January 2011 at 12:12 pm
        
        A typical post on the Standard goes like this:
        
        “[Post content with detailed analysis backed by statistics, implications for New Zealand and suggested proposals for change]
        
        Big Bruv
        
        The Klark government was the most corrupt in the history of the world
        
        Exasperated leftie1
        
        No it was not because of
        
        a.
        b.
        c.
        d.
        
        And how about Key’s behaviour in doing
        
        e.
        f.
        g.
        h.
        
        Big Bruv
        
        It was the most corrupt
        
        Exasperated leftie2
        
        No it was not. Address the post bb
        
        What about StandardAuthor1’s points
        
        i.
        j.
        k.
        l.
        
        Big Bruv
        
        It was the most corrupt
        
        Exasperated leftie3
        
        No it wasn’t.
        
        Big Bruv
        
        Yes it was.”
        
        I think we should avoid commenting on BB’s comments at least until he pays his debt to Blip.
        
        big bruv …
        
        28 January 2011 at 12:33 pm
        
        Micky is feeling trapped, he knows that he cannot defend the corrupt Clark government so he is trying to shut down debate on the issue.
        
        Come on Micky, you know I am right about her rotten government, cleanse yourself mate, wash away the dirt that surrounded her nine disastrous years.
        
        mickysavage …
        
        28 January 2011 at 12:55 pm
        
        Stop digging BB, stop digging …
        
        jbanks …
        
        28 January 2011 at 11:32 am
        
        The Man himself, John Key, sums up the incompetency of the previous Govt. quite nicely.
        
        The Government’s books had been left in a mess, with Treasury projecting no end to budget deficits and government debt spiraling out of control.
        
        Can’t argue with those facts.
        
        orange whip? …
        
        28 January 2011 at 11:45 am
        
        Bill English does. He says Labour left us in good shape.
        
        Just out of interest, are you named after John Banks or Joseph?
        
        Blighty …
        
        28 January 2011 at 12:06 pm
        
        The latest forecasts have the government back in surplus in four years (http://treasury.govt.nz/government/fiscalstrategy/model/fsm-hyefu10.xls) with 28.5% of GDP net debt – one of the lowest in the world and falling to 10% of GDP in a little over a decade
        
        When surpluses resume in four years’ time, dear jbanks, I assume you’ll start demanding tax cuts because you’re being over-taxed.
- big bruv 8.3
  
  28 January 2011 at 9:51 am
  
  Always the truth Iprent, always.
  
  Give it a crack some time, it is fun 🙂
  - lprent 8.3.1
    
    28 January 2011 at 2:06 pm
    
    Looks more like your unsubstantiated opinions to me. But because they are opinions or the vague even if you’re daft enough to consider them to be ‘facts’ they aren’t something I need to concern myself with when moderating.
Pete 9

28 January 2011 at 9:26 am

Selling assets to pay for tax cuts for richest 1%

That’s weird logic – asset sales and borrowing are required to cover those that don’t pay any tax and those who pay little tax and aren’t subsidised enough by those who do pay tax.
- Blighty 9.1
  
  28 January 2011 at 11:14 am
  
  If the tax cuts for the richest 1% didn’t exist, there woudl be no need to raise the $10 billion (not that theres’ actually any good reason anyway).
  
  Simple.
HC 10

28 January 2011 at 10:35 am

Let us feel compassionate for those poor sods representing the 1 % at the top! They are ruled by thoughts and feelings of greed, materialism, selfishness and the ones of them that work will do so 60 and more hours a week, not knowing what a balanced, private life is. We selfish poor and beneficiaries should feel good by sharing with them and give them a little compensation for all those personality ills they suffer from. I do not mind tightening the belt more down to the bones under my skin. Jonkey and Blinglish are such great thinkers of economic reason, they will go into the history books for selling the last bits of table silver that NZ’ers have. In Hades they will keep themselves warm around the fire together with Roger Dodger Douglas, Ruth the Euthanasian, Jenny Shapely and all the leaders of the Business Roundtable. Do not forget Fay and Richwhite, Brierley and others that so compassionately lightened us off the burdon of too much money to carry as a nation. They will all end up in the nice, warm and “cosy” Netherworld while we are freezing in the cold, because we will be without homes, clothes and food – due to having to pay the debts left behind. Amen!
- Colonial Viper 10.1
  
  28 January 2011 at 10:57 am
  
  Yeah with you on your sentiments.
  
  Its like the frakkin muscle for the gangs or the yakuza. They get treated like dirt and most of them get extincted on the way while still grovelling on their knees.
  
  But they think if they can last long enough and do enough wet work for the bosses, that they too will one day get a shot to sit at the top table.
PC Brigadier 11

28 January 2011 at 10:48 am

Good write up. AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO IS GETTING REALLY, REALLY ANGRY?
- Colonial Viper 11.1
  
  28 January 2011 at 10:50 am
  
  Nah dude, its definitely time to man the barricades.
  - patriot_nz 11.1.1
    
    28 January 2011 at 11:48 am
    
    I am absolutely furious. This is f***ing treason. John Key and every other politician of the past three decades who sold off New Zealand should get the Mussolini treatment. We need action. Once our hydro electricity is sold off we are finished- this plus the farmland sales makes these the final days for New Zealand.
    
    A note to Labour- I know we are only months out from an election, but get rid of Goff NOW. You cannot win with him there. As well as being pathetic and spineless, Goff is forever associated with the Labour government who started the sell off. You don’t have the option of cynically waiting for the next electoral cycle to do a painless transfer of power- it will be too late-we are out of time and Key’s government cannot be returned to power. Roll Goff now- put Cunliffe in. If you genuinely care that is, though to be honest you seem to me just to be National in red clothing.
    
    I am ready to march.
    - jbanks 11.1.1.1
      
      28 January 2011 at 1:23 pm
      
      Goff will not leave . Labour will lose. National will have some real fun next term.
      
      Bendover redrover.
      
      [lprent: I have no idea what the hell you mean, but from the context it looks like pointless gratuitous abuse and I see that you’ve done it on the previous comment as well. To discourage this rather disgusting habit from becoming part of your normal behavior here go away for a week to consider why I don’t want it here.. ]
      - mickysavage 11.1.1.1.1
        
        28 January 2011 at 1:35 pm
        
        By redrover I take it you mean ordinary kiwis?
  - Kevin Welsh 11.1.2
    
    28 January 2011 at 12:00 pm
    
    Prepare the lamposts, I say.
  - mickysavage 11.1.3
    
    28 January 2011 at 1:18 pm
    
    its definitely time to man the barricades
    
    Absolutely CV, see you there
Treetop 12

28 January 2011 at 11:53 am

15 billion forecast in the deficit will be the the highest deficit on record by any government.

Winston reminded me yesterday how anything over 25 % sold in shares could go belly up. Money mover Key is gambling with retaining 51 %. I have a suggestion retain 100 % of state owned assests because then they will belong to EVERYONE equally.
- Lanthanide 12.1
  
  28 January 2011 at 12:17 pm
  
  Winston was talking about BNZ being controlled by a 30% shareholder. That’s only because the remaining 70% of the shares were diluted amongst many investors.
  
  In Key’s proposal, 51% will be owned by the crown, so this technically can’t happen. Of course the crown could choose to side with the other 49% of the shareholders, against the taxpayers of NZ. While they can make those same sorts of decisions right now, there would be considerably more pressure for them to bow to the minorities demands – and they probably won’t even appear as ‘demands’, but as repeated publications in the media saying the government should do x or y, or that z is bad (even if it’s completely unreleted to power companies), so as to build public support for whatever it is they’re proposing, even if it’s against the publics best interest. See climate change + oil companies, and US republicans for examples.
  - Treetop 12.1.1
    
    28 January 2011 at 12:53 pm
    
    Didn’t Auckland airport get carved up? What was the margin? Fine to correct me as I am weak on financial matters other than my own.
tsmithfield 13

28 January 2011 at 12:25 pm

Marty “But I got wondering, how does that one-off $10 billion compare to the cost of the tax cuts that National has given the wealthiest 1% of Kiwis, which they will continue to get year after year? Answer: not well.”

