Some Random impertinent questions about Michelle Boag’s access to confidential medical information

Written By: - Date published: 8:24 am, July 9th, 2020 - 81 comments
Categories: health, national, same old national, spin, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags: , ,

No doubt these are matters that the Heron inquiry will delve into.  But Michelle Boag’s self serving press release from two days ago raises more questions than it answers.  Especially after yesterday’s announcement by the Helicopter Trust that information it holds on patients is private with access on a restricted basis and that in its view privacy rights had not been breached.  And her confirmation that she had received the information direct from the Ministry of Health.

She originally said:

The information was made available to me in my position as then Acting CEO of the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust, although it was sent to my private email address.

This raises a number of questions:

  • How long had she been receiving sensitive information from the Ministry of Health?
  • How was this arranged?
  • What other information was she provided with?
  • Why was her personal email account and not her Helicopter Trust email used?
  • If the provision of information predates her appointment as acting Chief Executive why was it provided?
  • How can the Helicopter Trust claim that privacy rights had not been breached by it unless in its view Boag was not receiving the information in her capacity as acting Chief Executive?
  • When was she appointed acting Chief Executive?
  • Why did Health think it necessary for this information to be provided daily rather than on a need to know basis?
  • When did she send the information to Walker and was it before or after he claimed that Queenstown was about to be invaded by Indians, Pakistanis and Koreans some of which had Covid?
  • Who else has she forwarded these reports to?
  • Does she really want the country to believe that she has not told her best friend Nikki Kaye about the information?
  • Is this related to the information leaks that Michael Woodhouse has been receiving?
  • Is she the source of the homeless man staying in the Plaza rumour?

Heron has the power to require Boag to produce any documents or things in her possession or control.  A trawl through her email account could provide interesting.

81 comments on “Some Random impertinent questions about Michelle Boag’s access to confidential medical information ”

  1. Andre 1

    A trawl through McFlock's comments in yesterday's Daily Review turns up a lot of plausible and apparently well-informed speculation about possible answers to some of those random questions.

  2. I Feel Love 2

    She said herself she has been receiving the info since the pandemic in NZ began. Why? That is the question.

    • Anne 2.1

      Because she asked for them? We're talking about the Queen B of NZ remember. She gets whatever she wants.

      Who – as in identity of individual – put her on the list? That is the question.

  3. Incognito 3

    What are the Terms of Reference of the enquiry and the time lines?

    Surely, MoH will know if Boag was on an authorised e-mail distribution list to receive said information.

  4. Enough is Enough 4

    We know where the information ended up. The key question is where did it originate from?

    Something untoward is going on within the MoH

  5. Frida 5

    As a health and privacy lawyer I am deeply concerned about this and I agree Micky, these questions all need to be answered.

  6. dv 6

    Yah recon that email still exists?

  7. Tiger Mountain 7

    I sincerely hope Mr Heron is able to keep digging, because it really does appear there is a significant National mole in the MoH along with all the garden variety tory snitches in the public service.

    During the lockdown, Immigration was initially one Dept. that had difficulty enabling ‘work from home’ due to security issues. And during the height of the ‘Soubrek affair’ Simon Bridges had a near permanent early morning RNZ slot dropping the latest morsels of Govt embarrassing material someone had supplied to him over night.

    National has a busy dirty tricks IT group operating out of its parliamentary services anyway, regardless of whether Mr Brownlee’s “intelligence unit” was ever a reality. Seven year old social media files were trawled to get rid of one POTENTIAL Labour Candidate, so the Nat filthy squad should not be under estimated.

    • Anne 7.1

      …it really does appear there is a significant National mole in the MoH along with all the garden variety tory snitches in the public service.

      There's been plenty of those tory snitches down through the decades – fossicking into the personal lives of P.S. employees and leaking information to politicians and other agencies. I had one of those snitchy bosses.

      A National mole in the MOH? More like several moles if past practice is any indication.

  8. riffer 8

    Jesus, I hope this isn't going to turn into a "but her emails" election. Is there any legal impact if these emails have been deleted?

    Methinks MOH might have some questions to answer if it turns out that they were supplying emails to Michelle Boag on a regular basis, number one being who else is in receipt of this regular update, and can they explain the methodology behind choosing the recipients?

