The latest polls are in.Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. And who could have guessed that a government that destroys the economy (‘economic vandalism on steroids’), tears up our public health system (‘National is BAD for health’), de-stabilises Crown-Māori relations (‘largest protest in modern history’), eviscerates environmental progress and protections ...
As Kermit the frog said, it isn’t easy being green. A Select Committee yesterday heard how difficult it was for the country’s electricity grid operator, Transpower, to prepare for the electrification of New Zealand that will be required if we are to meet net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Their ...
..Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.One bad poll for a government can be dismissed as “rogue”. Two? That’s damaging.A recent Talbot Mills done for the Labour Party - released on 1 December - had startling results that would’ve raised ...
Some millions of years ago, our ancestors learned the trick of standing upright. This made it much easier to reach the bottles on the top shelf and surely aided our progress towards splitting the atom.It also made us more vulnerable. Giving birth became more perilous. Our infants - needing to ...
The last time residents of Waimate received a nitrate warning was only two years ago. In 2022, the Glenavy township in South Canterbury were unable to drink their own water for over four months due to it containing nitrate levels high enough to kill an infant. This restriction was lifted ...
Labour held its party conference over the weekend, and Chris Hipkins gave a speech promising to make the current coalition a one term government. Along the way he made some policy promises: restoring free prescriptions, resuming the Smokefree Aotearoa policy, restarting the build of Dunedin hospital, restoring state housing investment, ...
Hi,I wanted to share something that’s been on my mind a bit lately, and I’m not quite sure how to say it besides expressing this idea that on some days I feel like throwing myself into the sea.I am saying this metaphorically — don’t worry — but it’s just this ...
Good morning, here’s a quick wrap up of 10 developments:1. HEALTH: AUSTERITY BUDGETFront-line hospital workers told jobs could soon be gone(RNZ / Lauren Crimp)The government is set to fire non-clinical front line roles in Auckland as part of its cost saving measures. This includes teams who support clinical logistics, ...
Today NZNO healthcare workers are striking for safe staffing and fair pay. More job losses are on the line at NZDF due to budget deficits. In political news, Chris Hipkins is trying to build some momentum following the Labour Party conference.Union coverage NZNO: 36,000 Health NZ nurses to ...
With your feet in the air and your head on the groundTry this trick and spin it, yeah (Yeah)Your head will collapse, and there's nothing in itAnd you'll ask yourselfWhere is my mind?Where is my mind?Where is my mind?Songwriter: Black FrancisClear craniums are the order of the day. Not to ...
After around 10 years of delays and frustration, Auckland Transport are finally going to make Gt North Rd greater. In an update sent out yesterday, they said: We are pleased to advise that we have appointed JFC Ltd to deliver the work and they’ll be starting work early January. The ...
The way through our $100 billion-plus infrastructure deficit will not be eased by Chris Bishop’s approach. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Chris Bishopunveiled his major infrastructure funding and financing plan yesterday that made clear borrowing with public debt to build infrastructure would be a last resort, with private ...
According to Social Development Minister Louise Upton her latest crackdown on the unemployed is just “common sense.” Oh, really. Upston is threatening to reduce or cancel the income of an increasing number of people already living on the breadline – unless they spend more of their scarce money on the ...
It has been remarked that the only truly original invention in The Hobbit is the hobbit himself. Tolkien stole his dwarves from the Poetic Edda (albeit, he redefined the spelling of the plural). The trolls and the manner of their death are also borrowed from Norse tradition. Gandalf is rooted ...
This 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). We're choking our planet with pollution - whether that's greenhouse gases or plastics. But these two crises are deeply connected - ...
Kia ora kotou, and I hope everyone is having a good start to their week. Usually I try to be a bit more themed and connected and essay-like in what I write, but it’s been too long since I got anything out at all and the topics I keep meaning ...
International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention 190 (C190) provides a framework for the legal, cultural and industrial changes necessary to eliminate and prevent violence, in all its forms, from the world of work. It establishes the right of everyone to a world of work free from violence and harassment, including gender-based ...
More Than A Feilding: Prime Minister thanks for taking the time to chat again with More Than A Feilding.Prime Minister Old Mate Grabaseat: Gidday Jack what I would say to you Jack is what I would say to you.MTAF: I think that was yesterday’s interview, Prime Minister. I’m Dave.OMG: Oh. ...
In the last episode of this year Selwyn Manning and I discuss the rebel assault on Aleppo in Syria and tit-for-tat missile exchanges between Russia and Ukraine as illustrative of foreign actor attempts to gain geopolitical leverage as part of … Continue reading → ...