Another fallacious argument from you Marty.

Firstly, any reduction in tax rates for the wealthy is largely offset by the increase in GST. (Yeah, I know that the poor pay a greater percentage of their income in GST, but not more in nominal terms than the rich). This is because the wealthy tend to have spend a helluva a lot more to fund their lifestyles. Thus, in nominal terms they pay a lot more in GST.

Secondly, the wealthy are more likely to have been hit by the removal of tax write-offs on property investment.

Before you can make any claim that the wealthy are better off in overall tax terms, you need to demonstrate that their gain on reduced tax-rates hasn’t been offset by increases in other areas, as I have pointed out above.

Thirdly, your claim that the income from sale of shares in SOE’s is for tax cuts for the rich is entirely arbitrary. It is equally valid to say the income generated is to pay for other assets.

In short, there is not a shred of validity in your argument.
- Blighty 13.1
  
  28 January 2011 at 12:41 pm
  
  “Firstly, any reduction in tax rates for the wealthy is largely offset by the increase in GST”
  
  Not at the top end. 2.5% increase in GST is like a 2% income tax increase. Above $70,000 you’re paying 6% less tax than when National came to power. And at the top end, you are likely to be saving a large portion of your income and so not paying GST on it. Remember, the 2009 and 2010 tax cuts weren’t fiscally neutral – the 2009 ones cost $1 billion a year with no offsettin tax rise and the 2010 ones raise $400 million less this year than they cost
  
  “the wealthy are more likely to have been hit by the removal of tax write-offs on property investment”
  
  very few of the very wealthy are in property investment. It’ a get-rich quick scheme for the aging middle class, not people with real money.
  
  “your claim that the income from sale of shares in SOE’s is for tax cuts for the rich is entirely arbitrary. It is equally valid to say the income generated is to pay for other assets.”
  
  and, yet, if those tax cuts for just 1% of the population hadn’t happened, the government would be in the same financial position as selling the assets (and that’s not even counting the lost dividends). You can’t deny there’s a trade-off at work here. Without those tax cuts, the asset sales wouldn’t be needed (indeed, they’re not needed anyway and won’t generate any net income anyway).
- orange whip? 13.2
  
  28 January 2011 at 1:24 pm
  
  This is because the wealthy tend to have spend a helluva a lot more to fund their lifestyles. Thus, in nominal terms they pay a lot more in GST.
  
  No, the poor HAVE to spend all of their income week to week just to survive.
  
  Over and above this, the rich can CHOOSE to spend as much or as little of their income – and therefore pay as much or as little GST – as they like.
  
  Big difference and not one that I’m certain you have the capacity to appreciate.
Graham 14

28 January 2011 at 12:34 pm

Tax the wealthiest 1% at 66%. Think of it as a “greed tax”. Most kiwis would be happy about this I’m sure. There will be a few tears “But it’s my right to exploit people and the environment to fulfill my cash and power addiction”! But the world can no longer sustain that kind of carry on.
- Colonial Viper 14.1
  
  28 January 2011 at 1:40 pm
  
  Not bad, but we have to tax land and assets – a lot of the wealthiest people in NZ have very little taxable income, but lots and lots of assets.
- Rosy 14.2
  
  28 January 2011 at 9:01 pm
  
  Is far as I can tell the richest one percent don’t pay any tax at all. If they do they either have ethics or bad accountants. So this whole argument is theoretical only. They probably don’t pay a helluva lot of GST either (buying overseas is so much more envy-enducing among the rich – and buying NZ-made so crass, unless it’s from the duty-free stores). It’s the ones that aspire to be in the top one percent that may pay the most tax. I can’t work out why they are getting so angry about the top tax rate seeing as if they get there they won’t pay it.
Krispy 15

28 January 2011 at 12:38 pm

The sale of a minority stake in SOE’s is a brilliant idea. The money raised from the sales will not be going to tax cuts as stated in the article, but instead will be used to invest in other assets and diversify our national interest in many assets. As long as the government maintains a 51% stake there is nothing to worry about. Private companies run much more efficiently than state owned companies do so it will be hugely beneficial.
- Kevin Welsh 15.1
  
  28 January 2011 at 12:47 pm
  
  Yeah, I’ve been really impressed how efficiently Telcom and TranzRail have been and were run under private ownership. All that investment Telecom did with fibre is saving us a bundle now.
- Lazy Susan 15.2
  
  28 January 2011 at 1:21 pm
  
  Hang on a minute – now the money raised from the sales is going into other assets? But didn’t Key say it was to pay down debt. Oh that’s right he said it was to do both – reduce debt and increase the net public asset base. Gee I wish I could do that at home!
- Draco T Bastard 15.3
  
  28 January 2011 at 2:01 pm
  
  More pure ideology from a RWNJ.
  
  Go check out history and you’ll find that private institutions run worse than government departments. AirNZ crashed when privately owned but came back to make a profit once it was government owned. Prior to Telecoms sale all of it’s profit (yes, it was making a profit throughout the 1980s) went into the network which is why you now have digital exchanges. After the sale that dropped to ~15% and the network degraded to the point that now we, as taxpayers, are having to put in another couple of billion dollars to get the network that we’ve already paid for.
  
  Reality – it has a radical left bias and fully contradicts anything the neo-liberals say.
Penny Bright 16

28 January 2011 at 1:02 pm

26 January 2010

‘Open Letter’/ Official Information Act to Prime Minister John Key:

“To whom exactly has NZ become indebted?”t

Dear Prime Minister,

You were quoted as saying, on 25 January 2011:

“Our high level of foreign debt is New Zealand’s biggest vulnerability.”

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10701948
Can you please uphold the principles of ‘open, transparent and democratically accountable’ government, and provide the following information:

1) On a ‘line-by-line’ accounting basis, provide the detailed information which shows EXACTLY to whom New Zealand has become indebted, since the National /ACT Government came to power in November 2008.

2) In particular, the information which confirms since the National /ACT Government came to power in November 2008, whether or not New Zealand has become indebted to the Bank of America, any subsidiaries of the Bank of America, or any lending institutions of any form, which have any connections to the Bank of America.

Yours sincerely,

Penny Bright
Media Spokesperson
Water Pressure Group
Judicially recognised Public Watchdog on Metrowater, water and Auckland regional governance matters.
“Anti-corruption campaigner”

Attendee: Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference 2009. Attendee: Transparency International 14th Independent Anti-Corruption Conference 2010

Auckland Mayoral candidate 2010.
Independent candidate Botany by-election 2011.

http://waterpressure.wordpress.com
________________________________________________________________________

http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/MPP/MPs/FinInterests/8/c/3/00CLOOCMPPFinInterests20101-Register-of-Pecuniary-Interests-of-Members.htm

The reason why I have asked about the role of the bank of America is because John Key has listed in the above-mentioned ‘Register of Pecuniary Interests of Members of Parliament’ (pg 36) – an interest (such as shares and bonds) in the Bank of America.

Is John Key personally profiting from NZ’s growing indebtedness?

I’m not saying that he is – because I don’t know if this is the case.
But, I’ve asked him the question.

I think a lot of people will be interested in the reply to this OIA.

Penny Bright
- KJT 16.1
  
  28 January 2011 at 2:22 pm
  
  He has already. When he was in Merril Lynch. Shorting our dollar. The moral equivalent on a larger scale of taking an old Ladies life savings.
  
