Squeeze

Written By: - Date published: 9:17 am, May 13th, 2018 - 40 comments
Categories: business, capitalism, class war, cost of living, Economy, employment, labour, unemployment, Unions, wages, workers' rights - Tags:

This is as good a year as it is going to get to squeeze your employer.

We in New Zealand have grown to expect that the only remaining squeeze against capital resides with the state. And sure, left and right always expect a Labour-led state to always do more.

But it’s also time to recognize our own agency.

How? The state is shifting substantial levers to address poverty, but it’s never going to be enough. This 2018 budget is going to be the biggest we have seen in several decades.

The state is proposing to ‘future-proof‘ the economy. But they define that term to mean ensure they retain enough cash to keep the country out of trouble.

Yet ‘Future-proofing’ for actual worker-citizens really means: we have terrific wages and salaries to get our own selves out. That won’t be achieved with increased Working For Families subsidies.

The scale of Budget 2018’s spending ambition means even greater capacity constraints than there already are. Some worry about whether this scale of public funding will ‘crowd out’ the private sector.

But this government is clearly targeting this expenditure at services that are already public in great majority (education and health), or almost completely (transport). So it is hard to see private sector investment directly displaced.

Wage and salary increases do not appear to be effectively achieved with income tax cuts. Under the previous government, there were income tax cuts in 2010. But 70% of people surveyed said they had made no difference.

So tax cuts don’t do the trick. The harder thing to shift is greed. We know the historical patterns about wealth redistribution over the last 30 years.

We remain a low-wage and commodity based economy, and we know that drags us all down.

Still within that economy, still too many industries fail to plan, then fail, then complain about it and still try to pay nothing much more than the minimum wage.

Both the public and private sectors need us, and as labour resources continue to shrink, they need us more and more.

We have not yet seen the government’s changes to workplace negotiation really lift wages.

But all the pressures are all here.  This is an excellent confluence to act against Generation Wealth.

To carry out their businesses, and to carry out such enormous budgeted public programmes, both the state and business need us more than ever. There just aren’t enough of us to do it all.

The 2018 budgetary surge, the persistently low headline unemployment with seasonal capacity crises, and a persistently low wage economy, point to a really exploitable moment.

So my simple urge to you today is this: if you are working, this month either join a union, or bargain really hard this Performance Review season. This is your moment.

Don’t bemoan the loss of egalitarianism.

This year you deserve a higher wage or salary, so go get it.

Both the state and the businesses know the only alternative to paying handsomely for your loyalty is to import lower-skilled people at a higher cost from overseas.

Make them show you the money.

Workers of New Zealand, squeeze.

40 comments on “Squeeze ”

  1. Sanctuary 1

    My employer just spent four months trying to recruit another person with a skillset suitable for our consultancy team.

    They failed.

    I am planning on asking for 20% as the starting point for my payrise negotiations this year.

    As the saying goes, when you’ve got them by the balls all you have to do is squeeze.

    • Ad 1.1

      Squeeze nice and hard; it helps them move their contract-signing hand.

      • Sanctuary 1.1.1

        Actually I don’t fancy my chances, I earn a good salary and a 20% increase would be a huge amount of money. Also, the pot of money is limited and there a some family people doing it tough in other parts of the business.

  2. One Anonymous Bloke 2

    Re: skills shortage. How many of us are wasted on empty PR and fluff jobs for the artificially created “free” “market” in services that used to be provided by public servants?

    • Anne 2.1

      Sheesh… I could write a small book on the crap that went down inside the Public Service I worked for in the late 80s and early 90s.

      First there was the appearance of an expensive monthly magazine called “Konections” (K instead of C – clever eh?) and we all received our own copy. It was full of words like ‘mission’ and ‘motivation’ and ‘being proud of our product’. Product? We were a Public Service for god’s sake. Then came the memes of the day which encouraged us to “fight them on the beaches”. (Uggh?) And of course there were the “well being” courses offered which nobody attended. Finally there was the arrival of the Human Resources manager which made us feel like a bunch of cows and steers.

      The Bolger government turned it into an SOE and the management was given its marching orders. In this instance, it was the best thing that could have happened.

    • Draco T Bastard 2.2

      At a guess, tens of thousands and quite a few of them probably have degrees that have nothing to do with what they’re doing. What they’re doing probably doesn’t need a degree.