Labour is to continue on with tax policy work, with the signs indicating it is leaning toward proposing a capital gains tax. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāGood morning. Labour appears to be leaning back towards a Capital Gains Tax and away from a wealth tax. Meanwhile, Christopher Luxon says ...
The last few years have seen headline after headline talk about how much of a ‘mess’ the City Centre is in terms of transport. Whether it be parking, confusing bus lanes (and buses being held up), the GV lane on Queen Street, loading and delivery, enforcement (or lack thereof), congestion, ...
The former Minister, former finance spokesperson, and one-time leadership contender David Parker suffered a defeat at the Labour Party conference over the weekend over what has been his political crusade: a wealth tax.The conference rejected, apparently by a wide margin, a remit calling for a wealth tax “to proceed”.Instead, they ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, November 24, 2024 thru Sat, November 30, 2024. Story of the week Before Skeptical Science and an entire fleet of other websites devoted to combating and correcting climate misinformation ...
New story out, as part of the December issue of Bare Back Magazine:https://www.barebackmag.com/post/kaamos (As previously noted, this one is magical realism mashed up with erotica. But it’s nice for a story first written ...
Mr Moon I like the way you thinkLet's sit a while and have another drinkYou can tell me how the new will rise,How the old will sinkOpen my eyes and make me wiseDon't fall from the sky just yetCause it won't be long enough to make me strongSongwriters: Grant Fell ...
The same day Solar Zero got their legs cut off, we paid a deposit to an other installer. Solar panels should be on our roof on December 23. Merry Christmas to our carbon footprint.We also have a new oven and hot water cylinder coming, which means we'll be able to ...
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 ...
Putin’s Thunderbolts:What message was the devastating arrival of the Russian Federation’s nuclear-defanged MIRVs supposed to send? And how should the government of far-away New Zealand respond?THE IMAGES BROADCAST ON CNN were terrifying. Out of a glowing circle of dim light, multiple bolts of fire, moving at astonishing speed, burst from the lowering ...
Sic’em! The silver-tongued demagogue whips up the impoverished masses against those deemed responsible for both the nation’s decline and their own immiseration. He then proceeds to direct his mesmerised followers against a succession of terrified scapegoats, with results that are neither just nor pretty. Out of the ensuing chaos, demagoguery ...
No Longer Silent: The one sound loud enough to be heard above the efforts of even the most determined makers of political noise, is the sound of the long-suffering majority making up its mind. Emeritus Professor Nigel Biggar addresses the Free Speech Union AGM held at Auckland’s Viaduct Events Centre on ...
In 2022, Lancet Medical Journal issued the findings of a long term longitudinal study on the effects of increased outsourcing of health to the private sector i.e. privatisation.Examining the outcomes from between 2013-2020, it conclusively found:The privatisation of the NHS in England, through the outsourcing of services to for-profit companies, ...
Completed reads for November: Clarimonde, by Théophile Gautier The Mummy’s Foot, by Théophile Gautier One of Cleopatra’s Nights, by Théophile Gautier Arria Marcella, by Théophile Gautier Omphale: A Rococo Story, by Théophile Gautier King Candaules, by Théophile Gautier Lot No. 249, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle The Captain of ...
In November 2011, we published the first version of The Debunking Handbook. As the update notice on that page already shows, more research has come in since then and the time had finally come for a complete overhaul of this very popular handbook (it still gets downloaded a couple of thousand ...
The Dangers of Delusions of GrandeurThis is a column about MAGA – Make America Great Again. But as a prequel I scroll back sixty years to when I was teaching in England. I have fond memories of the students – bright and personable as they were. But their attitudes to ...
Imagine you want to buy some guns, but you want to hide the fact from someone. So you abuse your access privileges to obtain the details of a registered owner, then use them to fraudulently register the weapons. If you or I did this, we'd obviously be going to jail. ...
Hi,I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge all the stories you shared under my last newsletter about my shitty day.Some of your own shitty days were hilarious. Others were devastating. They involved aging parents and lost pets, things lost and things found. Some felt like chaos theory in ...
SummaryIn this conversation, Paul Conway, the Chief Economist for the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, discusses the recent cuts to the official cash rate and the underlying economic factors influencing these decisions. He explains the dynamics of inflation in New Zealand, the impact of administered prices, and the role of ...
Back in February, the National government disestablished Te Aka Whai Ora, the Māori Health Authority. It was a revolting breach of te Tiriti, but the government avoided a formal ruling of that by rushing the legislation into the House specifically to deprive the Waitangi Tribunal of jurisdiction and kill its ...