    • mary_a 8.1

      @ riffer (8) … I believe it is practice that all emergency and rescue services, of which the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust is one, are kept updated with official information regarding the present Covid-19 outbreak. This is a precautioary measure so medical and emergency personnel are able to protect themselves should they come into contact with an identified infected person as part of their work.

      Could be how Michelle Boag came to be on the mailing list, in her then capacity of acting CEO of ARHT. How that information was used and abused by her is the main issue here!

  9. George 9

    Again I mention the well publicised events in 2012 with Bronwyn Pullar ..leaked ACC claimant details of quite a few thousand people, and Michelle Boag slap bang in the middle.. on that occasion the details were " accidentally emailed" to Boag's friend Pullar. Quite the coincidence. How many of us or our friends are sent the medical files of others in such a way? Then they were sent to a reporter…sound familiar? Then Boag was representing Pullar in these ACC conferences where it was claimed by ACC that Pullar had asked for a large amount of money. You can Google this. It was about 8 years ago. Someone knows someone….

    • Wensleydale 9.1

      Happens to me all the time. I've lost count of how many times I've been 'accidentally' sent confidential government files. I've had to set up multiple e-mail accounts just to evade the torrents of scandal-ridden spam I'm sent on a daily basis.

      But seriously, that's a bullshit line and everyone knows it. This is National being National again. They couldn't lie straight in bed if you strapped them to a spinal board.

  10. Sacha 10

    All good questions, and so far we have only heard Boag's story about it all – which is to be trusted accordingly.

  11. mac1 11

    The question that also came to my mind was that fact that a member of a Trust is acting CEO of that Trust.

    Surely that is a very unusual arrangement with conflicting roles of governance and management?

    So the question of why and for how long is also pertinent.

    • Bill hanna 11.1

      mac1 My thoughts exactly

    • Sacha 11.2

      Operators like her thrive on conflicts of interest. And NZ's weak governance culture enables them.

      • tc 11.2.1

        Governance setup to achieve certain objectives as we've seen again and again.

        Governance doesn't mean it's good or serves the people. Ours serve the club.

        Our corporate governance has been a joke since the 90’s with international fund managers.

      • Chris 11.2.2

        And she doesn't communicate, she only bullies.

    • NZJester 11.3

      Also how she was even given that role after having misused the Rescue Helicopter back in 2006 to go get her passport for her she had left at home when going on a trip out of the country.

  12. 'WHO' is running the MOH ?

  13. Ffloyd 13

    Anyone seen Key lately. When there’s a bad smell he’s not usually far away.

    • tc 13.1

      Bad for his brand to be reminded of his absence of leadership when pullya did it as a minister.

  14. greywarshark 14

    I think that there has been a long-term government plan to make information about citizens available to all 'players' in the 'government business'. It is to primarily avoid double-ups on payments or concessions or treatments between departments and agencies and government/local government I believe. To cut down on fraud, and prevent people being able to ask for help from more than one entity so the authorities can be as miserly and cheese paring as possible.

    Also it is for fast access of patient records in medical emergencies. And for police to have fast access to anything they might decide they want to know.

    So it would probably be normal to have this information floating round on the ether. It seems to me it's like a smorgasbord out there. I used to work for solicitors and they would talk together about their clients private matters – it was an in-group of discreet, principled people. But now with the onset of the huge information hungry social media, and young people's incredible willingness to participate with a slogan in mind 'There are no strangers, only friends you haven't met', the idea of being an individual person in charge of your own life and details is well eroded.

  15. Chris 15

    Where have I seen that phrase 'some random impertinent questions' before?

  16. Chris T 16

    You might want to add, assuming the reports it was a spreadsheet are true.

    Why was it sent to a private email address?

    Why was it not password protected/or encrypted (like basic fricken shit)?

    Why it actually needed to be sent to her?

    Who is the idiot that decides who gets these emails?

    • Dennis Frank 16.1

      The Nat mole in the health dept who did it knew to send it to someone who would use it against the govt. Isn't that obvious? As regards the computer forensics, leave it to the QC because speculation is a waste of time. Mind you, the last QC Labour hired failed at that task – just issued a cover-up without even tracking the emails, so we ought not to expect competence!