  3. savenz 3

    “Both the state and the businesses know the only alternative to paying handsomely for your loyalty is to import lower-skilled people at a higher cost from overseas’…. that is why wages is so low, if you are a crap employer who can’t keep staff and want to pay under that people are worth and certainly not bother to train them for our industry (why would you apparently someone else’s problem) you can easily just pick up someone from overseas… plenty of reports that you don’t even have to pay the overseas resident seeking employment the correct NZ minimum wages, in some cases the employers expect the employee’s to pay them for the privilege! Has anyone gone to jail for this and received huge fines. Apparently not.

    Employers don’t have to pay handsomely because the state tops them up with various working forms of welfare aka WFF so your workers can actually survive and keep working for you.

    That’s when you get a housing crisis with all the new people coming into NZ who need more welfare than they earn to keep the Ponzi going … infrastructure crisis…. welfare crisis… low wage crisis, left unchecked you are going to have major social issues on top of the above and you are purposely sinking the country from 1st world backwards… how far, who knows.

  4. savenz 4

    Time to raise minimum wages to $20p/h, raising immigration criteria to $100k with a lot more conditions to be met, time for government to tell all the industries that expect the government to solve and pay for all their training problems of staff for them to F off and do it themselves like they used to, time to think about link between highest wage being within 20 times the lowest wage (including subcontractors)(Fonterra/banks comes to mind), time to understand private sector and COO’s and SOE’s have been made into nasty monster’s that are being told again and again short term profits beat long term fair and well run businesses and disasters like Pike River and dysfunction is coming out of it, time to try to keep skilled workers in NZ because our cheap is best approach is making NZ fall lower and lower in practically even direction in OECD rankings from previous places…

    So I don’t like the chances of many workers in NZ to be able to ask their employer for a pay rise…. many employers are so stuck in the cost cutting of worker culture as an easy way to save money, they don’t even understand the concept.

    Look at retail and food. Costs of premises to leases and council rates are sky rocketing. How often do you here about the industry complaining about that instead of the worker wages?

    Instead the focus in always on the ‘worker shortage’ which as most of their staff are already paid below living levels and wages don’t seem to go up with experience, what do they want, bringing back slavery to help keep themselves in business? You have to wonder!

    Many of these businesses just seem to exist to scam more workers into NZ. Someone was commenting that a hairdressers had changed hands about 3 times in the past year in central Auckland where the premises costs are easily over $100,000 a year for the lease and then the refit each time.. does not add up.

  5. Antoine 5

    > This is as good a year as it is going to get to squeeze your employer.

    Is this a good year to get squeezed by your employees?

    A.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 5.1

      Yes. Businesses that aren’t resilient will fail, leaving gaps in the market for the more competent among us.

      • Antoine 5.1.1

        Can’t the same argument apply in reverse to employees?

        Ones that can’t manage on a low wage will fail, leaving jobs open for more resilient workers.

        [scratches head]

        A.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 5.1.1.1

          I’d stick with that argument if I were you. People will be amazed.

        • Drowsy M. Kram 5.1.1.2

          “Fail” = ?

          “Resilient” = productive?

          Too Darwinian, and nothing ‘natural’ about it.

        • SpaceMonkey 5.1.1.3

          Wow… those words are devoid of any humanity.

      • alwyn 5.1.2

        How many people do you employ in the business you own and operate?

        • One Anonymous Bloke 5.1.2.1

          None of your business.

          Also, I’m not relying on personal anecdotes for my opinion, I’m relying on the robust and extensive real world evidence which demonstrates that wage rises do not cause business failure, nor even increases in unemployment.

          • alwyn 5.1.2.1.1

            I must admit that when I read a statement like
            “Businesses that aren’t resilient will fail, leaving gaps in the market for the more competent among us”
            I took it to mean that you did own and operate a business and considered yourself to be competent at it. Otherwise why would you say “us”?.
            I was apparently mistaken. You don’t and you aren’t.

        • Incognito 5.1.2.2

          Fallacy alert!

          • tracey 5.1.2.2.1

            Yup. Only those who have employed people are permitted an opinion. But employers have opinion on myriad things they have no experience or knowledge. Eg education. Health. Justice. Environment

        • Tracey 5.1.2.3

          Alwyn

          How many minimum wagers, casual contractors etc do you employ?

          • alwyn 5.1.2.3.1

            That is very easy to answer.
            I do not employ anyone who earns only the minimum wage.
            I do employ a casual contractor to look after the garden. I am now past doing it myself. Does that answer the question?
            I am not quite as coy as OAB you see.

