Shock horror right wing think tank thinks NZ not very democratic

Written By: - Date published: 10:04 am, January 18th, 2018 - 74 comments
Categories: accountability, australian politics, blogs, David Farrar, Deep stuff, democracy under attack, democratic participation, dpf, Globalisation, International, Politics, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, us politics - Tags:

The usual suspects are touting a report that suggests New Zealand is not very democratic, and ranks 39th in the world behind such democratic heavyweights such as Guatemala, Kiribati, Panama, and Colombia. Top ranked nation is Ireland, and our Australian neighbours are ranked fifth. The United States is ranked 44th although I would not necessarily disagree with this particular ranking.

Newly declared and totally impartial Constitutional Lawyer and electoral reform campaigner Jordan Williams had this to say:

New Zealand’s mediocre ranking in a new index of electoral freedoms is embarrassing and shows the need for electoral reform, says constitutional lawyer and electoral reform campaigner Jordan Williams, who is now the Executive Director of the Taxpayers’ Union.

Mr Williams said, “New Zealand usually performs well on indexes of economic strength, non-corruption, and general freedoms, but the first World Electoral Freedom Index (WEFI) identifies an area for serious improvement.”

“New Zealand is ranked 39th of 198 countries. That’s behind Australia (5th), the United Kingdom (9th), India (20th), and even Kiribati (29th) and Guatemala (34th).”

“While the report says we perform well in two of the four indexes, we are let down by our limited Passive Suffrage Freedom (ranked 105th) and Elector Empowerment (ranked 112th).”

“This report suggests New Zealand has far too many restrictions around candidate participation, campaign freedom, and accountability. Further, voters lack powers to directly change laws or oust elected representatives.”

“This result is embarrassing for a country that leads the world in many areas. But under MMP and current electoral laws, it’s inevitable. We could improve our standing in next year’s index by taking the best of overseas electoral systems – perhaps an upper house to keep Parliament in check, recall elections, and a way for citizens to initiate binding referenda.”

“It is a real failing that voters have no tools to recall elected officials who totally go off the reserve. List MPs are accountable to parties, not directly to voters and even a mayor like Len Brown could not be sacked. The proposed ‘waka-jumping’ law is likely to see us fall further in these rankings.”

And the opposition’s pollster has repeated the claims uncritically.

The report is compiled by the Foundation for the Advancement of Liberty. This organisation is a Spanish based private entity and clearly believes in the sanctity of the market and the importance of individual freedom. The vision of the foundation is that of “prosperous human societies, organized through the spontaneous order of culture and market, and respectful of all of their members’ individual freedom.”

The report has been funded privately, untainted by the stain of public money.  From the report:

No taxpayer money has been used for the research work, the physical production of this report or its distribution.  All financial and other resources used have been voluntarily given by private donors.

So why did New Zealand do so badly? After all I thought our democracy was pretty robust.

The report generally scores countries in four different areas and the ranking depends on the sum of the individual scores.

New Zealand did well in two of the four areas.  In Political Development we were ranked 8th in the world and 4th in active sufferage.  But we were ranked 105th in Passive Suffrage and 112th in Elector Empowerment.

It appears the report writers hate MMP.  Again from the report:

In fact, only Ireland, which leads the 2018 ranking, reached an outstanding level of electoral freedom, slightly exceeding the 80 points out of a maximum possible 100. Among other virtues, Ireland is one of the few countries with a single transferable vote system, which, according to the recently deceased professor Sartori, is the purest of all, and, in his opinion, perfectly proportional.”

It is bizarre that MMP which is as proportional a system that you can imagine should be marked down and STV considered to be the most proportional of systems.  This would however explain Australia’s high ranking and why Germany, ranked 64th in the world, was ranked so low.

The other ranking New Zealand did poorly in, the elector empowerment index appears to have been because the power of referendums is poor and there is no direct ability to recall elected members.  But this appears to be a rather theoretical scoring of constitutional provisions rather than an active assessment of individual’s powers.  New Zealand ranked below Iraq, Tunisia, Egypt, Ghana, Israel, Kosovo among other nations.  You have to wonder about the appropriateness of the marking or the design of the test.

No doubt the right will use this as further evidence that the last election result was a travesty and National should be in power.  In their minds 44% of the electorate has priority over the other 56% mainly because the 44% is their 44%.

But I hope the media treat this particular report with a great deal of scepticism.  And check into how the result was achieved before quoting its conclusion.

74 comments on “Shock horror right wing think tank thinks NZ not very democratic ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Stuart Munro 1
    18 January 2018 at 10:19 am

    I guess the subtext is that the Gnats are relying on buying some more waka jumpers, having exhausted the possibilities of support parties.

