Social insurance, a premium not afforded to all.

Written By: - Date published: 12:02 pm, June 20th, 2021 - 59 comments
Categories: benefits, Economy, grant robertson, Politics, Social issues, unemployment, Unions, workers' rights - Tags: , ,

Budget this year delivered in ways that many of us have been waiting for. Community groups, Iwi, beneficiaries, environmentalists and more, all agreed on Budget Day that they were quietly pleased to see groups they represent receive funding. For many, that funding is just a first step. One of the details announced in the budget was funding to explore a ‘social unemployment insurance’ scheme. This scheme has been pushed by the Council of Trade Unions and Business NZ, which will work with the Government in a newly set-up Tripartite Working Party.

The pandemic and lockdown last year put the thinking around this scheme in motion. Advocates for this scheme will state that it will give temporary protection to workers who have lost their jobs. On presentation it is a social security net.

Grant Robertson, as the Minister of Finance, praised the intention of the scheme: “Like ACC for accidents, a Social Unemployment Insurance scheme would cushion the impact of a job loss. It would give workers the financial stability to find the right job for their skills, or to retrain for a new, fulfilling career path.”

This is by no means something to be against.

When we dig into it though, we realise it is no safety net. It’s a parachute that slows our drop, giving us time, before we hit that real net – down so far below. Social Unemployment Insurance is a temporary relief from vertigo. Like any insurance, it comes with its pre-requisites and pages of conditions in small typeset that are all too easy to ignore. This insurance seduces the policy-holder by playing into your fear of uncertainty, which it offers protection from. Like any insurance there are ifs, buts and maybes.

As a Union Organiser, I was surprised that this scheme had not been discussed within Union circles. As I go around worksites, ideas are talked through in office tea-rooms, corridors or storerooms. Ideas are tested, questioned – require strategic thinking and may require campaigning. I wouldn’t be surprised if you haven’t heard much about social unemployment insurance either. All too quietly, this scheme will set up a two-tier unemployment system.

The scheme would ensure workers retain up to 80 percent of the income they were receiving for a period after they lose their jobs. When I was growing up, I saw a similar scheme in place. It was not universal and did not provide that long-term security we should be asking from our welfare state. I grew up in Spain, where unemployment entitlement is calculated on the length of employment and salary rate of the income the worker received prior to becoming unemployed. My mother during the mid-2000s lost several jobs due to the changing job market. What I learnt was that schemes such as the one that the Tripartite is designing did nothing for those on low-paid precarious jobs/. I learnt that when there are two systems, and one works for most, it is easy to forget about those on that system that doesn’t work.

If you are unemployed today you may be receiving as little as $202 a week – this rises based on age, accommodation supplements, or children. No matter- benefit levels are too low for rising rents, expensive winter bills, medical bills, fluctuating fuel costs… If you are employed and lose your job, your standard of living, what you eat and who you live with, could change quickly. Social Unemployment Insurance protects the privilege of the employed against the compromise and struggle of weekly budgets on a benefit. The scheme has been put forward so workers who have lost their job are given time and income to find a job that fits their skills, or to re-train. The same opportunities are not afforded to Kiwis on a benefit.

By setting up the Tripartite group, the Government unashamedly admits that benefit levels are not good enough. It then focuses its attention elsewhere.

Social Unemployment Insurance is not addressing the elephant in the room – we collectively agree that our benefits are too low – even after the increases set out in the 2021 Budget. Instead of increasing these benefits, the Tripartite group formed by the Government, Council of Trade Unions and Business NZ will set up a two-tier system for the unemployed.

We should be focusing on raising the floor.

This is something that workers collectively in unions have a proud history of doing. It’s not just at work where we are active, but this is where you will be most familiar with what we have won for all of us. Together we push for safer, fairer, more inclusive workplaces. We have increased annual leave, improved Health and Safety laws since the Pike River disaster, we have achieved new leave for victims of domestic abuse and expanded bereavement leave so that losing a baby during pregnancy or childbirth is a given, not something that has to be asked for. In the last month we pushed back against the government’s intended Pay Freeze in the Public Sector. Outside our workspaces we should be advocating for beneficiaries the same way we as union members are front and centre in climate marches, at Waitangi Day, at Pride.

When it comes to benefits, we should be raising the floor instead of closing the door behind us. Raising the floor looks like a benefit system where benefit levels are liveable and so that beneficiaries can live with dignity while they focus on their health, or their family, or their study, without compromise.

I need to be clear- this project has not yet received funding and it is a long way from being implemented, but knowing that the Government has committed to sitting down and nutting this scheme out with the Council of Trade Unions and Business NZ says it all.

This scheme, by building an alternative to the benefits that WINZ pays, risks creating a small tear in our shared social net, it privatises the risk of unemployment and erodes our advocacy to increase benefits and improve beneficiary rights. Future decisions regarding unemployment will be split into two with a risk that benefit levels will stagnate or reduce.

Conditions outside of employment should concern all of us.