    • Tracey 5.2

      Antoine

      It is a rare year that employers have been genuinely squeezed by employees

  6. Draco T Bastard 6

    Yet ‘Future-proofing’ for actual worker-citizens really means: we have terrific wages and salaries to get our own selves out.

    Only if you’ve bought the lies of the RWNJs about independent individuals competing against each other.

    For everyone else it means having a viable society that provides everything that you need including enough work and play without poverty anywhere.

    That won’t be achieved with increased Working For Families subsidies.

    Probably correct. We need a UBI instead.

    Some worry about whether this scale of public funding will ‘crowd out’ the private sector.

    These people seem to be concerned that their opportunities for bludging off of the rest of us diminish when we work together via government to provide what we need.

    So it is hard to see private sector investment directly displaced.

    Not hard at all. Once the government provides something efficiently and well, which they’re quite capable of doing, then people are going to question why we’re putting up with the theft by the private sector when we could have government doing it better. Telecommunications and power come to mind.

    Wage and salary increases do not appear to be effectively achieved with income tax cuts.

    They don’t. All tax cuts do is make more money available for the private sector to skim and thus make the rich richer.

    We know the historical patterns about wealth redistribution over the last 30 years.

    We know the historical patterns of wealth distribution in a capitalist society over the last 5000. It always ends in collapse as poverty always increases to the point that the society can no longer sustain itself.

    Both the public and private sectors need us, and as labour resources continue to shrink, they need us more and more.

    If labour resources are shrinking then we’re doing it wrong. Increasing productivity should result in higher availability of labour (which, historically, is why increasing productivity has resulted in lower wages if the economy hasn’t been developed).

    Increased amount of farming is not a Good Thing™ as it’s resistant to productivity increases and pays very little. A reduction in farming will allow us to properly develop our economy.

  7. fender 7

    So we all put the “squeeze” on our employers; businesses then raise the prices of their products and services to compensate; inflation rises; interest rates rise; and we’re back where we started except those in the high income bracket. (?)

    • One Anonymous Bloke 7.1

      Nope. Businesses don’t set prices, the balance of supply and demand does.

      • savenz 7.1.1

        Yes but in the case of NZ, it isn’t working because the supply of workers through immigration effectively screws up the equation.

        Example, many companies are actually dropping wages every time they employ new workers they then make the experienced people either get static wages in real terms for years or in some cases make them redundant while hiring in cheap workers.

        BTW – this is not just effecting the long term Kiwi residents but also the new migrants. They can’t get a pay rise either. Just like the Kiwis the ones with real skills go overseas too.

        That is also why the quality of workmanship from construction to IT is now full of errors and so hit and miss. In a small country like NZ everyone knows everyone so it’s easy to warn against bad workmanship if the workforce is static, however in NZ that’s not the case due to immigration on steroids.

        How many countries for example think that higher paid and more experienced workers paying decent taxes prior to leaving for overseas to be replaced by someone who has little to no experience and needs to be topped up with government support on their wages, is a good strategy?

        • One Anonymous Bloke 7.1.1.1

          If you ask me the balance has nothing to do with immigration and everything to do with legislation. Right Wing fantasies masquerading as economics making their way into employment law and the local government act, allowing employers too much power to undermine wages and conditions, and local government too little responsibility to maintain services.

          Immigration is only a problem because there’s been no plan, an expectation and/or cynical policy that “the market” will provide. Wage levels are only a problem because of the “high trust model”.

    • Tracey 7.2

      So you accept the market and capitalism are deeply flawed cos you are essentially saying wages must always be low

  8. greywarshark 8

    This notice may be noticed on this post but lost on Open Mike.
    On this Tuesday evening 15 May there is a talk by Dr Wayne Hope I think, in Auckland with some Celtic music too. It should be a brain sharpener talking about how time as a concept is changing and capitalism has caused much of it.
    See more details on Bowalley Road.
    e&oe

  9. Observer Tokoroa 9

    The Elites

    Workers are the Elite of humans. Their health, expertise and commitment are the essential ingredient of any good economy in any Nation.

    As such each Worker should be paid three times any Mananger recieves within an enterprise. And Ten times any Share Holder in the enterprise.

    Modern experience shows that very few managers are capable of carrying out even the simplest of duties. They spend a lot of time trying to take money off their staff, and the consumer.

    Workers are the Backbone of Society. Always have been. Always will be.