  Now they are having another go with whats left.
  - Colonial Viper 16.1.1
    
    28 January 2011 at 3:03 pm
    
    Although, there are some benefits to having our artificially strong and artificially highly traded currency fall in value. See the US, Chinese and Icelandic examples.
  - BHAT 16.1.2
    
    28 January 2011 at 5:34 pm
    
    Can you please explain how shorting kiwi, is theft.????
    - Colonial Viper 16.1.2.1
      
      28 January 2011 at 6:15 pm
      
      Easy: forcing a fall in the NZ dollar means that a NZ’ers assets are worth less in terms of equivalent international goods or US dollars.
      
      Really only matters for people wanting to take an overseas holiday or wanting to buy an expensive overseas item – a new Beemer or Merc for instance.
      - mcflock 16.1.2.1.1
        
        28 January 2011 at 6:51 pm
        
        Agreed CV – essentially it’s the equivalent of a middle-man skimming off the top.
        
        Regular speculation is bad enough, essentially skimming money off profits for added value into the market (i.e. newly produced goods and services are sold to exporters who sell to [SKIM POINT] importers who sell wanted goods and services to that other marketplace), but short-sellers exacerbate losses while producing nothing. Like if you mortgage your house and go belly-up (your risk, fair call), but your local dept-collector takes your car as well as your house. And the bank only gets the house.
        
        And, a necessary component of theft, we have no control over whether currency speculators can fuck up our domestic markets. They take their cut (usually risking other people’s money to do so), whether we want our profits or not.
        
        Colonial Viper 16.1.2.1.1.1
        
        28 January 2011 at 6:58 pm
        
        Like if you mortgage your house and go belly-up (your risk, fair call), but your local dept-collector takes your car as well as your house. And the bank only gets the house.
        
        Or in the case of transferable credit default swaps, where its like your neighbour takes out insurance against you not being able to make your regular mortgage payments and losing your house.
        
        Except your neighbour also happens to be your boss’ wife, you get your ass fired by him, and she collects big on the insurance policy when you lose the house.
        
        Money made on the back of real workers getting destroyed.
        
        And John Boy wants to make NZ a global centre of this shite.
        
        (I should say that another consequence of our dollar being forced to fall, is that as a country we will find it harder to pay off our USD denominated foreign debts)
- Descendant Of Smith 16.2
  
  28 January 2011 at 7:19 pm
  
  I came across this once and always though this was interesting as New Zealand specifically gets a mention as a borrower under some obscure war legislation.
  
  9 billion dollars
ianmac 17

28 January 2011 at 1:38 pm

Damn read this just now but not sure where:
“Our Crown debt is, by global standards, still low. Lumping these two types of debts together, as the Prime Minster is doing to attempt to justify this policy, is at best mischievous and at worst dishonest.”
Yes Key said that several times this morning and then he puts us in line with Ireland, Spain, Portugal and Greece. Wonder how we challenge him on this?
- ianmac 17.1
  
  28 January 2011 at 1:46 pm
  
  Found it. Simon Pellet Business Leader: http://www.interest.co.nz/opinion/opinion-selwyn-pellett-argues-john-keys-smile-and-wave-asset-sales-wont-cut-mustard
Fisiani 18

28 January 2011 at 2:01 pm

[deleted]

[lprent: And that is trolling – it is exactly the same comment as you put here and I’d already requested substantiation on. Go away for a month for being stupid enough to copy and paste unsubstantiated assertions. ]
randal 19

28 January 2011 at 2:08 pm

ya should have heard the vultures on nat rad yesterday morning.
(they {vultures} have bald heads so they can eat the guts of carrion)
drooling at the thought of all that free money from their pal the PM.
never mind.
with the rate of regime change accelerating all over the globe the nats wont be round long enough to get in a bit of looting of the state treasury before they get the boot.
bobo 20

28 January 2011 at 4:28 pm

the rich guy and falling money pic 🙂 priceless, in regards to Key selling kiwi assets is like a slippery snake swallowing it’s tail..
burt 21

28 January 2011 at 6:33 pm

It’s such a shame that Labour left the cupboard bare with the economy in recession after 9 years of middle income tax pillage.

Oh well, it’s what NZ Labour parties do… spend like a drunken sailor to try and stay popular while growth stagnates and we slide into recession.

Will Labour be honest this time and promise a few terms of fiscal drag leading to recession if they get reelected or will they promise to “fix” things then revert to normal behaviour once they have the treasury benches and baubles ?
- Colonial Viper 21.1
  
  28 January 2011 at 6:45 pm
  
  It’s such a shame that Labour left the cupboard bare with the economy in recession after 9 years of middle income tax pillage.
  
  Meh. Labour ran 9 years of surpluses and repaid a large amount of foreign debt. In fact, NZ had no net debt by the time Labour left office.
  
  Bill and John – on the way to 3 deficit strikes out.
  - burt 21.1.1
    
    28 January 2011 at 7:22 pm
    
    Is this the same CV who has repeatedly detailed his own tax prescription which is very different from the one that labour used to stagnate the economy ?
  - burt 21.1.2
    
    28 January 2011 at 7:27 pm
    
    Under 9 years of fiscal drag the govt got rich and the people got poor. Guess that is how socialists like it eh.
    - mickysavage 21.1.2.1
      
      28 January 2011 at 8:17 pm
      
      When will you realise Burt that the Government is the people? And the big bad organisations intent on taking your money are the multinationals like Telecom (sort of multinational), McDonalds, IBM, Rio Tinto and a multitude of others.
      
      And when we pay money to the government it is like we are getting a benefit as shareholders, but if we pay money to the others we are seeing jack siht?
      
      Do you see this?
      
      Why do rwnjs think that the state is a foreign entity?
      - Pete 21.1.2.1.1
        
        28 January 2011 at 8:33 pm
        
        Jobs are jack shit? What sort of jobs is Labour thinking of creating? More non-productive?
        
        Colonial Viper 21.1.2.1.1.1
        
        28 January 2011 at 8:48 pm
        
        Hey Pete you noticed that NAT don’t care in the least about crisis levels of youth unemployment?
        
        And what do you mean by ‘more non-productive’?
        
        LAB has got a raft of policies and policy ideas about growing the real productive economy and the tradeables sector.
        
        What do you have? Pimples?
        
        Pete …
        
        28 January 2011 at 9:14 pm
        
        Do you mean Labour plan on trying to encourage employers to create more jobs?
        
        The Nats are trying things with youth employment, new initiatives kick in this year, too soon to tell whether they will work. Labour had different ideas, mixed results. My wife works in that field so I do know a bit about it.
        
        Colonial Viper …
        
        28 January 2011 at 9:21 pm
        
        Yeah I know the plan, get the young people to work on cycleways.
        
        Armchair Critic 21.1.2.1.1.2
        
        28 January 2011 at 9:19 pm
        
        How will privatising these four SOEs create an increased number of productive jobs?
        
        Pete …
        
        28 January 2011 at 9:29 pm
        
        From what I’ve seen that’s not the main aim, but one possibility being suggested is it will make it easier for the SOEs to raise capital for expansion and projects, and that would create jobs.
        
        Armchair Critic …
        
        28 January 2011 at 9:43 pm
        
        Because private businesses can raise capital more cheaply than the government? No?
        The electricity generators try to match generation capacity to demand. The privatisation won’t change demand, so I doubt it will affect expansion and projects, either in scope or timing.
        In short – these sales won’t create any productive jobs.
        
        mickysavage …
        
        28 January 2011 at 9:45 pm
        
        But the SOEs have a really easy way to raise capital. Have a good business case and then persuade the Government to borrow it. After all the Government has relatively low debt (thanks Michael Cullen) and can borrow oodles and oodles of money because it is a sovereign state but if the politicians think that the state should do nothing at all and instead the rules should be changed so that their rich mates can skim the rest of us then I guess the state will not borrow the money.
        