As a Union member I, with many others, hear the waiata and stand: ‘E Tu, Kahikatea’! and repeat the last line: ‘Tātou, Tātou e’.

Daniel Benson-Guiu
is a union member and organiser based in Ōtepoti – Dunedin of Catalan origin.

59 comments on “Social insurance, a premium not afforded to all. ”

  1. weka 1

    Wow, thank you so much for both critiquing Labour’s intentions and framing solutions as solidarity between workers and beneficiaries. Great post.

  2. Patricia Bremner 2

    Any system must be fair and for all. Good thought provoking post.

  3. Descendant Of Smith 3

    There's a line oft repeated in Fallout – a post apocalyptic game.

    "War, War never changes"

    This is true of capitalist attacks on the welfare system and labour in bed with the capitalists.

    FFS Labour just increase benefits back to the NZS rate like they used to be. You had both a mandate and an opportunity to do this and you failed. You are a bunch of numpties.

    I had in an earlier post cause to link to the Jobs newsletter. This below from the very first issue.

    FROM DOLE TO JOB SEARCH

    For people who did not find a job after six months, the Employers believe they should then go on the unemployment benefit under an individual case management, and be required to undertake training, work experience, or subsidised work as directed.

    Source The New Zealand Herald 20 September 1994 "Employers Federation calls for cuts to dole" by Anamike Vasil

    http://www.jobsletter.org.nz/jbl00100.htm

    • The dole should be replaced by a Job Search allowance in the first six months after a person loses their job. This is one of the main recommendations in the Employers Federation submission to the Employment Taskforce. They envisage that the allowance should be paid at a higher rate than the unemployment benefit, to enable the person to pay for the costs of CV preparation, papers, transport and clothing. In this period the person would be responsible for undertaking their own job search without the help of the Employment Service.

      __________________________________________

      From me:

      Labour, Labour never changes!

    • Pat 3.1

      https://www.mbie.govt.nz/dmsdocument/12803-officials-discussion-document-support-displaced-workers

      A proposal that could have been written by Act….and the CTU co authors!

      "The goal is therefore not to eliminate displacement. The goal is rather to protect workers while allowing for a continual process of displacement and re-employment in good jobs. In such an economy, firms would have the continued option of changing their labour needs, while workers could be assured of support towards suitable reemployment, without substantial loss of income through a period of job search, and retraining. Working people could be confident that displacement would be more of a “sideways step” in the labour market, rather than (potentially) being a significant “downwards step”. This is the essence of the flexicurity approach, where the objective is to protect displaced workers, not jobs. The approach promotes both productivity, and inclusion"

      • Descendant Of Smith 3.1.1

        Compare that to how the system was described in the 1976 yearbook.

        MAIN FEATURES OF SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM—The present system cannot be characterised according to any single principle, theory, or formula. As already stated, it has evolved from changing needs and experience in dealing with them. For example, it looks like a form of community insurance, but is not financed, funded, or administered on an insurance basis. It is financed from general taxation; but a person's benefit bears no relation to his tax contribution. While basically income-tested and selective as to need within clashes of benefit, it is also universally applied without regard to other income or means in three main cases (superannuation, family, and medical benefits) and in the lesser miners' benefit. It transfers income from the more to the less affluent mainly on the basis of greatest help for those in greatest need. It reflects the traditional humanitarian, egalitarian, and pragmatic approach of New Zealanders and, most importantly, reflects an acceptance of community responsibility for social welfare.

        1. Funding is through taxation. The right to "contract out" on the grounds that the individual may not need, or qualify for, public aid is denied in the community interest, as it is with other State services such as education, defence, police.

          And lest we need reminding the rates for NZS and benefit were the same:

          Age, Invalids and Sickness
          single unmarried over 18 $28-75
          Unemployment
          single unmarried over 20 $28-75
          Superannuation
          unmarried person $28-75

          https://www3.stats.govt.nz/New_Zealand_Official_Yearbooks/1976/NZOYB_1976.html#idchapter_1_53820

          And lest we forget many of those for whom there were no jobs in the private sector were given jobs in the public service – particularly those with disabilities and school leavers. It was part of the government/countries welfare system – a part of welfare the previous generations like not to mention – oh and then there was of course massive institutionalisation where they hid away many of those who were unwell, had disabilities, had learning difficulties, could not perform certain tasks like tying your shoelaces at 5 (what do you mean you never had shoes til you went to school) or didn't know their alphabet (never mind their parents were illiterate and couldn't teach them) – yep national standards and milestones sucked back then too.

          Anyway worked quite well – it's not like anyone was abused – out of sight out of mind.

        • Pat 3.1.1.1

          "Anyway worked quite well – it's not like anyone was abused – out of sight out of mind."

          ???

          • Descendant Of Smith 3.1.1.1.1

            institutionalisation

            We now castigate those who we institutionalised previously – if we haven’t thrown them in jail.

            • Pat 3.1.1.1.1.1

              Yes, I gathered that.

              What is causing my confusion is its confliction with the rest of the post.