    • indiana 9.1

      Until automation replaces the workers, evidenced by airlines implementing check in kiosks, fast food outlets implementing ordering kiosks etc. Society also measure the performance of workers.

      • Incognito 9.1.1

        Society also measure the performance of workers.

        And how does Society do this?

  10. Observer Tokoroa 10

    Workers are the ongoing Elites

    Very very few Managers within enterprises would have the nous to operate or maintain Robots. Robots are highly complex machines. They require very competent Workers.

    Workers are the only beings that would have the ability to keep the right inputs operating – therby producing the right outputs.

    We already know that capitalists are not competent. The narcissistic wasteland of capitalists hinders their development. At the most, they are are autistic and very damaging and dangerous to themselves and Society.

    There are a lot of young people who think machines have brains. But that is because they are steeped in American nonsense. A brain is a LIVING rational incredibly able bio Soul.

    No machine can think. Workers can. Workers can direct machines. They always have been able to do this. They always will be able to do this.

    • Draco T Bastard 10.1

      At the most, they are are autistic and very damaging and dangerous to themselves and Society.

      What have you got against autistic people that you’d make such an ignorant and arrogant statement?

      No machine can think. Workers can. Workers can direct machines. They always have been able to do this. They always will be able to do this.

      1. There’s no need for a human to direct a machine.
      2. Many modern machines a human simply cannot direct as they’re simply not fast enough or precise enough.
      3. At some point we will produces machines that can think.

      • Observer Tokoroa 10.1.1

        Hello Draco T Bastard

        Our Planet spins pretty fast. Has done so for billions of Years. Has it built you a home ? Or a scone or an ice cream ? And yet it spins much faster than you and I could.

        I think you will find that Living Bio Brain (soul, Nous,) – call it what you will – is required for getting a teaspoon made. Workers make spoons. Not dead machines.

        I did not mean to demean persons who are autistic. Far from it. Capitalists work in similar severe autistic patterns that excludes others who are productive. I would be hopeful that we could remedy capitalists at some point in the future.

        Please let me know if you find a mermaid on MT Ruapehu tomorrow. I enjoy winter fantasises but have no time for False science.

        • Draco T Bastard 10.1.1.1

          Our Planet spins pretty fast. Has done so for billions of Years. Has it built you a home ? Or a scone or an ice cream ? And yet it spins much faster than you and I could.

          That’s not even Planet Key.

          I think you will find that Living Bio Brain (soul, Nous,) – call it what you will – is required for getting a teaspoon made.

          Not now that we’ve made machines to do it.

          I did not mean to demean persons who are autistic.

          But you did in a purposeful manner.

          Please let me know if you find a mermaid on MT Ruapehu tomorrow. I enjoy winter fantasises but have no time for False science.

          You seem to be the one ignoring the science. And all because you, apparently, don’t like the answer.

        • greywarshark 10.1.1.2

          I would like to think as you do Observer T but you are not keeping up with what is happening in the world of science. Just hanging onto beliefs because you don’t want to face what is happening, refuse to try to understand, isn’t helpful.

          Not wanting to accept the reality is understandable. But if we can understand, keep up, perhaps we can spare ourselves the worst of the outcomes. But the outcomes will be myriad for sure, and there is the cliche’ of ‘unintended consequences’ and the result of chaos theory effects to add into the mix.

          Chaos theory seems to be a formal way of saying that you can’t predict the results of any action with total surety; the only sure thing is that it is likely that something unexpected will happen, but you can’t rely on that.

          We live in interesting times. Understatement.

