Posts Tagged ‘Rodney Hide’
I call bullshit
Written By: - Date published: 10:02 am, June 22nd, 2009 - 17 comments
I’d prefer not to wade into the David Garrett sexual harrassment fiasco, but having seen his pathetic blame-shifting in the media I’ve got to call bullshit on him. Both Garrett and his boss Rodney Hide have been downplaying the sexual harassment with the excuse that Garrett was an oil rig worker for ten years, so […]
The ‘Rankin Effect’
Written By: - Date published: 7:39 am, May 19th, 2009 - 11 comments
Why is the National government delaying its announcement of the Supercity transitional agency? The Rankin Effect. That’s the flinch you get when your rampant arrogance becomes a bit too obvious. But despite the Rankin Effect, it looks like most of Rodney Hide’s picks for the new board will pass Key’s test. Who wants to take […]
No credible argument against referendum
Written By: - Date published: 11:15 am, May 18th, 2009 - 32 comments
This morning Radio NZ ran a report on the increasing grassroots opposition to the Government’s supercity plans. In the interview that followed it Rodney Hide was asked why the Government won’t let Aucklanders have the final say on the proposal through a referendum. His answer? The tired, discredited old line that it’s “not just a […]
Ratepayers to fork out lots for super-city
Written By: - Date published: 5:17 pm, May 15th, 2009 - 2 comments
In the absence of any numbers about transition costs from Rodney or NACT on the super-city, Phil Twyford over at Red Alert has gotten Dr Rhema Vaithianathan to crunch the available numbers. Ratepayers are going to get whacked with a bill for up to $750 just for the transition costs, and that’s 30% higher than […]
Hide on his way to Privileges Committee?
Written By: - Date published: 5:32 am, May 8th, 2009 - 44 comments
Has Rodney Hide breached privilege by seriously misleading the House? This is one for you legal types out there but from a layperson’s perspective it looks like it. Here’s what happened (the full transcripts are below): On Wednesday, Phil Twyford (or Twif-ford as Hide insists on calling him) asked Hide whether “he has costed the super-city proposal outlined […]
Oh dear – Hyde the costs
Written By: - Date published: 9:40 pm, May 7th, 2009 - 71 comments
How embarrassing. Rodney Hide has been forced to admit that he has no idea of the costs of his super-city proposal. Phil Twyford with the aid of the speaker cornered him into an admission that he’d been bullshitting. The Minister has been caught out trying to mislead Aucklanders about whether the Government has done those […]
How Hyde is wasting my taxes on an uncosted project
Written By: - Date published: 5:09 pm, May 6th, 2009 - 20 comments
It appears that the propaganda campaign from Rodney Hide to push his proposal of the super-city has cost $533,000 in PR costs in the last 4 weeks. Phil Twyford (Labour’s Auckland issues spokesperson) comment is that:- It’s outrageous that the Government is prepared to spend an average of $133,000 a week on a publicity blitz, […]
Backlash building on supercity
Written By: - Date published: 11:30 am, May 5th, 2009 - 25 comments
The unseemly haste with which the National/Act Government is pursuing its undemocratic supercity is causing more and more people to wake up to the con job they are pulling. A Reid poll (ignored by the Herald but run by the community newspapers) shows where just weeks ago the public was split evenly on the proposed […]
The Backlash Begins
Written By: - Date published: 1:00 pm, April 28th, 2009 - 43 comments
We’ve been warning that John Key faces a backlash in Auckland if he doesn’t rein in Rodney Hide and present a democratic supercity structure instead of the rort that is on the table now. We’re starting to see it. A poll out yesterday shows only 12% of people in Key’s own electorate support his government’s […]
Hide says no to referendum
Written By: - Date published: 5:59 am, April 25th, 2009 - 18 comments
Rodney Hide says Aucklanders shouldn’t have a vote on whether or not they want his supercity. He uses one of the weaker arguments the righties have been running in our comment threads “it’s not just a `yes’ or `no’ question” Yes it is. The question of how a super-city should be structured is not a ‘yes’ […]
When is the required referendum?