  2. Muttonbird 2
    18 January 2018 at 10:25 am

    I assume by “campaign freedom”, Williams means the ability for private money to enter politics in a big way, unrestricted and undetected.

    Also not sure how promoting a host of binding citizen-initiated referenda sits with the mission of the Taxpayers’ Union to keep the costs of government down.

  3. Ed 3
    18 January 2018 at 10:25 am

    Maxim Institute often on RNZ without any mention of their bias.

  4. red-blooded 4
    18 January 2018 at 10:53 am

    Frankly, the idea that any FPP-based system should score more highly than a proportional system makes this report highly suspect, IMHO. And one would have thought that the four descriptors could (at least) have been weighted, according to their usefulness and importance. After all, how often does the electorate need to recall an MP?

    • Anon 4.1
      18 January 2018 at 1:36 pm

      STV has it’s place, would be better than FPP for electorates, and better than status quo if we insist on retaining a threshold for party votes.

  5. Wensleydale 5
    18 January 2018 at 11:06 am

    So basically… “MMP makes it harder for our grasping, venal friends in the National Party to get re-elected, therefore democracy is ruined.”

    You lost. Suck it up and move on with your lives. It’s getting embarrassing.

  6. Sanctuary 6
    18 January 2018 at 11:17 am

    The Foundation for the Advancement of Liberty appears to be yet another astroturf Hayekian far right libertarian think tank funded through a web of similar organisations, particularly a certain “Atlas Network” (there is a clue in the title). The Atlas network was set up back in the day by a libertarian British guy called Antony Fisher, who was a buddy of Hayek and lived next door to Milton Friedman, and Fisher was a member of all the usual suspects like the ultra-libertarian Mount Pelerin Society.

    This particular outfit, as far as I can tell from the Spanish language bios, has a heavy representation of anti-Castro Cubans and they exist largely to tell South Americans and Spaniards off for not appreciating Pinochet.

    According to Source Watch “…major Atlas donors have included the Koch Foundation, ExxonMobil, MasterCard, John Templeton, Donors Trust, and the American government. The Atlas Network began with the Institute of Economic Affairs, which was established by Antony Fisher in 1955, and has grown into a consortium of “450 think tanks around the world.” Through these think tanks, the Atlas Network distributed over $5 million in 2016, and nearly $30 million since 2009…”

    in other words, Jordan Williams loves the Foundation for the Advancement of Liberty because like the Taxpayers Onion it represents no one and nothing beyond the interests of libertarian billionaire funders, and he’d love some of that sweet, sweet hidden cash.

    Otherwise, nothing to see here. far right libertarian propaganda is doing what it always does, citing itself through a web of fake and astroturf organisations to further the interests of the .001%.

    • Ross 6.1
      18 January 2018 at 1:01 pm

      The Taxpayers Onion? I must confess that when I hear Williams and Farrar pontificating, it makes me want to cry.

    • greywarshark 6.2
      18 January 2018 at 1:02 pm

      Taxpayers Onion, very poignant, I wondered why its mention always bring tears to my eyes. Damn Ross, he was too fast for me – I step aside to the winner.

      • mickysavage 6.2.1
        18 January 2018 at 8:56 pm

        Im sure they chose to call themselves a Union to annoy the feck out of progressives …

        • NZJester 6.2.1.1
          19 January 2018 at 1:49 am

          The fact they call themselves Tax Payers instead of Tax Dodgers I think annoys us more than them using Union in their name.

          • greywarshark 6.2.1.1.1
            19 January 2018 at 8:17 am

            Tax Payers! It plays to a myth that only the wealthy support the country, paying to the government like charity givers and so superior about their supposed largesse and value to the nation. It ignores the supposedly universal GST set at a rate that they were paying in Switzerland when I was there in the 60-70’s, and totally unsuitable as a tax rate for our type of economy.

            And it ignores how tax has been organised, with the provision for untaxed transport to work allowance, tool allowance etc. which was helpful to employed workers being removed – while independent tradesmen had different settings. And it was to make tax simple? Just at the time we got computers that could do anything in a matter of milliseconds. Simple? I think they think that we don’t think because we are simple. Maybe they are right, or just get distracted too easily when required to face multiple challenges.

            Families had rates worked out on tax tables like F1, F2, etc with less tax until about F5, and that was automatic and ao did not need a special provision like Working for Families tacked on like an extra.

            And of course tax lawyers can organise financial matters so that little tax is paid by wealth creators. I remember one year one POTUS paid no income tax when in power. What a good example to the people of how capitalists behave quite legally and supposedly, ethically.

            Union of course is sort of sneering and satirical in its use by the TU. But they are as we know a very strong union in truth. Only they wouldn’t know truth, they can’t handle the truth!

        • The Fairy Godmother 6.2.1.2
          19 January 2018 at 8:14 am

          And it’s so dishonest, I’m a taxpayer but they don’t represent me and have never invited me to join. Perhaps some of us should try. That would be funny.