              Ah you have expanded…..unfortunately the previous institutionalisation had a blind eye turned to the shortcomings and corruption of purpose…..the welfare system however had a whole of society perspective as opposed to what is being promoted by this latest proposal.

              • Descendant Of Smith

                In essence we pretend now that there are jobs in the private sector for everyone and all you need to do is get off your arse to get one when the truth is there never was enough jobs for everyone. Unemployment was just well hidden. At least the public service jobs gave a lot more dignity than the institutional imprisonments.

      • Craig Hall 3.1.2

        That would also be the reasoning behind the oft-praised Scandinavian frameworks, particularly Danish flexicurity as at the end. They also have good minimum standards so that people are not left to starve if they don't qualify for the higher rates.

  4. Ad 4

    "We should be focusing on raising the floor."

    I agree with this direction. We saw the 2-tier approach to losing your job during COVID's early months, and it was inequitable.

    This government has indeed raised the economic floor by:

    – raising the minimum wage

    – instigating the Living Wage

    – choking off entire industries which are low paid and seasonal (low quality tertiary education, horticulture, low-end tourism, hospitality)

    – shutting down most immigration

    – targeting reform os specific industries it wants to promote, and

    – intervened massively with subsidising the entire business community to keep GDP growth high and unemployment heading for 4% and below.

    I seriously think that's enough intervention for now.

    The best direction is for unions and employers keep the pressure on this government to increase benefit rates, lower taxes for beneficiaries, and continuing to raise the floor of the wage earners.

    • weka 4.1

      The post talked about raising the floor of welfare, which Labour aren’t doing relative to the rest of society. By the time the benefit increases kick in next year, housing costs will have increased also and long term beneficiaries, some of the poorest people in the country, will have had another 12 months of losing ground. For many people the increase won’t make up for those, some will tread water, others will sink.

      Someone needs to do an OIA request on just how much of an increase the lower end get. Lots of people won’t get the full amount, some will get a few dollars. Still no fixes for people that can’t work. Too bad I guess.

      • ghostwhowalksnz 4.1.1

        "By the time the benefit increases kick in next year"

        As mentioned in the budget they kicked in this month and again next year.

        For an adult on the single rate with not much accomodation benefit, a friend who I have asked the details for has gone from about $215 pw in the hand from the last government to $279 pw in the hand.

        'Lots of people won’t get the full amount, some will get a few dollars' that claim doesnt have much basis, as I have looked closely at one persons benefit and it shows different ( I have computer skills to help an older person through the online hurdles) who would be on the lowest level.

        MSD has an online calculator where those interested can try various scenarios to check these figures. I really do wish people would base claims on benefits on real situations rather than using 'what they think'

        • weka 4.1.1.1

          Mate, I’m a long term beneficiary with direct experience of using the very complicated WINZ formulas that determine how we get paid. Ive also been networking with beneficiaries for years, including here on TS. It’s a known issue that increases in core benefits don’t automatically turn up in people’s ban accounts.

          please link to the calculator you are referring to.

      • KSaysHi 4.1.2

        I don't think an OIA would give that information, mostly because MSD doesn't appear to have modeled things correctly in the first place.

        The evidence for this is the public statements made by the government that "nobody would be worse" off under the Families Package changes is incorrect. MSD should have known if they modeled it correctly, and secondly because I wrote to them in late 2019 explaining why some people would actually lose money if they increased the base rate.

        In my email I pointed out that because of the calculations it would be possible for some people to lose $60/week when the base rate increased. These are the same people and their children who were suffering the most. Requested that the base rate increase not go ahead until this issue was dealt with. Response I got back was that it had been forwarded on to the appropriate person, so much for that.

        If that weren't enough I read the announcement in Stuff that everyone on a benefit could earn $160/wk without penalty. I wrote a complaint to Stuff stating this information was inaccurate and that the same group penalised from the base rate increases would actually end up worse off financially if they earned money. Some people would have money deducted well before they ever met their actual costs. Told Stuff that this could be verified by any beneficiary advocate group, or Work and Income themselves. No action was taken by Stuff, rather the reporter who wrote the piece sent me a link back to the MSD press release which was of course inaccurate.

        I know I'm right, the ministry must know I'm right, and if I could figure out to extract that information an OIA would prove it.

        FYI a quick search of beneficiary groups on FB confirms this too with comments from people who have in fact lost money after the benefit rate increases. Some even go into detail about how if they earn money their benefits reduce at the gross amount earned, leaving them worse off. This is the floor that needs moving!!

        • Rosemary McDonald 4.1.2.1

          No action was taken by Stuff,

          The standard of what passes for journalism at Stuff is so very low it is just about subterranean.

          It might be better if they indeed did nothing.

          The Covid media support $$$ were well invested.

        • Craig Hall 4.1.2.2

          OIA for all policy documents and ministerial correspondence relating to the increases – it will be in there somewhere.

          Alternatively, since there real life examples of the issue, just refer to the examples as clear evidence that some beneficiaries are worse off as a rebuttal of any statements along the lines of "all beneficiaries are better off".