        It is a pity really. Because if the state stayed involved we would retain control of the electricity generation system AND get all of the profits. I am happy to pay more tax so that this happens.
        
        EDIT – I agree with Armchair
        
        Colonial Viper …
        
        28 January 2011 at 9:47 pm
        
        Because private businesses can raise capital more cheaply than the government? No?
        
        Yeah Pete is really struggling here with why we should sell off strategic energy assets during peaking oil production.
Uncle Helen 22

28 January 2011 at 6:45 pm

The top 10% of earners bare a disproportionate 78% of the total income tax burden.

That’s 68% more than our “fair share.”

Want as many votes as I have? Pay as much tax as I do.

Next.
- Colonial Viper 22.1
  
  28 January 2011 at 6:47 pm
  
  Uncle Helen making the case for plutocracy! A country ruled by the rich for the rich.
  
  Frak off. Your definition of fair seems to be – a rich person with a new Porsche should pay exactly the same amount of tax as someone in poverty who cannot afford the power bills.
  
  Someone hand me a Tui.
  
  80% of NZ’ers earn less than $60K p.a. We are a poor country, and we pay almost all our people poorly, except for the few sucking down the vintage Bolly at the top end.
  
  Our ‘leaders’ should be doing double time to push the pay rates of ordinary workers up the scale.
  
  In contrast the top 5 % of earners ($90K p.a. and over) need to pay ***more*** in tax, and currently untaxed land and capital needs to be caught by a CGT and an estate tax.
- joe90 22.2
  
  28 January 2011 at 6:53 pm
  
  Want as many votes as I have? Pay as much tax as I do
  
  …and you sling it over your shoulder and burp it….
- orange whip? 22.3
  
  28 January 2011 at 7:00 pm
  
  The top 10% of earners bare a disproportionate 78% of the total income tax burden.
  
  Um, that’d be because the top 10% have all the money, genius.
  
  Better trolls please.
  - Colonial Viper 22.3.1
    
    28 January 2011 at 7:09 pm
    
    How’d all you guys rebuke so succinctly??? I had to write an essay 😯
    - orange whip? 22.3.1.1
      
      28 January 2011 at 8:29 pm
      
      Haha, without your essay we wouldn’t have been able to 😉
      But also, he’s not worth it is he?
- mcflock 22.4
  
  28 January 2011 at 7:47 pm
  
  Hey Uncle, your figures seem to be wrong.
  
  I looked at IRD income distribution tables.
  
  The 2009 sheet seems to say that the top 10.16% of individuals earned 1/3 of all the taxable income and paid 44.5% (not 78%) of the tax. They earned $69,001 and up.
  
  The BOTTOM 10.14% earned 0.242% of all the taxable income and paid 0.119% of the tax. They earned $3,000 or under.
  
  So, source please.
  - Colonial Viper 22.4.1
    
    28 January 2011 at 7:49 pm
    
    Source? Probably out of his nether regions. Thanks for the fact check.
  - arants 22.4.2
    
    28 January 2011 at 8:31 pm
    
    These are TAXABLE income distribution tables. Not wealth and not gross income. The point is that there is no tax on wealth and that many of the most wealthy have no TAXABLE income. Even in terms of the income tables, I would wager that the highest GROSS income earners (eg law & accounting partners) are typically in the BOTTOM 10% of TAXABLE income earners and that many of the most successful self-employed have no TAXABLE income at all. When they do, it can be so low that they get WFF and their children qualify for student allowances.
    - McFlock 22.4.2.1
      
      28 January 2011 at 10:57 pm
      
      yep, that’s true enough as well.
      
      Bit of a conceptual leap for UH, though. Baby steps…
- mickysavage 22.5
  
  28 January 2011 at 8:57 pm
  
  I would like to say a couple of things to Uncle Helen.
  
  Firstly great choice of name. I felt like calling you a misogynist fucktard but I thought better of it and thought I should address your comments instead.
  
  Secondly you bare when you take your clothes off. You bear when you support. Your suggestion is that the wealthy get naked when they writhe in huge piles of money, I am not sure but you might be right.
  
  Thirdly you have got your maths wrong. See above.
  
  Fourthly we have a problem. Over the past couple of decades the wealthy have done really well but society has been going backwards. Society survives better when we share it round.
  
  Fifthly I bet I pay as much tax as you. Unlike you I would prefer to live in a community where I can go into the village and everyone is doing OK. I prefer this to buying the second BMW with a v8 motor. Some things are more important than other things.
  - Colonial Viper 22.5.1
    
    28 January 2011 at 8:59 pm
    
    I felt like calling you a misogynist fucktard but I thought better of it
    
    Why you are such a loving, restrained soul. I wouldn’t have been so kind, personally.
    - mickysavage 22.5.1.1
      
      28 January 2011 at 9:12 pm
      
      I was tempted …
  - tradittytard 22.5.2
    
    28 January 2011 at 9:33 pm
    
    wow I bet you’re a real poster boy for the law society.
- KJT 22.6
  
  29 January 2011 at 9:11 am
  
  I suspect I pay a lot more than you do if you are really one of the top 5% of the wealthiest people. Most of them structure their affairs so as to pay minimal tax as possible. From the tax working groups conclusions it is the bottom 10% of the top 15% who pay the most taxes. The really high earners can and do structure their affairs to pay little tax. Half the wealthiest people in NZ pay little tax. (Tax working group). As they benefit the most from tax payer supplied infrastructure they should be paying for it.
  It is people like Teachers, Small business owners, Doctors and highly skilled workers who pay most of the tax. Not the rich.
Draco T Bastard 23

28 January 2011 at 8:41 pm

Foreigners will buy asset shares – Treasury

Foreign corporates could end up with big stakes in state-owned power companies within a decade of them being partially-sold, according to a Treasury assessment.

Wonder if Jonkey is going to continue to say that “ma & pa” investors will buy them?

EDIT:

It effectively urges the Government to sell out of all its commercial interests, saying there is no compelling reason for it to stay involved.

”We think full private ownership for all companies over the medium term would be likely to result in moderate economic benefits compared with alternative institutional arrangements … We do not find any of the arguments for continued Crown ownership particularly convincing …”

PS, Somebody fire everyone at Treasury who are obviously no longer working in the best interests of the country.
- Colonial Viper 23.1
  
  28 January 2011 at 8:56 pm
  
  Maybe the Crown should divest itself from NZ. That would likely lower taxes a whole lot. Exactly as you do in a computer game, where you sell every building in your home base off and end up with a stack of folding stuff. But nothing else to do anything with.
  
  It effectively urges the Government to sell out of all its commercial interests, saying there is no compelling reason for it to stay involved.
  
  And hey what about that commercial analysis unit that the Government seems to use all the time…what’s it called again? Treasury, was it?
  
  Sell those frakkers off for a start*. They’re worse than worthless to us as a country.
  
  *Except no decent investment bank with a real analysis unit would touch it.
  - Armchair Critic 23.1.1
    
    28 January 2011 at 9:16 pm
    
    And hey what about that commercial analysis unit that the Government seems to use all the time…what’s it called again? Treasury, was it?
    Sell those frakkers off for a start*. They’re worse than worthless to us as a country.
    No, they are not worse than worthless. Sometimes they get it right.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/4594268/Foreigners-will-buy-asset-shares-Treasury
    - Colonial Viper 23.1.1.1
      
      28 January 2011 at 9:20 pm
      
      Could’ve been a fluke…and do we really need highly paid ‘experts’ to tell us things like this anyhows? I would’ve told you for a lager.
      - KJT 23.1.1.1.1
        
        29 January 2011 at 10:49 am
        
        Time they were sacked. A talking Roger Douglas doll would give the same advice so why employ people at high salaries to do so.
Nick C 24

28 January 2011 at 10:31 pm

Not directly related to the post but on the topic of asset sales: Did anyone else spot Dr Norman’s glaring error in this press release?

http://www.greens.org.nz/press-releases/asset-sales-pay-tax-cuts
- Colonial Viper 24.1
  
  28 January 2011 at 10:55 pm
  
  Possibly I’m going blind
  – Consumers already face monopoly power generators – no change there?
  – The assets are only being part privatised so the Govt will still receive some dividend?
  – John Key doesn’t drive a Porsche?
  