  7. repateet 7
    18 January 2018 at 12:21 pm

    What is electoral freedom? Is that when you have independent reports and recommendations from independent commissions and give them to Judith Collins who says, “Up you, I can’t be bothered” ?

    And then have people like David Farrar and Jordan Williams grizzling about our lack of electoral freedom?

  8. Sanctuary 8
    18 January 2018 at 12:36 pm

    “…And then have people like David Farrar and Jordan Williams grizzling about our lack of electoral freedom..?”

    Basically they are two entitled white guys who think they know everything. I wouldn’t worry to much about what they say.

  9. greywarshark 9
    18 January 2018 at 12:51 pm

    “a new index of electoral freedoms” birthed by Jordon Williams who does the wailing that a human infant would supply. The finale of the post critiquing the index explains it all obviously.

    …No doubt the right will use this as further evidence that the last election result was a travesty and National should be in power. In their minds 44% of the electorate has priority over the other 56% mainly because the 44% is their 44%…

    It appears the report writers hate MMP. Again from the report:
    In fact, only Ireland, which leads the 2018 ranking, reached an outstanding level of electoral freedom, slightly exceeding the 80 points out of a maximum possible 100. Among other virtues, Ireland is one of the few countries with a single transferable vote system, which, according to the recently deceased professor Sartori, is the purest of all, and, in his opinion, perfectly proportional.”

    It is bizarre that MMP which is as proportional a system that you can imagine should be marked down and STV considered to be the most proportional of systems. This would however explain Australia’s high ranking and why Germany, ranked 64th in the world, was ranked so low….

    The report is compiled by the Foundation for the Advancement of Liberty. This organisation is a Spanish based private entity and clearly believes in the sanctity of the market and the importance of individual freedom.

    The vision of the foundation is that of “prosperous human societies, organized through the spontaneous order of culture and market, and respectful of all of their members’ individual freedom.”

    The report has been funded privately, untainted by the stain of public money. From the report:

    Utopian with a twist of piquant lemon from the RW tree. And being funded privately does not mean anything these days when what comes out of the privates, well it is just using a bit of the excess money sloshing over the side of the barrels that governments have supplied.

  10. Ross 10
    18 January 2018 at 12:56 pm

    The problem might be – 9 years under Muldoon, 9 years under Bolger, 9 years under Key and English. If we dont have as much electoral freedom as others it might be because its not a priority for the Right.

    • ropata 10.1
      18 January 2018 at 1:18 pm

      RWNJ only want some democratic window dressing to cover up their true intentions of pillaging the nation and the people, then they can justify themselves with talk of a “mandate”

    • Hornet 10.2
      18 January 2018 at 2:02 pm

      And the intervening periods of 15 years under Labour led governments? Be serious, please.

      • Ross 10.2.1
        18 January 2018 at 10:02 pm

        Hmmm 27 years versus 15 years…you clearly think the numbers are comparable. And when you consider the Lange government was probably more right-wing than some Tory governments, you might realise where the problem lies.

  11. Booker 11
    18 January 2018 at 1:21 pm

    I think the bigger question is why the media pass on these press releases from the taxpayers union as valid news.

  12. greywarshark 12
    18 January 2018 at 1:26 pm

    They are sure to promote controversy on TS and result in clickbait for the smeedia!

  13. Chris 13
    18 January 2018 at 4:46 pm

    Constitutional lawyer my arse. The guy’s listed as an in-house lawyer for the taxpayers union – his own phony outfit. Who the heck else would take him on? Was interesting how quickly his name disappeared from the Franks Ogilvie site when Dirty Politics blew up. Even filthy Franks didn’t want him. Shame because Williams would’ve felt right at home there.

  14. CHCOff 14
    18 January 2018 at 4:51 pm

    The fundamental problem of political democracy alone is that of the expression of the democratic idea through centralised decision making.

    This is inherently a contradiction.

    Secondly, the integration of shared stockholder mass decision making expertise to technically specific practicalities is the other contradiction which wastes alot of time & resources to ridiculous extremes, and is in strak contrast to the natural funcitioning of pratical everyday life in any society.

    Churchill is famously attributed to having said that democracy is a terrible system, but its better than all the alternatives.

    That’s only half true on both accounts; there are far worse ( or base ) systems than democracy as is widely thought of, there is not a lack of better or mutually complimentary alternatives within the democracy framework of government itself.

    The problem is really one of deeply ingrained human social habit, that goes back to the transition from subsistence direct cause and effect social systems relative to nature, to the ever increasing cushion from this that is provided by technological application to the elements of nature.

    A somewhat counter balancing adaption to the aspects or elements of ruling corporate structures that can be so distended and deranged resulting from this deeply rooted issue in the modern age would be gender equality in corporate culture.

