Stopping the wage bleed

Written By: - Date published: 11:40 am, January 10th, 2018 - 46 comments
Categories: employment, wages, workers' rights - Tags: ,

In today’s Herald, Tramways Union Secretary Kevin O’Sullivan has written about the need to end competitive tendering based on driving wages down. It’s a simple change the Government could make to improve the lives of tens of thousands of Kiwis.

The Herald‘s editorial call at New Year for prosperity for all is a good one and I’m all in favour of it as a bus driver and a unionist. But we need more than a growing economy to get there. We also need to make sure people and their families can get their share of that growth.

That’s not just about wage minimums and safety nets and government top-ups like Working for Families. No, it’s going to require changes to the way we do business. One big change we need is to stop competing by lowering Kiwi’s incomes.

I’ve got to make a disclaimer here, I’m a union official and one of the 700 bus drivers in Wellington facing a massive cut in income because the regional council here has tendered its public transport service on cost.

This is a mature industry where the buses, the depots, the fuel, all cost more or less the same regardless of provider, which means there are only two ways for bus companies to compete. Reduce the payroll or reduce the service.

For more than a decade we’ve worked with the current provider, NZ Bus, to increase safety, to grow our drivers’ terms and conditions and to increase efficiencies. The pay off has been that we’ve been able to maintain good solid middle incomes.

It used to be that way in Auckland too. And around the country. You were never going to get rich as a bus driver but you could pay the mortgage or rent, afford a meal out now and then, and make sure your kids had what they needed to do well — hopefully to do better than you.

Competitive contracting has taken that away for nearly every bus driver in New Zealand. Over and again, modest terms and conditions that were slowly and carefully built up over time have been taken away with nothing more than a change of contractor, leaving us to start building from scratch again.

The full piece is here.

You can show your support for Wellington Drivers here.

46 comments on “Stopping the wage bleed ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Ad 1
    10 January 2018 at 11:47 am

    +1000 to Kevin and all his members. Go hard Union team!

  2. mac1 2
    10 January 2018 at 1:53 pm

    This problem caused by competitive tendering affects the provinces, too.

    Locally, the takeover of tendered health services from home help through to psychiatric services by firms based in big cities means that locals employed are put out of a job.

    Locally, cleaning services provided to schools has been tendered out to big firms and the locals put out of work. Some of these locals are in some way less employable but the good heart of their employer, for whom I have worked so I know what I’m talking about, meant that they had work at above minimum wage.

    The follow on from tendering means for the provinces that people are reluctant to take work in such services as their job tenure is not secure.

    We therefore lose even getting enough people to provide these essential services.

    A lot of energy is spent at the local level in the tendering process.

    This applies also to tendering for contracts for scientific study in regional industries, including wine, marine, agricultural areas. A lot of energy is spent chasing these tenders, by scientific professionals some of whom are recognised world-wide.

    There is a good set of reasons also for tendering.

    But, we all hear stories of low tenders being accepted which has the effect of destroying local competition and then costs being recouped later with renegotiated prices.

    We hear too of tenders that have extraordinarily long terms such as the ones for providing hospital food. These too destroy local competition.

    The effect is to destroy competition which is surely the main justification for tendering.

    • SPC 2.1
      10 January 2018 at 2:36 pm

      Government saving money by spending/funding restraint. The providers tendering out services to reduce costs. Wages being reduced, government facing higher WFF tax credit and AS costs. Government forced into another cycle of spending/funding restraint.

      The way larger corporations operate is to exploit those going down this path, to build a monopoly on service supply. Monopolies become quite profitable. Years ago Microsoft offered schools free computers as part of taking out educational computer competitors.

  3. Ovid 3
    10 January 2018 at 2:26 pm

    The Greater Wellington Regional Council should expand its living wage commitment beyond direct council employees to its contractors. It should be a condition of its tenders.

  4. feijoa 4
    10 January 2018 at 2:36 pm

    Is tendering a requirement under Rodney Hides Local Government act?