  Hmmmm not sure Nick, must be late.
  - Nick C 24.1.1
    
    28 January 2011 at 11:09 pm
    
    “Monopoly power generators”. If it were a monopoly there would only be one!
    - Lanthanide 24.1.1.1
      
      28 January 2011 at 11:50 pm
      
      Oligopoly then. Does it really make a difference? Answer: no.
      
      captcha: wires
  - McFlock 24.1.2
    
    28 January 2011 at 11:11 pm
    
    [attempts to channel RW PoV – eeeuuuw]
    
    I’m not going to number check each stat norman pulled up, but NickC might be referring to the line “Once the assets are privatised, government will no longer receive the dividends from the assets, and so the government’s fiscal position will be worse. ”
    
    You see, CV, what the average tory doesn’t get is that in order to sell something in a completely fungible environment (speculators don’t care what company a stock is in, they just want the share price to change), the buyer usually wants to pay less than the revenue that item will generate. This effect is moderated to a certain extent by the fact that the conventional trader will try to sell to someone who overestimates the true worth of the stock, but in a market with perfect knowledge the government would not sell the SOE stock because long term dividends, each and every time, would outnumber the short term “cash in hand” payoff that will burn a hole in Shonkey’s pocket.
    
    [edit: damn – it was “monopoly power generators”. ]
Deadly_NZ 25

28 January 2011 at 11:17 pm

And when even treasury are saying that the mom n Pop ain’t going to own the shares in about 10 years. But foreigners will . Now Smile and Wave that one away. But in the end they still say sell. Bloody Vultures.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/4594268/Foreigners-will-buy-asset-shares-Treasury
burt 26

29 January 2011 at 2:42 am

Did anyone follow Marty G’s link to IRD ?

If you did you may have noticed in the notes;

6. Income tax for individuals is calculated based on their taxable income. The table shows income tax before any allowances for tax credits such as imputation credits or Working for Families Tax Credits. The low income and tax credit and tax credit on the IR3 and personal tax summary have been applied, but the calculation does not include the donations, housekeeper or redundancy tax credits. For non-filers, income tax is calculated as if they had filed an annual return.

I wonder if Marty G saw it ?
- lprent 26.1
  
  29 January 2011 at 7:40 am
  
  Burt, you know how I’d hate to even suggest that you’re sometimes a bit of an idiot.
  
  But I can’t see the relevance of your carefully highlighted quote to Martys post about the reduced taxes on the wealthy (an asset sakes). After all the wealthy shouldn’t be getting WFF and imputation credits (presumably latgely from the banks) shouldn’t make that much impact. I also wouldn’t expect the wealthy to get much in the way of tax credits on income tax (they tend to get those through boondoggles on company tax regimes instead).
  
  Now you really should make whatever point you are trying to get across clearly. It makes it easier on we mere mortals, enhances the discussion, and we might actually get some value from your contributions (instead of thinking that you’re a bit of an idiot still locked into the last election)
  - burt 26.1.1
    
    29 January 2011 at 12:38 pm
    
    The point is pretty simple lprent, I’m surprised that you don’t get it. Marty G has posted a link to graphs that he uses to illustrate his “i can make up shit” point that the top 1% of tax payers are getting all the benefits using a graph (and data) that takes no account of tax credits, WFF etc.
    
    See the spike in the graph that meets his ideology of lots of tax being paid by lower earners would look very different if such things were accounted for. You do know that there are people on lower incomes paying no tax at all once WFF is taken into account don’t you?
    
    You once commented on the location I was posting from lprent so I think you know I know a bit more about this shit than the picture you like to paint with your “Burt, you know how I’d hate to even suggest that you’re sometimes a bit of an idiot” distraction.
    - Marty G 26.1.1.1
      
      29 January 2011 at 12:44 pm
      
      The IRD stats show the taxable income of people by income band. From that I calculate that the top 1% are getting $586 million a year as a result of the National government’s income tax cuts in 2009 and 2010.
      
      WWF has nothing to do with it because it is not part of that tax package. this is about the cost of cutting taxes for the very wealthiest New Zealanders.
      
      I hope I’ve explained that simply enough for you.
    - Marty G 26.1.1.2
      
      29 January 2011 at 12:46 pm
      
      maybe I should have linked to the excel table for you instead rather than the page with the link on it. I thought it was obvious since I’m only using the numbers to calculate the tax cuts for the top 1%. But never too obvious for burty boy.
      - burt 26.1.1.2.1
        
        29 January 2011 at 1:05 pm
        
        maybe I should have linked to the excel table for you instead rather than the page with the link on it.
        
        No, I found that pretty quickly. Perhaps you should have either read the notes on what the data actually was or if you did read it perhaps you should have not ignored it.
        
        The only thing you have proven is how inefficient churn is when the IRD can’t readily provide actual stats on tax paid by income band rather than just tax assessed before rebates, credits and other social policy handouts.
        
        Marty G 26.1.1.2.1.1
        
        29 January 2011 at 1:11 pm
        
        this post has nothing to do with WFF. the stats only serve to give us the taxable income of the top 1%. if you refuse to engage with the issue, i’ll move your comments to open mike and you can whine about the difference between net and gross tax for low income earners there to your heart’s content.
        
        burt …
        
        29 January 2011 at 1:15 pm
        
        Marty G
        
        Move my comments if you can’t stand the heat. This post is about tax cuts and who they go to… sure I agree with that. But you have only looked at half the picture and it would be a lot easier if you acknowledge that rather than try and hide your failing because of blind ideology by removing my comments. Over to you – stand and debate or use your blog author position to pretend you didn’t make a fundamental blunder trying to spin shit to match your socialist failure world view.
        
        Marty G …
        
        29 January 2011 at 1:28 pm
        
        this post is about the cost of tax cuts for the top 1% vs the money that could be raised from asset sales.
    - burt 26.1.1.3
      
      29 January 2011 at 12:47 pm
      
      Marty G
      
      From that you can calculate what gross tax is “assessed” based on income but you cannot calculate what net tax is “paid” because you are missing all the tax credits, WFF etc. Fail.
      - Marty G 26.1.1.3.1
        
        29 January 2011 at 12:55 pm
        
        1) People on the top 1% of incomes don’t get WFF or other income tax credits. It’s mathematically impossible, they’ve all abated to zero well below $165,000.
        
        2) WFF does not effect the size of the tax cut that anyone got, especially not the top 1%, which this post is about.
      - burt 26.1.1.3.2
        
        29 January 2011 at 12:58 pm
        
        Marty G
        
        It might be easier in the long run if you just admit you didn’t think enough about it before making this post. Here is a clue for you. What is the cost per year of WFF vs what was the cost per year of the tax cuts National have delivered over and above the cost of the tax cuts that Labour implemented in 2008 just before the election?
        
        Marty G 26.1.1.3.2.1
        
        29 January 2011 at 1:12 pm
        
        it’s irrelevant. if national hadn’t cut tax for the top 1% the crown would be $10.6billion better off in present value terms, negating any argument for asset sales.
        
        Marty G …
        
        29 January 2011 at 1:14 pm
        
        you can similarly argue that the crown would be 10.6 billion better of in present value terms if it cut $586 million a year from health or education or wff. that’s your prerogative but you’re only serving to further undermine the privatisation argument.
        
        burt …
        
        29 January 2011 at 1:16 pm
        
        So there were no adjustments to the WFF threshold then ? No other adjustments to other rebates etc ? ummm – FAIL.
        