  15. Tanz 15
    18 January 2018 at 5:44 pm

    When you have one small party with barely seven percent of the vote and no electorate seat being in the position of choosing the govt (and having one hundred percent of the power over the two large partys who both polled in double digit figures), then anyone with a brain would know that MMP is a screwy system. Just wait till it doesn’t work for Labour, very possibly at the next election (due to not enough support partners), we’ll wait and see how many on the left still just love MMP then…as I have always said, had the shoe been on the other foot, and Labour had actually won the election, but Winston had chosen National, the howls of outrage at such an undemocratic outcome from the left would be deafening…but it’s always different when it suits the left, isn’t it. One thing, at least National kept their scruples, and did not sell their soul for the box seat position. Short term pain, long term gain. The electorate will reward National for their principles alone. Seven percent and Labour gave him Deputy PM and Foreign Minister plust a huge amount of portfolios. Winston really played Ardern and co, and continues to do so. Waka Jumping Bill, what an outrage, for starters. Unbelievable, the cheek.

    • Muttonbird 15.1
      18 January 2018 at 5:49 pm

      That’s funny. A party with 0.69% of the vote and a sweetheart deal in Epsom chose the government last time. I’m sure you were apoplectic about that.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 15.1.1
        18 January 2018 at 5:59 pm

        You know what the funniest part is? Tanz voted for Winston.

        • Muttonbird 15.1.1.1
          18 January 2018 at 6:09 pm

          I don’t see the problem with the waka-jumping thing. These MPs use the party machinery and resources to get elected. If they then turn against the party, then out the freaking door they go. If Tanz thinks that is the outrage then she’s been living under a rock for some years now. Oh, wait…

          • One Anonymous Bloke 15.1.1.1.1
            18 January 2018 at 6:14 pm

            I see the problem with the waka jumping thing: it impinges on the sovereignty of Parliament. That’s why I think it’s appropriate only where list MPs are concerned. Their contract with the electorate is dependent on their party affiliation.

          • greywarshark 15.1.1.1.2
            18 January 2018 at 7:07 pm

            Muttonbird
            +1
            I think standing as an MP under one party’s banner and then wanting to jump ship whether you are list or electorate should be something not allowed. It is something that would further destroy faith in the political system.

          • mickysavage 15.1.1.1.3
            18 January 2018 at 8:59 pm

            I don’t see the problem with the waka-jumping thing

            I don’t either. If your position depended on support from a party then there should be an expectation that you will support the party’s principles.

        • Tanz 15.1.1.2
          18 January 2018 at 6:13 pm

          yeah, and I gladly admit that. So I was suckered, like the rest of NZ First Voters, or at least half of them. We all make mistakes! It would be funny if it wasn’t so very bad for the country. The scoundrel lied. Bye bye Kingmaker.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 15.1.1.2.1
            18 January 2018 at 6:19 pm

            You only admitted it once I called you out. Before then you were busy telling everyone it was “obvious” that Winston was colluding with Labour “from the start”.

            Be that as it may, I’m delighted you’re still trying to get people to listen to your delusional gobshite. That’s for nothing, now do something.

          • solkta 15.1.1.2.2
            18 January 2018 at 6:32 pm

            So you voted for the only party that refused to commit to who they would go into coalition with and now you are pissed that they went with the grouping that was able to give them more of their policy. Not something i would normally say on this site, but fuck you are stupid.

          • Psycho Milt 15.1.1.2.3
            18 January 2018 at 6:56 pm

            yeah, and I gladly admit that. So I was suckered, like the rest of NZ First Voters…

            “Suckered,” you call it? You wanted a National government and chose to express that preference by voting for a different party that features little policy overlap with National. That’s not “being suckered,” that’s “being an imbecile.”

      • Tanz 15.1.2
        18 January 2018 at 6:16 pm

        The difference being, Muttonbird, is that National also won that election, therefore a National govt was also then what the majority wanted, but Act did not have National over a barrel as Winston did with both Labour and National this time. He called all the shots and acted as though he had a huge mandate. Big diff. Act do as they are told, as per their tiny vote percentage. That’s why I don’t complain. National had the moral mandate to govern then, as they also did this time, no matter who Winston chose. Simply more votes to National, yet again.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 15.1.2.1
          18 January 2018 at 6:20 pm

          Winston has your mandate 😆

          • Tanz 15.1.2.1.1
            18 January 2018 at 6:24 pm

            He’s broken every promise so far. He doesn’t care about mandates, only baubles and power. He gained votes by those lies, and he also implied pre-election that he was going with National. But silver cloud, always, he won’t be any sort of ‘maker’ again! A betrayer to his base and many of his voters. No wonder he feels he has to change our electoral law with such rubbish as the waka jumping bill – that says so much; he trusts no one, not even his own.