  5. indiana 5
    10 January 2018 at 3:55 pm

    The sooner we get driverless public transport the better…

    • Ed 5.1
      10 January 2018 at 3:58 pm

      Why?
      Don’t you want people to have jobs?

      • Craig H 5.1.1
        10 January 2018 at 7:29 pm

        Yes, but driverless mass transit would allow for cheap, regular 24/7 service, which would improve lives immeasurably.

        • Carolyn_Nth 5.1.1.1
          10 January 2018 at 8:15 pm

          Seriously?! 24/7 mass transit without staff? This little old lady would not be wanting to travel on one of those, especially at night.

          Have you seen how some people behave on some trains when there’s no security in a carriage – and in the day time? Pretty worrying to be a staff-free zone, totally!

      • indiana 5.1.2
        10 January 2018 at 8:04 pm

        Fewer jobs will be lost than banning dairy farming in NZ.

    • Carolyn_nth 5.2
      10 January 2018 at 7:17 pm

      I wouldn’t feel that safe with driverless mass transit – we need a security presence.

      • indiana 5.2.1
        10 January 2018 at 8:03 pm

        Drivers don’t provide you that now.

        • Carolyn_Nth 5.2.1.1
          10 January 2018 at 8:11 pm

          On buses, their presence has a dampening effect on potential bad behaviour. Ditto security and other rail staff on trains.

          I wouldn’t want to be on a driverless bus without some other staff present – especially at night. So, no saving in person-power

        • One Anonymous Bloke 5.2.1.2
          10 January 2018 at 8:13 pm

          So a Google search for “bus driver saves” returns no results then eh? Fascinating. Your perceptual ability is truly miraculous.

        • Drowsy M. Kram 5.2.1.3
          10 January 2018 at 10:01 pm

          I perceive an ounce of prevention to be worth a pound of cure.

          https://www.floridatsn.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Passenger-Assaults-FINAL.pdf

          “Recommendation 2: Maximize bus operator training – expand the use of de-escalation techniques, conflict resolution and avoidance, and basic body language (posturing, threatening vs non-threatening) programs to assist operators in resolving incidents in an effective way.”

          BTW, a Google search for “bus driver saves” returned “About 87,200 results (0.47 seconds)”.

  6. David Mac 6
    10 January 2018 at 4:21 pm

    Contractors take the headaches out of running any entity. Responsibility for getting the job done and on budget moves to someone else.

    If I’m the Parks and Reserves manager for a District Council I have the choice of managing a crew of 20, machine maintenance, inclement weather, rate payer complaints, etc or being taken to lunch by the marketing managers of the companies keen to land the contract.

    I’ve employed many people over the years. I don’t think I ever will again, these days a primary pre-requisite of any opportunity I’m considering is: ‘Can I contract most of it out and still turn a profit?’

    I don’t think contracting out tasks is going away anytime soon, we need to get much better at how we do it. As per Penny Bright’s crusade ‘Who the hell is this company and why the hell did they get the job?’

    The Wellington drivers don’t have to be working for a faceless giant bound to pay them peanuts because of the cut to the bone tender that was required to win the business. The Wellington drivers could form their own company and tender for the business. Start a school, train drivers etc. The cream returned to them.

    • savenz 6.1
      10 January 2018 at 4:44 pm

      Not a bad idea “The Wellington drivers could form their own company and tender for the business.”

      • David Mac 6.1.1
        10 January 2018 at 4:54 pm

        It’s a drum Draco beats.

        As with Serco and prisons I suspect there are a variety of performance bonuses structured into any contract. Performances are much more likely to exceed expectations if it’s each driver getting $2k at Christmas instead of a CEO and the Sycophants living it up in the Maldives.

        Monty Python pretty much nailed ‘The Neoliberal’ with Mr Creosote all those years ago.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aczPDGC3f8U

        • Ed 6.1.1.1
          10 January 2018 at 4:56 pm

          All these services should be nationalised.