“The Government’s plan to remove unjustified dismissal protections from workers earning over $180,000 shows a concerning lack of leadership from Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who has handed too many critical workplace decisions to ACT’s Brooke van Velden, the Minister for Workplace Relations who seems hell-bent on trampling on workers’ rights,” ...
This is our fifth first year babyAnd I feel like I'm in jail, LordI'm holding on to this cardCan't seem to get it in the mailAnd the card reads ...Happy anniversary babyGot you on my mindHappy anniversary babyGot you on my mindSongwriters: Beeb Birtles, David Briggs.First, they came for the ...
Guidance for workers and union officials regarding high temperatures at work Working in high temperature can be hazardous. Exposure to excessive heat either indoors or outside can pose risks to worker health and safety. If temperatures at your work are creating a serious and immediate to your safety – you ...
As we approach 2025, we find ourselves navigating challenging and uncertain times. The global political stage has shifted dramatically, with Trump’s re-election in the US intensifying international instability, environmental inaction, and the rise of far-right movements. Meanwhile, global conflicts are escalating, pressuring governments, economies, and working people worldwide. Here in ...
It’s another Friday and we’re almost in the final month of the year and the Pohutukawa’s are starting to blossom. Here’s some of the stories that have caught our attention this week. This post, like all our work, is brought to you by a largely volunteer crew and made possible ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with: on the Israel vs Gaza/Iran/Lebanon, Ukraine/Nato vs Russia/North Korea and whether NZ joins AUKUS;Special guest Community Housing Aotearoa CEO Paul Gilberd talking about the Community ...
Over 2020 and 2021, the Ardern Government spent a staggering 22 per cent of one year of the country’s GDP on Covid financial relief. All up, over those two years, they spent $70 billion. The money was borrowed, and the Treasury told the Government not to worry about the huge ...
Let’s hope politicians of all stripes can agree to limit their urge to politicise the Royal Commission of Inquiry findings about the Covid response. Since ensuring we get properly equipped next time around – having enough PEP gear, hiring sufficient trained medical staff etc – will involve political decisions, some ...
Open access notablesProgression of ocean interior acidification over the industrial era, Müller & Gruber Gruber, Science Advances:Ocean acidification driven by the uptake of anthropogenic CO2 represents a major threat to ocean ecosystems, yet little is known about its progression beneath the surface. Here, we reconstruct the history of ocean ...
The only thing can I remember of the few christenings I went to as a child is the spectacle of proud parents with their best friends standing alongside them - the ones who, God forbid a horrible car or plane crash, might become New Mum and New Dad.I don't believe ...
The Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti sent a clear and resounding message to the coalition Government. There’s deep kotahitanga for Te Tiriti, and major opposition to the Treaty Principles Bill across Aotearoa and the union movement. It’s an important opportunity for our Affiliate Unions to submit to Select Committee submissions. The CTU ...
They said, "Someday, you'll find all who love are blindOh-oh-oh-oh-oh, when your heart's on fireYou must realise smoke gets in your eyes."Songwriters: Jerome Kern / Otto A. HarbachToday in Nick’s Kōrero:Smoke gets in your eyes and into more people’s lungsDoing more with less in the health sectorIt’s the economy stupid, ...
In today’s guest post, former Auckland Councillor Pippa Coom highlights the value of berms in Auckland – and encourages everyone to submit on ongoing consultation!Greater Auckland is brought to you by a largely volunteer crew and made possible by generous donations from our readers and fans. If you’d like ...
Orr delivered a Christmas present for landlords and homeowners with mortgages, but there is little other seasonal cheer as it is becoming clearer how much the Government’s austerity programme is dragging on consumer spending and employment. File photo: Lynn Grieveson/TheKakaKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note ...
With the Reserve Bank’s move to cut the Official Cash Rate yesterday all eyes are now on next year’s Budget. And the question will be whether the blowout in health expenditure and the drop in tax revenue means the return to surplus will have to be delayed again until 2028-29. ...
On November 6, 2024 the Consortium for Climate Risks in the Urban Northeast (CCRUN) hosted a webinar within the Green Infrastructure, Climate, and Cities Seminar Series about climate change misinformation and disinformation. CCRUN is a NOAA-funded initiative that has been studying the impact of climate change on the Northeast since 2010. ...
Fascism is a strong word. Powerful. Dangerous.Wield it carefully, the right say, as they defend their politicians from nazi-like behaviour and participate in the dismantling of their own constitutional protections. If you throw it around at just anyone, they say, it weakens it. Fascism doesn’t mean anything when you use ...
