Posts Tagged ‘Atlas’
Charter schools are back
Written By: - Date published: 9:53 am, May 16th, 2024 - 69 comments
Following on from the decision to cut $103 million a year from the school lunch programme the Government has announced the return of chartered schools at a cost of $153 million over four years.
The Apparatus behind the Curtain
Written By: - Date published: 1:54 pm, February 2nd, 2024 - 6 comments
The release from the Public Health Communication Centre Aotearoa around tobacco industry interference was a glimpse behind the curtain into a troubling reality.
It has been a long week for Casey Costello
Written By: - Date published: 10:45 am, February 2nd, 2024 - 46 comments
Recent disclosure of the actions of associate Minister of Health Casey Costello raises the extraordinary possibility that British American Tobacco may be having an undue influence on the setting of the Government’s smoking policies.
Which side are you on?
Written By: - Date published: 9:59 am, January 21st, 2024 - 191 comments
The Act Party is seeking to undermine te Tiriti o Waitangi and ferment racial hatred and division while nominally seeking unity. And National clearly has no idea what to do about the situation.
The best Electoral System that money can buy
Written By: - Date published: 10:33 am, January 19th, 2024 - 22 comments
The Independent Electoral Review Panel has recommended changes to the electoral system including the banning of any donations unless made by enrolled voters, a cap on the size of those donations and a requirement that third parties disclose all large donations that they receive.
Atlas smirked
Written By: - Date published: 12:15 pm, January 7th, 2024 - 115 comments
A George Monbiot article in the Guardian made me wonder what effect the Atlas Network is having on New Zealand politics through the Taxpayer’s Union. Publicly available information suggests considerable funding is being made available and that the current Government’s priorities are precisely those that the Atlas Network would approve of.
- Something's going to change
If you’re selling your soul, working all dayOvertime hours for bullshit payNothing’s gonna change if all you do Is wish you could wake up and it not be trueJoin a union, fight for better payJoin a union, brother, organise todayYou’ll see where the problem really liesWhen the union comes around: ...2 hours ago - Weekly Roundup 5-July-2024
Welcome to the second half of the year! And another roundup of stories that caught our eye over the week. As always, feel free to add anything we’ve missed, in the comments. The fortnight on Greater Auckland Last week was a short week, but nonetheless action-packed: On Monday, ...2 hours ago - How the team of 5 million lost the game
A study of the 2020 election has found that though the swing to Labour was the biggest vote shift in New Zealand for more than a century, it was not structural. Indeed, the fundamental electoral forces that drove the result were not dissimilar to those that had emerged in the ...5 hours ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #27 2024
Open access notables Climate-driven deoxygenation of northern lakes, Jansen et al., Nature Climate Change: Oxygen depletion constitutes a major threat to lake ecosystems and the services they provide. Most of the world’s lakes are located >45° N, where accelerated climate warming and elevated carbon loads might severely increase the risk of ...14 hours ago - America’s dark future
Today is July 4th, the day the US traditionally celebrates its independence. But in the wake of the Supreme Court's turning the clock back 375 years to rule that America's president actually is an unaccountable absolute monarch after all, effectively creating a turnkey tyranny for the next Republican president, there ...17 hours ago - Thoughts and Prayers
Bow my head, said my prayersI'm the good one, ain't I?Wash my hands of all my sinsI'm the good guy, ain't I?If everyone were like meCould that be the change I'd like to see?Ain't I good, ain't I right, did I try?You’ve probably seen the news of the Kiwi woman ...17 hours ago - Nobody wants to run a boot campNational has a problem: they've promised boot camps by the end of July to grub votes from pedophobic old zombies kick kids into line, but nobody wants to run them. NZDF has said "fuck no! Never again", and Oranga Tamariki - the organisation formally responsible for them - can't find ...19 hours ago
- Gordon Campbell on saving journalists, not an industry that routinely exploits themL abour is saying it needs to listen. Apparently, Labour is going to spend 2024 listening, and 2025 thinking about its options. It could be 2026 before Labour finally reveals what it has in mind. Really? Currently, National and ACT are burning down the house, people are screaming for relief ...23 hours ago
- How much will climate change drag down the economy?This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections When Category 5 Hurricane Otis roared through Acapulco, Mexico, in October 2023, the city was left in ruins. Winds stripped facades from beachfront buildings and storm surge flooded lobbies. The storm killed at least 50 people and damaged 80% of hotels in ...1 day ago
- Cold Mornings & Blue Sky
Late yesterday morning I was sitting on my deck enjoying another beautiful day in Tamaki Makaurau. Stunning and clear but still a bit chilly. A treat to have such a day in July, and through June it seemed that for once Auckland had some decent weather as things went more ...1 day ago - Speak up for safe speedsSimeon Brown’s lethal draft speed-setting rule is open for public consultation until Thursday 11 July. We strongly encourage you to take a minute to add your voice. The simple online survey asks for your thoughts on seven key proposals (see page 4). You can also email your thoughts to speedrule@transport.govt.nz Scroll ...1 day ago
- My Time at TV3 News
Hi,Before I get sentimental and share some ridiculous videos from my old life as a TV news reporter, your comments about the presidential debate (all 362 of them) did make me feel more sane.I think Webworm reader Kevin said it best:“America’s political party system is like that cargo ship in ...1 day ago - Of Censorship, Book Publishing, and TERFery
I really hate Culture War stuff on principle. The fact that it has pervaded so much of modern political discourse is yet another reason to find the 2020s an utterly depressing decade. But today, the artillery of Culture War has been sending shells near my particular trench… and thus I ...2 days ago - Unfit to be transport minister
There is surely a German word for the dismaying, frustrating, enraging feeling of watching a person being put in charge of our future and completely fucking it up.I am surrounded by Germans right now, perhaps I should ask.I expect they might reply: oh do you mean the Supreme Court justices ...2 days ago - AI vs the OIAOh dear. Not only has Judith Collins become an AI cultist - she thinks it can be used to answer OIA requests: But New Zealand has no specific AI regulation and Collins is keen to get productivity gains from extending its use across government, including using it to process ...2 days ago
- Government ignorant of local transport needsThis is a collective post by several Greater Auckland authors. (The header image shows children trying to cross the road a few hundred metres from a school gate, at a location where a raised crossing was subsequently installed.) The final version of the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS) ...2 days ago
- Tories Face Landslide Defeat!
Late Thursday night, around midday Friday here in New Zealand, we should finally, after fourteen years and five dismal Prime Ministers, see the Tories booted out of government in the UK.The Conservatives have produced a master class in what not to do in government. Be it strangling the economy with ...2 days ago - Goldsmith’s media move; “unprincipled” “sop”In a move of breathtaking audacity, the Government agreed yesterday to have a Cabinet Minister preside over a media subsidy scheme. The Minister will decide which media entities will be eligible to receive the proceeds of a levy the Government proposes to impose on Facebook and Google. Communications Minister Paul ...2 days ago
- Rebuttal Update Project – Summer break and relaxed publication scheduleRegular readers might be surprised to not see another "At a glance" highlight for an updated rebuttal given that it's Tuesday when this blog post gets published and that we've done just that "regularly as clockwork" since February 2023. Please read on to find out why we are going on ...3 days ago
- A licence for tyrannyThat's the only way to describe today's US Supreme Court ruling that the US president is above the law. Oh, it officially applies only to "official acts", but reading the fine-print, that basically means everything - even apparently inciting a mob to storm Congress in an effort to disrupt the ...3 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on Macron’s gamble, and Biden’s last standEmmanuel Macron’s plan B involves a risky, rope-a-dope strategy. Deliberately, he has opened a corridor to power for the far right, in the belief they will fail to win a large enough parliamentary presence in the 577-seat National Assembly to pursue their policy agenda. Supposedly, this failure will have blunted ...3 days ago
- Water Streets: transport infrastructure that makes space for waterThis is a guest post by Ed Clayton and Stu Farrant. It’s based on a talk delivered at the recent Transportation Group Conference in Nelson. The water street renders are by Tom Greer. Ed notes: “Tom is a freelance landscape architect with a background in ecology and environmental science. Hit him up ...3 days ago
- A Man with a Quarterly Plan
They choose the path where no-one goesThey hold no quarterThey hold no quarter“The Government I lead is one of action and we are already making meaningful changes that will keep Kiwis safe in their homes, workplaces and communities," said the Prime Minister yesterday, telling us he’d be “making Kiwis safer” ...3 days ago - Outwitting the rural climate change deniersThe Government may have attracted criticism from Greenpeace over its inquiry into farm methane emissions, but its proposal may have outwitted the Groundswell farmer protest movement. The inquiry panel includes some of the more high-profile critics of the blanket reduction approach to farming greenhouse gas emissions. But those critics are ...3 days ago
- What Key started, Luxon’s Government is determined to achieve – resisting EVERY step is critical...