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    Yesterday de facto Prime Minister David Seymour announced that his glove puppet government would be re-introducing charter schools, throwing $150 million at his pet quacks, donors and cronies and introducing an entire new government agency to oversee them (the existing Education Review Office, which actually knows how to review schools, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • Setting things straight.
    Seeing that, in order to discredit the figures and achieve moral superiority while attempting to deflect attention away from the military assault on Rafa, Israel supporters in NZ have seized on reports that casualty numbers in Gaza may be inflated … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago
  • Far too light a sentence
    David Farrar writes – Newstalk ZB report: The man responsible for a horror hit and run in central Wellington last year was on a suspended licence and was so drunk he later asked police, “Did I kill someone?” Jason Tuitama injured two women when he ran a red ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Unwinding Labour’s Agenda
    Muriel Newman writes –  Former US President Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation.” The fight for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Sequel to “Real reason Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Chhour”
    Why Courts should have said Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Karen Chhour Gary Judd writes – In the High Court, Justice Isacs declined to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal to compel Minister for Children, Karen Chhour, to appear before it to be ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • The Govt’s Fast-Track is being demolished by submissions to Parliament
    Bryce Edwards writes –  The number of voices raising concerns about the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill is rapidly growing. This is especially apparent now that Parliament’s select committee is listening to submissions from the public to evaluate the proposed legislation. Twenty-seven thousand submissions have been made to Parliament ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • A generation is leaving at a rate of one A320-load per day
    An average of 166 New Zealand citizens left the country every day during the March quarter, up 54% from a year ago.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The economy and housing market is sinking into a longer recession through the winter after a slump in business and consumer confidence in ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • NZUP RORS back to life
    The government has made it abundantly clear they’re addicted to the smell of new asphalt. On Tuesday they introduced a new term to the country’s roading lexicon, the Roads of Regional Significance (RoRS), a little brother for the Roads of National (Party) Significance (RoNS). Driving ahead with Roads of Regional ...
    2 days ago
  • School Is Out.
    School is outAnd I walk the empty hallwaysI walk aloneAlone as alwaysThere's so many lucky penniesLying on the floorBut where the hell are all the lucky peopleI can't see them any moreYesterday morning, I’d just sent out my newsletter on Tama Potaka, and I was struggling to make the coffee. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • How Are You Doing?
    Hi,I wanted to check in and ask how you’re doing.This is perhaps a selfish act, of attempting to find others feeling a similar way to me — that is to say, a little hopeless at the moment.Misery loves company, that sort of deal.Some context.I wish I could say I got ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • The Rings of Power: Season Two Teaser Trailer
    I have hitherto been fairly quiet on the new season of Rings of Power, on the basis that the underwhelming first season did not exactly build excitement – and the rumours were fairly daft. The only real thing of substance to come out has been that they have re-cast Adar ...
    3 days ago
  • At a glance – What ended the Little ice Age?
    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 ...
    3 days ago
  • Talking Reo with the PM
    “The thing is,” Chris Luxon says, leaning forward to make his point, “this has always been my thing.”“This goes all the way back to the first multinational I worked for. I was saying exactly the same thing back then. The name of our business needs to be more clear; people ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Waitangi Tribunal’s authority in Chhour case is upheld – but bill’s introduction to Parliament...
    Buzz from the Beehive It’s been a momentous few days for Children’s Minister Karen Chhour.  The Court of Appeal has overturned a High Court decision which blocked a summons order from the Waitangi Tribunal for her. And today she has announced the Government is putting children first by introducing to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Australia jails another whistleblower
    In 2014 former Australian army lawyer David McBride leaked classified military documents about Australian war crimes to the ABC. Dubbed "The Afghan Files", the documents led to an explosive report on Australian war crimes, the disbanding of an entire SAS unit, and multiple ongoing prosecutions. The journalist who wrote the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Some “scrutiny”!
    Back in February I blogged about another secret OIA "consultation" by the Ministry of Justice. This one was on Aotearoa's commitment in its Open Government Partnership Action Plan to "strengthen scrutiny of Official Information Act exemption clauses in legislation" (AKA secrecy clauses). Their consultation paper on the issue focused on ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • TVNZ is loss-making, serves no public service due to bias, and should be liquidated
    Rob MacCulloch writes –  According to the respected Pew Research Centre, “In seven of eight [European] countries surveyed, the most trusted news outlet asked about is the public news organization in each country”. For example, “in Sweden, an overwhelming majority (90%) say they trust the public broadcaster SVT”. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • The conflicted Covid Chair
    David Farrar writes –  Kata MacNamara reports:    Details of Tony Blakely’s involvement in the New Zealand Government’s response to the pandemic raise serious questions about the work of the Covid-19 Royal Commission of Inquiry over which he presides. It has long been clear that Blakely, a ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Attacking the smartest and most resilient people in the room is never a good idea
    Chris Trotter writes – Are you a Brahmin or a Merchant? Or, are you merely one of those whose lives are profoundly influenced by the decisions of Brahmins and Merchants? Those are the questions that are currently shaping the politics of New Zealand and the entire West. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • A fortune-telling failure, surely, if the tarot cards can’t see a bulldozer coming