            • One Anonymous Bloke 15.1.2.1.1.1
              18 January 2018 at 6:31 pm

              You can’t even recognise your own incompetence. PT Barnum rents space in your head.

            • Jimmy Ramaka 15.1.2.1.1.2
              18 January 2018 at 8:39 pm

              73% of NZF voters preferrred a Labour/NZF Coalition so I guess 27% were unhappy or not unhappy with the result ?

        • Muttonbird 15.1.2.2
          18 January 2018 at 6:23 pm

          National didn’t win that election with 47%, numb-nuts. What they did was form a government with three partners, two of which they have since destroyed, and the other from which they continue receiving fellatio.

          • Tanz 15.1.2.2.1
            18 January 2018 at 6:43 pm

            They outpolled Labour, the other major party. Therefore more people wanted National than Labour. Our convention has always been the highest polling party is govt. In fact, National outpolled both Labour and the Greens. How is it possibly democratic that second place gets to be govt over first? And National have most of the electorate MPs. But just twist it to suit you, that is all the left ever do. End of the day, National still lead in the polls, that must be a worry to your side. The majority still prefer blue.

            • Psycho Milt 15.1.2.2.1.1
              18 January 2018 at 6:52 pm

              How is it possibly democratic that second place gets to be govt over first?

              Maybe you should get yourself a children’s book on how Parliament works and how elections work, and maybe a simple maths book that explains what percentages are, then perhaps you won’t ask such embarrassingly stupid questions in future.

            • Brian Tregaskin 15.1.2.2.1.2
              18 January 2018 at 6:56 pm

              Well Tanz call it a revolution –the election was stolen from a party (Born to rule) that had only 44% of the vote, You lost, get over it and move on -the world is not black and white. National are likely a generation away from regaining power. The big issue with them is their policies actually work against even most of the voters that vote for them. My money is National out for at least three terms to perhaps a kinder to the people National emerges out of the ashes.

              • Wensleydale …
                20 January 2018 at 4:08 pm

                We’ve had “kinder to the people National” before. It’s essentially the same old diseased cadaver shuffling around with a crude latex mask stapled to its decomposing face. Anyone who has been paying attention for the last three or so decades knows exactly what National are and who they represent. And they’re only ever kinder to the people if it serves their own interests, and never for very long.

            • Jimmy Ramaka 15.1.2.2.1.3
              18 January 2018 at 8:41 pm

              You obviously still do not understand MMP and you are a TROLL ?

            • Obtrectator 15.1.2.2.1.4
              19 January 2018 at 8:35 am

              “Our convention has always been the highest polling party is govt.”

              Exactly so. It’s a convention, not an immutable rule, or law.

              Conventions by their very nature are always at risk of being disregarded. (Such as, for instance, the one that the person holding the office of POTUS comports himself with some degree of dignity and restraint.)

            • KJT 15.1.2.2.1.5
              19 January 2018 at 1:00 pm

              What is so hard to understand that 56% of voters got the parties they wanted in power. If National had got in with NZ first 51% of voters would have got the parties in that they wanted. Either would have been a legitimate result under MMP rules, but 56% is more of a majority than 51%.
              Especially as a majority of NZF voters wanted Winston to go with Labour.

    • The Fairy Godmother 15.2
      18 January 2018 at 6:15 pm

      Sigh! this is so dumb. National, Act, Labour and the Greens had all decided who they would go with. NZ First was the last one to make up their minds. Everyone decided, just not at the same time and not as fast as our short attention spanned media would like That’s democracy.

  16. adam 16
    18 January 2018 at 10:25 pm

    Recalling MP should be standard.

    I’d like to suggest we start with Denise Lee, it been how many months since the election, and still no electoral office. Apart from Madin speech, all she been doing is eating her lunch.

    The only way to contact this electorate MP is via email. This is piss poor for an electorate MP and we should have the right to vote this slacker out.

    Recall her, and lets have another election in Maungakiekie.

  17. Et Tu Brute 17
    19 January 2018 at 10:21 am

    One of our lowest scores is with “Passive Suffrage” at 69.5%, or 105th place globally.

    Passive Suffrage is the right to run for elected office, as opposed to Active Suffrage which is the right to vote for the elected office (we got 83.7% = goodish).

    What do you think is lowering our Passive Suffrage score? High cost of entering politics? Small voter base? Honestly not sure, but would be interested in opinions.

    • Thinkerr 17.1
      21 January 2018 at 8:07 am

      Dont know if you will see this. Ive been offline for a few days and its a late reply.

      Thanks for explaining this. It confused me.

      I would think it means that people cant stand any reasonable chance of getting into parliament without selling their soul to a major political party.