Around the world we see political blocs crumbling in the face of the Right. You’ll notice the word “Left” is absent there. That’s because, by and large, the Left hasn’t necessarily crumbled. Many who adopt the moniker have. Ostensibly “Left” movements in the political sphere have been caught on ...4 days ago - Hoist by their own petardWhen Fiji finally began its most recent transition to democracy in 2013, the coup regime stacked the deck in their favour, with a draconian political parties decree intended to outlaw the opposition. Dictator Voreqe Bainimarama then founded his own political party, FijiFirst, which subsequently held power until 2022. So its ...4 days ago
- The Law Commission recommends outlawing anti-trans discriminationBack in 2021, as part of its discussion document on hate speech, the Ministry of Justice proposed finally amending the prohibited grounds of discrimination in the Human Rights Act to include gender including gender expression and gender identity. Labour famously chickened out on hate speech, referring the issue to the ...4 days ago
- Fairness and generosity
My travelling companion Dick is a craftsman. In his spare time he has made water-going craft. Canoes, mostly, but he can also do you a dinghy or a boat. Also hot tubs. All with beautifully hand-crafted timber.As we've rolled through the villages and towns of Europe, he has looked at ...4 days ago - Climate Adam: How deadly heatwaves are blown up by climate changeThis video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Across the world people are sweltering under the extreme heat of heat waves - whether under the heat dome in North ...4 days ago
- A Triumvirate Quest.
As you might recall from my last newsletter yesterday was a family celebration in the Rockel household, with our youngest lad Matty turning 16. He’s an enthusiastic cook, especially of steak, with plenty of garlic, rosemary, and far too much butter. So when asked what he’d like to do he ...4 days ago - Matariki on K’ Road: the proof is in the peopleAnybody who went to Karangahape Road for Matariki last Thursday evening (27 June), would have seen it absolutely packed with people.
From Queen Street ... 4 days ago - 2024 Reading Summary: June (+ Writing Update)Completed reads for June: Aecerbot, a Field Blessing (poem) Against a Dwarf [remedy XCIIIb] (poem) Against a Wen (poem) The Nine Herbs Charm (poem) For a Sudden Stitch (poem) For the Loss of Cattle I (poem) For the Loss of Cattle II (poem) For the Loss of Cattle III ...4 days ago
- 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #26A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, June 23, 2024 thru Sat, June 29, 2024. Story of the week Our Story of the Week is extreme weather juiced by our climate fumble creating an extreme start ...5 days ago
- Frodo’s Failure: A Roman Philosophical TwistYouTuber Jess of the Shire has put out a video, looking at Frodo’s failure to destroy the Ring: The Lord of the Rings would be a substantially weaker book had Frodo not failed, of course. We are dealing with the core of Tolkien’s themes ...5 days ago
- The Buggers Who Complain.
Problem Solved? When all other options are exhausted, the firing squad remains. As Joseph Stalin is said to have declared: “Eliminate the person, eliminate the problem.”THE BEST GUESS I can offer as to the author of the line is William Brandt. He wrote scripts for the 1990s New Zealand television crime ...5 days ago - The State of Debate.
Good morning all, I hope you’re continuing to have a lovely long weekend without too many worries about the things we usually talk about. First things first, today is a special day in our family, the youngest member, our Matty, my Mister Man, turns 16.Public transport in Bangkok, 2016.I’ve mentioned ...5 days ago - Fact Brief – Does temperature have to rise before CO2 does?Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by John Mason in collaboration with members from the Gigafact team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Does temperature have to rise before CO2 ...5 days ago
- Our State of The Kākā Nation 2024
TL;DR: Mānawatia a Matariki! It’s that time of the year for reflection and renewal so here’s our annual State of The Kākā Nation Report for 2024. Total subscribers grew 46% to 20,600 and paying subscribers grew 29% to 2,520 over the last year. Subscriber comments, ‘views’ and likes’ increased more ...6 days ago - Isn't It Great?
Can't stop believin' I'm the greatestHearts breaking 'til I know I made itI'll never know what second place isNo pain, no doubt'Til the lights go outMatariki feels like such a positive event. People around the country enjoying time with whānau and friends, trying new things or just relaxing and reflecting. ...6 days ago - Mānawatia a Matariki
6 days ago - A Disservice to Alley Cats
Hi,When I started Webworm four years ago (four years! thanks for being here!) it was motivated by a world slowly falling into conspiratorial madness.Reality felt like it was slipping, and I wanted to document the chaos. That has never stopped, be it examining how huge chunks of society have retreated ...6 days ago - What is Social Investment Analysis?
Evaluating the impact of social policies will be very difficult but the government does not seem to be doing much real evaluation. A couple of terms that have recently become fashionable are ‘cost-benefit analysis’ (CBA) and ‘social-investment analysis’ (SIA), typically proposed by people who have never done either. They sound ...7 days ago - Translation #20 of The Conspiracy Theory Handbook published!Conspiracy theories attempt to explain events as the secretive plots of powerful people. While conspiracy theories are not typically supported by evidence, this doesn’t stop them from blossoming. Conspiracy theories damage society in a number of ways. To help minimise these harmful effects, The Conspiracy Theory Handbook, by Stephan Lewandowsky ...7 days ago
- A debate to make the world tremble
Worst. Presidential. Debate Ever. President Joe Biden and former President have just squared off in the first presidential debate of the 2024 campaign and the rest of the world has watched in slack-jawed horror as democracy’s once “shining city on the hill” hit a new low.The hyperbole in that introduction ...7 days ago - Justice served?
Sun is up, I'm a messGotta get out now, gotta run from thisHere comes the shame, here comes the shameYesterday Golriz Ghahraman’s fall from grace was complete. Convicted and sentenced, more harshly that I’d anticipated. In my view Golriz had suffered quite disproportionally already, considering the nature of her crime. ...1 week ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #26 2024Open access notables Tipping point in ice-sheet grounding-zone melting due to ocean water intrusion, Bradley & Hewitt, Nature Geoscience: Here we develop a model to capture the feedback between intruded ocean water, the melting it induces and the resulting changes in ice geometry. We reveal a sensitive dependence of the ...1 week ago
- At the start of 2020, no-one was in a position to say where that virus was taking us
Some of the wilder things that have crossed our paths in the last couple of weeks:Wilder thing #1: A snake sunning itself on the hot asphalt as we came riding towards itDick was in front and was slowing down to take a picture, thinking it to be another carcass.But this ...1 week ago - Climate Change: A strapped chicken “review”As part of its coalition agreement, the climate-change denier National government promised its climate-change denier coalition partners a review of our agricultural methane reduction target. Today they announced the members of their "independent" review, and released its terms of reference. I'm not familiar with the academic records of the panel, ...1 week ago
- In Praise of National.
