Posts Tagged ‘Covid19’
When Bridges’ social media goes wrong
Written By: - Date published: 8:09 am, April 21st, 2020 - 77 comments
Simon Bridges’s Facebook post criticising the extension of lockdown level 4 has been met with overwhelming opposition, including from people who are clearly National Party supporters.
Guest post – is it safe to lower the lockdown level?
Written By: - Date published: 10:41 am, April 20th, 2020 - 58 comments
Guest post by Karl Sinclair on what needs to be addressed before the country can be safely lifted out of lockdown.
Covid-19 decision day
Written By: - Date published: 8:42 am, April 20th, 2020 - 172 comments
Decision day for the Covid-19 lockdown and my personal view is that although the country has done well it is not quite in a position to ease the lockdown.
The plan for Monday
Written By: - Date published: 9:43 am, April 18th, 2020 - 30 comments
Even if New Zealand gets out of the immediate Covid-19 infection better than most other countries, the result is still a wrecked world and a slow recovery. What we face is something like an Australian firefighter with a hose and a tanker facing an onrushing wall of flame: they successfully dampen down a defined circle […]
Lockdown 4 – do we stay or do we go?
Written By: - Date published: 8:37 am, April 15th, 2020 - 147 comments
Over the next few days there will be an intense public debate about whether the lockdown should be continued or loosened.
What Is This Moment Teaching Us?
Written By: - Date published: 12:15 pm, April 14th, 2020 - 53 comments
What is Covid-19 telling us about our response as a nation?
New Zealand’s poor in this new crisis
Written By: - Date published: 9:16 am, April 11th, 2020 - 126 comments
Covid 19 is not some great leveller. To succeed the state has to completely redirect the economy to so that ordinary workers and working families are supported.
Beyond mere rescue
Written By: - Date published: 8:49 am, April 6th, 2020 - 78 comments
It’s time to plan the re-launch the very idea of New Zealand.
What not to do in a pandemic
Written By: - Date published: 8:51 am, April 5th, 2020 - 100 comments
The Trump regime has this week plunged new depths in the handling of the Covid-19 Pandemic in the United States
It’s the end of main stream media as we know it …
Written By: - Date published: 8:57 am, April 3rd, 2020 - 63 comments
The Covid-19 lock down has and will tip media companies already struggling to survive into closure.
The kind of imagination we’re going to need
Written By: - Date published: 9:43 am, April 2nd, 2020 - 29 comments
More was achieved by and for Americas throughout the Franklin D. Roosevelt era than ever before or since in American history. This may provide us with a model for how we get things back on track.
Not a good day for an April Fool’s joke
Written By: - Date published: 9:38 am, April 1st, 2020 - 24 comments
David Farrar has shown that many of his commenters and followers do not understand satire.
What about Climate Change then?
Written By: - Date published: 9:49 am, March 31st, 2020 - 26 comments
Shouldn’t this global shock from this COVID-19 virus make us all wake up to the power of collective global action on climate change?
CTU launches online tool for reporting bad employers
Written By: - Date published: 9:24 am, March 30th, 2020 - 27 comments
The Council of Trade Unions has launched an online tool allowing employees to log complaints against ill treatment by employers during the Covid-19 lockdown.
$1000 per person (recurring) NOW!
Written By: - Date published: 9:57 am, March 20th, 2020 - 71 comments
There’s a world where, apparently, people shake hands with other people all day. I don’t know that world. I couldn’t tell you the last time I shook some-one’s hand. And I suspect those who inhabit a world of hand-shakers have as little insight to my world as I do theirs. But in “one world”…
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- Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live at 5pm
1 week ago - An Unending Nightmare.
Hate Will Find A Way: Historians divide into those who see Zionism as the only sane answer to the Jews’ historic vulnerability; and those who regard the Zionist “entity” as a purely colonial construct, founded in racism and shrouded in mythology. The moralists of both camps, meanwhile, demonstrate a capacity for ...1 week ago - A Fast-Track Backwards.
Dubious Destination: What New Zealanders face in the National-Act-NZ First Coalition Government is an attempt to return the country to the policy settings of half-a-century ago. What Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop’s fast-track legislation is designed to rehabilitate and revivify is the “national development” mindset of the 1970s and 80s.IT IS RARE ...1 week ago
- Waiting By The River.
Looking Sideways: To the Peoples Republic of China, and its friends around the world, the United States must remind them of the flailing and failing Chinese Empire of 1900.WATCHING THE SCREEN in Oamaru’s Majestic picture theatre, I struggled to make sense of Fifty-Five Days At Peking. Yes, it was exciting, ...1 week ago
- National’s fast-track fucks our future
A few years ago, we looked to be on-track to a decarbonised future, with an international consortium led by BlueFloat Energy announcing plans for huge offshore windfarms off Taranaki and Waikato. But National's corrupt fast-track law just fucked all that: Spanish offshore wind developer BlueFloat Energy is cancelling plans ...1 week ago - NZCTU alarmed at further cuts to WorkSafe
WorkSafe’s announcement that it is planning even further restructuring and cuts just months after losing 15% of its staff has alarmed the NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi. “Our health and safety regulator is a critical component of our health and safety system, and we know it already has an undercooked capacity ...1 week ago - Member’s morning
Today the House is in an extended sitting, devoted to Member's Business as a catch-up for time stolen by the government in urgency. First up was the second reading of the Restoring Citizenship Removed By Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982 Bill, soon to be known as the Citizenship (Western Samoa) ...1 week ago
- Thursday 24 October 2024
The CTU’s Fight Back Together hui received widespread coverage across national and local media, with consistent framing about the Government’s attacks on workers’ rights. In other union news, St John ambulance staff have accepted a pay offer following a Government back down on increased funding for the service. In other ...1 week ago
- Maranga Ake – Fight Back Together
My newsletter took a bit longer than I thought yesterday. I sent it at 11 am, and the protest was starting in the city at midday. Bollocks, I can still make it, I thought. I kissed the dog goodbye, gave Mrs Rockel a pat on the head and headed out ...1 week ago - Health NZ eyed charging for ED visits
1 week ago - What if Instagram girlies planned Auckland?