          • weka 4.1.2.2.1

            Won’t it only be there if they’ve bothered to discuss the issue?

            • Craig Hall 4.1.2.2.1.1

              I know people who work at MSD and the information is calculated somewhere at MSD, so it should have been provided to the Minister.

              • weka

                to clarify, you believe the MSD will have calculated how many people get the full amount and those that get partial increases?

                • Craig Hall

                  Yes, if for no other reason than to calculate the exact cost of it for the Budget.

                  • weka

                    ah, of course, good point. So it would be worth someone doing an OIA request.

                    Wording?

                    "OIA for all policy documents and ministerial correspondence relating to the increases – it will be in there somewhere." seems like it would yield a large amount of information to then have to work through

                    • Craig Hall

                      OIA for all policy documents, ministerial correspondence and calculations regarding budget costs for the increases to the benefits in Budget 2021. CC Treasury as well. That's probably the easiest way to see if they included anything or not, albeit might involve a lot of documents to wade through. Edit: could reword this to be “all advice and analyses” as mentioned below.

                      If you want to know how many didn't get the full amount, OIA for total number of beneficiaries who will receive the full amount of the benefit increases without any abatement or loss of other entitlements, and total number of beneficiaries who will not receive the full amount of without any abatement or loss of other entitlements, and a breakdown of the latter into levels of abatement and loss of entitlements in $500/year increments (or $10/week).

                      If you are targeting a particular level of abatement or a loss of income from the changes, ask for that e.g. OIA for total number of beneficiaries for whom the benefit increases in Budget 2021 will result in a reduction of their total income received from MSD with a separate total for each increase.

                      https://msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/official-information-responses/responses-to-official-information-act-requests.html might also have some interesting information.

                      Edit: looking through some of those, “all advice and analyses” was a good phrase that produced some useful-looking material.

        • weka 4.1.2.3

          Would love to have more discussion with you on this. I’d be in to putting up a post about it. Links to the MSD press releases would be a good start.

          I’be run basic situations through a spreadsheet with the core and supplementaries, I usually use a single person no kids to simplify.

          I will ask on Twitter too, others have raised this

    • lprent 4.2

      I'd like the benefit floor to be raised as well.

      But there are whole lot of people for whom all of the things that you're describing are completely meaningless in their working life. I'm one of them.

      I've never been on a benefit apart from university. But I've had to struggle a number of times with work disappearing and the consequences of that. Based on the people I know who have had similar work losses, the biggest single problem that effectively drops people out of the work force is that they wind up being unable to seek work because their savings run out.

      I put a large part of that down to WINZ itself. It adds costs and time wasting on top of an already difficult transition. And they seldom if ever manage to offer any help at the time it would be most effective.

      Frankly the best thing any government could do is to fire WINZ and replace it with a website and really simple rules.

      The real question you have to ask is why would people want to fund a system, including your extensions above, that seldom works for them when they hit one of the most traumatic issues in their personal life, unexpectedly losing their main source of income.

      This insurance scheme paid for by earners would actually help them. None of the things that you have mentioned will do anything at all for people losing their job..

      • Ad 4.2.1

        None of things I listed would be a direct assistance if one were made redundant. The question is what more direct state assistance is really warranted.

        If one's life is so highly geared that one needs employment insurance (such as the need to service a mortgage), surely one would take that out private employment insurance as a responsible mortgage holder? Most banks strongly encourage both employment insurance and life insurance for this reason.

        I can't see why the state would have to step in just so support the risk one took of one's promise to a bank.

        Even Kiwisaver's contributory scheme – available now for 24 years – has made a real difference for just a few.

        • lprent 4.2.1.1

          The problem is that you don't have to be highly geared these days. Just renting or having a moderate mortgage in any of the urban centres is usually sufficient to ensure that income surpluses and accessible savings tend toward minimal.

          Most people I know who haven't nearly paid off a mortgage have their accommodation costs approaching half of their nett income after taxes and kiwisaver. They don't have much risk money, nor do they have a capacity to refurbish it after they have had to use it. If there are kids then the costs and risks escalate as well.

          This isn't exactly news. After all accommodation costs were the primary reason that working for families was put in by the state (a far more intrusive state assistance) about 15 years ago. A couple didn't have a surplus that would allow them to start thinking about having a family, and having families was deemed to be a social good for our society and economy.

          We'd only starting to see the demographic results of that now against comparisons in longitudinal studies, although it could be argued (by someone who hasn't looked at it closely) that was a extension of family benefit.

          Even Kiwisaver's contributory scheme – available now for 24 years

          Surely you mean 14 years? It was only put in place in June 2007. The social effect of that has only really just started. I've been using kiwisaver for saving for the last decade since I was 52. I'm only just starting to get to see the ballooning benefit of it in the last few years despite using the maximum saving rates and using MBA control over the managed funds.

          To see the real benefit of it, you'd need to look at the impact it has at something like 24 years, ie from someone who was 42 nearing retirement.