And you can see it in the way they look at youFeel it in the way they treat youAlways the last to knowAlways the first to leaveJust let them walk all over youLaugh through the punches and the painLet the life-blood drain away from youThey're right, you're wrongOK, first things ...1 week ago - Six incredibly popular climate policiesThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk Astrong majority of registered voters support certain policies aimed at tackling climate change, according to recent research by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (the publisher of this site) and the Center for Climate Change Communication at George Mason ...1 week ago
- Gordon Campbell on the freeing of Julian AssangeFinally, Julian Assange is free after 12 years of confinement, much of it spent while under the threat of rendition to the US to face charges carrying a term of 175 years in prison. Yet ultimately, Assange has not been set free because the charges (of espionage and conspiracy to ...1 week ago
- Was the 2024 Auckland RLTP Competition Rigged?A note to readers This satirical post is based on this document. Received from Auckland Transport under a LGOIMA request. the document reveals the ranking process used by the working group for the Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP). It shows how the RLTP working group (Auckland Transport, KiwiRail, NZTA/Waka Kotahi, and ...1 week ago
- Bernard’s mid-winter pick ‘n’ mix for Thursday, June 27
TL;DR: Six things from Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy I think are worth noting on the morning of Thursday, June 27:The NZIER has estimated almost a third of new spending in Budget 2024 will have worsened the Government’s Paris agreement climate liability, which Treasury has already estimated at up to $23.7 billion. ...1 week ago - The Strange Split Reality of Brooke Fraser
Hi,Four days ago New Zealand pop royalty Brooke Fraser broke yet another record — largest attendance for a Kiwi solo artist at her Spark Arena gig.She was joined on stage by the Auckland Philharmonia orchestra, Radio New Zealand gushing that it was “hard to pick a singular high point of ...1 week ago - Tax the rich!Whenever people make the perfectly sensible suggestion that the world could solve its problems by taxing billionaires, the latter's stooges flood the zone with claims it would never work. Apparently billionaires are so inherently criminal that they would evade such taxes, laundering their money and hiding it in criminal jurisdictions ...1 week ago
- Climate Change: Beaten by the DanesThis week the National government introduced legislation to remove agriculture from the ETS, ensuring our largest polluters continue to get a free ride for as long as they hold power. But while National is dragging us backwards, Denmark is moving forwards, and is making its farmers pay for their pollution: ...1 week ago
- King of the Cookers
Breathe.Inhale deeply through your nose, and hold it.Open your mouth slightly. Exhale slowly, feel the breath passing over your lips.Hear it. You’re alive.Statistically, if the last government hadn’t taken the actions it did, about twenty of you, even in my small audience, would be dead now. If I do a ...1 week ago - Growing affordability concerns over power and housing
TL;DR: Electricity affordability is a growing concern for households and small businesses, despite falling generation costs for solar and wind, a survey has found.Meanwhile, Stats NZ is forecasting more than a third of 19-29 year olds will stay living at home within the next two decades, no doubt because of ...1 week ago - Some fine ideas for making Aotearoa saferThis is a guest post by Darren Davis, reposted with his kind permission. It originally appeared on his excellent blog Adventures in Transitland, which we warmly encourage you to check out. Aotearoa has one of the worst road safety records in the developed world. Australia is doing quite a bit ...1 week ago
- Saying Goodbye To a Friend
The audio in today’s newsletter contains a conversation I had last year with journalist Elizabeth Williamson, author of an incredibly moving book on Sandy Hook. We talked America, conspiracies, and Alex Jones. It’s been gathering dust for reasons we’ll get to, but I wanted to share our conversation today. ...1 week ago - The real reasons why Councils opposed Three WatersThe anti Three Waters campaign which seemed so simple during the election campaign is now bogged down in a Select Committee as submitter after submitter raises issues with the replacement legislation. The so-called “Local Water Done Well” has now morphed into the Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill, which ...1 week ago
- At a glance – What caused early 20th Century warming?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 ...1 week ago
- A privilege
1 week ago - Unbridled power againThere's a couple of pieces about architect-of-our-constitution Geoffrey palmer's views on the current government doing the rounds today. The first, on Newsroom is an excerpt from a speech he gave to a Young Labour meeting last weekend, in which he says NZ an executive paradise, not democratic paradise. The Spinoff ...1 week ago
- National’s secret schoolsThe government just introduced its Education and Training Amendment Bill to the House. The name is deliberately obfuscatory, because what the bill actually does is reintroduce charter schools - effectively allowing National to privatise the education system. That's corrupt and it stinks, but to add insult to injury, National's new ...1 week ago
- Bernard's mid-winter pick 'n' mix for Tuesday, June 25
Confidence about future job availability collapsed after Budget 2024 to lows last seen during the the Global Financial Crisis of 2008/09. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Employee confidence in more jobs being available in a year’s time collapsed in the first two weeks of June after the Budget, falling ...1 week ago - “I Don't Care”
Walking through the rooms in my headI came across your image,You looked at me with that sweet smile and saidSomething they won't let me repeatWe hurt the ones we love the mostIts a subtle form of complimentAfter you’ve watched Christopher Luxon for a while you think to yourself - that ...1 week ago - Gordon Campbell on cancer drugs, and the Great Ferries Cancellation Disaster of ’23The decision taken last December to cancel the contract for the two purpose-built Cook Strait ferries – without having a Plan B in mind, let alone in place – has been a calamity that’s going to haunt New Zealand for decades to come, long after the Luxon government has been ...1 week ago
- June-24 AT Board MeetingToday the Auckland Transport board meets again,so I’ve taken a look through the items on their public agenda to see what’s interesting. Musical Chairs The first item of note is another change to the make-up of the AT Board. The legislation that established Auckland Transport allows for Waka Kotahi to ...1 week ago
- Colonial oppression in KanakyHow does France deal with opponents of its colonisation of the Pacific? Arrest them and deport them to France to face prosecution in a foreign court: A group of pro-independence leaders charged with allegedly organising protests that turned into violent unrest in New Caledonia last month was indicted on ...2 weeks ago
- Media Link: Post-pandemic economics and the rise of national populism” on “A View from Afar.”