What kind of government is this, really? What moves it? What is its guiding light? Pretty simple, really. It is a dumb waiter delivering what its paymasters have ordered.And what moves these paymasters? What is their guiding light?Also pretty simple:Get out of my way I want to make moneyGet out ...
Something I was not expecting to learn this morning: the government has built a secret nuclear waste dump in rural Manawatu: A facility for storing all of New Zealand’s radioactive waste has been secretly built near Palmerston North, in a decision neighbouring farmers have called “horrifying” and “deceptive”. The ...
“Unemployment is forecast to remain elevated until the end of 2025 and isn’t expected to fall back to its pre-recession lows within the forecast period. Without a plan to reduce it, we are choosing a permanently higher unemployment rate in New Zealand. It’s no wonder so many Kiwis are emigrating ...
Māori sovereignty, tino rangatiratanga, mana motuhake, a declaration of independence, partnership under Te Tiriti: these are all staples of Māori political mobilization. A succession of political parties – Ratana, Mana Motuhake, the Māori Party, Te Pati Māori – have upheld the cause, with erratic political success but enduring moral, social ...
The Reserve Bank will be announcing a change to the Official Cash Rate this afternoon, with most economists expecting a cut of around 50 basis points. The Government is reallocating $30,000 towards more senior doctors and specialist nurses, but some including the NZNO say that this is a “sticking plaster” ...
How does an up to 70 percent hike in public transport fares sound, or maybe a lower increase but a big cut to services? That could be the reality of a new policy from Waka Kotahi outlined in a discussion document last week to public transport authorities (PTAs) like Auckland Transport. ...
Chris Bishop has disappointed Community Housing Providers (CHiPs) by pouring cold water on the idea of Government guarantees for CHiPs’ borrowing from KiwiSaver managers, and by proposing more leasing of social homes. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/TheKakaKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around ...
Soon enough it comesHere it is againThe slowly creeping handOf time and its commandSoon enough it comesAnd settles in its placeIt's shadow in my faceUndignified and lameSongwriters: Jon Coghill, John Collins, Bernard Fanning, Ian Haug, Darren Middleton.This morning, I woke to incessant, high-pitched whining, as if someone had turned on ...
The former Auckland Central National MP Nicky Kaye, 43, who died on Saturday was a critical figure in the recent history of her party. An outpouring of tributes to her from both present and past MPs and leaders of her party and from her political opponents testified to her crucial ...
The racist piece of shit government is a year old this week, so there's a bunch of retorspectives and looking forwards and so on. Today it was Rimmer's turn - and in addition to gloating about how he's setting the policy agenda and making all the decisions, and about his ...
Cover me with kisses, babyCover me with loveRoll me in designer sheetsI'll never get enoughEmotions come, I don't know whyCover up love's alibiSongwriters: Giorgio Moroder / Deborah HarryThis morning, TVNZ realised that they couldn’t credibly put forward Jenny May to interview the Prime Minister again as the possum in the ...
1. Seymour rides high David Seymour told RNZ that it wields “disproportionate’ influence in government, claiming credit for “half the ideas” of government, and for helping to lower inflation. "ACT is always there; putting the pressure on.”Seymour also continues to claim "massive support" for the government's Treaty Principles Bill, citing ...
Social housing in central Wellington, next to the site of the now-abandoned Arlington redevelopment. To get the building of social housing back on track, a new funding agency has been launched. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / TheKakaKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
The Government’s new initiative to get people off the benefit won’t address the core drivers of poverty such as low incomes, lack of access to adequate housing and lack of employment opportunities. ...
Labour is urging ACC to divest from companies identified by the United Nations as complicit in the building and maintenance of Israel’s illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. ...
This week was the start of the bank inquiry hearings into banking competition. The inquiry was confirmed in the NZ First/National Coalition agreement. 140 submissions were received on the inquiry, and we will hear from over 60 submitters including all the major banks. ANZ, New Zealand's largest bank, was first ...
Entering politics is a privilege afforded to very few and, as the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility. Being an MP is a call to service. Whatever your politics you have a duty to show up. Whatever your party's policy, you have made a promise to those who ...
Throughout New Zealand it is difficult to think of a sports club, charity, church group, festival, foundation, or service organisation that does not owe its existence, effectiveness, or success to the contribution of older New Zealanders. October 1st is International Day of Older Persons so please take a moment to consider ...
Today New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that will restore democratic control over transport management in Auckland City by disestablishing Auckland Transport (AT) and returning control to Auckland Council. The ‘Local Government (Auckland Council) (Disestablishment of Auckland Transport) Amendment Bill’ intends to restore democratic oversight, control, and accountability ...