Written By: - Date published: 3:21 pm, April 20th, 2009 - 19 comments
I agree with the title of the Herald’s editoral today: “Let citizens have say on Super City“. Unfortunately, the editoral itself is wishy-washy. Aucklanders do deserve to have a say on the super city proposal. They should get to vote yes or no on the supercity in referenda before anything is set in stone. In […]
The sensible bits
Written By: - Date published: 10:56 am, April 18th, 2009 - 1 comment
Brian Rudman has a piece in the NZ Herald looking at the good side of the Auckland reorganisation. The potential for pooling resources. This was one of the reasons that there is widespread support for some kind of reorganization of Auckland into a single political structure. Just not with the proposal from Rodney Hide which […]
The fightback begins
Written By: - Date published: 7:33 am, April 18th, 2009 - 22 comments
This morning I picked up the local newspaper out of the mailbox – Harbour News. On the front page was this extraordinary editorial – “Who stole our Voice“. The editor of the Harbour News tears Rodney Hide and the NACT government a new excretory orifice. This is what is coming from the ground up all […]
Creating venal politics
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, April 11th, 2009 - 13 comments
It appears that John Key and Rodney Hide are participating in an old political action in Auckland – the gerrymander. From a general desire from politically aware Aucklanders to get a more coherent local government for the city, they have constructed a political system for business to completely dominate the city. Democratic and public spirited […]
Ominous Trickles before the Flood
Written By: - Date published: 5:35 pm, April 5th, 2009 - 13 comments
The attack on democratic local government is taking shape in the public domain. 1. Hide was not made the Minister of Local Govt for nothing. Radical changes are planned and National chose an ACT Party frontman to deflect public reaction. The Bill about to be introduced, and likely passed, to ‘cap rates at the rate […]
Blindly cutting away
Written By: - Date published: 2:08 pm, March 26th, 2009 - 23 comments
One of the most cavalier and foolish actions of the National led government during its first 100 day blitz of legislation (in itself described by many as an assault on democracy) was the cancellation of the R&D tax credit. The business community warned well in advance that cutting the credit was a very bad idea, […]
Clean water worth paying for
Written By: - Date published: 5:28 am, March 26th, 2009 - 14 comments
Rodney Hide, who thinks nothing of spending billions on tax cuts for the well-off, is baulking at spending “some tens of millions” to improve water supply quality in rural New Zealand. A quick google of ‘water borne disease new zealand’ reveals the cost of doing nothing. There are 800,000 people drinking water that the Ministry of Health […]
S92A: Opportunists jumping on bandwagons
Written By: - Date published: 2:00 pm, March 16th, 2009 - 78 comments
It is always interesting watching people and organizations jumping on bandwagons of popular movements. In the case of the section 92A of the new Copyright Act, there was a genuine movement by the denizens of the local net and artist communities that we participated in. Over the weekend Disk Smith Electronics did exactly that by […]
ACT’s dodgy backroom deals?
Written By: - Date published: 3:43 pm, March 5th, 2009 - 63 comments
This is interesting. From the Greens’ Metiria Turei: Last night on TVNZ7’s political show Backbenches, Rodney Hide commented that ACT had supported the Whanganui [Gang Insignia] Bill to “get Three Strikes through”. In 2006 Mr Hide was positively sneering at Chester Borrows attempt to ban gang patches. Now it seems ACT has done a backroom […]
The praiseworthy and the pitiful
Written By: - Date published: 1:04 pm, February 20th, 2009 - 23 comments
The praiseworthy and the pitiful is our weekly post on the little things that caught our eye but didn’t lead to a full post. This week: Tracy Watkins’ new blog A best of the political journos’ blogs I reckon. Watkins has been responding to comments, showing a bit of a sassy side, and her pieces […]
Oh dear
Written By: - Date published: 5:14 pm, December 9th, 2008 - 55 comments
Rodney Hide on National and ACT’s select committee into the ETS: “I am especially pleased to see that the issue of the scientific and trade implications will be considered alongside the impacts on the economy. “There is definitely not a monolithic view on the fact of human induced climate change and I welcome this government’s […]