      • Chris T 16.1.1

        Fair call.

        Like all of these things it will never probably come out any way.

        (from our most open and transparent govt ever, who ends up being just like the others)

        • Sacha 16.1.1.1

          The person who called this govt "open and transparent" was Clare Curran. That's all.

          • Enough is Enough 16.1.1.1.1

            "This government will foster a more open and democratic society. It will strengthen transparency around official information."

            J. Ardern

          • Chris T 16.1.1.1.2

            I can dig out the quotes from Ardern saying it if you like, but it would be annoying, you are the only one denying it and it is a bit have you not looked at the media.

          • observer 16.1.1.1.3

            People like to quote that comment, but the following are both entirely possible – and probably true:

            1) The government is not open and transparent.

            2) The government is the most open and transparent ever.

            If no. 2 is false, we need to name a predecessor, and I welcome suggestions.

            • Chris T 16.1.1.1.3.1

              Probably no govt has been open and transparent.

              The point is pretending you will be is quite laughable

              • woodart

                like pretending to do away with unneccesary red tape?bonfire of regulations etc.

      • Incognito 16.1.2

        I would not expect competence from a QC and former Solicitor General. They’re just hired to whitewash and spin away inconveniencies and remove ‘disturbances in the force’. /sarc

        Mind you, you’re completely wrong about who hired the QC. Hint: it is not Labour.

        But don’t let a tiny inconvenient fact spoil your nice wee rant 😉

    • I received privalaged emails from the MOH all through the lock down, none since it ended, never were names and places other than reference to known clusters used. Always to a work Email not private.

      The MOH is too savy to release information that would identify individuals, so this breech has a real stink to it. The accessing of information is all traceable, DHB,s conduct random audits of who accesses what information, people are gone overnight if found to be inbreech, they then lose there health registrations with their professional bodies. Someone somewhere will be shitting themselves waiting for the knock on the door.

      • Anne 16.2.1

        Very interesting. Thank you Psych Nurse.

        Names and addresses of Covid patients sent to Michelle Boag was one very large red flag from the start. No way was she in a position that entitled her to such a privilege – especially given her extremely close emotional and ideological ties to a major political party.

        • Peter 16.2.1.1

          "No way was she in a position that entitled her to such a privilege – especially given her extremely close emotional and ideological ties to a major political party."

          Did some minions in the MSD decide that Winston Peters' confidential information should go to people with close emotional and ideological ties to a major political party?

          On grounds that were superficial and spurious? And that serious, independent in-depth consideration and analysis of those grounds was secondary to following other smells on other tracks?

          • Anne 16.2.1.1.1

            On grounds that were superficial and spurious? And that serious, independent in-depth consideration and analysis of those grounds was secondary to following other smells on other tracks?

            WTF?surprise

            And what's WP got to do with it?

      • Chris 16.2.2

        Yes, health information has its own specific set of privacy rules so just the fact something like this was sent to someone like Boag says a lot.

  17. joe90 17

    @ Chris T (no reply function)

    My SO convenes multiple inter-agency panels and manages spreadsheet data on agency platforms. Using a private address points to a deliberate circumvention of platform protocols.

    Dirty politics from a rotten to the core party helmed by amoral, born to rule fuckwits.

    [Added a space after full stop to improve readability]

    • Chris T 17.1

      Sorry but that is a crock of shit.

      You don't send private data to private emails.

      And even to govt addresses

      It should at the very least be password protected if you are stupid enough to do so.

      Edit: Information that sensitive

    • Chris T 17.2

      As an aside I am not denying the Nat MP behaved appallingly

      The dude is obviously an arsehole, but you also need to look at how he obtained the data and the basic security of the system.

      • Drowsy M. Kram 17.2.1

        It's regrettable that the constituents of the Clutha-Southland electorate have had to endure a brace (at least) of MPs who exhibited such a paucity of political perspicacity. Surely that electorate must get lucky eventually.

        • Wensleydale 17.2.1.1

          I wouldn't hold my breath. It's been said you could pin a blue rosette on a goat down there and they'd vote for it.