There is one topic that is the great human leveller, and that is of death and dying. One day, we will all have to face it, and I am of the belief that being able to pass away with grace and dignity is a vital, basic, human right. How we ...
Spring is here which means the start of the A&P show season. Those treasured community days where town meets country. There's no rural-urban divide here, just a chance to meet up with family and old friends and celebrate all things that make rural New Zealand so special. I'm embarking on ...
Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, is calling Luxon’s leadership a joke after it was revealed this morning on Q+A that ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill was not a bottom line. "New Zealand officially has a laughing-stock Prime Minister whose leadership folded as he trades away the rights of tangata whenua ...
In an interview with Q&A this morning, the Prime Minister refused to say whether he would commit to meeting the Paris Agreement, the international climate agreement which commits all countries to act locally to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees. ...
The Government’s latest change to the Employment Relations Act has no justification apart from making it easier to sack employees without having to follow due process. ...
Today the Court of Appeal has found the Serious Fraud Office has been acting indiscriminately and unlawfully throughout an eight year long investigation.The SFO has shown their incompetence and arrogance and shown to be abusing their authority to conduct its own overreaching and unlawful fishing expeditions. The Court of Appeal said the SFO has relied on its misuse of compulsory interview ...
The Green Party says the report from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Covid-19 Response underlines the need for proper investment in our health system so we are prepared for future pandemics. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki is demanding that the Police Minister immediately remove the heavy Police presence in the Matapihi community, as hundreds of officers saturate the Western Bay of Plenty area. “Minister Mitchell must intervene immediately and order the removal of the armed Police presence in ...
Early childhood education needs to be treated as a public good, say Labour, the Green Party, and Te Pāti Māori in their newly released report of findings from public hearings they held into the Government’s ECE Regulatory Review. ...
Te Pāti Māori is calling the Government’s first year a catastrophe for Māori, following a year of policies that have done nothing but marginalise tangata-whenua. Today marks one year since the coalition was sworn into power. “This year has been an absolute catastrophe for Māori. This Government has fast-tracked us back ...
The Government’s decision to push for significant fare increases on buses and trains over the next few years is a huge blow to communities across the country. ...
The Government’s directive to councils to increase bus and train fares substantially over the next few years is a bitter pill to swallow for communities across the country. ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop’s speech to Community Housing Providers today should have been titled ‘we want you to build houses, but we refuse to spend money so you’re on your own’. ...
Support staff across Aotearoa have been dealt yet another devastating blow with the release of the latest collective agreement offer from the Government. ...
The Government has passed legislation to remove agriculture from the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) while Aotearoa’s reputation on climate action plummets. ...
As legislation to set up boot camps passed its first reading, the Green Party urged the Government to abandon this failed policy experiment for the good of our rangatahi. ...
The Ministry of Health has today released an evidence brief regarding the use of puberty blockers in gender-affirming healthcare, amid moves by the government to limit access. ...
Louise Upston has revealed her diminished vision for vulnerable youth against a backdrop of snubbed advice, scrapped priorities, shifted goal posts and thousands more children projected to fall into poverty. ...
National Government’s backward-looking climate policy has seen New Zealand fall seven places on the Climate Change Performance Index to 41 out of 63 countries measured. ...
When the Government says it has reduced the number of people in emergency housing, what it means is it is stopping people from accessing it in the first place. ...
The Government is turning its back on children by not only weakening child poverty reduction targets, but also removing child mental wellbeing as a priority focus in their Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy. ...
When I was delegated responsibility for the ECE Sector from the Minister for Education it became immediately clear that my focus had to be on reducing red tape and regulatory obstacles for the early learning sector. While there is huge demand for ECEs from families across New Zealand, numbers show ...
The Government is restoring democratic accountability to transport decision-making in Auckland, ensuring voters can hold their elected representatives responsible for the city's transport policies, Transport and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown, and Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown say."Aucklanders have become increasingly frustrated with how transport decisions are made and how little their ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Health New Zealand is making encouraging progress recovering from a financial shambles left behind by the previous government. “Health NZ reported today that its revised budget for 2024/25 is a $1.1 billion deficit,” Dr Reti says. “That’s significantly lower than the $1.76 billion deficit they ...
Additional funding in Budget 2024 has reduced the waiting list of veterans seeking medical and rehabilitation support, Veterans Minister Chris Penk says. “When we were elected a year ago, the Government made a commitment to improve New Zealand’s public services. As Veterans Minister this means improving access for veterans to ...
The latest International Visitor Survey shows that New Zealand continues to bounce back and the economy is benefiting from the shifting trends in international visitation, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey says. International Visitor Survey results for the year ending September 2024 released today show a promising increase of 30 ...