On this edition of AVFA Selwyn Manning and I discuss post-pandemic economics and the rise of national populism. It seems that a post-pandemic turn to more nationalist economic policies may have encouraged the rise of populists who use xenophobia and … Continue reading ...2 weeks ago - Climate Change: National’s vice-signallingTwo weeks ago the climate denier government announced they would be giving farmers what they want and removing agriculture from the ETS. On Friday they introduced the bill for it to the House. Due to past efforts and backdowns, the Climate Change Response Act has a lot of inactive clauses ...2 weeks ago
- The Left’s Joyous Cherub: Keith Locke, 1944 – 2024.The Struggle Continues: Keith Locke belonged to a generation that still believed in a world that could be, through struggle, relieved of its chains. That struggle constituted the core of a life lived with purpose, courage and determination. MANY NEW ZEALANDERS would, no doubt, have been surprised to discover that Keith Locke was ...2 weeks ago
- The Night Before Yule: A Reprint
A couple of my stories – A Breath Through Silver, and The Last Libation – have previously earned themselves reprints. Well, I am pleased to report that the nice people at Heroic Fantasy Quarterly (https://www.heroicfantasyquarterly.com/) have included my narrative horror-poem, The Night Before Yule, in their newly-compiled Best Of anthology. ...2 weeks ago - Bernard’s mid-winter pick ‘n’ mix for Monday, June 24
TL;DR: Responding to the grounding of the Aratere over the weekend, the Government has signalled it will buy new replacement ferries, but only enough to replace existing freight capacity.That would effectively limit Aotearoa-NZ’s ability to handle any growth in population or the need to reduce emissions by shifting freight from ...2 weeks ago
- Statement from Labour mental health spokesperson Ingrid Leary
“Funding and focus on mental health is welcomed by Labour,” says Labour mental health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...19 hours ago - Statement from Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty“It’s all well and good to want to ensure development opportunities, but unless the Government fronts with infrastructure money, councils are limited in what they can offer by ways of expansion,” says Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...19 hours ago
- Much more to do in building our urban density
While today’s announcement shows some support for bolstering urban density, it will not be enough to turn the tide on a status quo of urban sprawl. ...22 hours ago - Te Tai Rāwhiti needs material support – not ‘thoughts and prayers’The government’s failure to invest in flood protection and emergency relief will be felt for generations to come says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Te Tai Rāwhiti, Tākuta Ferris. “It was only three months ago that councils were calling for the government to help invest in flood protection. Cyclone Gabrielle ...24 hours ago
- Govt commits Rotorua to a Fast Track to Greater HomelessnessMema Paremata mō te Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi, says the government is subscribing the Rotorua Housing Crisis to a privatisation fast-track. The comments come after 100-homes have been placed on hold whilst Kāinga Ora conduct a review. “With a quick text message to one of their rich mates, this government has ...2 days ago
- The Minister of Māori Development Must Prevent Whakaata Māori RestructureTe Pāti Māori are demanding that the Māori Development Minister move quickly to prevent a financial restructure announced by Whakaata Māori yesterday. "Minister Potaka must immediately intervene and recommit funding to Whakaata Māori. A 25% reduction is cutting Whakaata Māori at their knees; we cannot accept that," said broadcast spokesperson, ...2 days ago
- Release: Standardised testing will not improve educationThe Government is making another backwards step for education that will leave students behind, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...2 days ago
- Release: Government making it more expensive to get on the roadNational has come up with yet another way to make driving a car more expensive – this time adding more costs to sit a driver licence, Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...3 days ago
- Release: Fast track bill must have environment at its centreThe National Government must completely overhaul the Fast Track Approvals Bill to put protection of the environment at the centre of its purpose. ...3 days ago
- Release: Govt ignores damage of boot campsCorrespondence released under the Official Information Act reveals the Government’s boot camp concept is not backed by the military that is expected to run it. ...4 days ago
- Release: Minister for Auckland asleep at the wheelFalse promises and political spin won’t save National today, as the much-touted July 1 changes will hit Aucklanders’ pockets for the first time. ...4 days ago
- Release: Govt puts vulnerable children at further riskThe Government is risking the wellbeing of vulnerable children across Aotearoa who benefit from services like counselling, intensive family support, parent programmes and early intervention, as they claw back funding. ...4 days ago
- Staff switcheroo to turn on lights at surgical unitThe Government has not committed to doing any additional operations in a newly opened surgical hospital on the North Shore of Auckland. ...4 days ago
- Tell National to stop its destructive and undemocratic Fast Track Approvals BillThousands of people have taken to the streets and voiced their concerns about National’s destructive and undemocratic Fast Track Approvals Bill. Add your voice and tell National why this legislation needs to be stopped in its tracks. ...7 days ago
- Matariki: A chance to reflect and celebrateCelebrating Matariki as a public holiday over the past two years has made sure everyone gets to spend some extra time with friends and family, as well as the chance to learn more about what makes this time of year meaningful. ...1 week ago
- Govt takes transport system further down dead end roadThe Government’s Land Transport GPS is another example of short-term thinking that will hurt our climate and communities. ...1 week ago
- Release: Labour remembers Lady Glen RowlingLady Glen Rowling, wife of the late Prime Minister Bill Rowling, will be remembered as loyal, kind, clever and supportive. ...1 week ago
- Release: Govt quietly downgrading hospital buildsThe Government needs to be transparent about the cuts they are making to hospital infrastructure, so that cities are clear on the health resources they will have into the future. ...1 week ago
- Release: Govt must release the fast track projects listThe National Government is keeping the public in the dark about projects that have applied for approval under the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...1 week ago
- Tell the Govt you value students' wellbeingOur students deserve access to fresh, healthy food to fuel their busy school days and lives. That’s why Labour introduced the Ka Ora, Ka Ako healthy school lunch programme. Teachers, parents, principals and health experts all saw the benefits of it. ...1 week ago
- The new Covid-19 Inquiry we campaigned and fought for will start in November
The new Covid-19 Inquiry we campaigned and fought for will start in November. The current Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Covid-19 response will be divided into two phases. ‘Phase Two’ of the inquiry will start from November 2024 and will be the independent, full scale, and public inquiry we ...1 week ago - Release: Live exports not in New Zealand’s futureLabour will reinstate a ban on live exports of cattle by sea when re-elected. ...1 week ago
- Statement from Willow-Jean Prime“Today’s announcement is simply a repeat of the Government rejecting decades of evidence and expert advice, as they forcibly try to turn marketing slogans into policy,” said children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...1 week ago
- Statement from Labour Leader Chris Hipkins“I am relieved Pharmac will be funded more to buy medicines for Kiwis. It is important that decisions on which drugs get funded remain independent from politics,” Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...1 week ago
- A step forward on cancer drug funding but more to doThe Green Party welcomes the announcement of more funding for cancer treatments and medicines, however, calls for more to be done to address the severe health inequities that come with cancer. ...2 weeks ago
- Government prioritises punishing beneficiaries againFrivolous check-ins with beneficiaries are the Government’s latest plan to find excuses to punish those on the Job Seeker allowance and add to the stigma they face. ...2 weeks ago
- Labelling kids serious offenders sets rangatahi up to failThe Government’s archaic ‘tough on crime’ approach is weak on evidence and will do little to nothing to keep our communities safe. ...2 weeks ago
- Aratere grounding highlights urgent need for replacement shipsThe grounding of the Aratere Interislander Ferry is a wake-up call to the Coalition Government; they need to front up with a realistic long term solution to moving people and freight between our islands. ...2 weeks ago
- National is choosing to put our health at riskNew Zealanders need and deserve a strong public health system. Throughout the country, we need to ensure hospitals, clinics and community providers have the resources needed to provide the best level of care. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party pays tribute to former MP Keith LockeThe Green Party pays tribute to former MP and prominent activist Keith Locke who died yesterday, peacefully in hospital. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt choosing cost savings over victims of family violenceVictims of family violence could fall through the gaps in New Zealand, as Police stop responding to some call outs and the Government chooses to prioritise other things. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Government used ghost families in its glossy tax cut brochuresIt’s been revealed the tax cut pamphlet released with the Budget was based on made-up people. ...2 weeks ago
- Failure of climate auction highlights government inactionThe lack of bids at today’s ETS auction is a sad indictment on this Government's staggering indifference to the climate crisis and their lack of a plan. ...2 weeks ago