      • UncookedSelachimorpha 17.2.2

        Repeating the current National Party mantra – "individual bad apple, rogue operator" etc etc.

        When in fact the actual issue is that the Dirty Politics culture is alive and well in National and as a party they routinely display the morals of an alley cat selling meth outside a kindergarten (and the meth is drain cleaner just disguised to look like meth).

      • Chris 17.2.3

        Regardless of how sensitive information may be, there will always be a human who has control over that information. If that human decides to treat that information in a way they're not supposed to, no system security can necessarily stop that.

  18. joe90 18

    As I said, data is managed on secure platforms and accessed by those with appropriate permissions. Someone has circumvented platform protocols and forwarded data to an amoral party with an history of playing fast and loose with private information.

  19. Chris 19

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/122081806/michelle-boag-offers-to-resign-from-simplicity-kiwisaver-board

    Boag's income is going to take a hit over this. How many more parasitic and narcissist-driven sweet numbers does she have? If they all come crumbling down there'll be very little left for her to milk.
    Her complete and utter irrelevance will be on show for all to see..

    • woodart 19.1

      she still will be getting the pension, until the nats means test it!

      • Chris 19.1.1

        That's all though, but I suppose the chances of her being a slum landlord are pretty high, too, so there's always that.

    • Paddington 19.2

      Good! This person has been a stain on politics for far too long.

  20. Brian Tregaskin 20

    I received privalaged emails from the MOH all through the lock down, none since it ended, never were names and places other than reference to known clusters used. Always to a work Email not private.

    The MOH is too savy to release information that would identify individuals, so this breech has a real stink to it. The accessing of information is all traceable, DHB,s conduct random audits of who accesses what information, people are gone overnight if found to be inbreech, they then lose there health registrations with their professional bodies. Someone somewhere will be shitting themselves waiting for the knock on the door.

    NZ could be looking at its first treason charge against an individual if there is indeed a "MOH leaker" (employee or contractor) and if the actions endangered the NZ People.

    • woodart 20.1

      yes, sending personal medical history with names and addresses to a private email address is the killer. there will be nerds frantically trying to erase the trail, but luckily(?) our electronic footprint can be traced back, even with burner phones. and the g.p.s. will show where the phone was while being used. aint big brother wonderful? nothing to hide, nothing to fear..

    • Adrian 20.2

      Treason! Great, do we still do Capital Punishment. ? quick, order the popcorn.

  21. Brian Tregaskin 21

    New Zealand

    New Zealand has treason laws that are stipulated under the Crimes Act 1961. Section 73 of the Crimes Act reads as follows:

    Every one owing allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen in right of New Zealand commits treason who, within or outside New Zealand,—

    (a) Kills or wounds or does grievous bodily harm to Her Majesty the Queen, or imprisons or restrains her; or

    (b) Levies war against New Zealand; or

    (c) Assists an enemy at war with New Zealand, or any armed forces against which New Zealand forces are engaged in hostilities, whether or not a state of war exists between New Zealand and any other country; or

    (d) Incites or assists any person with force to invade New Zealand; or

    (e) Uses force for the purpose of overthrowing the Government of New Zealand; or

    (f) Conspires with any person to do anything mentioned in this section.

    The penalty is life imprisonment, except for conspiracy, for which the maximum sentence is 14 years' imprisonment.

    MOH leaker could be charged under f (maximum sentence is 14 years' imprisonment.)

    • McFlock 21.1

      F? Conspiring to do what…levy war against NZ via email? lol

      • Brian Tregaskin 21.1.1

        Not the email –other things

        If there is a "MOH Leaker" and that persons actions led to a case of COIVD-19 community transmission by leaking information to an opposition party and both parties don't act on the alarm and sit on it—e and f charges could apply. An intentional COIVD-19 community transmission would be Force.

        e) Uses force for the purpose of overthrowing the Government of New Zealand; or

        (f) Conspires with any person to do anything mentioned in this section.

        • McFlock 21.1.1.1

          How is it "overthrowing the government of New Zealand"?

          I think you're massively overreaching there.