New data shows an encouraging reduction in the number of victims of violent crime, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “The latest New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey shows there were 14,000 fewer victims of crime nationwide over the 12 months to August 2024, than there were over the 12 months ...
The Government has released new guidelines for market-led proposals to clarify how market participants can contribute innovative ideas for solving New Zealand’s infrastructure problems, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Parliamentary Under-Secretary Simon Court say. A market-led approach is where a private sector player wishes to deal directly with Government with ...
Introduction Good afternoon to you all. I am glad to be here today to discuss changes we are making to the infrastructure system, which will lay the foundations for New Zealand to prosper. Thanks to Infrastructure New Zealand and The Post for organising this event, and Chapman Tripp for hosting ...
Introduction Good afternoon to you all. I am glad to be here today to discuss changes we are making to the infrastructure system, which will lay the foundations for New Zealand to prosper. Thanks to Infrastructure New Zealand and The Post for organising this event, and Chapman Tripp for hosting ...
The second quarterly update on the nine Government targets shows a range of areas moving in the right direction but underlines the need for robust measures to get people off welfare and into work, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “The Government’s ambitious targets put Kiwis first by driving outcomes that ...
Up to 70,000 job seekers are to receive a new, more comprehensive needs assessment of the challenges holding them back from finding work and a personalised job plan to help overcome them. “Individual Job Plans are a significant step forward in the Government’s efforts to provide welfare that works for ...
Cabinet has agreed to an ambitious new Funding and Financing Framework to help the Crown make smarter and more informed funding and financing decisions, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop says. “Improving the way we fund and finance infrastructure will help drive better value for money from public investment, make public investment ...
The Government has today taken steps to ensure New Zealand attracts and retains the workers and skills it needs by returning open work rights to partners of high-skilled migrants. “Starting today, the partners of Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) holders in higher-skilled roles will be eligible for open work rights. ...
Growing the amount of philanthropic giving across New Zealand is the aim of the Twelve Days of Giving campaign launched today alongside Philanthropy New Zealand, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Louise Upston says. “New Zealand is one of the most charitable countries in the world, with an estimated $3.8 billion worth of ...
Minister for Trade and Agriculture Todd McClay today welcomes a delegation from Singapore, who are in New Zealand for a food security mission. “The visit will strengthen our trade and investment ties and demonstrate how New Zealand’s world-leading agri-food ecosystem can support Singapore’s long-term food security. “This mission will elevate ...
The Government has delivered on its promise to restore public walking access to the popular Mautohe Cathedral Cove in time for Summer 2024-2025. The walking track to the famous Coromandel beach - renowned for its natural rock arch feature and idyllic waters – was severely damaged by extreme weather events ...
Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour is pleased to see further increased availability of medicines for Kiwis following the Government’s increased investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the Government,” says Mr Seymour. “When this Government assumed office, ...
From today the Government’s new national infrastructure agency is up and running, acting as the shopfront for investors into public infrastructure and the centre of expertise on funding and financing for infrastructure projects, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop says. “National committed to a national infrastructure agency during the 2023 election campaign, ...
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters and United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Lammy held the inaugural annual New Zealand-United Kingdom Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue today in London. “The United Kingdom is our oldest, and one of our closest and most trusted partners,” Mr Peters says. “While we are separated ...
Minister of Health Dr Shane Reti says the National Public Health Service should concentrate its focus on prioritising serious public health issues facing New Zealanders. “Earlier this week I was informed about an 8-page submission by the southern arm of the NPHS regarding a proposed fast food outlet in Wanaka,” ...
Sightseers to the iconic Punakaiki (Pancake Rocks and Blowholes Track) will enjoy a richer experience thanks to a world class visitor experience centre run by local Iwi, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says. This state-of-the-art facility provides visitors to the West Coast with a high-quality experience and helps boost the region’s ...
A five-year evaluation of the Healthy Homes Initiative has demonstrated the positive impact of warm, dry homes on the health and wellbeing of more than 200,000 people. The Healthy Homes Initiative, led by Health New Zealand, helps families living in cold, damp homes, providing support like education, beds and bedding, ...
In a busy year of delivery, the Government has made concrete progress toward improving the foundations of the infrastructure system and addressing New Zealand’s infrastructure deficit, and is streets ahead when it comes to getting transport back on track, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown say. “It ...
New figures on mining activity across New Zealand show the Crown collected nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in revenue in the 2023/24 financial year, bolstered by royalties collected from petroleum and gold, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The statistics, released this morning by the Ministry of Business, Innovation ...