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    Today is a Member's Day. First up is the third reading of Dan Bidois' Fair Trading (Gift Card Expiry) Amendment Bill, which will be followed by the committee stage of Deborah Russell's Family Proceedings (Dissolution for Family Violence) Amendment Bill. This will be followed by the second readings of Katie ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • Northern Expressway Boondoggle

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has been soaring high with his hubris of getting on and building motorways but some uncomfortable realities are starting to creep in. Back in July he announced that the government was pushing on with a Northland Expressway using an “accelerated delivery strategy” The Coalition Government is ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    1 day ago
  • Never Enough

    However much I'm falling downNever enoughHowever much I'm falling outNever, never enough!Whatever smile I smile the mostNever enoughHowever I smile I smile the mostSongwriters: Robert James Smith / Simon Gallup / Boris Williams / Porl ThompsonToday in Nick’s Kōrero:A death in the Emergency Department at Rotorua Hospital.A sad homecoming and ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Question Two of The Kākā Project of 2026 for 2050 (TKP 26/50)

    Kia ora.Last month I proposed restarting The Kākā Project work done before the 2023 election as The Kākā Project of 2026 for 2050 (TKP 26/50), aiming to be up and running before the 2025 Local Government elections, and then in a finalised form by the 2026 General Elections.A couple of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Why is God Obsessed with Spanking?

    Hi,If you’ve read Webworm for a while, you’ll be aware that I’ve spent a lot of time writing about horrific, corrupt megachurches and the shitty men who lead them.And in all of this writing, I think some people have this idea that I hate Christians or Christianity. As I explain ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 day ago
  • Inside the public service

    In 2023, there were 63,117 full-time public servants earning, on average, $97,200 a year each. All up, that is a cost to the Government of $6.1 billion a year. It’s little wonder, then, that the public service has become a political whipping boy castigated by the Prime Minister and members ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • New Models Show Stronger Atlantic Hurricanes, and More of Them

    This is a re-post from This is Not Cool Here’s an example of some of the best kind of climate reporting, especially in that it relates to impacts that will directly affect the audience. WFLA in Tampa conducted a study in collaboration with the Department of Energy, analyzing trends in ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Where ever do they find these people?

    A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, is how Winston Churchill described the Soviet Union in 1939.  How might the great man have described the 2024 government of New Zealand, do we think? I can't imagine he would have thought them all that mysterious or enigmatic. I think ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Motorway madness

    How mad is National's obsession with roads? One of their pet projects - a truck highway to Whangārei - is going to eat 10% of our total infrastructure budget for the next 25 years: Official advice from the Infrastructure Commission shows the government could be set to spend 10 ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • Our transport planning system is fundamentally broken

    Ever since Wayne Brown became mayor (nearly two years ago now) he’s been wanting to progress an “integrated transport plan” with the government – which sounded a lot like the previous Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP) with just a different name. It seems like a fair bit of work progressed ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    2 days ago
  • Thou Shalt Not Steal

    And they taught usWhoa-oh, black woman, thou shalt not stealI said, hey, yeah, black man, thou shalt not stealWe're gonna civilise your black barbaric livesAnd we teach you how to kneelBut your history couldn't hide the genocideThe hypocrisy to us was realFor your Jesus said you're supposed to giveThe oppressed ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • How mismanagement, not wind and solar energy, causes blackouts

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections In February 2021, several severe storms swept across the United States, culminating with one that the Weather Channel unofficially named Winter Storm Uri. In Texas, Uri knocked out power to over 4.5 million homes and 10 million people. Hundreds of Texans died as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • The ‘Infra Boys’ Highway to Budget Hell

    Chris Bishop has enthusiastically dubbed himself and Simeon Brown “the Infra Boys”, but they need to take note of the sums around their roading dreams. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, September ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Media Link: “AVFA” on the politics of desperation.

    In this podcast Selwyn Manning and I talk about what appears to be a particular type of end-game in the long transition to systemic realignment in international affairs, in which the move to a new multipolar order with different characteristics … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    3 days ago
  • The cost of flying blind

    Just over two years ago, when worries about immediate mass-death from covid had waned, and people started to talk about covid becoming "endemic", I asked various government agencies what work they'd done on the costs of that - and particularly, on the cost of Long Covid. The answer was that ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Seymour vs The Clergy

    For paid subscribers“Aotearoa is not as malleable as they think,” Lynette wrote last week on Homage to Simeon Brown:In my heart/mind, that phrase ricocheted over the next days, translating out to “We are not so malleable.”It gave me comfort. I always felt that we were given an advantage in New ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Unstoppable Minister McKee

    All smiles, I know what it takes to fool this townI'll do it 'til the sun goes downAnd all through the nighttimeOh, yeahOh, yeah, I'll tell you what you wanna hearLeave my sunglasses on while I shed a tearIt's never the right timeYeah, yeahSong by SiaLast night there was a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Could outdoor dining revitalise Queen Street?