          • Brian Tregaskin 21.1.1.1.1

            Let me spell it out to you if the National party sat on information in the hope a community transmission may happen "if we wait long enough" to bring down the current Government of New Zealand.

            changing the subject from treason from Daily blog -quote
            When the confession came from Walker and resignation from Boag, we knew we were seeing the biggest political story in NZ for many years. We all accept our media is running interference for the National Party and for National to win in September, NZ must lose the Covid battle. The biggest question now was how will our media sell what’s unfolded?

            • McFlock 21.1.1.1.1.1

              Besides the fact that Boag did the opposite of "sitting on information", you can't "overthrow" the government by winning an election.

              Otherwise every party campaigning for the last 150 years has been committing treason.

        • Gabby 21.1.1.2

          I don't think so Tim. Nobody's conspiring with someone who is using force etc.

  22. Heather Tanguay 22

    The questions raised by Micky are all most interesting and I sincerely hope we get the answers. I am pleased that the independent enquiry is going ahead, hopefully that will provide the answers.

    I agree with the comments about Governance at the Helicopter Trust. Was Boag both the CEO and a member of the Trust. Who were the people who stated the Helicopter Trust did not receive the emails?

    Can not believe there are only the two of them involved.

  23. The intrigue is fascinating, better than Sherlock Holmes

  24. NZJester 24

    MSN has reprinted a story from The Spinoff by Sam Brooks their Culture Editor.

    A list of some of her greatest Hits.

    https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/the-insider-three-decades-of-amazing-michelle-boag-headlines/ar-BB16uNo1

    How was she sill on that board after sending the rescue helicopter to pick up her passport back in 2006?

  25. JustMe 25

    Michelle Boag is obviously a very nasty piece of work and probably has been all throughout her lifetime. In fact I was talking to a neighbour recently who grew up near to the Boag's in Glen Eden. I was told she was a nasty person even as a child and it has continued even into 'adult-hood'. He said he is pleased she has been caught out as it has been a long time in coming.

    Recently we heard Michelle Boag again demean herself and her beloved NZ National Party by trying to blame the Minister of Health for the personal information of the COVID-19 patients being sent to her. She resorted to the typical National Party Mantra of blaming everyone else but the face staring back at say Michelle Boag in the mirror of her life.

    She deliberately and without an iota of remorse or conscience breached the right to privacy of NZ citizens and all for the purpose of National gaining 'brownie point' politically. What a shallow creature she truly is. I have come to the conclusion in regards to Michelle Boag that she is living proof that both Satan and the NZ National Party would be so proud to have her within their midst. Well done National for showing to us all what most humans should never be like.

    Her short-sightedness is a bad reflection back upon National and so on her head be it(whatever Muller and National decide). If National gives her a mere slap on the hand with a wet bus ticket then it's likely she will not have learnt a lesson from it all and will embarrass National again later on down the track. I am sure she has embarrassed the previous National government in the past i.e about 2011 or so.

    Boag mis-used resources i.e had a Rescue Helicopter fly from Mechanics' Bay to Waiheke Island and then onto the Auckland International Airport because Boag had left her 'passport' on the Island. The cost of that flight was $4000.00. I am now wondering if Boag paid that or if she made the payment as a donation so as to claim it back in tax later.

    The General Election is not too far away and whilst National resorts to dirty politics I am hoping their actions will catch up on them at the voting booths around the country. I am sure NZers cannot stand this sort of behaviour from those elected to serve them.

    My tolerance of National and its supporters is non-existent now. I think alot of NZers are feeling this way. We are fed up with the petty nasty behaviour of elected members of society who hold the right to privacy of those in their electorates with utter contempt.

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    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 ...
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    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
    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
    2 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
    3 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
    3 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    5 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 ...
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
  • There’s a name for this
    Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Echoes of 1968 in 2024?  Pocock on the repetitive problems of the New Left
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days 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
    5 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
    7 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
    8 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
    21 hours 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
    7 days 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
  • Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity
    This year’s Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity and the contribution of Pacific communities to New Zealand culture, says Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti.  Dr Reti announced dates for the 2024 Pacific Language Weeks during a visit to the Pasifika festival in Auckland today and says there’s so ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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