- Your top concerns about the Budget“I am deeply disappointed in the National Party's budget. Their broken promises and cuts to essential services, including health, education, and support for vulnerable groups, will have long-lasting negative impacts” – Raymor, Auckland ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Birds of a feather perish together under NationalThe kākāpo, kea and kiwi alongside our other iconic and threatened national species are at risk under this Government. ...2 weeks ago
- Budget cuts chances of liveable futureScrutiny of Budget 24 and advice to the Minister of Finance shows the Government is knowingly increasing emissions and shredding climate action. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Pride in schools more important than everToday marks the beginning of Schools Pride Week in New Zealand, an important calendar event largely run by rainbow rangitahi to advocate for safer, more inclusive school environments. ...3 weeks ago
- Statement: Labour wishes Marama Davidson well in recoveryThe Labour Party is sad to hear of Marama Davidson’s breast cancer diagnosis and is wishing her well. ...3 weeks ago
- Statement: Safer workplaces must be the goal of Minister's health and safety reviewThe Labour Party has always advocated for strong effective health and safety measures in New Zealand workplaces. ...3 weeks ago
- Dr Shane Reti's speech to Iwi-Maori Partnership Boards, Rotorua
Dr Shane Reti's speech to Iwi-Maori Partnership Boards, Thursday 4 July 2024 Mānawa maiea te putanga o Matariki Mānawa maiea te ariki o te rangi Mānawa maiea te Mātahi o te tau Celebrate the rising of Matariki Celebrate the rising of the lord of the skies Celebrate the rising ...47 mins ago - Announcement of Mental Health Targets and Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fu...Kia Ora Koutou, Tena Koutou, Good Morning. Thank you Mahaki Albert for the warm welcome. Thank you, Prime Minister, and thank you everyone for coming today. When I look around the room this morning, I see many of our hard-working mental health and addictions workforce from NGO and Community groups, ...16 hours ago
- Resources Minister heads to Australia with message – ‘NZ is open for business’A trip to Australia next week to meet mining sector operators and investors will signal New Zealand is once again open for business, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The visit is also an opportunity to build relationships with Australian state and federal counterparts and learn from their experiences as New ...19 hours ago
- Prime Minister’s scholarships awardedNew Zealand’s ability to engage with key trading partners is set to grow further with 20 scholarships awarded for groups to gain education experiences across Asia and Latin America, Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds says. Of the 20 scholarships, 12 have been awarded to groups travelling for study ...20 hours ago
- Next steps for Northwest Rapid Transit underwayTransport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed progress on Northwest Rapid Transit, as the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) confirms next steps on the preferred option, a busway alongside State Highway 16 from Brigham Creek to Auckland City Centre. “The Government is committed to a rapid transit system that will support urban development, ...21 hours ago
- Targets will drive improvement in mental healthReflecting the Government’s priority to improve the public services Kiwis rely on, including mental health care, Minister for Mental Health, Matt Doocey has today announced five mental health and addiction targets. “The targets reflect my priorities to increase access to mental health and addiction support, grow the mental health and addiction ...22 hours ago
- New fund for mental health services set to openThe first round of the government’s $10 million Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund is set to open for applications later this month, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “The Fund will support new and innovative initiatives that are focussed on increasing access to better mental health support, ...22 hours ago
- Going for Housing Growth speechSpeech to the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand - 4 July 202 AcknowledgementsGood morning. Can I acknowledge Jen Baird and the team from REINZ. It’s good to be here with you this morning.IntroductionThis morning I’d like to talk to you about the Coalition Government’s plan to fix our housing crisis and ...23 hours ago
- Focus on resilience and education in NauruNew Zealand and Nauru are deepening their relationship, including on economic resilience and education, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Nauru have a warm, long-standing relationship, and we are strengthening our engagement through enhanced political, security, and development cooperation,” Mr Peters says. “The good functioning ...24 hours ago
- Going for Housing Growth stage one unveiledThe Government will establish ambitious new housing growth targets for New Zealand’s cities, while taking steps to make it easier to expand both up and out, says Housing and Resource Management Act (RMA) Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Our Going for Housing Growth policy focuses on the fundamentals that have led ...1 day ago
- New tools announced to tackle kina barrensIncreasing the recreational daily catch limit for kina around the northeastern North Island and a new special permit to remove kina will help tackle kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Kina barrens are areas of rocky reef where healthy kelp forests have been consumed by an overpopulation ...1 day ago
- 500th RCG mobile tower delivered at AnawhataThe Government has marked a major milestone for rural connectivity at the official opening of the 500th RCG mobile tower in Anawhata today, Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Rural, rugged and remote, like many of the 500 towers delivered, RCG worked alongside community stakeholders to deliver better connectivity for Anawhata ...2 days ago
- Endeavour Fund updated to grow the economyScience, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today released the updated Endeavour Fund Investment Plan – the Government’s $55 million per annum fund for science and research. “Endeavour is the Government’s largest contestable fund investing in science and research. It is crucial that this investment aligns with this Government’s priority ...2 days ago
- Critical minerals stocktake underwayWork on a critical minerals list and a stocktake of New Zealand’s known mineral potential is underway and will be key to enabling a strategic, considered approach to developing the country’s resources and strengthening mineral resilience, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. Together, the list and the stocktake will identify the ...2 days ago
- Further boost for Wairoa Mayoral Relief FundThe Government is providing a further $500,000 to the Wairoa Mayoral Relief Fund to help the community following flooding last week, Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced during a visit to the district today. “I have been back on the ground in Wairoa today to get a further ...2 days ago
- Prime Minister heads to United States for NATOPrime Minister Christopher Luxon will visit the United States from 9-12 July. Mr Luxon will begin his visit by building New Zealand’s profile with politicians in Washington DC, meeting members of the US Administration and of Congress. “The United States is the world’s largest economy and our second biggest trading partner. It ...2 days ago
- Govt delivers consistency for assessing Kiwi kidsThe Coalition Government is delivering consistency in student assessment, giving parents certainty on how their child’s doing at school, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Currently, the first glimpse at student achievement is when children sit NCEA. It’s far too late to learn in Year 10 or 11 if they have ...2 days ago
- Free cervical screening for at risk women to continueHealth Minister Dr Shane Reti has confirmed that cervical screening will continue to be free for women with higher risk of cervical cancer. “Our Government is committed to achieving better cancer outcomes for New Zealanders, and screening programmes are critical to getting an early diagnosis and timely treatment,” says Dr ...2 days ago
- Kāinga Ora board refreshed, new Letter of Expectations issuedThe board of Kāinga Ora – Homes & Community has been refreshed and Ministers have issued a new Letter of Expectations demanding better financial performance, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says.“Earlier this year we released the report of the independent review into Kāinga Ora led by Sir Bill English, which found ...2 days ago
- New Zealand, Solomon Islands boost partnershipNew Zealand and Solomon Islands are boosting their partnership in areas aimed at enhancing security and prosperity, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says. “Solomon Islands is a very important Pacific partner for New Zealand, and we are pleased to be findings ways to do more together for mutual benefit,” Mr ...3 days ago
- NZ wood and wool to benefit through new trade dealNew Zealand today concluded a groundbreaking trade deal with Costa Rica, Iceland, and Switzerland, to remove tariffs on hundreds of products that benefit sustainability and the environment, Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. “The Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS) opens up commercial opportunities for New Zealand businesses ...3 days ago
- Handover of airfield in SolomonsNew Zealand and Australia have highlighted their strong commitment to Solomon Islands aviation and economic development through the handover of the upgraded Seghe Airfield today. “The upgrade of the Seghe Airfield runway in Western Province will enable flights to operate under all weather conditions, making operations safer and more ...3 days ago
- Government to tackle driver licence wait timesThe Government is rolling out changes to the driver licencing system to tackle the unacceptable wait times facing New Zealanders trying to sit their driver licence tests across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Since the previous government’s decision last year to remove re-sit fees for theory and practical ...3 days ago