Go to Instagram. Search posts tagged with Auckland. You’ll be flooded with: photos of the Skytower photos taken from the top of Mt Eden photos of the Skytower taken from the top of Mt Eden. So it shouldn’t be surprising that the residents of Tāmaki Makaurau deeply value ...1 week ago - 10,000 across the country push back against government actions(PHOTOS)
1 week ago - South Island population boom suggests it’s time for a larger Parliament
The South Island’s population is booming and is growing faster than the North and that suggests it may be time to increase the size of Parliament.. Yesterday’s announcement by Statistics NZ about the number and size of electorate seats for the next election confirms that. The announcement calculates seat size ...1 week ago - Gordon Campbell on dissing Wellington, and Porridge Radio
National has never forgiven Wellington – or its public servants – for voting for Labour and the Greens. (Red-blooded Kiwis work in the private sector.) No surprise then to find a right wing central government being willing to kick the Capital when it’s down. (See “Wellington is dying and we ...1 week ago - Why widening highways doesn’t reduce traffic congestion
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah Wesseler California prides itself on its climate leadership. And the state’s work on transportation – its largest source of emissions – is no exception; its electric vehicle policies have been adopted by other states across the country. Sacramento lawmakers have also taken ambitious ...1 week ago - Mild! she replies
Do you find it frustrating — exasperating even — when in conversation someone asks you to repeat yourself, and then says: sorry can you say that again?And then: really sorry, again? And then: once more?Do you find it frustrating — exasperating even — when it keeps happening all the way ...1 week ago - Workers demonstrate strength of union power
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi is celebrating a strong turnout of workers across the country who stood together in opposition to the Government’s anti-worker agenda, with more than 10,000 working people attending hui from Whangārei to Invercargill. “Today workers from a wide range of sectors and industries came together and demonstrated ...1 week ago
- Your Key Political Summary – PLUS: Luxon Defends Andrew Bayly in Parliament
1/ Proposed gun firearms law change will endanger publicA director of the Firearms Safety Authority says separating the Firearms Safety Authority from police - as the government is proposing - will be "horrible" and raise the risk to the public Note: ACT Party Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee is a ...1 week ago - The cooker government
We know that the current National government is basically a government of and for antivaxxers and cookers, the people who rioted at Parliament and burned the grounds. But so far they've generally avoided explicitly identifying themselves as such. Until today, when Workplace Relations Minister dropped (or rather refused to wear) ...1 week ago
- Guilty
Take back those tears and turn your head around′Cause there's every reason to smile from ear to ear - YeahAll those tricks and devices you used to turn onThey make you guilty - Guilty through neglectLyrics: Dave Dobbyn.A few things happened yesterday. Darleen Tana finally became an ex-MP, and Andrew ...2 weeks ago - Notice: Protest Locations Today
2 weeks ago - Woman of the Hour
2023, directed by Anna Kendrick Woman of the Hour is… such a weird movie. It’s based on the real life story of serial killer Rodney Alcala, but it’s not a documentary – it’s described as a crime thriller. It’s been criticised by one of his surviving victims as taking liberties ...2 weeks ago - Climate Risk
This is a re-post from And Then There's Physics I realise that I haven’t written anything for a while and am unlikely to become particularly prolific again anytime soon. However, there’s something I’ve been thinking about and thought that I would write a post. It relates to something Alex Trembath has ...2 weeks ago
- Is the Isthmus becoming a retirement village?
We’re continuing to look at the recently released census data. A few weeks ago I looked at how travel to work and education had changed and John looked at how our cities have grown over the last 130 years. Today I wanted to look some of that growth in a ...2 weeks ago
- Fake Seizure Guy
Hi,When you make a documentary about Competitive Endurance Tickling, people tend to contact you about their strange encounters — which is how, eight months ago, I came upon Fake Seizure Guy.“So we’re standing there and I just notice this very thin, sort of gaunt looking younger gentleman who was clearly ...2 weeks ago - Government stops water cleanup plans
Hostilities have resumed in one of politics’ longest-running battles. The question of how clean fresh waterways should be has occupied hours of political time as farmers and environmentalists have battled over the issue since back in the Key Government. Yesterday, the debate resumed in Parliament after the Government proposed a ...2 weeks ago
- Brighter days
Something exciting happened to me yesterday. Life-changing even. A few of you already know what it is, but I don't want to say too much too soon. I want to be sure it's as good as it appears to be on first impression. Perhaps tomorrow, then, perhaps later in the week. ...2 weeks ago - Stomping on democracy
That's the only way to describe National's actions in appointing a crown observer to the Wellington City Council. Wellington didn't vote for National. They elected a council which supports public transport, housing intensification, and making Wellington a nicer place for people to live (rather than landlords and house hoarders to ...2 weeks ago
- A violation of law, justice, and decency
This morning, in a desperate effort to distract attention from the suppurating sore of contempt that is Andrew Bayly, National announced that it would be bringing back its "three strikes" regime. The policy never worked and had no significant quantifiable benefits; but National doesn't care, despite a commitment in both ...2 weeks ago
- What’s driving the exodus of workers to Australia
2 weeks ago - Safer, Smarter, Sooner: about these concrete tim tams…
This is a cross-post from Bike Auckland, shared here with kind permission. It assesses progress on Auckland Transport’s November 2021 promise to install 70 km of quick, robust protection across 60 painted bike routes around Tāmaki Makaurau over a three-year time span. According to that original plan, right now ...2 weeks ago