          • David Mac 6.1.1.1.1
            10 January 2018 at 5:16 pm

            I think we should be aiming for efficiency, a 20 hour working week for everyone.

            I’m not convinced ‘Run by the State’ = efficiency.

            Every time I’ve heard ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’ In nearly all cases, assistance has not been the outcome.

            I think the best way to get the best out of people is to give them a direct stake in outcomes, skin in the game.

            But not in a game so large it includes all of us. We want to stand with our brothers in task.

            • David Mac 6.1.1.1.1.1
              10 January 2018 at 5:41 pm

              I think it would be interesting to see what happens with the numbers of people leaving jail having learned to read and write if it were prison staff reaping the financial and emotional rewards rather than Serco landing the bonuses.

            • Draco T Bastard 6.1.1.1.1.2
              10 January 2018 at 6:28 pm

              I’m not convinced ‘Run by the State’ = efficiency.

              Reality says otherwise:

              The largest study of the efficiency of privatized companies looked at all European companies privatized during 1980-2009. It compared their performance with companies that remained public and with their own past performance as public companies. The result? The privatized companies performed worse than those that remained public and continued to do so for up to 10 years after privatization.

              That’s not to say that there’s no room for private enterprise. It just isn’t in government services.

              Every time I’ve heard ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’ In nearly all cases, assistance has not been the outcome.

              You still listening to Reagan after all these years?

              I think the best way to get the best out of people is to give them a direct stake in outcomes, skin in the game.

              I agree. That means getting rid of capitalism and brining in full communism. People should have a stake in their community and a say in their governance.

              It certainly shouldn’t be left to unaccountable multi-national corporations.

              But not in a game so large it includes all of us.

              Any system that removes some of us and the power that each of us should have within the community is an oppressive system.

            • Stuart Munro 6.1.1.1.1.3
              11 January 2018 at 8:30 am

              “I’m not convinced ‘Run by the State’ = efficiency.”

              It isn’t always. From time to time some institutions become so degraded that they would be better built afresh from the ground up. The old state run shipping services to the Chatams and Stewart Island had reached that state.

              But private enterprises erode too, and at least here in NZ they rarely lose their comfortable state contract when they do. Really any state contract should be subject to periodic review with a pretty serious likelihood of loss or sanctions for declining performance. As things stand I don’t think even Serco has been thrown out, and they have certainly fallen well short of the requisite standards.

  7. savenz 7
    10 January 2018 at 4:24 pm

    +1000

    Not only the bus drivers but the food services in hospitals going to overseas multinational firms like spotless, driving down the wages and conditions and quality of the food in hospitals. Cleaning services and so forth in government and councils. Private prisons where the prisoners seem to run the place etc etc.

    At the same time, services like parking being sold and run by multinationals are price gouging the public while paying little in taxes. All and all leading to less and less money in people’s pockets .

    Neoliberalism and globalism have created the race to the bottom and massive profits for a few, not a climb for all to the top.

  8. greg 8
    10 January 2018 at 5:38 pm

    the local body contracts are rife with exploitation of workers i know some workers in Auckland went backward in the latest round a lot of the costs are being externalized to workers that are already being screwed eg using there own gear and car to carry out the work the whole area is fertile ground for collective agreements and strike action the disparity between different contracts and workers carrying out the same tasks is huge.take city parks services workers at that company don’t loose there jobs they get given a contract yet every other worker out on contract through no fault of there own loose there job we have created 2 classes of workers and that is wrong.its not the workers who created this system.councils own staff are creaming it contract workers are being shafted. council screws workers wages then screws them again with huge rates bills.

    • David Mac 8.1
      10 January 2018 at 7:01 pm

      When our council has more than 100 people in it’s PR Dept….and their first job is to convince Aucklanders that their rates aren’t being wasted…What elephant?

      If I had 100 people in my PR department and hobbled along with their reputation…I’d be a laughing stock.