        Marty G …
        
        29 January 2011 at 1:27 pm
        
        none that affected the top 1% of income earners
        
        burt …
        
        29 January 2011 at 1:32 pm
        
        Marty G
        
        How stupid are you. The data provides you with the ability to determine what income bands got what value of tax cut but with no data provided for actual tax paid after the tax changes it is impossible for you to work out what the actual effect was by income band. Just keep using half the picture and slagging me off if you like, it’s your blog.
    - lprent 26.1.1.4
      
      29 January 2011 at 1:46 pm
      
      It was a description of what you looked like putting a comment up without an actual argument in it. I’m sure that you were aware in your own mind what you were talking about – but it wasn’t apparent to anyone else.
      
      So I put a spike into you to encourage you to say what you mean. I see that the treatment is at least partially successful. But it appears that you’re still not making any particular sense apart from saying that the information required is not publicly available. However all the authors can do here is to work on the information that is available. Perhaps you should ream the treasury and IRD for not providing more?
Jenny 27

30 January 2011 at 9:31 am

John Key has assured New Zealanders that the government will legislate against any foreign investor owning more than 50% of any privatised public asset.

But the continuing secret negotiations around the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership agreement is likely to give foreign investors the right to sue future New Zealand government’s if they try to limit foreign investment.

Trying to get to the bottom of this contradiction, Brian Fallow the Herald’s economics editor, on the fact that the secretive TPP agreement is likely to have an “investor-state” dispute mechanism, which allows foreign investors to sue a country if they try and regulate foreign investment.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/brian-fallow-on-the-economy/news/article.cfm?c_id=1502863&objectid=10688274

Companies investing in the other country can sue its government in an international tribunal for alleged breaches of the FTA, usually arising from some attempt by the government to regulate some part of its own economy.

These “investor-state” cases are litigated in international arbitration bodies of the World Bank or United Nations.

Public Citizen, the advocacy body Wallach and Tucker work for, has monitored 66 such cases brought under Nafta. Of the 25 resolved, the governments won in 14 cases and the investors in nine, requiring the governments concerned to pay more that US$300 million in compensation.

The chilling effect of giving multinational corporations the right to stand in the shoes of a sovereign state in this way can only be guessed at.

Australia is the exception; three of the other TPP countries have agreements with the US that include such a provision.

Asked this week about the possibility the TPP would also include it, Prime Minister John Key dismissed the idea as “far-fetched”.

But his reaction sounded more like “I have only just encountered this idea, but I wouldn’t have thought so” than “I have looked into this and I can assure you it won’t happen”.

Reassured?

John Key replied to a journalist who asked him if an “investor-state” dispute mechanism was being discussed in the secret TPP negotiations.

Key: “Not as far as I’m aware.”

Journalist: “And it’s being ruled out in that sense? The Australians apparently have ruled it out.”

Key: “I imagine we would too and I think it’s pretty farfetched.”

Despite questioning in the house by the Greens leader Russel Norman, the Government has refused to comment further.

Dr Russel Norman: Will the Prime Minister rule out signing the Trans-Pacific Partnership if the agreement includes investor-State disputes mechanisms that allow investors to sue Governments—yes or no?

Hon TIM GROSER: ….The Prime Minister has made the Government’s position quite clear. This is a far-fetched, hypothetical hunt, and I will not go beyond the statements the Prime Minister has issued.

Can we have any faith in John Key’s assurance that the government will keep a controlling share in our state assets, when his government refuses to say whether or not they will give foreign investors the right to over rule any such limitations on foreign investment?

Brian Fallow asked us. “Reassured?”

I don’t think so.
- Treetop 27.1
  
  30 January 2011 at 11:16 am
  
  Yes, always read the fine print when it comes to hidden costs and deception.

Links to post

The Standard: posted on 27 January 2011 at 6:49 pm
MS: posted on 28 January 2011 at 4:30 pm
Gabriella Turek: posted on 29 January 2011 at 6:35 am
Jessica 3: posted on 1 February 2011 at 4:21 am
No Aroha for Key « The Standard: posted on 7 February 2011 at 12:09 pm

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Gareth’s WorldBy admin
5 hours ago

Where is the Power Button on an ASUS Laptop?
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
5 hours ago

How to Start a Dell Laptop: A Comprehensive Guide
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
5 hours ago

Bryce Edwards: Serious populist discontent is bubbling up in New Zealand
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
5 hours ago

How to Take a Screenshot on an Asus Laptop A Comprehensive Guide with Detailed Instructions and Illu...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
5 hours ago

How to Factory Reset Gateway Laptop A Comprehensive Guide
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
5 hours ago

The Folly Of Impermanence.
“You talking about me?” The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Bowalley Road
7 hours ago

A crisis of ambition
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
7 hours ago

Have 308 people in the Education Ministry’s Curriculum Development Team spent over $100m on a 60-p...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
8 hours ago

'This bill is dangerous for the environment and our democracy'
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
8 hours ago

The Bank of our Tamariki and Mokopuna.
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
10 hours ago

The worth of it all
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
13 hours ago

What is the Hardest Sport in the World?
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
15 hours ago

What is the Most Expensive Sport?
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
15 hours ago

Pickleball On the Cusp of Olympic Glory
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
15 hours ago

The Origin and Evolution of Soccer Unveiling the Genius Behind the World’s Most Popular Sport
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
15 hours ago

How Much to Tint Car Windows A Comprehensive Guide
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
15 hours ago

Why Does My Car Smell Like Gas? A Comprehensive Guide to Diagnosing and Fixing the Issue
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
15 hours ago

How to Remove Tree Sap from Car A Comprehensive Guide
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
15 hours ago

How Much Paint Do You Need to Paint a Car?
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
15 hours ago

Can You Jump a Car in the Rain? Safety Precautions and Essential Steps
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
15 hours ago

Can taxpayers be confident PIJF cash was spent wisely?
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
Point of OrderBy gadams1000
21 hours ago

EGU2024 – An intense week of joining sessions virtually
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
Skeptical Science
23 hours ago

Submission on “Fast Track Approvals Bill”
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
1 day ago

The Case for a Universal Family Benefit
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
PunditBy Brian Easton
1 day ago

A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
Submissions on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law are due today (have you submitted?), and just hours before they close, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has been forced to release the list of companies he invited to apply. I've spent the last hour going through it in an epic thread of bleats, ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
1 day ago

On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
1 day ago

New Zealand has never been closed for business
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
1 day ago

Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
1 day ago

Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
Chris Trotter writes – MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
1 day ago

The Hoon around the week to April 19
TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
1 day ago

The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
1 day ago

Nicola's Salad Days.
I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
1 day ago

Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
1 day ago

Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
Greater AucklandBy Matt L
1 day ago

Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. The data is from February this ...
Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
2 days ago

Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
PolitikBy Richard Harman
2 days ago

How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
2 days ago

How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
2 days ago

How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
2 days ago

Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
Skeptical Science
2 days ago

Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
2 days ago

How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
2 days ago

How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
2 days ago

How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
2 days ago

How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
2 days ago

Climate Change: Turning the tide
The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
2 days ago

How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
2 days ago

Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
2 days ago

Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
2 days ago

Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
2 days ago

Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
2 days ago

Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
2 days ago

Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
2 days ago

Despair – construction consenting edition
Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
2 days ago

Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
2 days ago

An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
Chris Trotter writes – The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
2 days ago

Fast-track submissions period must be extended
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
Greens
1 day ago

Release: Progress on climate will be undone by Govt
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
Labour Blog
1 day ago

Release: Dark day for Kiwi kids as a third of Govt cuts affect them
News that 1000 jobs at the Ministry of Education and Oranga Tamariki could go is devastating for future generations of New Zealanders. ...
Labour Blog
3 days ago

Release: Alarm as Government signals further blow to school lunches
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Labour Blog
3 days ago