- World Choir Games to boost Auckland economyAround 11,000 singers from 40 countries will be taking to the stage in Auckland next week for the 13th World Choir Games, generating important economic and cultural benefits for the supercity, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “It’s the biggest choral competition and festival in the world, so I’m absolutely ...3 days ago
- Kermadec Arc mineral reservation extendedA reservation over the Kermadec Arc preventing the granting or extending of minerals prospecting, exploration, and mining permits will be extended for 18 months from 5 July, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones’ declaration, enabled under the Crown Minerals Act 1991, will extend consecutive existing reservations, the latest of ...3 days ago
- Government taking action to support media sectorThe Government is taking immediate action to support New Zealand’s media and content production sectors, while it develops a long-term reform programme, Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Firstly, the Government will progress the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill with amendments, to support our local media companies to earn ...3 days ago
- Congratulations to Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Puku o te Ika a MāuiTākina Puanga, mānawatia a Matariki, mānawatia te huinga whetū! Congratulations to Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Puku o te Ika a Māui on winning this year’s national secondary schools kapa haka competition Te Huinga Whetū, Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka says. “It was great to hear the stage rumbling ...3 days ago
- Keeping Kiwis safe is Govt priority in Q3 planThe coalition Government's latest Action Plan will have a strong focus on making Kiwis safer and restoring law and order, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced. “The Government I lead is one of action and we are already making meaningful changes that will keep Kiwis safe in their homes, workplaces ...4 days ago
- Government Q2 Action Plan delivers for KiwisA successful second quarter Action Plan shows the coalition Government has continued to build on the momentum of its first 100 days, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “Our Government Action Plan was laser-focused on rebuilding the economy and reducing the cost of living, restoring law and order, and delivering better ...4 days ago
- Protecting homeowners’ rights in natural disastersAssociate Finance Minister David Seymour is glad to see the Natural Hazards Insurance Act come into force today, further protecting homeowners’ rights after a natural hazard event and seeing the Earthquake Commission (EQC) become the Natural Hazards Commission. “The Government is committed to ensuring Kiwis continue to get reliable insurance ...4 days ago
- Budgeting pressure relief for rentersRestoring the brightline test to two years will help increase the supply of residential property putting downward pressure on rent, Revenue Minister Simon Watts says. “From 1 July, the brightline test will replace the five and ten-year periods with a more balanced two-year period. “Every day, New Zealanders are struggling ...4 days ago
- Regional Infrastructure Fund opens to applicationsCouncils, iwi, businesses and community organisations with infrastructure projects that support regional priorities are invited to apply for funding from the Regional Infrastructure Fund, which opened today. “The Coalition Government is focused on growing the economy. We are doing everything we can to enable an export-led recovery, regional prosperity and ...4 days ago
- New hospital building, new health policy, new health targets to benefit New ZealandersKia ora koutou katoa – it’s a pleasure to join you here at Tōtara Haumaru on Auckland’s North Shore I would like to begin by acknowledging the many hands, over many years, that have been involved in the creation of this wonderful new facility Tōtara Haumaru, particularly those who are ...5 days ago
- Defence partnership with Tonga celebratedDefence Minister Judith Collins will visit the Kingdom of Tonga to take part in the opening of a New Zealand-funded His Majesty’s Armed Forces Leadership Centre and to meet with counterparts. “New Zealand has a long, shared military history with Tonga and the development of this leadership centre is an ...5 days ago
- Wairarapa lakes return to iwi ownershipToday the Crown joined Rangitāne and Ngāti Kahungunu at Papawai Marae to mark the return of Wairarapa Moana to iwi, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith and Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka says. “The legal transfer of the ownership of Wairarapa Moana is the final chapter in a fraught dispute between ...6 days ago
- Government passes Clean Car Importer Standard BillChanges to the Land Transport (Clean Vehicle Standard) Act will enable changes to the emissions targets more easily with a review of the Clean Vehicle Standard currently underway, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Large changes in technology, fuel efficiency, and consumer trends and preferences means that the Clean Car Importer Standard ...1 week ago
- Fire and Emergency New Zealand board reappointmentsInternal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden has today announced that four members have been reappointed to the Fire and Emergency New Zealand [FENZ] board. “I am pleased to announce that Rebecca Keoghan has been reappointed as chair for a two-year term of office,” says Ms van Velden. Rebecca was appointed ...1 week ago
- Therapeutic Products Act repeal bill gets 1st readingThe Government has taken further steps to providing better regulation for medicines, medical devices, and natural health products with the first reading of a bill to repeal the Therapeutic Products Act 2023. Repealing the Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) shows the Government is listening to the concerns of industry and consumers, says Associate ...1 week ago
- $343.5 million allocated by Te Puna Tahua Lottery Grants BoardMinister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says $343.5 million in lottery profits have been allocated to New Zealand communities across the country – an increase of around $29.8 million from previous years. “The distribution of lottery profits can have a significant and enduring impact on the lives of New ...1 week ago
- Emergency support for East Coast floodingCivil Defence payments are now available for people affected by the severe weather in Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti to help cover some emergency costs, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston has announced. “We want to make sure those communities that are doing it tough because of the latest severe ...1 week ago
- Doomed To Fail – ‘Tough On Crime’ Govt Cuts Teams Speeding Up Justice System
New Zealand has a huge problem with court delays, given 43% of prisoners are unsentenced and awaiting court processes. This is a complete anomaly internationally and the team established to respond to this is now being cut. ...40 mins ago - How I got a reputation for telling my audience to shut it
If a song demands it, I just ask for quiet in the same way I would ask a friend for a hug. I risk looking like a twat every time, but I’ll take that on the chin if it means enhancing the collective experience, writes musician Vera Ellen. This story ...53 mins ago - A new bill is proposing a human right to housing. How would this work?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Martin, Senior Research Fellow, City Futures Research Centre, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock There’s a new bill before federal parliament calling for housing to be considered a fundamental human right. The bill, introduced last week by independent federal parliamentarians Kylea Tink ...1 hour ago - Why electric beats hydrogen in the race to decarbonise freight vehicles in AustraliaSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hussein Dia, Professor of Future Urban Mobility, Swinburne University of Technology Trygve Finkelsen/Shutterstock Transport is Australia’s third-largest and fastest-growing source of emissions, accounting for 23% of the total. Without intervention, transport is expected to be the leading source of emissions by ...1 hour ago
- Ambulance ramping is getting worse in Australia. Here’s why – and what we can do about itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Karnon, Professor of Health Economics, Flinders University Nils Versemann/Shutterstock We’ve seen countless media reports in recent days, weeks and months about the ramping of ambulances at hospital emergency departments (EDs) around Australia. Ambulance ramping occurs when paramedics are made ...2 hours ago
- Sick of toxic TV? Here are 7 reality shows that don’t rely on the ‘villain edit’Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Trelease, Senior Lecturer in Communication Studies, Auckland University of Technology Still from Terrace House: Opening New Doors. Netflix Often when we think about reality TV, we think about mess, conflict and scandal – three things usually grouped under the umbrella ...2 hours ago
- Still fab after 60 years: how The Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night made pop cinema historySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Blair, Teaching Fellow in Music, University of Otago Getty Images I first saw A Hard Day’s Night at a film festival over 20 years ago, at the insistence of my mum. By then, it was already decades old, but I ...2 hours ago
- Thousands Sign Public Letter In 24 Hours, Calling On Government To Restore Academic Freedom“It’s clear to Kiwis that academic freedom in New Zealand is under threat. In recent years, both in New Zealand and abroad, we’ve seen the consistent pattern of universities stifling opinions, and individuals feeling unable to speak freely. ...2 hours ago
- Housing reforms mean a free market and 'extremly ugly buildings', developer says
There's no chance Kiwis will be offered the lovely tiny apartments seen in the likes of Paris and Rome, a developer says. ...2 hours ago - Is $2b accommodation supplement just lining landlord pockets?Chris Bishop says the evidence is mixed on whether the under-review supplement pushes up rents. ...2 hours ago
- The day Newshub ends, and Stuff’s major gamble beginsThe plucky underdog goes offline, paving the way for a brand new – and experimental – TV news service, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. The curtain falls on Newshub Nothing in the media scene this year ...3 hours ago