      It’s not like they need to convince people to deal with them, the justification for most PR companies. They just post out a letter. “Give us this much soon or your credit rating is going to Uranus.’

      Fab business, mafia without the violence. Extortion with a calming smile.

      Contracting the tasks of council out is ok with me. Interested parties request tender docs. A min wage level, worker conditions etc can be set at this stage. I’d put every applicant through the Penny Bright test, set her loose on the short list of possibles. Go with the survivor.

      • savenz 8.1.1
        10 January 2018 at 10:18 pm

        Yep it’s a joke 100 PR people and still get less than 20% satisfaction rate in their own surveys. People are against rates rises, because what Auckland councils spends ratepayers money on is crap, and they pay crap people and crap ideas and crap systems (metro water and Auckland transport two institutions getting mega money and doing their jobs as slowly as possible while asking for more money which the council seems to want to give them. How many years do they need before someone says – not working like other cities that have public transport that works and transports millions of people every hour, and also don’t shit into their own oceans after a bit of rain). Don’t give Auckland COO’s more, fire their arses and start afresh with new ideas and firm deadlines.

        Don’t even get me going on NZTA works in Auckland, who wasted and inconvenienced people for years, and spent millions on for example making Northwestern motorway wider and higher (for global warming), then after the latest storm (in summer not even winter) it still floods. They are completely fuck ups who could not organise a piss up in a brewery. Who did their engineering the CTV building engineers???

        Now we have a 10% fuel tax in Auckland, more money for jam for screw up quasi corps who can’t do their jobs.

        • savenz 8.1.1.1
          10 January 2018 at 10:31 pm

          Dual Auckland wharf decisions hope to create jobs

          http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/344628/dual-auckland-wharf-decisions-hope-to-create-jobs

          Lets face it, only the big corps mostly based offshore like Sky city and hotel chains are going to get the money from America’s cup. The taxpayers will pay for the infrastructure and have less money in their pockets and more inconvenience and more pollution and modification of the harbour for a billion dollar hobby and to help more billionaire profits. I’m not against America’s cup, but are against being forced to pay for someone else’s hobby and taking more and more of our harbour away for business and billionaire interests.

          The workers will be bought in from overseas due to the drugged out locals that are deemed unsuitable as will not work for low enough $$ and the corps jumping up and down frenetically, that they will not finish in time “due to the massive labour and skills shortages”. Another massive influx of migrants to remedy this, will in turn cause more housing and transport shortages and hospital waiting lists for Aucklanders continuing the massive Ponzi screw up, that is Auckland.

          When John Key was worried about Kiwis being tenants in their own country he didn’t realise than soon only 40% of Kiwis now can afford to live in NZ biggest city and the amount of Kiwis able to live there is, decreasing.

  9. web-developer 9
    10 January 2018 at 6:45 pm

    I support the unions with this.
    This is an interesting situation and is an excellent opportunity to get a better idea of what is going to happen to the rest of us eventually.
    Drivers are going to be replaced by technology really, really soon.
    When we have gone through role extinction phases in the past, it seems to me it’s generally been the lowest-paid and lowest skilled roles that have been obviated. This is because the technology has only ever been able to replace very low skilled or no-skilled work. Now the technology is starting to replace skilled and will eventually be replacing even highly-skilled people.
    That’s one of the reasons people get the feeling that ‘this time, it’s different.’ It will be interesting to see how smarter and better-organised groups deal with these changes.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 9.1
      10 January 2018 at 6:52 pm

      really, really soon.

      That’s what the people who tout fusion reactors keep saying.

      I can see lawyers and accountants being replaced by algorithms a lot sooner than drivers, notwithstanding Musk’s fragile confidence.

      The street is a messy and unpredictable environment.

    • Carolyn_nth 9.2
      10 January 2018 at 7:23 pm

      Really, driverless buses, and no staff in train carriages?