          However I do know that it is having a strong effect for people doing their first home. Barely hear anything else around the young engineers nest making. They start with withdrawing kiwisaver for the deposit.

          … surely one would take that out private employment insurance as a responsible mortgage holder? Most banks strongly encourage both employment insurance and life insurance for this reason.

          Sure, and I use it where and when it is appropriate. Banks mostly sell such insurance – which as far as I can see is their primary interest in it. It is like their interest in kiwisaver schemes. I don't know of any bank kiwisaver schemes that don't look like they are there for profit making for the banks.

          The costs on all of the actuarial private schemes are incredibly high relative to potential benefits. Fine if you are 25 and maintain the scheme through any of lifes vicissitudes. Useless if you're starting and stopping them as you have changes in employment, education, or simply get older. Largely useless when you're 50. Even worse they are extremely limited with any prior condition exemptions.

          For instance it simply isn't worth me getting either life insurance or health insurance (or probably even income insurance) because of prior conditions – ie age, heart condition and a TIA. Those three combined would probably chew up close to 20% of my nett income to get a complete cover.

          This is in the nature of organisations who try to make a profit from gambling – they massively stack the odds in their favour. Not to mention that insurance companies are notoriously a pain to extract the benefits you're paying for in a timely fashion.

          But realistically I don't need those, and many people don't. I need a transition policy so that the backup plans like selling property or shifting jobs have time to work. Currently that is sitting in a deposit box not doing much of a return because that makes it the safest and easiest to access. It is also way cheaper. But I doubt that many people have sufficient resources to do that.

          Frankly private industry is pretty much of a rort at this long term societal level. Just look at the the US for some prime examples.

          A state system with a low profit motive both provides a market floor for the private rorts, and it tends to stick closer to the purpose rather than trying to sell expensive and often useless policies.

          See Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry for some of these with our Australian banks.

      • KSaysHi 4.2.2

        Good call on the website, although they would need to ensure access to the internet was available throughout NZ, provide some type of device to allow access and ensure those who can't read/see/have other issues are given equal access. Even so, it would be much better than the mess we have at the moment which is heavy on staff time and low on service.

      • Craig Hall 4.2.3

        This insurance scheme paid for by earners would actually help them.

        This is politically important – for any system to stick, it has to be popular enough that future governments can't discard it, particularly after the next election (after 5+ years, it becomes harder). A scheme which is widely available is far more likely to meet that political requirement than a narrower scheme.

        That's one of the reasons the welfare system was able to reduced in the 90s and not returned in the 00s without serious political damage, while Working For Families largely survived with minimal changes through 9 years of National.

  5. lprent 5

    Basically the author of this post clearly doesn't understand what this particular insurance scheme is for. It isn't to gently drop people from working to living on the benefit – which is what it seems to imply with this statement

    When we dig into it though, we realise it is no safety net. It’s a parachute that slows our drop, giving us time, before we hit that real net – down so far below. Social Unemployment Insurance is a temporary relief from vertigo.

    The cynical fatalism of that statement seems to assume that finding other work is impossible. Moving to find that work is impossible. That people are too stupid to take the time to change their cost structures. Basically it is a callous and suspect version of what I see happen to people who wind up having to abruptly move jobs.

    The single biggest issue with people and the unemployment benefits is making sure that people thrust out of a paying job are not also thrust immediately from having an income and falling into debt when that income drops.

    You get a few weeks of notice, typically 2-4, or less if you are a contractor. But your life is built around having a regular flow of cash. Most of the time employers take a dim view of employees taking up notice time going to job interviews or talking to WINZ, even if you use your holiday hours to do it. Or even if the company is shutting down and they're giving you 2 weeks notice.

    When you have to run on savings, typically after a couple of final payments, then the shit happens. Few families or individuals have the savings for more than a month or so – especially when they are paying thousands in rent or mortgages. They typically won't have ten money

    This is often the start of the spiral that drops people into crippling debt. On to benefits that (as the author pointed out) are almost impossible to live on without major severe adjustments. While the stand-down periods are currently in abeyance until July, the rule about them is

    In most cases your payments will start from the date your application is approved. If you've left your job without a good reason or have been fired for misconduct, you may need to wait up to 13 weeks before your payments start.

    Typically, the reasons for good reason to leave don't include "the project finished", "my boss is a complete arsehole", "they want to arbitarily cut my hours so I get half of what I earned", and in fact almost anything apart from the company closed down. Even then normally WINZ want you to subsist off any redundancy money before they will provide any benefits at all.

    WINZ and the benefits are of absolutely no use for many if not most people seeking a job. They don't have any jobs worth chasing – it is the clearing house for employer exploitation. They waste time trying to get people to write poor CVs and pissant counselling and budgetry advice that is so old and out of date that is seems to derive from Mrs Beatons cookbook in the 1880s.

    But the things you have to do when losing a well paid job actually cost money. Savings from a diminishing pile go out faster than it originally came in.