Release: Quick, submit – stop Govt’s dodgy approvals bill
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Labour Blog
4 days ago

Government throws coal on the climate crisis fire
The Government’s policy announced today to ease consenting for coal mining will have a lasting impact across generations. ...
Greens
4 days ago

Release: Public transport costs to double as National looks at unaffordable roading project instead
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
Labour Blog
5 days ago

Release: Cost of living in Auckland still not a priority
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Labour Blog
5 days ago

Greens look to fast-track submissions on harmful law
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Release: Govt should stop making people’s lives harder and build more homes
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Release: Melissa Lee missing in action on media
The action Melissa Lee promised to protect democracy and the media sector is missing, Media and Communications spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Landlord Government leaves little hope for renters
The Government’s announcement on tenancy rules prove that it does not care about renters. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Opportunity to build a more sustainable economy
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Significant step forward in fixing cruel and unjust past
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Missed opportunity but NZ will surely one day recognise the right to a sustainable environment
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Release: Don’t cut our lunches – clear message sent to Government
Tens of thousands of people are demanding the Government commits to fully funding free and healthy school lunches. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Release: Govt makes U-turn on Suicide Prevention Office
Labour welcomes the Government’s U-turn on the closure of the Suicide Prevention Office, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

CCC issues warning over further climate delay
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Luxon targets lame and lousy example of leadership
If talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Luxon targets are lousy example of leadership
If talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Commitment to disability communities missing from Govt priorities
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Methane target review is dangerous duplication
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Government must commit to school building project for disabled students
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: National must take mental health seriously
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Referendums for Māori wards a racist step backwards
The Government's imposed referendum on Māori wards is a racist step backwards for Māori representation, and disregards Te Tiriti o Waitangi. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Job losses at Health not worth it for tax cuts
New Zealand will feel the harm of the National Government’s reckless cuts to jobs at the health ministry for generations, says Ayesha Verrall. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Press release: No Māori initiatives in Government’s nothing plan
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Thirty six point PR spin
The Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...
Greens
3 weeks ago

Thirty six point PR spin
The Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...
Greens
3 weeks ago

Thirty six point PR spin
The Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...
Greens
3 weeks ago

Release: Social housing off Government’s to-do list
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Labour Blog
3 weeks ago

PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
11 hours ago

$41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

Judicial appointments announced
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Taupō takes pole position
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Government backing mussel spat project
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Government focused on getting people into work
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Inflation coming down, but more work to do
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Roads of National Significance planning underway
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Navigating an unstable global environment
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Joint US and NZ declaration
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Firms invited to apply for fast-track consents include 'environmental destroyers' – ...
Environmentalists have slammed a list of organisations who have been invited to apply to the Government's proposed fast-track approvals scheme. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 hour ago

Solomon Islands political chess begins with Manasseh Sogavare re-elected in East Choiseul
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara Solomon Islands’ incumbent prime minister Manasseh Sogavare has been re-elected in the East Choiseul constituency. It is the opening move in the political chess match to form the country’s next government. Returning officer Christopher Makoni made the declaration late last night after ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
2 hours ago

The moment of friction.
Headline: The moment of friction. – 36th Parallel Assessments In strategic studies “friction” is a term that it is used to describe the moment when military action encounters adversary resistance. “Friction” is one of four (along with an unofficial fifth) “F’s” in military strategy, which includes force (kinetic mass), ...
Evening ReportBy Dr Paul Buchanan
5 hours ago

Fast-track Bill A Fraud Being Perpetrated On All Future Generations
The Fast-track Bill, if passed, would allow three Ministers, unchallenged and unchecked, to approve the immediate extraction and exhaustion of one-off resources. ...
Scoop politics
7 hours ago

Focus on Politics: Luxon boosts defence amid rising global tensions
As global tensions escalated this week, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was touring Southeast Asia, strengthening defence and security ties. ...
Radio NZ – political
8 hours ago

Why the pathology bulk-billing campaign is more about driving industry profits than saving you money
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne iamharin/Shutterstock For many people, the term “bulk billed” refers to a GP visit they don’t have to pay ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
9 hours ago

All about Emma: Three writers talk about the name they share in common
Emmas Hislop, Sidnam and Wehipeihana discuss what’s in a name. Emma Sidnam: Hello Emmas! Thank you so much for agreeing to do this with me. My first question for you is related to what’s been on my mind for a while. It’s very important. You see we’ve recently had some ...
The SpinoffBy The Spinoff Review of Books
9 hours ago

Restoring coastal habitat boosts wildlife numbers by 61% – but puzzling failures mean we can still...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Sievers, Research Fellow, Global Wetlands Project, Australia Rivers Institute, Griffith University Chris Brown Humans love the coast. But we love it to death, so much so we’ve destroyed valuable coastal habitat – in the case of some types of habitat, ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
9 hours ago

Public sector job cuts: Affected staff criticise leaders' handling of announcements
Staff are shell shocked and frustrated, and say leaders handled the announcements poorly. ...
Radio NZ – political
9 hours ago

‘The room went dead quiet’: Josh Thomson on his worst 7 Days moment
Josh Thomson on the 80s milk ad jingle he can’t stop singing, the beauty of The Simpsons, why Jersey Shore is as good as Shakespeare and more. For someone who spends a lot of time on our screens, popping up in everything from 7 Days to Taskmaster, Educators to Good ...
The SpinoffBy My Life in TV
11 hours ago

Shadow-boxing turns real for Israel and Iran
In apparent defiance of the Biden administration, the Netanyahu government has now initiated missile strikes against Iran. Last Saturday night (Sunday morning in New Zealand) Iran launched more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against Israeli military targets. With the assistance of US, UK and possibly French forces, ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Contributor
12 hours ago

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon meets KPIs on Southeast Asia mission
Power Play - Asked for his own assessment of the visit, the prime minister said he was returning home "excited and energised". ...
Radio NZ – political
13 hours ago

Embracing Māori Representation Enriches Democracy, Not Divides It
Māori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of Māori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao Māori (the Māori ...
Scoop politics
13 hours ago

Anne Salmond: My open submission on this radical, flawed fast-track bill
This week in Auckland, a group of young people took over the microphone at a ministerial press conference, to explain why they oppose the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. One young woman said, ‘We’re here because we love Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to raise our children in an environment that’s thriving, ...
NewsroomBy Dame Anne Salmond
14 hours ago

Short story: Finally, by Caoimhe McKeogh
The summer was wonderful. Evie was wonderful, too; finally a teenager, finally worthy of long, hot days. She shaved her legs for the first time and bought cut-off shorts from the op-shop that made them look long. She got a Warehouse singlet so tight on her new shape that her ...
NewsroomBy Caoimhe McKeogh
14 hours ago

Thomas James is a master of invention
When Thomas James was on his solo camp as part of Outward Bound, the keen outdoorsman didn’t find it too challenging, as others often do. In what might just be the perfect illustration of his character, he saw it as a great opportunity to solve a few problems. “I thought, ...
NewsroomBy Ben Fahy
14 hours ago

All 28 road tunnels in New Zealand ranked from worst to best
From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, here’s our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The first tunnel seems to have been built in 2200BC in Babylonia, kicking off a global phenomenon for digging holes in order to get places more ...
The SpinoffBy Group Think
15 hours ago

How to make the most of your market haul
Lucinda Bennett on the art of being greedy but resourceful. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. When I picture the market, it is always this time of year. Crisp air, dripping nose, counting coins with cold fingers. Sunlight pale, filtered through specks of dew still ...
The SpinoffBy Lucinda Bennett
15 hours ago

From a library basement comes a fashion history
Zoë Colling’s favourite piece in the ‘That’s So Last Century’ collection is a lubrication chart for a sewing machine from the ’60s. It’s about the size of a postcard, and carefully maintained. “I like it that this piece of ephemera highlights that manual and technical side of the skill involved ...
NewsroomBy Sharon Brettkelly
15 hours ago