- Money’s Just Cash
Money makes open case, closeMoney bend law, make war, make ghostsMoney gives a poor man hopeMoney saves lives, takes lives, money bothMoney is, money isn't, money's just thatMoney's just a concept people attractTax up the poor man, feed up the fatMoney's just, money's just, money's just cashSong: Ren GillIt’s money, ...2 weeks ago - Luxon boasts a unique insight
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon confirmed yesterday that he is looking for big cuts in next year’s Budget. In part, that quest is driven by the Health NZ Budget blow-out plus what he claims is his own unique insight coming from outside the political process. To accommodate the cuts Finance Minister ...2 weeks ago
- Welcome to the world of personal air conditioning
This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler. This is part two of his series on air conditioning. Part one can be found here. Let’s look at Houston’s summertime temperatures: average summertime temperatures at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston Wow, Houston has warmed a lot in the ...2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell on the Three Strikes cycle of failure
We all know the “tough on crime” approach is only a stop gap measure at best, and that a justice model based on incarceration doesn’t work. Our prisons are already overcrowded and under-staffed. More often than not, they function as training centres for young offenders, and as sites for gang ...2 weeks ago
- Luxon Shows The World Andrew Bayly Lied
In today’s press conference, Christopher Luxon re-affirmed his government’s commitment to bringing back the live animal export ban: claiming that National will do it to a “gold standard”.Heard of that term before?Well lobbyists spent $1m to help with the National-ACT-NZF reversal of Labour’s ban and the marketing term “gold standard” ...2 weeks ago - Going West
Yesterday in the quiet of Sunday morning we went out West. Here you will find native rainforest, here you will find Kauri — and dieback, here you will find trails, beautiful trails, here you will find others out walking, here on the dusty road you will find a stream of ...2 weeks ago - The Enemy Within – Maire Leadbeater & Nicky Hager
Like so many others involved in social justice movements, Maire Leadbeater was subjected to state surveillance during a long life of activism. With the help of archival material, released SIS files, and other formerly secret material, she has been able to examine the depth of stateintrusion into the lives of ...2 weeks ago - Monday 21 October 2024
In union news, the Postal Workers Union is worried a scam that has conned New Zealanders out of millions of dollars is circulating for a fourth time, while FIRST are working with Woolworths to redeploy staff following the announced closure of a store in Tauranga. Latest SEEK data shows that ...2 weeks ago
- DTIs set to restrain housing-debt-led economic rebound
Many thanks to subscribers for your patience and support while I’ve been off work. My mum died in Melbourne last Sunday, and her funeral was held there on Friday. I appreciated being able to spend time with my mum before she died, and with my family and Lynn over the ...2 weeks ago - Time for a Transfer of Power in Entrust
What if I told you that if you pay for electricity in Auckland’s Isthmus, South Auckland, East Auckland, or Waiheke Island, you have a say in how a $3.76b company is run? What if I told you that one group has been in control of this resource on your behalf ...2 weeks ago
- 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #42
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, October 13, 2024 thru Sat, October 19, 2024. Story of the week Here's another week of stories describing how our species has become a force of nature by creating ...2 weeks ago
- Electrifying
I went on the radio this week to talk economic gloom. My starting point was this very good piece by Geoff Bertram in The Conversation exploring the question: Does the government know what it is doing? Answer: very possibly not. Their austerity measures, which they’ve touted as getting the car ...2 weeks ago - Empire of the Ants
Windows, releasing 7 November 2024 After those first few super chill games I’ve had bad luck getting Next Fest demos to run on my Steam Deck (no shade – none of them claimed they would and they’re not even finished games yet) but of the couple that have I really ...2 weeks ago
- Why should Andrew Bayly get a pass?
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedCome in with the Big L sign plastered on your voice.Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMake fun of the worker doing his pace.Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedWho am I?Text ...2 weeks ago - Take This Bottle, Loser.
Cuz I've done wrongAnd I'm a little afraidAnd I ain't too strongAnd this ain't easy to say:Take this bottleTake this bottleAnd just walk away - the both of youAnd let me feel the pain - I've done to youSongwriters: Michael Allen Patton / Bill Gould / Michael Andrew BordinIn case ...2 weeks ago - The hospital that still should have been, set on fire.
2 weeks ago - Still giving it a go
2 weeks ago - The Major Conspiracy Theories of This Election Cycle
Hi,It seems like a very, very long time ago now — but Webworm basically started as a newsletter about conspiracy theories (tending to debunk rather than spread, don’t worry). It’s almost alarming how much I wrote about them, a look through the archive the weirdest trip down memory lane.Today, with ...2 weeks ago - Healthcare is Not in Crisis; Financing it Is.
Healthcare sector management needs to break away from its obsession with financial information and focus on funding for access. Health New Zealand recently ‘proactively released’ 454 pages about its financial performance to July 2024. Here is a letter it did not release. Hon Dr Shane Reti, Minister of Health. Dear ...2 weeks ago - What National thinks of us
A "what the fuck" moment for National: Andrew Bayly went round calling a worker a "loser" on an official visit: The worker explained their interaction with Bayly, and said once the pair were introduced, Bayly asked them why they were still at work. “Take a bottle of wine and ...2 weeks ago
- Give New Zealand a go!