    Changing jobs isn't just about starting to do job hunts. It is just as much about pruning costs to extend your ability to job-hunt. You'll need the money for transport to job interviews, getting the appropriate clothes (ie dumping that 1980s tie into the garbage in my case), getting a hair cut, airfares to other cities, or whatever.

    That is because it is rare to find a similar job just hanging around locally. Most of the time it takes months to jump into a new job, even with the absolute best of credentials. These days skills have time limits, they just depreciate away if you haven't maintained them.

    Pruning costs involves doing things like looking for cheaper living costs. If you are renting and can move to cheaper rentals with a 20 days notice, then you need to find a bond and weeks in advance – from the cash at hand. If you have a mortgage, you have to spend time talking to the bank or organising to sell a house. Both of which will typically cost money.

    If you have that hot internet connection or cellphone contract, you need to cough up to drop it back to a minimum service – typically incurring costs on the way through. Clearing the power bill and cutting down the usage takes time.

    You need to dump immediately all recurring costs in the near future like NZ Herald subscriptions or Netflix. You'd be amazed how those mount up.

    Look at selling unwanted gear like computers, furniture, cars. Apart from any cash generated, it helps to reduce relocation costs and rego and WOF.

    If you have kids, then you have to look at when it'd be possible to shift them from schools.

    I've done all of those things apart from the kids in my odd bouts of months between jobs. I do that even though I usually have some kind of income protection insurance. About the only things that I don't have in kill list are this site, one car and a base computer.

    Because, after all, who in their right mind would want to be at the useless and crapacious vagaries of WINZ? Especially the way that they act like loan shark and their habit of chasing people with arrest warrants

    I think that having a gentle parachute that has near immediate effect is a damn good idea to allow people a better chance at avoiding that fate.

    I know that paying private insurance to do that in the past has helped me a lot. A public scheme is likely to be better value.

  6. Stuart Munro 6

    It does seem like an abandonment of the unemployed – a de facto declaration of "I have no sympathy, and take no responsibility, for the policies that have created massive and growing inequality in NZ".

    The idea that the unemployed may be directed to work or undertake training is particularly pernicious – in recent times the suggestions coming out of MSD have been remarkably incongruous – no match with skills or experience – they clearly don't give a toss.

    A brief respite in the mass low-wage immigration has presented a glimmer of hope, but Labour needs someone with a more comprehensive understanding of economics to bat away neoliberal wet dreams like a two-tier benefit system.

    • Craig Hall 6.1

      Directing unemployed people into work and training has been a feature of the system for decades – it's hardly new.

      • Pat 6.1.1

        Indeed….and dosnt require a financial markets slush fund to reimplement.

        • Craig Hall 6.1.1.1

          No, but supporting people's income while they look for work or retrain might.

          • Pat 6.1.1.1.1

            It may…providing the training mechanism is available, the employment exists and the recipient needs or is able to access either or both……and none of this requires an additional/ seperate insurance scheme to provide, especially in an inequitable format.

            • Craig Hall 6.1.1.1.1.1

              Many families have commitments based on household incomes of $80-$100,000 – even an increased benefit will not be nearly enough to keep those families afloat for any extended length of time. This is currently recognised through TAS, so it's already something we acknowledge is required, but have implemented extremely poorly.

              It also seems unhelpful for society long term for people to lose their houses because the increased unemployment benefit doesn't pay their mortgage or other commitments which ultimately result in requiring them to sell their house or worse, a mortgagee sale. Families break up and occasionally people commit suicide over financial catastrophes like that.

              There is also the political element that one day the Nats or ACT will campaign on cutting benefits for bludgers and cutting taxes for hardworking New Zealanders, and they will eventually get in. Social insurance funded through levies is much harder to unroll once it's implemented.

              • Pat

                And none of those issues are solved by this policy…..but it does add additional costs to especially those who can least afford it and surprise ,surprise it does provide more public funds to grow an already inflated equity market, and provide additional underwriting to the banks mortgage books.

                • Craig Hall

                  Sure they are – the living wage from 1 September will be over $70,000 p.a. for a family, and it seems remarkably unlikely that any government or any policy tank will ever put forward a benefit that pays that much long term.

                  • Pat

                    Whats the living wage have to do with this policy?….absolutely nothing.

                    You are advocating to remove income from the lowest paid (not to mention the almost certain removal of any remaining redundancy clauses) to improve the situation of currently well remunerated should they become unemployed and all while not improving the employment opportunities for anyone….the proposal is a dog.

                    • Descendant Of Smith

                      It's a dog's poo. I quite like my dogs and they would easily turn their noses up at this proposal.