- Psychiatrist doing job of three resigns after being denied panic buttonThe WHO recommends one psychiatrist for every 14,000 people. Marie Bismark had sole responsibility for a region of 60,000. ...3 hours ago
- Government asked to scrap free carbon credits for major polluters by 6000-strong petitionThe Don't Subsidize Pollution campaign has taken a 6000 strong petition to Parliament asking the government to scrap free carbon credits for major polluters. ...4 hours ago
- Eight months on from its election defeat, Labour is still 'listening'MPs have been in our largest city to understand why the City of Sails turned its back on the party at last year's election. ...4 hours ago
- The problem with Chris Bishop’s plan to flood the housing marketThe thing about floods is the water doesn’t tend to go to the right places. Housing minister Chris Bishop says he wants to flood the housing market. On Thursday, he unveiled a list of policies to deregulate the market and make it easier to build homes. His description of ...5 hours ago
- Sam Hayes and Mike McRoberts look back in awe and sorrowDays before the lights go out one last time, 6pm anchors Sam Hayes and Mike McRoberts came up to The Spinoff for a candid, powerful conversation about the life and legacy of 3 News. Tonight Samantha Hayes and Mike McRoberts present their one last 6pm bulletin, the final act of ...5 hours ago
- Presidential candidates need a year’s preparation to lead the free world
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- Raw Politics: The Government’s big purgeKāinga Ora has been purged, KiwiRail has lost three directors, senior public servants are retiring or being encouraged to pursue alternative careers. Where does it stop? This week on Raw Politics the panel tries to anticipate other targets in the public service and state-owned businesses which might fall ...5 hours ago
- Back to black – the return of coal powerComment: Decreased gas availability has prompted Genesis to import further coal, and that will continue barring a left-field solution The post Back to black – the return of coal power appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- This week’s bestselling books – July 5NONFICTION 1 Waitohu by Hinemoa Elder (Penguin Random House, $35) A free copy of Hinemoa Elder’s latest blockbuster self-helper is up for grabs in this week’s giveaway. The blurbology tells us, “From the best-selling author of Aroha and Wawata comes a new and inspiring journal to help you make deeper connections using the energies ...5 hours ago
- Call for Kiwi appointee as next Treasury SecretaryThe Public Service Commissioner has thanked the Treasury Secretary and the Education Secretary for their service, as both confirm they’ll step down this year The post Call for Kiwi appointee as next Treasury Secretary appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- The tumultuous tale of the man who leakedThe saga of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has come to an end – for now, at least. Last week, the WikiLeaks founder appeared in a US court in the Mariana Islands, pleaded guilty to one charge under the Espionage Act, then flew back to Canberra thanks to time already served ...5 hours ago
- Suppliers and shoppers can’t both win, unless supermarkets ‘take a haircut’Addressing the duopoly’s treatment of suppliers could lead to higher prices in the short term, but better consumer outcomes in the long run The post Suppliers and shoppers can’t both win, unless supermarkets ‘take a haircut’ appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- Govt’s housing ‘evolution’ leaves questions unansweredPlans to have housing go up and out are welcomed, but questions about growth forecasts and infrastructure remain The post Govt’s housing ‘evolution’ leaves questions unanswered appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- Action plan: 40 shades of grey but no greenThe latest government targets cover the cost of living, crime and public services, but have nothing for the environment The post Action plan: 40 shades of grey but no green appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- Presidential candidates need a year’s head startOpinion: The NZer credited with salvaging the battered Trump-Biden transition proposes a new corporate-style approach to changing leaders The post Presidential candidates need a year’s head start appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- Govt’s housing ‘evolution’ balances intensification and urban sprawlPlans to have housing go up and out are welcomed, but questions about growth forecasts and infrastructure remain The post Govt’s housing ‘evolution’ balances intensification and urban sprawl appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- Grattan on Friday: Labor’s Fatima Payman defects to crossbench as government worries about Muslim ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Senator Fatima Payman, who announced on Thursday she was quitting her party, has now officially joined that well-known club of “Labor rats” – those who have been thrown overboard or jumped ship. Notable past ...11 hours ago
- Chinese electric vehicles are transforming Australia’s car market. Are we getting a good deal?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sanjoy Paul, Associate Professor, UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney China’s electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers are having a moment. For a long time, the race to electrify motoring has been almost synonymous with American carmaker Tesla, a clear early leader. ...14 hours ago
- Housing Minister's plan to 'flood' the country with new homes cautiously welcomedAmong the criticism comes a warning that the plan is at odds with the government's transport policy. ...14 hours ago
- Breast cancer screening in Australia may change. Here’s what we know so farSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brooke Nickel, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, University of Sydney wedmoments.stock/Shutterstock The way women are screened for breast cancer in Australia may change. There’s international debate on the age women should be invited for screening. But an even larger change being ...16 hours ago
- New Aussie play Hits reclaims the rush of first concerts and band culture for young womenSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Campbell, Lecturer, Performing Arts, UniSA Creative, University of South Australia Morgan Sette It is always wonderful to see a new Australian play, and to see one by a female playwright with a majority female cast and creative team is a ...16 hours ago
- AI could revolutionise environmental planning – if we don’t get trapped in the ‘iron cage of r...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Henry, Associate Professor in Planning, Massey University Getty Images Increasingly low-cost environmental sensors coupled with AI-powered analytical tools dangle the promise of faster and more insightful environmental planning. The need for better decision making about the way we use ecosystems ...18 hours ago
- Our blood-brain barrier stops bugs and toxins getting to our brain. Here’s how it worksSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sebastian Furness, ARC Future Fellow, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland The Conversation, Rattiya Thongdumhyu/Shutterstock, Petr Ganaj/Pexels Our brain is an extremely complex and delicate organ. Our body fiercely protects it by holding onto things that help it and ...18 hours ago
- Here’s how ‘microgrids’ are empowering regional and remote communities across AustraliaSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Wright, Senior Research Fellow, Energy & Circularity, Gulbali Institute, Charles Sturt University Small collections of electricity generators, or “microgrids”, have long been used in disaster recovery, when network supply falters during bushfires or cyclones. But now the technology is being ...19 hours ago
- Why YIMBYs, NIMBYs, BIMBYs and YIGBYs all matter for democracy and our future citiesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Stokes, Industry Professor, Environment and Sustainability, Macquarie University Rob Stokes The right of everyone to have a say on development is at the heart of modern urban planning. But as homes become ever more expensive, questions are being asked about ...19 hours ago
- Death of a newsroom: If only Newshub’s closure was mismanagementThe former chief news officer at Newshub reflects on, and explains, the end of a news era. A version of this article was first published on Hal Crawford’s Substack, Crawford Media. Subscribe here. This Friday will be the last day of broadcasting and publishing for my old newsroom, Newshub. It’s ...20 hours ago
- Government wants to 'flood the market' to make houses more affordable – how will tha...Here's what the Housing Minister is planning - and how it might work. ...20 hours ago
- New targets set to mental health sector as $10m fund opensApplications for money from the government's new mental health fund will open this month, the Mental Health Minister says. ...21 hours ago
- Could dropping reo Māori names from government agencies actually be giving mana to te reo Māori?The controversial policy has many supporters, for vastly different reasons. Liam Rātana explains. During the 2023 election campaign, there was a Māori MPs debate at Terenga Paraoa Marae in Whangārei, hosted by the Public Service Association. Present are the electorate’s incumbent Kelvin Davis, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi from Te Paati Māori, Green ...22 hours ago
- Watch: Housing minister reveals housing, planning changes to 'flood' country with new home...The Housing Minister says the changes will "ensure abundant development opportunities in our key urban areas" by making it easier to build new houses. ...22 hours ago
- Tax revenue surges in 11 months to MayTax revenue was $1.6b above expectations, which Treasury said had likely continued through to the end of the financial year in June. ...22 hours ago
- Watch live: Christopher Luxon, Matt Doocey announce start of $10m mental health fundApplications for money from the government's new mental health fund will open this month, the Mental Health Minister says. ...22 hours ago
- 'They need support, they don't need to be yelled at' – LSV tutor on boot campsThe former LSV tutor says a lack of down time made things difficult for Defence Force staff running the programme. ...22 hours ago