    RNZ reports –  It’s supposed to be a haven of healing and spiritual awakening but residents of the Kawai Purapura community say they’ve been hurt and deceived. It’s the successor to the former Centrepoint commune, and has been on the bush block opposite Albany shopping centre since 2008. It ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • The climate battleground heats up
    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. Usually we have a video chat to go with this wrap, but were unable to do one this week. We’ll be back next week.Several reports ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Tuesday, May 14
    The Transport Minister has set a hard 'fiscal envelope' of $6.54 billion for transport capital spending. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The economy is settling into a state of suspended animation as the Government’s funding freezes and job cuts chill confidence and combine with stubbornly high interest rates to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on why anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitic
    To be precise, the term “anti- Zionism” refers to (a) criticism of the political movement that created a modern Jewish state on the historical land of Israel, and to (b)the subjugation of Palestinians by the Israeli state. By contrast, the term “anti-Semitism” means bigotry and racism directed at Jewish people, ...
    3 days ago
  • Climate change is making hurricanes more destructive
    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Because hurricanes are one of the big-ticket weather disasters that humanity has to face, climate misinformers spend a lot of effort muddying the waters on whether climate change is making hurricanes more damaging. With the official start to the hurricane ...
    3 days ago
  • Wayne Brown’s PT Plan
    Yesterday the Mayor released what he calls his “plan to save public transport” which is part of his final proposal for the Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP). This comes following consultation on the draft version that occurred in March which showed, once again, that people want more done on transport, especially ...
    3 days ago
  • Potaka's Private Universe.
    And it's a pleasure that I have knownAnd it's a treasure that I have gainedAotearoa’s coalition government is fragile. It’s held together by the obsequious sycophancy of Christopher Luxon, who willingly contorts his party into the fringe positions of his junior coalition partners and is unwilling to contradict them. The ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Our slow regional councils
    The Select Committee hearing submissions on the fast-track consenting legislation is starting to become a beat-up of regional councils. The inflexibility and slow workings of the Councils were prominent in two submissions yesterday. One, from the Coromandel Marine Farmers Association, simply said that the Waikato Regional Council’s planning decisions were ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • Ministers are not above the law after all
    Back in April, the High Court surprised everyone by ruling that Ministers are above the law, at least as far as the Waitangi Tribunal is concerned. The reason for this ruling was "comity" - the idea that the different branches of government shouldn't interfere with each other's functions. Which makes ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • NZTA takes the wheel after govt gives it the road map for regional roads (and puts a speed governor ...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Tolling was mentioned when Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced the government was re-introducing the Roads of National Significance (RoNS) programme, with 15 “crucial” projects to support economic growth and regional development across New Zealand. All RoNS would be four-laned, grade-separated highways, and all funding, financing, and ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Change in Catalonia?
    or the past 14 years, ever since the Spanish government cheated on an autonomy deal, Catalonia has reliably given pro-independence parties a majority of seats in their regional parliament. But now that seems to be over. Catalans went to the polls yesterday, and stripped the Catalan parties of their majority. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Having an enrolment date is not depriving anyone of a vote
    David Farrar writes –  Radio NZ report: Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins said the Electoral Commission should make sure the system ran smoothly and “taking away the right of thousands of people to vote” was not the answer. “Thousands of people enroled and voted on the day. If ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Perhaps house prices don’t always go up
    Don Brash writes –  There was a rather revealing headline in the Herald on Sunday today (12 May). It read “One in 8 Auckland homes on market were bought during boom, may now sell for loss”. The first line of text noted that “New data shows one in ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Can’t read, can’t write, can’t comprehend – and won’t think…?
    Mike Grimshaw writes –  At a time when universities are understandably nervous regarding the establishment of the University Advisory Group (UAG) and the Science System Advisory Group (SSAG) it may seem strange – or even fool-hardy – to state that there are long-standing issues in the tertiary sector ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Time for some perspective
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  A lack of perspective can make something quite large or important seem small or irrelevant. Against a backdrop of high-profile, negative statistics it is easy to overlook the positive. For instance, the fact that 64 percent of Maori are employed is rarely reported. For ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Will NZ Herald’s ‘poor journalism’ cost lives?
    Earlier this year, the Herald ran a series of articles amounting to a sustained campaign against raised pedestrian crossings, by reporter Bernard Orsman. A key part of that campaign concerned the raised crossings being installed as part of the Pt Chevalier to Westmere project, with at least 10 articles over ...
    4 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to May 19 and beyond
    TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 19 include:PM Christopher Luxon is expected to hold his weekly post-cabinet news conference at 4:00pm on Monday.Parliament is not sitting this week. It resumes next week for a two-week sitting session up to and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Webworm Popup Photos!
    Hi,Thanks to all the beautiful Worms who came to the LA Webworm popup on Saturday.It was a way to celebrate the online store we launched last week — and it was super special.As I talk about a lot, I really value our community here — and it was a BLAST ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #19
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, May 5, 2024 thru Sat, May 11, 2024. (Unfortunate) Story of the week "Grief that stops at despair is an ending that I and many others, most notably ...