1. Who was the first woman to serve as Governor-General of New Zealand?a. Mother of the Nation Judy Bailey b. Vivacious and astute Cath Tizardc. Calm and perceptive Sylvia Cartwright d. Sovereign Citizen Liz “Unloaded” Gunn2. The formation of the National Party in 1936 was a merger of the United and Reform ...2 weeks ago - Government must support workers following Smithfield closure
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is calling on the Government to show leadership following the announced closure of the Smithfield meat works, and the continued loss of regional manufacturing jobs, by putting in place policies to support workers with retraining and income insurance. “The loss of 600 jobs ...2 weeks ago
- Aotearoa’s Big Lie
OPINIONWhen I first wrote about David Seymour’s ties to the Atlas Network this year, I came across a fellow called Trotter who argued that - although Atlas Network wasn’t a conspiracy - as David Farrar, David Seymour, and Chris Bishop all claimed - it really wasn’t worth the left’s time ...2 weeks ago - Fast Track Stupidity
Ten years from now, I will almost certainly be dead. But, if I were to live that long, I would be constantly challenged with the question, “Why did you not warn us about what was surely already apparent – that the globe was heating at an ever-increasing rate, and that ...2 weeks ago - Dr Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
2022, directed by Sam Raimi It’s a bold artistic choice on Marvel’s part to spend the entire two hour runtime of the guy’s own movie telling us how literally every version of him is fucking terrible and this one’s only the hero because Wanda managed to be even worse. I’d ...2 weeks ago
- Train in Vain
You must explain why this must beDid you lie when you spoke to meDid you stand by meNo, not at allWriters: Paul Simonon, Topper Headon, Mick Jones, Joe StrummerGood morning, all. Since it's Friday, I’ll take a quick look at a few of the stories from the week. There’s also ...2 weeks ago - Weekly Roundup 18-October-2024
Happy Friday, and welcome to another round-up of interesting stories about what’s happening in Auckland and other cities. Feel free to add your links in the comments! This post, like all our work, is brought to you by a largely volunteer crew and made possible by generous donations from our ...2 weeks ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #42 2024
Open access notables The influence of partisan news on climate mitigation support: An investigation into the mediating role of perceived risk and efficacy, Choi & Hart, Risk Analysis: Perceptions of efficacy play a central role in motivating people to engage in climate actions. However, there has been little investigation into how different climate efficacy ...2 weeks ago
- The usual suspect
Economic woes for Wellington continued today with news that yet more longstanding enterprises were going out of business. Capital One Hour Photos; Courtenay Place Video Rentals; CDs on Cuba and Kumar’s Smokefree No-Cigarettes Dairy all said they would be closed by the end of the month, and they all had ...2 weeks ago - Unexpected support
When the Education and Workforce Committee reported back on Camilla Belich's Crimes (Theft by Employer) Amendment Bill and recommended that it not be passed, I'd assumed it was doomed. The right-wing coalition government supports employer exploitation of workers, and certainly doesn't see why intentionally and systematically conspiring to not pay ...2 weeks ago
- Your Thursday Politics Roundup
For paid subscribers1. Tory Whanau says “No thanks” to Local Government Minister Simeon Brown (RNZ)Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau says there was no talk of government intervention during her talk this morning with the Local Government Minister.Following the meeting, Whanau said the conversation was polite and friendly and was mainly about ...2 weeks ago - Inspiration and Gratitude
You grew on me like a tumourAnd you spread through me like malignant melanomaAnd now you’re in my heartI should’ve cut you out back at the startSong by Tim MinchinTim Minchin has a song about cheese; one clever dick in the audience yelled it out to him last night. I ...2 weeks ago - Thursday 17 October 2024
Inflation has fallen to its lowest point in the last 3.5 years, but many costs remain high, and unemployment is expected to get worse. An OIA response received by the Green Party has revealed that Brooke van Velden’s contractor proposals are almost word for word from an Uber proposal. TEU ...2 weeks ago
- Wanted: Better housing to help people stay cool on a hotter planet
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Peter Graham and Mili Majumdar Apartments on the outskirts of New Delhi, India. (Photo credit: Adam Cohn / CC BY-NC 2.0) It was 117 degrees Fahrenheit (47°C) in Tunisia in July, yet our colleague Manel Ben Khelifa could not turn on ...2 weeks ago
- Why are economists giving this government the benefit of the doubt?
This National government came to power on the promise of tax cuts it hadn’t costed out and immediately scrapped an essential infrastructure project ten years in the making with no backup plan because global cost inflation pushed the price into mildly uncomfortable territory. It would be only a matter of ...2 weeks ago - Auckland Harbour Bridge is collapsing*
This guest post by Tim Adriaansen, an advocate for accessibility and sustainable transport, is an expanded version of a recent post on LinkedIn. Auckland Harbour Bridge is collapsing.* A new report investigating the health of the bridge shows that without rapid and significant changes to how the asset is managed, ...2 weeks ago
- The battle over Tikanga in the courts, a contemporary challenge
As Parliament girds itself for the introduction next month of David Seymour’s Treaty Principles’ Bill, a Select Committee yesterday grappled with another collision between Te Ao Maori and our British-based legal system. This time, it was ostensibly about whether University law schools should compel students to study Tikanga Maori. But ...2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell on the language of healthcare, and Mink DeVille
So far, the Great Multi-lingual Healthcare Crisis has passed by without any damage to life, or to limbs. To date, no-one appears to have mistaken the Hindi word for “lunch-break” for the Filipino word for “tracheotomy.” But then, the risk of bad clinical outcomes was never really the point, was ...2 weeks ago
- The Why ACC’s $7.2 billion deficit is not what it seems
The revelation of ACC’s $7.2 billion dollar deficit is coming at an amazing time for Luxon, Seymour, and Winnie. To start with, two of the three of them are engaging in a subtle war with the judiciary, in which ACT and New Zealand First have decided to prey on the ...2 weeks ago - Three chill games
Once again it’s Steam’s Next Fest, the regularly occurring event that highlights demos for upcoming games. It’s always a favourite of mine and I try to always participate by playing through several interesting looking titles. Today I tried three that were all extremely relaxed with no real time pressures involved. ...2 weeks ago
- We fixed it for youse
To the garage, to get a WOF. I think the tires might need replacing, you say.Leave it with us, they say.When you return, you notice the tyres are the same.In fact nothing appears to have been done.We fixed your birdshit problem, they tell you.My what, now? you ask.Your birdshit problem. ...2 weeks ago - Vijay Prashad – New Zealand’s Role in US Military Imperialism: NATO, AUKUS & 5 Eyes
Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian and journalist. Prashad is the author of forty books, including Washington Bullets, Red Star Over the Third World, The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World. His latest book The Withdrawal: Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, and the Fragility of U.S. Power (2022) was ...2 weeks ago
- Palestine and Anti-colonialism in the Global South A conversation with Indian Historian and Journali...
Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian and journalist. Prashad is the author of forty books, including Washington Bullets, Red Star Over the Third World, The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World. His latest book The Withdrawal: Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, and the Fragility of U.S. Power (2022) was ...2 weeks ago
- We need more judicial power, not less
The Herald is reporting on yet another reporting from the ATLAS-network-linked "New Zealand" Initiative, this one complaining of a creep towards judicial supremacy, and calling for the powers of judges to interpret the law to be reined in. It seems that the billionaires who fund ATLAS and its local collaborators ...2 weeks ago
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- $100m NZ-Brazil trade boost through 13 key partnerships
Minister for Trade Todd McClay, today announced the signing of 13 Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) between New Zealand and Brazilian companies as part of the New Zealand Trade Mission to São Paulo this week. “These partnerships mark a significant step in strengthening the trade relationship between the two nations and are ...1 week ago - 30,000 households get FamilyBoost payments
Almost 30,000 households have now received their first payments under the FamilyBoost childcare payment scheme and thousands more will receive them soon, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “In total, $11.5 million has been paid out to 29,805 households after only three weeks of claims being open,” Nicola Willis says. “High ...1 week ago
- 1,452 children into better homes from emergency housing
Ki te kahore he whakakitenga, ka ngaro te Iwi – without a vision, the people will perish. Almost 1,500 tamariki that were growing up in emergency housing motels have been supported into better homes under the government’s Priority One mahi, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “The total number of ...1 week ago
- Suspension of new SNAs passes its third reading
The three-year suspension of identification of new significant natural areas (SNAs) has passed its third reading. “We’ve made this change via the Resource Management (Freshwater and Other Matters) Amendment Act because we’ve heard concerns from some stakeholders that the approach to identifying new SNAs was too broad, capturing areas with ...1 week ago
- Government funds food for additional 10,000 children in ECE
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that KidsCan Charitable Trust will be delivering the new Early Childhood Education (ECE) Food Programme, starting in February 2025. “I would like to acknowledge KidsCan for their amazing work supporting children’s learning since 2005. In 2019 they launched a national early childhood ...1 week ago
- Attorney-General to deliver law lecture in Sydney
Attorney-General Judith Collins is travelling to Sydney to speak at Western Sydney University on the constitutional and rule of law challenges in the current uncertain global environment. “It is timely to take the opportunity to discuss constitutional and rule of law challenges,” Ms Collins says. “We find ourselves in increasingly ...1 week ago
- Speeding up flood protection works in Māngere
An Order in Council to speed up flood mitigation works for hundreds of at-risk properties in Mangere, Auckland, has been approved, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery Mark Mitchell say. “The Auckland Anniversary weekend floods and Cyclone Gabrielle in early 2023 had a devastating impact ...1 week ago
- Gisborne leads New Zealand in national drill
ShakeOut, our national earthquake drill and tsunami hīkoi, is happening today with over 665,000 people around New Zealand taking part in the drill,” says Mark Mitchell, Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery. “ShakeOut is a great opportunity for all of us to put our preparedness to the test. “Gisborne is ...1 week ago
- Speech to Institute of Public Administration New Zealand
Good morning, kia ora koutou. Thank you, Liz, for your introduction, and to you all for the opportunity to speak to you today. It’s a pleasure to be here. And it’s a particular pleasure to continue a tradition that was started by one of my predecessors Sir Bill English. I’m ...1 week ago
- Bill to improve charity lotteries passes third reading
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries run by charities such as Pet Refuge and the Heart Foundation can now operate and advertise online permanently. “Temporary legislation that allowed lotteries for non-commercial to operate online was due to expire at the end of October, which would have forced ...1 week ago
- Bill to improve charity lotteries passes third reading
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries run by charities such as Pet Refuge and the Heart Foundation can now operate and advertise online permanently. “Temporary legislation that allowed lotteries for non-commercial to operate online was due to expire at the end of October, which would have forced ...1 week ago
- Mental Health Bill passes first reading
A bill that will repeal the current Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992 has passed first reading in Parliament today, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “As New Zealand’s first Mental Health Minister I am very pleased to introduce this Bill to the House. This Bill will modernise ...1 week ago
- Mental Health Bill passes first reading
A bill that will repeal the current Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992 has passed first reading in Parliament today, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “As New Zealand’s first Mental Health Minister I am very pleased to introduce this Bill to the House. This Bill will modernise ...1 week ago
- Minister clears up incident information
Minister for Children Karen Chhour wants to clarify the facts following Chloe Swarbrick’s questions in Parliament this afternoon about the incident at Korowai Manaaki this week. “Claims that young people there didn’t have access to food, are false,” Children’s Minister Karen Chhour says. “Claims that young people there didn’t have ...1 week ago
- White paper on increasing access to medicines accepted
Associate Health Minister David Seymour is pleased to accept the Valuing Life Medicines Access Summit White Paper delivered by Patient Voice Aotearoa (PVA). PVA gives patients a unified voice to help inform better health policy and improve access to healthcare, while fiercely advocating for their rights. “We welcome the White ...1 week ago
- Coalition Government’s reforms give workers the best chance to succeed and prosper
Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden responds to NZCTU’s protest across the country and says this Government is delivering for all workers, including the over 85 percent of New Zealand’s labour force who are not union members. “This coalition Government is focused on delivering for all hardworking ...2 weeks ago
- NZ joins UK initiative for AI safety
The Government is joining the UK’s Bletchley Declaration on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety, Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology, and for Digitising Government Judith Collins says. “AI used responsibly can be a game changer for New Zealand, supporting productivity, innovation, and economic development,” Ms Collins says “The UK’s Bletchley Declaration ...2 weeks ago
- Government to overhaul anti-money laundering regime
The Government will introduce a single supervisor and a new funding model in a major overhaul of New Zealand’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) system, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee says. “Cabinet has approved an AML/CFT reform work programme which will change the supervisor structure that monitors ...2 weeks ago
- First RMA Amendment Bill passes third reading
The coalition Government’s Resource Management (Freshwater and Other Matters) Amendment Bill has passed its third reading in Parliament, delivering on the Government’s commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to councils and consent applicants, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds ...2 weeks ago