- Interim Financial Statements Of The Government Of New Zealand For The Eleven Months Ended 31 May 20...The May results are reported against forecasts based on the Budget Economic and Fiscal Update 2024 (BEFU 2024), published on 30 May 2024, and the results for the same period for the previous year. ...22 hours ago
- Watch live: Housing minister reveals housing, planning changes to 'flood' country with new...Chris Bishop says the changes will "ensure abundant development opportunities in our key urban areas" by making it easier to build new houses. ...23 hours ago
- Dr Areta Wikinson on building art within the communityDr Areta Wilkinson’s arts practice investigates contemporary jewellery as a form of knowledge informed by Māori philosophies, especially whakapapa and a Ngāi Tahu worldview. Her work is represented by Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki and Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand, Wellington. She is an Arts Foundation Laureate, ...23 hours ago
- ‘I hope you fucking die’: The reality of being a bus driver in 2024New safety measures are on the way for some of New Zealand’s bus drivers. Staff writer Lyric Waiwiri-Smith speaks to one driver about the recent rise in aggression from commuters. It’s difficult to think of a vehicle – or shall we say, chariot – more symbolic of the working class ...23 hours ago
- Nuclear power has an advantage not reflected in its average price. It’s price stability, and for s...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Magnus Söderberg, Professor & Director, Centre for Applied Energy Economics and Policy Research, Griffith University DebraO’Connor/Shutterstock Much of the debate about nuclear power in the month since the Coalition announced its plan to install reactors in seven states has been about ...24 hours ago
- Housing minister reveals housing, planning changes to 'flood' country with new homesChris Bishop says the changes will "ensure abundant development opportunities in our key urban areas" by making it easier to build new houses. ...24 hours ago
- Loosening build rules comes with big risks – Chris HipkinsDeregulating the industry risks a repeat of the leaky homes debacle, Chris Hipkins says. ...24 hours ago
- “I Know How Devastating This Will Be” – Opposition Over Repeal Of Treaty Obligations From ...Children’s Minister Karen Chhour introduced her bill to repeal the section in May, which requires the ministry to consider whakapapa and the Treaty of Waitangi when making decisions about children and young people in state care. ...24 hours ago
- Cuts To Southern Budgeting Services Will Leave A Major Hole In Communities"It’s tempting to think that the Government has cut funding for the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, but the truth is that budgeting services can stop people falling over the edge in the first place," said Mr Watson. ...1 day ago
- Help Me Hera: My neighbours keep pissing on the fenceI need a perfect line to cut to the bone and deter them once and for all. Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nz Dear Hera Every Sunday afternoon my neighbour and his friends and flatmates all gather to watch the rugby league. I’m not a sports fan, but I actually kind ...1 day ago
- Standardised testing 'problematic' for young children – expertAn education professor says labelling children as unsuccessful can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. ...1 day ago
- Australia’s long-awaited national anti-corruption body is a year old. Is it meeting expectations?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Young, Research Fellow, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Deakin University, Deakin University After a great deal of political haggling, pressure and negotiations, Australia’s National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) was established a year ago, with a view to stamping out corruption and ...1 day ago
- Professional misconduct can end a career – who should get a second chance?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marta Rychert, Senior Researcher in Drug Policy and Health Law, Massey University Getty Images We all make mistakes at work. And many factors can contribute to professional lapses, including fatigue, illness and lack of training or professional support. Usually we pick ...1 day ago
- How investing in green buildings, including cheaper home loans, is a win for banks, people and our p...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ehsan Noroozinejad, Senior Researcher, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University rawf8/Shutterstock Australia is facing dual crises: increasing climate change risks and soaring housing costs. Financial institutions have a crucial role to play in funding and promoting solutions to these challenges. ...1 day ago
- What can you do if you think your teen already has unhealthy social media habits?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carmel Taddeo, Senior Lecturer at UniSA Education Futures, University of South Australia Prateek Katyal/Pexels Many parents are worried about how much their children use social media and what content they might encounter while using it. Amid proposals to ban ...1 day ago
- Nuclear power has an advantage not reflected in the average price. It’s price stability, and for s...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Magnus Söderberg, Professor & Director, Centre for Applied Energy Economics and Policy Research, Griffith University DebraO’Connor/Shutterstock Much of the debate about nuclear power in the month since the Coalition announced its plan to install reactors in seven states has been about ...1 day ago
- Found in a cave in Indonesia, we can now show the world’s oldest figurative art is 51,200 years ol...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adhi Oktaviana, PhD Candidate in Archaeology, Griffith University Cave art site of Leang Karampuang in the Maros-Pangkep karst area of South Sulawesi. A rock art panel on the ceiling depicting three human-like figures interacting with a wild pig dates to at least ...1 day ago
- No croutons, no anchovies, no bacon: the 100-year-old Mexican origins of the Caesar saladSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Garritt C. Van Dyk, Lecturer in History, University of Newcastle Natasha Breen/Shutterstock The most seductive culinary myths have murky origins, with a revolutionary discovery created by accident, or out of necessity. For the Caesar salad, these classic ingredients are spiced ...1 day ago
- It’s the end of the UK election campaign. Can we learn anything from it?It’s been a while since Labour winning was a genuine possibility, let alone a likelihood, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. The ...1 day ago
- Government to ‘flood’ cities with more housing by liberalising planning rulesHousing Minister Chris Bishop is set to announce plans to increase land for development. ...1 day ago
- Pure As: Michaela Sokolich-BeatsonMidway through last year, Michaela Sokolich-Beatson could barely walk; running made her cry. She’d just missed out on the Silver Ferns to play at the Netball World Cup in South Africa – after a remarkable comeback to the court from back-to-back Achilles ruptures – but there was something else going ...1 day ago
- New boot camp pilot programme still in design phase, set to start end of JulyOranga Tamariki is still discussing who will take on a critical role as the trial looks set to begin. ...1 day ago
- Three top civil servants ‘won’t have contracts renewed’ – sourcesCivil service mandarins Iona Holsted, Caralee McLiesh and Lil Anderson aren’t expected to have their contracts renewed, sources say. All three had been appointed on fixed term contracts that come up for renewal in coming months; none is expected to get another term. There had been plans for the acting ...1 day ago
- Life in Aotearoa is increasingly precarious –and young people shoulder the burdenFrom restoring no-cause evictions and 90-day trials to failing to take climate change seriously, the government seems determined to exacerbate insecurity at every turn, argues Max Rashbrooke. Between their eighth and 12th birthdays, nearly half of all New Zealand children move house. A fifth of these displacements are involuntary, as ...1 day ago
- How Richard Prebble tried to save the Lange government with Human SynergisticsThe management consultants had helped with the caucus – could they heal the Lange-Douglas rift? Quantum Leap, the fourth episode of Juggernaut: The Story of the Fourth Labour Government, is now available wherever you get your podcasts. In July 1982, Bill Rowling, Richard Prebble, Roger Douglas, David Lange and the ...1 day ago
- From success to successionOpinion: History shows how badly political parties – especially when they are in government – prepare for leadership change The post From success to succession appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 day ago
- Could a Māori Parliament arise again?Opinion: Te Pāti Māori has issued a declaration – Te Ngākau o Te Iwi Māori – to establish an autonomous Parliament for Māori. This call follows the Government’s breathtaking hostility to Māori. “We now begin the process of establishing our own Parliament,” says co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer (Ngāti Ruanui). Anchored in tikanga, ...1 day ago
- The recloaking of Banks PeninsulaIt is an old landscape, a place of shadows and folded headlands on the southern coast of Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū (Banks Peninsula). Here, some time in the mid-1850s, Ngāti Irakehu kaumātua Heremaia Mautai, of the people of Wairewa (Little River), cut the belt of one of the first sawmills ...1 day ago
- Boot camps are back, needed or notWarning: this story mentions suicide This month, the Government will deliver on a campaign promise by launching a pilot ‘young offender military academy’ – a bootcamp – despite a raft of evidence that “scare them straight” programmes are unsuccessful. Minister for Children Karen Chhour says that this scheme will include ...1 day ago
- New NZ salmon farm might be ‘most regulated in the world’The dragnet of NZ’s consenting framework left one commercial farm with the unfortunate title, and even small-scale projects can’t wriggle free The post New NZ salmon farm might be ‘most regulated in the world’ appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 day ago
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