      And do you realise what a wild jungle zone mass transit will be without staff providing a security presence? That’s part of the role drivers play. And the weakest, old, young, female, disabled, will become targets for the thugs.

    • ropata 9.3
      11 January 2018 at 7:44 am

      Expect more automated driver assists to be added to buses over the next 10 years, but going completely driverless would be a huge social change. Makes more sense to have a human to monitor the vehicle and passengers for the foreseeable future.

      • Carolyn_Nth 9.3.1
        11 January 2018 at 8:07 am

        There have been very helpful technological innovations to buses in recent years: e.g. video cameras giving all round and rear vision to drivers; 2-way comms channels with their base, informing of up-coming road issues, or of problems with/on the bus.

        • ropata 9.3.1.1
          11 January 2018 at 5:43 pm

          Yes all sorts of cool things to improve safety and make driving easier. But I wouldn’t be happy flying on an airline that is run completely by autopilot, with no ACTUAL pilot. Need a skilled human to handle situations that computers can’t.

          Software bugs and insecurities are real and pervasive.

  10. NZJester 10
    10 January 2018 at 10:51 pm

    Competitive contracting does not save any real money in the long run. While the wages of the workers go down the wages of those in the boardrooms go up to swallow that money they screw out of the worker’s pockets and more. So the cost ends up going up as the service and quality tend to go down.

    The other thing that tends to happen is the local economy normally takes a hit as money is funneled out of the region instead of being circulated through it.

    • indiana 10.1
      11 January 2018 at 12:08 am

      You know this because you have boardroom experience?

    • savenz 10.2
      11 January 2018 at 7:27 am

      +1 NZJester

      For example if you go for the lowest bid for trains but they turn out to be full of asbestos and can’t be used. Or you organise trains but the stations can’t fit the trains or the trains can’t be upgraded to sustainable energy then you are not saving money. You are wasting money and also lowering collective productivity as our transport system is a joke. It’s not the drivers it’s the management continually making bad decisions that seems to be the idiot class. Or you rant on about increasing jobs in NZ but then at every opportunity you get offshore companies to build everything due to ideology. So nope, competitive contracting seems to not be working in NZ.

      • indiana 10.2.1
        11 January 2018 at 9:25 am

        Funny how it is state appointed boardrooms that make most of the bad decisions…

        • One Anonymous Bloke 10.2.1.1
          11 January 2018 at 9:30 am

          It’s good of you to acknowledge that the SOE model is broken. It was a fraudulent lie to begin with.

          Sack all the overpaid directors and return public service to public servants.

          • timeforacupoftea 10.2.1.1.1
            11 January 2018 at 2:42 pm

            I agree ONE Anonymous Bloke –
            It is about time TVNZ made a up to date program based on the old series
            Glide Time.

            I can imagine scandal after scandal after scandal with those overpaid directors with gobs in the trough !
            The sex scandals would be pretty thick as the staff attempt to reach the trough too.
            Oh dear wouldn’t it be great.
            Seen so much crap going on where I work.

  11. NZJester 11
    11 January 2018 at 10:37 am

    The charter school was also just a version of this for schools. The cost spent per student was higher in a charter school, but less of that money was actually spent on the education of the students themselves. They allowed charter schools to put in unqualified teachers aids to teach the kids and the majority of the money there was going into the pockets of those running the schools.
    The supposed model of public and private funding where the private sector chips in to help run the school has never really happened with almost 100% of the funding coming from the public purse. Any private sector input a lot of the time to these schools is normally advertising material pushed as learning material.

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    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    19 hours ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    1 day ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    1 day ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 day ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

    Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...

    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    5 days ago

  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago

  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: “What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
    No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago

  • Sad tales from the left
    Michael Bassett writes –  Have you noticed the odd way in which the media are handling the government’s crackdown on surplus employees in the Public Service? Very few reporters mention the crazy way in which State Service numbers rocketed ahead by more than 16,000 during Labour’s six years, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
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