    5 days ago
  • The Gods Must Be Woke.
    Last night the largest solar storm in decades resulted in Aurorae being seen across Aotearoa, causing many to ask why?Why was the sky pink? What was all this stuff about the power grid? Have we, as so many have wondered since the election, reached the end of days?I had a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • More road
    We have been on the road in England, squeezing down narrow lanes, flying up the M6, loving hedgerows and villages and cathedrals, liking the 21st century less.There have been moments when it’s felt like a movie trope. The pub in Exford, lovely seventeenth century bar, almost more dogs than people, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Seeing the Aurora Australis
    There’s a solar-storm on at the moment, and since the South Island is having a day and night with clear skies, that means Aurorae. I have just got back from a midnight visit to Tunnel Beach – southwards-looking over the Sea, and without the light pollution. Quite a few others ...
    6 days ago
  • Welcome to the current welfare mess
    Michael Bassett writes – I’m not sure that it’s much comfort to anyone to know that the post-Covid surge in violent crimes, gang activity, ram raids, random shootings, thuggery and stabbings is occurring in other countries as well as New Zealand. These days, wagging school, out-of-control welfare and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • District Court Judges appointed
    Attorney-General Judith Collins has announced the appointment of three new District Court Judges, to replace Judges who have recently retired. Peter James Davey of Auckland has been appointed a District Court Judge with a jury jurisdiction to be based at Whangarei. Mr Davey initially started work as a law clerk/solicitor with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Unions should put learning ahead of ideology
    Associate Education Minister David Seymour is calling on the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) to put ideology to the side and focus on students’ learning, in reaction to the union holding paid teacher meetings across New Zealand about charter schools.     “The PPTA is disrupting schools up and down the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Craig Stobo appointed as chair of FMA
    Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly today announced the appointment of Craig Stobo as the new chair of the Financial Markets Authority (FMA). Mr Stobo takes over from Mark Todd, whose term expired at the end of April. Mr Stobo’s appointment is for a five-year term. “The FMA plays ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago
  • Budget 2024 invests in lifeguards and coastguard
    Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Coastguard New Zealand will continue to be able to keep people safe in, on, and around the water following a funding boost of $63.644 million over four years, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “Heading to the beach for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • New Zealand and Tuvalu reaffirm close relationship
    New Zealand and Tuvalu have reaffirmed their close relationship, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says.  “New Zealand is committed to working with Tuvalu on a shared vision of resilience, prosperity and security, in close concert with Australia,” says Mr Peters, who last visited Tuvalu in 2019.  “It is my pleasure ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • New Zealand calls for calm, constructive dialogue in New Caledonia
    New Zealand is gravely concerned about the situation in New Caledonia, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.  “The escalating situation and violent protests in Nouméa are of serious concern across the Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.  “The immediate priority must be for all sides to take steps to de-escalate the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • New Zealand welcomes Samoa Head of State
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met today with Samoa’s O le Ao o le Malo, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, who is making a State Visit to New Zealand. “His Highness and I reflected on our two countries’ extensive community links, with Samoan–New Zealanders contributing to all areas of our national ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago
  • Island Direct eligible for SuperGold Card funding
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has announced that he has approved Waiheke Island ferry operator Island Direct to be eligible for SuperGold Card funding, paving the way for a commercial agreement to bring the operator into the scheme. “Island Direct started operating in November 2023, offering an additional option for people ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Further sanctions against Russia
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters today announced further sanctions on 28 individuals and 14 entities providing military and strategic support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  “Russia is directly supported by its military-industrial complex in its illegal aggression against Ukraine, attacking its sovereignty and territorial integrity. New Zealand condemns all entities and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • One year on from Loafers Lodge
    A year on from the tragedy at Loafers Lodge, the Government is working hard to improve building fire safety, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I want to share my sincere condolences with the families and friends of the victims on the anniversary of the tragic fire at Loafers ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Pre-Budget speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much for having me here in the lead up to my Government’s first Budget. Before I get started can I acknowledge: Simon Bridges – Auckland Business Chamber CEO. Steve Jurkovich – Kiwibank CEO. Kids born ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New Zealand and Vanuatu to deepen collaboration
    New Zealand and Vanuatu will enhance collaboration on issues of mutual interest, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “It is important to return to Port Vila this week with a broad, high-level political delegation which demonstrates our deep commitment to New Zealand’s relationship with Vanuatu,” Mr Peters says.    “This ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Penk travels to Peru for trade meetings
    Minister for Land Information, Chris Penk will travel to Peru this week to represent New Zealand at a meeting of trade ministers from the Asia-Pacific region on behalf of Trade Minister Todd McClay. The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting will be held on 17-18 May ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Minister attends global education conferences