- Government reduces Forestry ETS annual charge by 50 per cent
The Government has today started consultation on a 50 per cent reduction to the annual charge for forest owners participating in the Forestry Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) Registry, Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced. “Following an independent review released last week we are proposing to lower the per-hectare annual charge to ...2 weeks ago
- Open work rights return for partners of high skilled migrants
The Government is ensuring New Zealand attracts and retains the workers and skills it needs by returning open work rights to partners of high-skilled migrants. “We are committed to growing the economy and our immigration system is critical to that. From 2 December, open work rights will be available to ...2 weeks ago
- Funding boost for Hato Hone St John
Associate Minister of Health Casey Costello and Minister for ACC Matt Doocey have announced today that the Government has invested over $21 million in additional funding into Hato Hone St John. “Hato Hone St John provides an essential service by ensuring people receive timely treatment in an emergency. This is ...2 weeks ago
- Police deliver clear message to gangs
Today, Police dealt a significant blow to the Mongrel Mob Barbarians in Opotiki with the execution of over thirty search warrants across the North Island, and sent a clear message that the misery and violence that they cause will not be tolerated, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “I want to ...2 weeks ago
- Rooftop youth will face consequences
“The young offenders involved in the rooftop incident at an Oranga Tamariki youth justice residence in Auckland need to know there will be consequences for their actions, Children’s Minister Karen Chhour says. “Last night, 13 young people gained access to the roof of the Korowai Manaaki residence at about 6.30pm. ...2 weeks ago
- Government to appoint Crown Observer to Wellington City Council
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has today announced his intention to appoint a Crown Observer to Wellington City Council, following news that the Council will now be required to rewrite its 2024-34 Long Term Plan. “I have been concerned about the Council’s ability to manage their Long Term Plan amendment ...2 weeks ago
- Government provides clarity to farmers and councils on freshwater plans
The Government will move to add an amendment to the Resource Management Act Amendment Bill, currently before Parliament, which will restrict councils’ ability to notify freshwater plans before the gazettal of the replacement National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay and Environment ...2 weeks ago
- Smarter healthy school lunches programme serves up $130m in savings
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the government has worked with businesses to transform the school lunch programme, delivering for children and saving for taxpayers. “We have embraced commercial expertise, used government buying power, and generated supply chain efficiencies to realise over $130m of annual cost ...2 weeks ago
- Govt confirms details of abuse in care national apology
The Government has confirmed further details about the national apology to survivors of abuse in care. “On November 12 Parliament will apologise on behalf of the nation for the failures of the State across many governments. Following a mihi whakatau, proceedings will begin mid-morning with survivor voices and apologies from ...2 weeks ago
- Improvements to protect children in schools
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] is taking action to better protect children and young people from harmful child offenders working in schools. “The Department has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the New Zealand Teaching Council to improve information sharing ...2 weeks ago
- Government to toughen Three Strikes Bill
The Government is listening to New Zealanders and Cabinet has agreed to recommend modifications to the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee says. “This Government is committed to restoring law and order. The Bill to reinstate the Three Strikes law makes it clear that ...2 weeks ago
- Breaking ground on the first new Road of National Significance
Work has kicked off on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS) as the Government continues to move at pace to deliver infrastructure that enables Kiwis and freight to get to where they want to go quickly and safely, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“The Government is keeping its ...2 weeks ago
- NZ heads to Samoa for Commonwealth talks
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will be among world leaders travelling to Apia this week for a meeting of the 56-nation Commonwealth. This is the first time the two-yearly Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) is hosted by Samoa, representing a great opportunity to profile the ...2 weeks ago
- Government to Clarify s70 Discharge Consent to Provide Certainty for Councils and Primary Sector
The Government has announced its intention to provide certainty on discharge rules under section 70 of the Resource Management Act (RMA) for primary producers, and councils – enabling permitted discharge activities to be managed in a practical way, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay confirmed today. “The clarification will be introduced via ...2 weeks ago
- New Zealand celebrates epic sporting weekend
New Zealanders have a huge amount to be proud about after five national sporting teams celebrated historic wins over the weekend, Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop says. “In New Zealand’s history there haven’t been too many sporting weekends like the one we’ve just seen, with epic wins from Team ...2 weeks ago
- Foreign Minister represents NZ at Indonesian Presidential inauguration
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has concluded a visit to Indonesia, where he attended the inauguration of President Prabowo Subianto. “It was a pleasure meeting President Prabowo in Jakarta for the second time this year,” Mr Peters says. “Indonesia is a key partner for New Zealand in the Indo-Pacific, ...2 weeks ago
- Removing roadblocks to building infrastructure
New Zealand has a widely acknowledged infrastructure deficit, which is holding us back socially, economically and environmentally, Land Information Minister Chris Penk says. “If we want to improve our productivity and lift our standard of living, we need to fix our pipes, increase the capacity of our schools and hospitals and build more houses, roads ...2 weeks ago
- Anniversary of Equal Pay Act shows we have more to do
The anniversary of the Equal Pay Act is a reminder that we still have work to do to achieve equality for women across this country, Minister for Women Nicola Grigg says. “Today marks the anniversary of the Equal Pay Act that was introduced in 1972. Over the past few decades, ...2 weeks ago
- Attracting investment on agenda for Singapore trip
Seeking investment to support the delivery of large regional projects is on the agenda for Regional Development and Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones as he heads to Singapore to meet potential investors, business leaders and policymakers. “Attracting more overseas investment is a vital part of the Coalition Government’s economic strategy. ...2 weeks ago
- Foreign Minister completes successful visit to Thailand
Foreign Minister Winston Peters wrapped up a successful programme of engagements in Bangkok today, where he met with Thai political and business leaders. “Thailand is an important economic and security partner for New Zealand. We are seriously focused on achieving our joint ambition of lifting our relationship to a ‘Strategic ...2 weeks ago
- West Coast to offer rural and remote medicine training
In another step towards improving New Zealand’s rural health workforce, Te Tai o Poutini West Coast has just received accreditation to deliver Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) Training, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This accreditation is great news for the West Coast and will help boost ...2 weeks ago
- Explainer: What is Max, and where can I watch it?