                      I wonder what other past policies that were shite that Labour can come up with:

                      1. Increased bootcamps
                      2. Have sole parents and sick and disabled people classed as unemployed to keep unemployed numbers higher than they are and to keep downward pressure on wages
                      3: Freeze public servants wages
                      4. Keep benefits lower than NZS
                      5. Social obligations and drug testing
                      6. Stop benefits if you don't see your "case manager"
                      7. Take 25% of your benefit for housing you in an expensive motel cause it is fairer
                      8. Put mentally unwell people in prison and drug addicts in pysch units while they withdraw

                      What they won't do is make businesses put money aside for compulsory redundancy payments i.e. in a trust held aside
                      What they won't do is make businesses pay my PAYE and student loan re-payments paid out of my wages direct to IRD each pay so they can't be stolen
                      What they won't do is stop people from stealing such money (or subbies payments) then closing down their business and starting up an identical one the following day.

                      Nope they are trying to say they are good guys for lifting peoples pay and then take it off them again to pay for employers costs. Just like tax cuts – gave tax cuts to the poor then increased costs such as GST so the poor were no better off – the rich on the other hand much better off and now taking the poor's money through rents.

                      Fascists labour and national both are – in bed with employers and capitalists. Enabling the wealthy capitalists and the rentiers.

                    • Pat

                      I apologise to dogs everywhere

  7. Ed1 7

    I agree that this subject needs to be discussed – the following is worth reading:

    https://www.pundit.co.nz/content/unemployment-insurance

    The ACC scheme covers accidents, and is cheaper than commercial insurance, despite National's cynical posturing to try and make private companies appear competitive. Differences in the level of assistance between the results of accident and sickness appear to be growing – I suspect ACC spend quite a bit fighting age-related falls that result in a fracture. That will only be resolved by improving medical services, but ACC does provide some lifetime income benefits. Redundancy is a arguably a decision of an employer, and I believe employers should be responsible for at least some of the cost of their decisions to initiate the problem. That could be by a levy from all employers similar to an ACC levy, or for large companies by requiring payment of income for a period based on a formula. Care would be needed to ensure that it does not however become an encouragement to just wind companies up . . .

    Some (many) 'restructures' are an excuse to get rid of poorer performers who do not meet the criteria for being fired – some companies also wish to bring down the average age of employees for various reasons; finding other employment can be very difficult for those with a patchy work history or that are over say 50. We cannot assume they will all be able to find further work, so it is really just a question as to how quickly they should be forced to reduce costs (if that is even possible) to survive on an unemployment benefit.

    I largely agree with the article – unfortunately we cannot rely on a lot of years before a future government sees the need for cuts to income tax funded by easy pickings – we need most ordinary voters to like the security sufficiently that any changes are not just reversed in total

    • lprent 7.1

      Yeah, that link from Brian Easton is pretty much my view point.

      The existing system sucks for allowing people to transition between jobs. Increasing the level benefits will make it suck marginally less.

      But it simply doesn't help for people who could find work within 3-4 months but don't because that they run out of savings during benefit stand downs and the extra costs of job hunting.

      They usually get ankle tapped by the current system that they have been paying for through taxes. Last night I was paying cards against humanity with a friend who has been been is currently going through and has gone through exactly that multiple times.

      Easton does a pretty good job of explaining the context and history of these kinds of systems for NZ.

  8. bwaghorn 8

    Completely daft to run a two tier system!

    But maybe unemployment could be funded in the same way acc is funded, a levy on all earners with that money ring fenced for unemployment benefits, with less stable employment like seasonal work ,consultants and casual workers paying a higher levy.

    I see ed1 says similar, ( I tend to chuck my opinion in before reading others so I get to see if any one else thinks the same)

    • Nic the NZer 8.1

      The issue is when the scheme defaults, which happens when the first major recession hits. Typically the state unemployment insurance schemes in the US rely on federal top ups, and this makes it a political football again. It also seems unreasonable to force funding at different rates per employment category as its still effectively a tax, even if the use is designated.

      • Craig Hall 8.1.1

        It does seem like a hypothecated tax rather than a premium. What could be done is higher or lower employer levies (which are part of the design brief) if there are industries which use it more or less.

      • bwaghorn 8.1.2

        Acc has never defaulted to my knowledge, shit they are so awash with money they've cut levies at times over the last few years.

        • Nic the NZer 8.1.2.1

          However the rate of accidents is relatively uneffected by recessions. This is not true for unemployment which tends to compound in economic cycles.

          I was discussing insurance with the bank and at present you can't buy new unemployment insurance from them as the downside risk is too large, and thats very likely at any rate to be the case.

          Also ACC is really funded on an ongoing basis, as this ultimately must be.

  9. ghostwhowalksnz 9

    'unemployed today you may be receiving as little as $202 a week"

    What ? A friend who is in the lowest level for mature age next to no accomodation supplement and has some money in bank is getting $278.96 in the hand next week. Inc the $$ winter subsidy

    https://check.msd.govt.nz/services

    • Descendant Of Smith 9.1

      Actually in many cases you get nothing as your spouse/partner works.

  10. Jackel 10

    Historically capitalists in this country have sought to attack and dominate workers and their rights rather than include and provide for workers as they have in some other countries. This is a major reason for the economic and social problems we have today and frankly for our comparatively low productivity. Some form of employment insurance is a way to begin a new compact between capital and labour in this country. But it's a bit late.