Today marks a significant milestone for the port and maritime sector, with the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon Brooke van Velden, and the Associate Minister of Transport celebrating the Approved Code of Practice for Loading and Unloading Cargo at Ports and on Ships (ACOP) coming into effect. “The ...
In just its first week, over 300 people have reported red tape issues to the new Red Tape tipline, Regulation Minister David Seymour says. “Red tape wastes valuable time, money and sanity. I am not surprised to see an outpouring of discontent from Kiwis who are sick of the tangle ...
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says an upcoming change to the Employment Relations Act will enable employers to ensure they have the right fit for their high impact leadership and specialist roles. This policy delivers on the ACT-National coalition to set an income threshold above which personal ...
New Zealand and Germany are committed to enhancing their partnership, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our discussions in Berlin over the last few days have underlined the broad range of interests that New Zealand and Germany share,” says Mr Peters, following his meeting with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters today announced new sanctions in response to Russia’s ongoing illegal invasion of Ukraine – and joined partners in a Call to Action on sanctions-evading ‘shadow fleet’ activities. “These new sanctions respond to recent findings by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons that illegal ...
The modernisation of New Zealand’s trade certification system, which supports $33 billion of exports, is making selling top Kiwi products overseas more reliable and adaptable for the future, Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard says.“New Zealand food and wine is admired around the world and brings jobs, money, and opportunities into ...
Today’s opening of a new MRI facility at Whanganui Hospital is the latest in a number of health infrastructure projects designed to improve healthcare services for the people of Whanganui and surrounding districts, says Minister of Health Dr Shane Reti. “I’m really pleased to have been able to deliver on ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to combat trade in illegally harvested timber, with consultation starting today on operational details to implement New Zealand’s legal harvest assurance system, Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced today. “The system will limit the risk of importing illegally harvested timber and provide the international ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden has today received the report from phase 1 of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19. “The delivery of the phase 1 report marks the conclusion of phase 1 of the Inquiry. Phase 1 Commissioners Professor Tony Blakely and John Whitehead have now ...
The Government is ensuring more Kiwi kids get extra support with their reading and maths by boosting the level of targeted interventions in classrooms around the country. “We are relentlessly focused on giving more Kiwi kids confidence at school so they can achieve their potential. Due to high demand, we’re ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has confirmed that State Highway 1B (SH1B) Telephone Road in Waikato will reopen in 2025, following agreement by KiwiRail and the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) on a package of improvements to enable the road and rail crossing to function safely and effectively together. “Economic growth, productivity, and ...
The University of Canterbury is to be commended for increasing its intake of clinical psychology students, Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey and Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds say. “This Government is focused on increasing access to support and growing the workforce is critical to this,” Mr ...
New Zealand and France have renewed efforts to work together more intensively in the Indo-Pacific and on issues of mutual importance, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “It’s been a seriously productive few days in Paris, with New Zealand and France redoubling our efforts on bilateral relations, strategic alignment and ...
The Government is backing a project to squeeze more value out of New Zealand blackcurrants, Associate Minister for Agriculture, Nicola Grigg says. “We’re investing in a two-year project with PharmaZen Limited to add value to our blackcurrant industry by piloting a processing facility in Canterbury which will allow growers to ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour today announced Christchurch-based Mastery Schools New Zealand – Arapaki as the first new charter school set to open in term one 2025. “This announcement is a significant step in the Government’s efforts to lift educational achievement in New Zealand,” says Mr Seymour. “Charter schools will ...
The latest drop in the official cash rate will mean more relief for Kiwis’ backpockets, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The 50 point drop in the rate is the third drop since August, meaning the rate has fallen 125 basis points in that time. “That is good news for families ...
We dust off the abacus. There was a bit of throat clearing and chest thumping about the leader interviews to mark last week’s first birthday of the first fully fledged three-party coalition government in New Zealand. Among them was David Seymour, who told RNZ: “I think we’ve made a disproportionate ...
The prime minister said ‘what I’m saying to you’ 26 times in 30 minutes last weekend. But what did he actually say?On Sunday morning, Christopher Luxon finally appeared on TVNZ’s Q+A for the first time since he was elected prime minister in 2023. The live television interview lasted 30 ...
To steal a phrase from movie star Gwyneth Paltrow, has Taranaki pulled off a “conscious uncoupling”?The Taranaki regional development plan has been launched and seabed mining has been excluded from its key initiatives.It follows the Government’s decision to include seabed mining off Taranaki’s coast on the Government’s fast-track projects list ...