Tara Ward breaks down everything you need to know about the arrival of Max to New Zealand. Whomst is Max? Max is a streaming service owned by Warner Bros Discovery. Eager TV viewers have been waiting patiently for Max to launch in New Zealand for several years, until last week, ...2 days ago - Christopher Luxon accuses Labour of playing politics with mental health
The Prime Minister says he does not agree with Mike King's controversial comments, but stands by his work. ...2 days ago - Filep Karma: A political prisoner who fought racism in West Papua
SPECIAL REPORT: By Andreas Harsono in Jakarta In December 2008, I visited the Abepura prison in Jayapura, West Papua, to verify a report sent to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture alleging abuses inside the jailhouse, as well as shortages of food and water. After prison guards checked my ...2 days ago - Abuse in care survivor and expert calls for details of redress system before apology is given
Toni Jarvis says he wants the government to announce details of a redress system. ...2 days ago
- Gulf closes between NZ and Middle East trade, but the work’s not all done
Analysis: It appears Middle East trade deals are like buses: you spend an eternity waiting for one to arrive, then two show up at once.Barely a month after Trade Minister Todd McClay announced the successful conclusion of trade negotiations with the United Arab Emirates, he has delivered more good news ...2 days ago - Interest rate warning from country’s biggest bank ANZ
It is getting closer to the time when locking in a longer-term home loan rates makes sense, economists say. ...2 days ago
- Who are the local queens in Drag Race Down Under this year?
Meet the local drag queen representing Aotearoa on one of drag’s biggest stages. The fourth season of Drag Race Down Under premieres tonight on WoW Presents Plus, once again bringing with it a small group of queens from Aotearoa battling against their Australian counterparts for the title of next drag ...2 days ago
- Watch live: Christopher Luxon speaks after Mike King’s controversial comments
Christopher Luxon is speaking to media in Auckland. ...2 days ago
- Matt Doocey backs Gumboot Friday after Mike King’s alcohol comments
Matt Doocey says nothing is changing after charity founder Mike King said alcohol was not a problem for mentally unwell people. ...2 days ago
- The Spinoff guide to life: How to attend a Pākehā funeral
If you’ve never had to attend a funeral before, it’s normal to feel nervous, but the key is showing up and being respectful. Here’s a guide to getting through it. While funerals are as various and individual as the person they’re celebrating, we have specified “Pākehā” funerals here in an ...2 days ago
- Hundreds give money back to KiwiSaver after withdrawing funds to buy first home
Although the process goes smoothly for most, plenty are hitting a problem. ...2 days ago
- 5 things you can do to end the biodiversity crisis as the world talks about it at COP16
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jim Radford, Associate Professor, Ecology and Environment, La Trobe University The world is charging towards tipping points for species extinctions, ecosystem collapse and loss of genetic diversity. Crossing these tipping points will be devastating for nature and human existence alike. Avoiding ...2 days ago
- Ancient mud reveals Australia’s burning history over the past 130,000 years – and shows a way th...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michela Mariani, Associate Professor in Physical Geography, University of Nottingham Lano Lan / Shutterstock Increased land management by Aboriginal people in southeastern Australia around 6,000 years ago cut forest shrub cover in half, according to our new study of fossil pollen ...2 days ago
- Explainer: a short history of the Electoral College and how it subverts the will of voters
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hart, Emeritus Faculty, Australian National University For a fleeting moment in early October, it looked like the US presidential electoral system might become an issue in this year’s election. The Democratic vice presidential candidate, Tim Walz, told two audiences that the ...2 days ago
- New data on violence against LGBTQ+ people makes ‘grim reading’ – and undermines NZ’s inclus...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Plum, Senior Research Fellow, Auckland University of Technology New Zealand is ranked the tenth most inclusive society by international legal standards, with a reputation for being forward-thinking and progressive – especially when it comes to the rights of sexually and gender-diverse ...2 days ago
- From eye exams to blood tests and surgery: how doctors use light to diagnose disease
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Griffith, Associate Professor and ARC Future Fellow and Director, UniSA Microscopy and Microanalysis Facilities, University of South Australia megaflopp/Shutterstock This is the next article in our ‘Light and health’ series, where we look at how light affects our physical and ...2 days ago
- In Norway, students get grades for their behaviour – could this work in Australia?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Dobson, Professor and Dean of Education and the Arts, CQUniversity Australia Student behaviour is one of the biggest issues facing Australian schools. A survey of Queensland teachers earlier this year found “managing student behaviour” was the main thing taking their time ...2 days ago
- The ‘big 4’ accounting firms often consult for the same clients they audit. Should that be allow...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Helen Spiropoulos, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney Public trust in the auditing profession is under intense pressure. A series of high-profile scandals, both in Australia and overseas, has severely damaged its reputation. This week, Australia’s corporate watchdog – the Australian ...2 days ago
- What should I do to prepare for a monologue performance?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natasha Beaumont, Lecturer in Creative Arts, School of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney Frame Stock Footage/Shutterstock Monologue performance is a technically demanding but deeply rewarding form of theatre. Monologues are the purest form of storytelling an actor can engage ...2 days ago
- The Mike King backlash has quickly turned political. Will it change anything?