    This is a guest post by Ben van Bruggen of The Urban Room,.An earlier version of this post appeared on LinkedIn. All images are by Ben. Have you noticed that there’s almost nowhere on Queen Street that invites you to stop, sit outside and enjoy a coffee, let alone ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago
  • Hipkins challenges long-held Labour view Government must stay below 30% of GDP

    Hipkins says when considering tax settings and the size of government, the big question mark is over what happens with the balance between the size of the working-age population and the growing number of Kiwis over the age of 65. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Your invite to Webworm Chat (a bit like Reddit)

    Hi,One of the things I love the most about Webworm is, well, you. The community that’s gathered around this lil’ newsletter isn’t something I ever expected when I started writing it four years ago — now the comments section is one of my favourite places on the internet. The comments ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago
  • Seymour’s Treaty bill making Nats nervous

    A delay in reappointing a top civil servant may indicate a growing nervousness within the National Party about the potential consequences of David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill. Dave Samuels is waiting for reappointment as the Chief Executive of Te Puni Kokiri, but POLITIK understands that what should have been a ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #36

    A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, September 1, 2024 thru Sat, September 7, 2024. Story of the week Our Story of the Week is about how peopele are not born stupid but can be fooled ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • Time for a Change

    You act as thoughYou are a blind manWho's crying, crying 'boutAll the virgins that are dyingIn your habitual dreams, you knowSeems you need more sleepBut like a parrot in a flaming treeI know it's pretty hard to seeI'm beginning to wonderIf it's time for a changeSong: Phil JuddThe next line ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Six.

    The “double shocks” in post Cold War international affairs. The end of the Cold War fundamentally altered the global geostrategic context. In particular, the end of the nuclear “balance of terror” between the USA and USSR, coupled with the relaxation … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Buried deep

    Here's a bike on Manchester St, Feilding. I took this photo on Friday night after a very nice dinner at the very nice Vietnamese restaurant, Saigon, on Manchester Street.I thought to myself, Manchester Street? Bicycle? This could be the very spot.To recap from an earlier edition: on a February night ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies, Excerpt Five.

    Military politics as a distinct “partial regime.” Notwithstanding their peripheral status, national defense offers the raison d’être of the combat function, which their relative vulnerability makes apparent, so military forces in small peripheral democracies must be very conscious of events … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago
  • Leadership for Dummies

    If you’re going somewhere, do you maybe take a bit of an interest in the place? Read up a bit on the history, current events, places to see - that sort of thing? Presumably, if you’re taking a trip somewhere, it’s for a reason. But what if you’re going somewhere ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Home again

    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Dead even tie for hottest August ever

    Long stories short, here’s the top six 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 Cathrine Dyer:The month of August was 1.49˚C warmer than pre-industrial levels, tying with 2023 for the warmest August ever, according ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 7

    The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate science on rising temperatures and the debate about how to responde to climate disinformation; and special guest ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Have We an Infrastructure Deficit?

    An Infrastructure New Zealand report says we are keeping up with infrastructure better than we might have thought from the grumbling. But the challenge of providing for the future remains.I was astonished to learn that the quantity of our infrastructure has been keeping up with economic growth. Your paper almost ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    6 days ago
  • Councils reject racism

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    My conclusion last week was that The Rings of Power season two represented a major improvement in the series. The writing’s just so much better, and honestly, its major problems are less the result of the current episodes and more creatures arising from season one plot-holes. I found episode three ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    6 days ago
  • Who should we thank for the defeat of the Nazis

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

    Open access notables Diurnal Temperature Range Trends Differ Below and Above the Melting Point, Pithan & Schatt, Geophysical Research Letters: The globally averaged diurnal temperature range (DTR) has shrunk since the mid-20th century, and climate models project further shrinking. Observations indicate a slowdown or reversal of this trend in recent decades. ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live at 5pm

    Photo by Jenny Bess on UnsplashCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with special guests:5.00 pm - 5.10 pm - Bernard and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago
  • Media Link: Discussing the NZSIS Security Threat Report.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Getting the healthcare you need, when you need it

    The path to faster cancer treatment, an increase in immunisation rates, shorter stays in emergency departments and quick assessment and treatments when you are sick has been laid out today. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has revealed details of how the ambitious health targets the Government has set will be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago
  • Targeted supports to accelerate reading

    The coalition Government is delivering targeted and structured literacy supports to accelerate learning for struggling readers. From Term 1 2025, $33 million of funding for Reading Recovery and Early Literacy Support will be reprioritised to interventions which align with structured approaches to teaching. “Structured literacy will change the way children ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Survivors invited to Abuse in Care national apology