Rousing farewell for Kiwi doctors flying out to Gaza aid flotilla
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
21 hours ago

Communities Against The Fast-track Heartened By ‘Overwhelming’ Public Response; Disgusted By ‘...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Scoop politics
23 hours ago

Renters Rights To Drastically Reduce Under Landlord Government
The Government’s announced changes around tenancy rules set renters’ rights back by nearly a decade. ...
Scoop politics
23 hours ago

NZPI Submission on Fast Track Approvals Bill
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
Scoop politics
23 hours ago

Fast Track Invite List Includes Most Destructive Industries In New Zealand
The new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
Scoop politics
23 hours ago

Eugene Doyle: Helen Clark on why AUKUS isn’t in New Zealand’s national interest
COMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
23 hours ago

Government releases list of organisations shoulder-tapped for fast-track consents
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

The Week in Politics: Job cuts surge and Waitangi Tribunal trouble
Analysis - It's been a grim week for public servants, while trouble is also brewing between the government and Waitangi Tribunal. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

It never rains but it pours: intense rain and flash floods have increased inland in eastern Australi...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Watch: Christopher Luxon speaks to media in Manila
The PM has defended how he's talked up NZ trade on his trip to Southeast Asia, after criticism from his own delegation. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

‘It could be the death of the museum’: why research cuts at a South Australian institution have ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Government signs off $41m clean energy deal with Asian Development Bank
The government has committed $41 million to clean energy transition at the Asian Development Bank's Energy Transition Mechanism. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Are 2 mid-career AFL retirements a sign Australian athletes are taking brain health more seriously?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Luxon: Waitangi Tribunal comments from coalition parties 'ill considered'
Comments from ACT and NZ First ministers about the Tribunal were "ill considered" and "that message will be underscored" to them, the PM says. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Mental Health Foundation Facing Staff Cuts From Govt Funding Squeeze
The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

I wholeheartedly recommend The President: a brilliant revival of a play of decay, terror and revulsi...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

How the coolest little capital is shrinking
It's not the first time a government has targeted public servants for job cuts, but this time Wellington is really feeling it. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Many prisoners go years without touching a smartphone. It means they struggle to navigate life on th...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Ministers accused of Cabinet Manual breach with threats to Waitangi Tribunal
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
NewsroomBy Marc Daalder
1 day ago

Good news: midlife health is about more than a waist measurement. Here’s why
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

The Friday Poem: ‘Mitochondrial Problem’ by Evangeline Riddiford Graham
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
The SpinoffBy Evangeline Riddiford Graham
1 day ago

The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending April 18
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38) Hot off the press, this debut ...
The SpinoffBy The Spinoff Review of Books
1 day ago

Department of Conservation closing Dunedin centre, but no jobs lost
Visitor habits are changing and DOC needs to adapt in a financially sustainable way, its operations director says. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Unions Collaborate With Thousands Of Job Cuts
With New Zealand officially in recession, a swathe of mass sackings is currently sending shockwaves through the entire working class. ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

Watch live: Christopher Luxon speaks to media in Manila
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is speaking to reporters in Manila after pledging greater defence cooperation with the Philippines. Watch live. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Government sent please explain letter to Wellington City Council over transport disagreement
The contents were revealed in correspondence from Simeon Brown and Chris Bishop to Wellington's Mayor. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Some families push back against journalists who mine social media for photos – they have every rig...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Mental Health Foundation staff cuts loom, with funding falling behind rising costs
Chief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

The ‘devil comet’ 12P/Pons-Brooks has finally become visible from Australia. What can we expect?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland Pons–Brooks visible from Utah, March 9 2024. James Peirce/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND If you’re a fan of all things space, you’ve doubtless heard about the “devil comet”, which has been captivating keen-eyed observers in the ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Rugby stadiums are sold as an economic asset – but NZ needs to ask if they’re really worth it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Hamlin, Senior Lecturer in Marketing , University of Otago A multi-billion dollar stadium precinct has been proposed for Auckland, one of three proposals in front of Auckland Council for a new stadium in the city. The council is also considering revamping ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Auckland dog attacks: Callouts for attacks on other animals going up
Roaming dogs are responsible for more than a thousand attacks on animals each year, and the number is growing. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

What access to puberty blockers means for trans young people and their whānau
The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...
The SpinoffBy Julia de Bres
1 day ago

NZ and Philippines pledge defence cooperation amid rising tensions
The commitment came after a sit-down meeting between Christopher Luxon and President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr overnight. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

How superblocks can help reimagine city life
Barcelona’s city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus: “You can reimagine streets, ...
The SpinoffBy Ellen Rykers
1 day ago

Fire engineering expertise may take a big hit with job cuts at MBIE
The public sector cuts are poised to take out a big chunk of expertise at the country's building regulator. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

“Fast-track Law To Kill Kiwi”: Students Say Fight Against Anti-democracy Legislation Is Only Jus...
Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

‘We have thousands of Modis’: the secret behind the BJP’s enduring success in India
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Online schooling is not just for lockdowns. Could it work for your child?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Hear me out: You can shove your reusable period products
Yes, they’re better for the environment. No, that’s not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...
The SpinoffBy Kristin Kelly
1 day ago

Rip It Up And Start Over – Fast-Track Approvals Bill Needs To Be Scrapped
“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

Maori Authority Warns Government On Fast Track Legislation
The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

Why the government’s haste in changing the health system could come back to haunt it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Many suicides are related to gambling. How can we tackle this problem?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether you’re watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Things that go buzz in the night – our global study found there really are more insects out after ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Why don’t Australians talk about their salaries? Pay transparency and fairness go hand-in-hand
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, it’s not the done thing to know – let alone ask – what our colleagues are paid. Yet, it’s easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

‘Character’ And Its Impact On Immigration Status
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

20,000 more on jobseeker benefits than this time last year
The government’s plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Beneficiary numbers are up – and so are ...
The SpinoffBy Catherine McGregor
2 days ago

All of the Raglan Roast cafes in Wellington, ranked from worst to best
Raglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. It’s consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...
The SpinoffBy Zoë Mills
2 days ago

Auckland uni students threaten rent strike over rising accommodation fees
Residents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously. The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
2 days ago

Daily crossword, Friday 19 April
The post Daily crossword, Friday 19 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles
2 days ago

Brakes on transport and logistics sector as demand for freight slows
The transport sector is currently in the slow lane The post Brakes on transport and logistics sector as demand for freight slows appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Emma Hatton
2 days ago

Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 19 April
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 19 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles
2 days ago

Financial literacy should be on all of us
Opinion: With maths understanding at 42 percent for Year 8 students, there’s no doubt something has to be done. But how? The post Financial literacy should be on all of us appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Bryce Marsden
2 days ago

Missy rustles to stardom in Canada
Hineaupounamu ‘Missy’ Nuku has been scaling mountains in Canada for her college basketball team, the Lakeland Rustlers. Alberta is currently home for the 20-year-old point guard, who is in her first year of a scholarship at Lakeland College, where she is studying for a business degree. She has certainly made ...
NewsroomBy Aiden McLaughlin
2 days ago

Emissions fall again – now NZ needs to up the pace
Official figures confirm New Zealand produced less climate pollution in 2022 than in any other year in the 21st century The post Emissions fall again – now NZ needs to up the pace appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Marc Daalder
2 days ago

Warning of death from a million cuts as Oceans Secretariat dissolved
Shane Jones says people voted for change, but opponents say small cuts such as ending a special oceans secretariat are starting to add up The post Warning of death from a million cuts as Oceans Secretariat dissolved appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Andrew Bevin
2 days ago

Selling assets to pay for tax cuts for richest 1%

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