The mental health advocate is standing alone with his claim that ‘alcohol is the solution for people with mental health issues’, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund for The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...2 days ago
- Trump And Musk Are A Match Leading Us To Hell
The two dangerous demagogues are openly colluding with one another to seize political power so they can milk taxpayers and dismantle government regulations that protect the public. ...2 days ago - House insurance costs twice as much in Wellington as in Auckland, data shows
One owner says premiums on his Wellington properties have doubled since 2015. ...2 days ago
- Nelson hapū celebrating after major court victory
An interim High Court ruling says they are entitled to thousands of hectares of Crown land and millions of dollars in compensation. ...2 days ago
- Education minister Erica Stanford seeks advice on under-fire Te Kura
The move comes after reports that at-risk students were being dumped on the distance education school. ...2 days ago
- Government announces $2.5m boost to help teens pass new NCEA tests
Teachers at about 160 schools will get more training and time to hold small group sessions with students. ...2 days ago
- Why do we make it so hard to dine outside?
We live in a country with a very nice outdoors – but fee increases and bureaucratic restrictions are making it hard for hospo businesses to give us the al fresco experience so many of us enjoy. This is an excerpt from our food newsletter, The Boil Up. In November 2021, one ...2 days ago
- Treaty principles are clear. Why are politicians creating uncertainty?
Despite decades of legal clarity, David Seymour and Shane Jones are claiming the principles are ambiguous in order to justify their push to undermine them, argues Māori legal scholar Carwyn Jones. The government seems determined to pretend that the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi are currently unknown and unknowable. ...2 days ago
- This week’s bestsellers – November 1
FICTION1 Tree of Nourishment (Kāwai 2) – Paperback by Monty Soutar (David Bateman, $39.99)A free copy was up for grabs in last week’s giveaway contest. Readers were asked to say why they were dying to read the second novel in the author’s trilogy of historical novels. There were a great many entries as ought to ...2 days ago
- Govt sidesteps world talks to save species
Our futures have been at least partly decided by global leaders and envoys at the second and crucial final week of COP16’s United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Columbia. The conference concludes on Friday with ministerial negotiations, but the New Zealand Government seemed unaware of just how urgent it was that ...2 days ago
- Winkl calls in liquidators following fibreglass mattress furore
After getting off to a strong start, media reports linked boxed mattress business Winkl to hazardous materials The post Winkl calls in liquidators following fibreglass mattress furore appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Daily crossword, Friday 1 November
The post Daily crossword, Friday 1 November appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Raw Politics: America’s final election?
The end of the country, or the end of its democracy. That’s what the two camps are predicting if their candidate doesn’t win the US presidential election next week.Raw Politics, from the great safety of half a world away, weighs in on the neverending American campaign, which many predict will ...2 days ago
- Q&A: What happens when police wind down their mental health callouts?
What will be the impact of a reduced police presence at mental health callouts?Giles Newton-Howes: First, I acknowledge that, like in health, police have a limited resource and need to allocate that resources according to Government priorities and community need. I don’t know what all of these pressures are and so ...2 days ago
- The pancreatic cancer patient on a mission to save lives
Based on the stats, Nyree Smith should be dead.But for seven years, she’s beaten the odds.“I don’t know why I am still here… I question, why isn’t someone studying me,” she says.“I want to be studied. If I could help… if there is something I could do that would help ...2 days ago
- How the fast-track saved New Zealand coal
Coal mine giant Bathurst may have avoided looming consent renewal deadlines thanks to the fast-track, as redacted production targets show a reliance on the new legislation The post How the fast-track saved New Zealand coal appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Healthcare crisis could be helped by complaint about power imbalance
Opinion: The outcome of a complaint to ComCom about Government underfunding could have significant implications The post Healthcare crisis could be helped by complaint about power imbalance appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 1 November
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Daily crossword, Friday 1 November 2 days ago- Gulf nations trade deal struck after almost two decades
Fifty-one percent of New Zealand's exports to the Middle East region will now be tariff free on signing. ...2 days ago- Deaths linked to chatbots show we must urgently revisit what counts as ‘high-risk’ AI
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Henry Fraser, Research Fellow in Law, Accountability and Data Science, Queensland University of Technology De Visu/Shutterstock Last week, the tragic news broke that US teenager Sewell Seltzer III took his own life after forming a deep emotional attachment to an artificial ...2 days ago- Grattan on Friday: furore over Anthony Albanese’s Qantas perks chips away at public trust in polit...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra A major takeout from the inquiry into the national response to COVID is that a lack of trust would likely mean a less cooperative public during a future pandemic. Trust spiked early in the ...2 days ago - Gulf nations trade deal struck after almost two decades
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