    Minister of Education Erica Stanford will head to the United Kingdom this week to participate in the 22nd Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) and the 2024 Education World Forum (EWF). “I am looking forward to sharing this Government’s education priorities, such as introducing a knowledge-rich curriculum, implementing an evidence-based ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Education Minister thanks outgoing NZQA Chair
    Minister of Education Erica Stanford has today thanked outgoing New Zealand Qualifications Authority Chair, Hon Tracey Martin. “Tracey Martin tendered her resignation late last month in order to take up a new role,” Ms Stanford says. Ms Martin will relinquish the role of Chair on 10 May and current Deputy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Joint statement of Christopher Luxon and Emmanuel Macron: Launch of the Christchurch Call Foundation
    New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and President Emmanuel Macron of France today announced a new non-governmental organisation, the Christchurch Call Foundation, to coordinate the Christchurch Call’s work to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online.   This change gives effect to the outcomes of the November 2023 Call Leaders’ Summit, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Panel announced for review into disability services
    Distinguished public servant and former diplomat Sir Maarten Wevers will lead the independent review into the disability support services administered by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. The review was announced by Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston a fortnight ago to examine what could be done to strengthen the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Minister welcomes Police gang unit
    Today’s announcement by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster of a National Gang Unit and district Gang Disruption Units will help deliver on the coalition Government’s pledge to restore law and order and crack down on criminal gangs, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. “The National Gang Unit and Gang Disruption Units will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • New Zealand expresses regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today expressed regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric towards New Zealand and its international partners.  “New Zealand proudly stands with the international community in upholding the rules-based order through its monitoring and surveillance deployments, which it has been regularly doing alongside partners since 2018,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • New Chief of Defence Force appointed
    Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies MNZM is the new Chief of Defence Force, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. The Chief of Defence Force commands the Navy, Army and Air Force and is the principal military advisor to the Defence Minister and other Ministers with relevant portfolio responsibilities in the defence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government puts children first by repealing 7AA
    Legislation to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has been introduced to Parliament. The Bill’s introduction reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the safety of children in care, says Minister for Children, Karen Chhour. “While section 7AA was introduced with good intentions, it creates a conflict for Oranga ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Defence Minister to meet counterparts in UK, Italy
    Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week travel to the UK and Italy to meet with her defence counterparts, and to attend Battles of Cassino commemorations. “I am humbled to be able to represent the New Zealand Government in Italy at the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of what was ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charter schools to lift educational outcomes
    The upcoming Budget will include funding for up to 50 charter schools to help lift declining educational performance, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. $153 million in new funding will be provided over four years to establish and operate up to 15 new charter schools and convert 35 state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • COVID-19 Inquiry terms of reference consultation results received
    “The results of the public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has now been received, with results indicating over 13,000 submissions were made from members of the public,” Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “We heard feedback about the extended lockdowns in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • The Pacific family of nations – the changing security outlook
    Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests  Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues  Ladies and Gentlemen,  Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru    It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ and Papua New Guinea to work more closely together
    Health, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Driving ahead with Roads of Regional Significance
    The coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New Zealand congratulates new Solomon Islands government
    A high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office.    “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • New Zealand supports UN Palestine resolution
    New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium
    Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • $571 million for Defence pay and projects
    Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Climate change – mitigating the risks and costs
    New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Getting new job seekers on the pathway to work
    Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Accelerating Social Investment
    A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says.  “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Getting Back on Track
    Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with  your Board and team, for hosting me.   I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • NZ – European Union ties more critical than ever
    Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith,   Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States,   Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us.   Ladies and gentlemen -    In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations.   ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Therapeutic Products Act to be repealed
    The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Decisions on Wellington City Council’s District Plan
    The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Rape Awareness Week: Government committed to action on sexual violence
    Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston.  “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Smarter lunch programme feeds more, costs less
    Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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