    With two months until the national apology to survivors of abuse in care, expressions of interest have opened for survivors wanting to attend. “The Prime Minister will deliver a national apology on Tuesday 12 November in Parliament. It will be a very significant day for survivors, their families, whānau and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • Rangatahi inspire at Ngā Manu Kōrero final

    Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini kē - My success is not mine alone but is the from the strength of the many. Aotearoa New Zealand’s top young speakers are an inspiration for all New Zealanders to learn more about the depth and beauty conveyed ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • Driving structured literacy in schools

    The coalition Government is driving confidence in reading and writing in the first years of schooling. “From the first time children step into the classroom, we’re equipping them and teachers with the tools they need to be brilliant in literacy. “From 1 October, schools and kura with Years 0-3 will receive ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Labour’s misleading information is disappointing

    Labour’s misinformation about firearms law is dangerous and disappointing, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee says.   “Labour and Ginny Andersen have repeatedly said over the past few days that the previous Labour Government completely banned semi-automatic firearms in 2019 and that the Coalition Government is planning to ‘reintroduce’ them.   ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Govt takes action on mpox response, widens access to vaccine

    The Government is taking immediate action on a number of steps around New Zealand’s response to mpox, including improving access to vaccine availability so people who need it can do so more easily, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti and Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. “Mpox is obviously a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Next steps agreed for Treaty Principles Bill

    Associate Justice Minister David Seymour says Cabinet has agreed to the next steps for the Treaty Principles Bill. “The Treaty Principles Bill provides an opportunity for Parliament, rather than the courts, to define the principles of the Treaty, including establishing that every person is equal before the law,” says Mr Seymour. “Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government unlocking potential of AI

    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced a programme to drive Artificial Intelligence (AI) uptake among New Zealand businesses. “The AI Activator will unlock the potential of AI for New Zealand businesses through a range of support, including access to AI research experts, technical assistance, AI tools and resources, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government releases Wairoa flood review findings

    The independent rapid review into the Wairoa flooding event on 26 June 2024 has been released, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced today. “We welcome the review’s findings and recommendations to strengthen Wairoa's resilience against future events,” Ms ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Promoting faster payment times for government

    The Government is sending a clear message to central government agencies that they must prioritise paying invoices in a timely manner, Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Andrew Bayly says. Data released today promotes transparency by publishing the payment times of each central government agency. This data will be published quarterly ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Acknowledgement to Kīngi Tuheitia speech

    E te māngai o te Whare Pāremata, kua riro māku te whakaputa i te waka ki waho moana. E te Pirimia tēnā koe.Mr Speaker, it is my privilege to take this adjournment kōrero forward.  Prime Minister – thank you for your leadership. Taupiri te maunga Waikato te awa Te Wherowhero ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Interim fix to GST adjustment rules to support businesses

    Inland Revenue can begin processing GST returns for businesses affected by a historic legislative drafting error, Revenue Minister Simon Watts says. “Inland Revenue has become aware of a legislative drafting error in the GST adjustment rules after changes were made in 2023 which were meant to simplify the process. This ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Strong uptake for cervical screening self-test

    More than 80 per cent of New Zealand women being tested have opted for a world-leading self-test for cervical screening since it became available a year ago. Minister of Health Dr Shane Reti and Associate Minister Casey Costello, in her responsibility for Women’s Health, say it’s fantastic to have such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Ministry for Regulation’s first Strategic Intentions document sets ambitious direction

    Regulation Minister David Seymour welcomes the Ministry for Regulation’s first Strategic Intentions document, which sets out how the Ministry will carry out its work and deliver on its purpose. “I have set up the Ministry for Regulation with three tasks. One, to cut existing red tape with sector reviews. Two, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Māori Education Advisory Group established

    The Education Minister has established a Māori Education Ministerial Advisory Group made up of experienced practitioners to help improve outcomes for Māori learners. “This group will provide independent advice on all matters related to Māori education in both English medium and Māori medium settings. It will focus on the most impactful ways we can lift ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government welcomes findings of NZ Superannuation Fund review

    The Government has welcomed the findings of the recent statutory review into the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation and the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, Minister of Finance Nicola Willis says. The 5-yearly review, conducted on behalf of Treasury and tabled in Parliament today, found the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • First of five new Hercules aircraft takes flight

    Defence Minister Judith Collins today welcomed the first of five new C-130J-30 Hercules to arrive in New Zealand at a ceremony at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Base Auckland, Whenuapai. “This is an historic day for our New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and our nation. The new Hercules fleet ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Have your say on suicide prevention

    Today, September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, a time to reflect on New Zealand’s confronting suicide statistics, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “Every death by suicide is a tragedy – a tragedy that affects far too many of our families and communities in New Zealand. We must do ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Action to grow the rural health workforce

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