  11. Foreign waka 11

    As long as we don't have an agreement where the government stands philosophically and converts that into a policy that is just and applies to all equally, NZ will not make progress. There are a lot of emotions attached and it can cloud the view. Consideration needs to be given to the workforce of the future. A lot of people will be displaced by automation and how do we deal wit this. The psychology of participation in society and just reward comes into play, it is a human condition. Why are there no efforts by this government to find an agreement on the principle of work, participation in society, compensation, taxation and providing a safety net for those who are out of work or have no source of income. Any social insurance should be at a level that allows participation in the community. Or they should at least articulate what actual public policy is being actively pursued. In clear text and not piecemeal gobbledygook.

  12. Pat 12

    https://play.acast.com/s/when-the-facts-change/howdowedesignafairsocialinsurancescheme-

    Well worth the listen and you will understand how poorly thought through (and ineffective) this proposal is.

  13. Michael 13

    Great research and writing. Social Insurance in Aotearoa is nothing more than a crock of shit from the PSA. Even more alarming is that ACC will run the thing. Workers will face a 3% tax increae, which their employers might also pay. if they lost their jobs, they will have to lodge claims with ACC, in prescribed form. What coud possibly go wrong with these arrangements?

    • Foreign Waka 13.1

      This is wrong on so many levels. I think it is a prep for contracting out the admin of the welfare system, a revival of the 80's. More and more it seems that this government is worse than the nats.

    • Craig Hall 13.2

      I don't know if you've noticed, but the current system is riddled with inconsistencies and inequities, not to mention the payments being at too low a level. Social insurance is one option for part of addressing that, but even it is implemented, the rest of the system still needs an overhaul.

      Before complaining about the PSA, at least read their whole position around Universal Basic Services, not just one strand of it. https://www.letsdoevenbetter.nz/

      • Descendant Of Smith 13.2.1

        I fail to see why workers who have been earning more money than people who are unwell/ disabled etc and have some ability to withstand a short period of unemployment should be paid more than someone who by reason of illness, disability, intellectual capacity etc is rejected long-term by the labour market. It makes very little sense. Both need to live in the same society.

        It's the Presbyterian / Protestant work ethic of deserving and undeserving poor popping it's head up.

        As Martin Luther King said:

        "We have deluded ourselves into believing the myth that capitalism grew and prospered out of the Protestant ethic of hard work and sacrifice. The fact is that capitalism was built on the exploitation and suffering of black slaves and continues to thrive on the exploitation of the poor — both black and white, here and abroad."

        • Craig Hall 13.2.1.1

          Because they aren’t mutually exclusive and it's better than the alternative of crashing and burning when someone loses their job and can't find another one at the same income level for 6-12 months.

  14. Pat 14

    This proposal has stated that its goal is to allow those who lose their employment have the opportunity and time to retrain for employment.

    Consider the following….

    person 1 has both a bachelor's and master's degree and earns $120,000 pa

    person 2 has no formal qualifications and earns minimum wage,…$42,000 pa

    If they both get made redundant person 1 will receive $8,000 per month

    Person 2 will receive $2,800 per month

    Ask youself who would benefit from further training and who needs the additional support? The person earning $120K per year can be expected to have savings whereas person 2 is likely to have debt.

    Where is the equity?

    Nevermind all the other disparities this proposal entrenches.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • At a glance – Does CO2 always correlate with temperature?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    2 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 hours ago
  • Relentlessly negative
    Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 hours ago
  • Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    Bryce Edwards writes –  It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 hours ago
  • Promiscuous Empathy: Chris Trotter Replies To His Critics.
    Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played. “Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
    5 hours ago
  • Don’t run your business like a criminal enterprise
    The Detail this morning highlights the police's asset forfeiture case against convicted business criminal Ron Salter, who stands to have his business confiscated for systemic violations of health and safety law. Business are crying foul - but not for the reason you'd think. Instead of opposing the post-conviction punishment and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 hours ago
  • Misremembering Justinian’s Taxes.
    Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I - Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
    6 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    7 hours ago
  • Bishop scores headlines with crackdown on unwelcome tenants – but Peters scores, too, as tub-thump...
    Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    8 hours ago
  • Will it make the boat go faster?
    Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    11 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi The fact that a ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    11 hours ago
  • Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    11 hours ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' at 10:10am on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st Century The SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims Stuff Steve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    11 hours ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things on Tuesday, March 19
    It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    13 hours ago
  • New Life for Light Rail
    This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail  Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    14 hours ago
  • Why Are Bosses Nearly All Buffoons?
    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    16 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    1 day ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    6 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    6 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
    The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
    Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government lowering building costs
    The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Trustee tax change welcomed
    Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister’s Ramadan message
    Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness.  It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister appoints new NZTA Chair
    Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
    Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology.  It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Progress continues apace on water storage
    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government agrees to restore interest deductions
    Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister to attend World Anti-Doping Agency Symposium
    Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-19T08:35:42+00:00