The SmileI am sitting at the airport/at departures/stranded between the café and the gate/in a wheelchair/those airport wheelchairs that only someone else can control/when a phalanx of policemen/a paranoia of personal bodyguards speaking into their own ears/arrive/like a curtain opening/ or the seas parting/not for Taylor Swift or Donald Trump/not for ...
Analysis: The recent Pharmac decision to exclusively fund Mylan oestrogen patches without consulting major stakeholders has generated significant concern among users who fear a resurgence of debilitating menopausal symptoms, with significant physical, mental and socioeconomic implications. As health professionals who prescribe Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT, formerly known as HRT), we ...
NewsroomBy Dr Maritza Farrant, Dr Michelle Wise and Dr Susannah O'Sullivan
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk New Zealand’s Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was expected to arrive in New Caledonia today for a three-day visit. His schedule in New Caledonia will include meetings with “a wide range of government, political, business and civil society leaders” from December ...
Asia Pacific Report Norway is stopping the first licensing round for deep sea mining in Arctic waters — and Greenpeace Aotearoa says this is putting pressure on the Luxon government to follow suit. “This move by Norway to stop the seabed mining in its tracks is a historic win for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Liberal frontbencher Paul Fletcher got a big shock last election in his Sydney seat of Bradfield. Teal candidate Nicolette Boele pushed the result to preferences, leaving her within striking distance for next year’s poll. She ...
Pacific Media Watch An Aotearoa New Zealand-based community education provider is preparing a new course aimed to help media professionals in the Pacific region understand and respond to the complex issue of disinformation. The eight-week course “A Bit Sus (Pacific)”, developed by the Dark Times Academy, will be offered free ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mehmet Ozalp, Associate Professor in Islamic Studies, Director of The Centre for Islamic Studies and Civilisation and Executive Member of Public and Contextual Theology, Charles Sturt University The forgotten Syrian civil war has again flared up with the spectacular capture of Aleppo ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Opposition Senate leader and former senior minister in the Coalition government Simon Birmingham has announced he will quit parliament at the election. Birmingham, one of the few remaining moderates in the Liberals’ ranks, is shadow ...
Source: Shincheonji New Zealand Gyeonggi Provincial Government’s Sudden Cancellation Raises Concerns of Bias and Violation of Rights An administrative decision by a South Korean government agency sparked international controversy, raising concerns about religious freedom. On November 27, religious leaders and opinion leaders delivered a joint protest statement to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lewis Ingram, Lecturer in Physiotherapy, University of South Australia Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels Can you reach down and touch your toes without bending your knees? Can you reach both arms overhead? If these sound like a struggle, you may be lacking flexibility. ...
Greenpeace spokesperson Juan Parada says, "This move by Norway to stop the seabed mining in its tracks is a historic win for ocean protection and for the growing movement opposed to the damaging new extractive industry, and puts the spotlight firmly on ...
The firefighters will refuse to carry out a range of duties over a 21-day period, beginning 8am Wednesday 18 December 2024 and ending 6pm Wednesday 8 January 2025. ...
Asia Pacific Report Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has told a media conference Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be arrested if he entered New Zealand “We support the ICC [the International Criminal Court],” Luxon said yesterday. “We believe in the international rules-based system, we support the ICC, and we would ...
Books editor Claire Mabey has some additions and alternatives to this year’s New Zealand Institute of Economic Research summer reading list for the PM. Look, it’s fine. A panel of five men and one woman have chosen books they think prime minister Christopher Luxon should read. “This year’s list emphasises ...
Alex Casey reviews the Something to Give Each Other tour as it touches down for its final stop in Aotearoa. Even the foyer at a Troye Sivan show comes with the kind of organically-generated sparkle and spectacle that Coldplay probably hired a whole department for. Digital camera flashes bounced off ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Miles, Postdoctoral Researcher in Astrophysics, Swinburne University of Technology Carl Knox, OzGrav, Swinburne University of Technology and South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) Using the largest gravitational wave detector ever made, we have confirmed earlier reports that the fabric of ...
The Finance Minister says new tax revenue streams can't be ruled out, especially given the issue of charities' tax breaks are already being investigated. ...
A new interactive map from Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa, the Outdoor Access Commission, challenges colonial ideas of land ownership.Land is important. Our view of the world is shaped by the way we view land. Our legal system – what society defines as right and wrong – assumes that public and private ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sora Park, Professor of Communication, News & Media Research Centre, University of Canberra An example of an Instagram post used in the study.Instagram/Park et al. 2024 Australians now use social media more often than any other type of media, including TV, ...
Keith Rankin – Opinion. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. Joe Biden struggled to understand why his presidency was unpopular; especially why so many regarded his economic legacy as weak when he thought it was ...
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