Nowhere to Hide
Written By: - Date published: 2:05 pm, December 3rd, 2008 - 37 comments
“Far too much irksome regulation is putting unnecessary burdens on households and businesses,” says Rodney Hide. Problem is, for all his rhetoric, Rodney can’t actually name any ‘irksome’ or unnecessary regulations. Now, he is “appealling” to us to stop him looking like a puffed up idiot. He wants us to do his job for him […]
ACT snaps up Hollow Men star
Written By: - Date published: 1:50 pm, December 1st, 2008 - 5 comments
The Sunday Star Times reported yesterday that ACT had “snapped up” former Brash advisor Peter Keenan, one of the lead stars of Nicky Hager’s The Hollow Men. The Hollow Men revealed, among other things, that Mr Keenan counselled Dr Brash to campaign on populist issues such as law and order and the Treaty of Waitangi […]
Attention turns to local government
Written By: - Date published: 10:07 pm, November 26th, 2008 - 24 comments
Seems the commentators are definately picking local government as one of the issues to watch in terms of how the new Nationaladministration handles MMP politics (and how the opposition parties handle it as well I guess). Gordon Campbell notes: Giving the local government portfolio to Rodney Hide creates some management challenges for John Key. Can […]
Local Govt minister wants to privatise water
Written By: - Date published: 11:58 am, November 17th, 2008 - 91 comments
As you’ll have read, John Key has made ACT leader Rodney Hide his Minister of Local Government. So, what’s ACT’s local government policy? Commercial activities are best performed by the private sector because they have more incentive to innovate and deliver better services. Local government should progressively shed ownership of its commercial activities. Local government […]
ACT’s fifth Candidate?
Written By: - Date published: 1:00 pm, September 18th, 2008 - 54 comments
The word around the traps is that ACT will be announcing the name of its mystery 5th list candidate at its Law and Order policy launch this weekend and it’s rumoured that the candidate will be David Garrett. Garrett is a Barrister and is also a legal advisor to the Sensible Sentencing Trust who drafted […]
Hide on Nats’ woes
Written By: - Date published: 4:00 pm, August 6th, 2008 - 45 comments
“the best solution is to say in private what you say in public” * Simple, really.
ACT: tax cuts for the rich, please
Written By: - Date published: 3:34 pm, May 13th, 2008 - 139 comments
Rodney Hide is calling for the Budget’s tax cuts to take the form of raising the thresholds to account for inflation since 1999, removing of the 39 cent bracket, and a $10,000 tax-free bracket. What would ACT’s tax cuts entail for New Zealanders? Hide says the average cut would be $50 a week, so we […]
Interview the leaders VI: United Future
Written By: - Date published: 4:47 pm, April 28th, 2008 - 19 comments
Thanks to ACT leader Rodney Hide for participating in our ‘Interview the leaders’ series this morning. Our next leader is the Maori Party’s Tariana Turia. The general question remains: Of which of your achievements in politics are you most proud? For the two other questions we’ve gone with Higherstandard’s question: Can you envisage a NZ […]
- Climate Change: The ETS needs reform
The final ETS auction of the year was held today, resulting in a partial clearance: 4 million of the available 11.1 million units were sold, at the minimum price of $64/ton. Once you add in March's partial sale, the government managed to sell just over 7 million tons all year ...2 weeks ago - Throw Away All You Know.
In the cradle of the civilised disobedience derivedFrom a forlorn weeping widow crying tearsthat don’t see eye to eyeKeep the well fullA thirst forgotten A misery made for twoThat’ll use you then throw you awayThat’ll use you then throw you awayThat’ll use you then throw you awaySong: Nowhere.Today, I’m feeling ...2 weeks ago - NZCTU Rūnanga calling for submissions on proposed changes to NZ Post
The CTU Rūnanga is asking affiliates to support postal workers and get out and make submissions against contracting out postal delivery, to stop job cuts and ensure fair pay and conditions for postal workers. The Postal Workers Union is fighting NZ Post’s plans to replace postal workers with contracted couriers. ...2 weeks ago - ‘The cuts will continue until the economy improves’
Health Minister Shane Reti has even more cuts in his sights. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMorena. Long stories short on Wednesday, December 4, with more detail and analysis in the podcast above:Health Minister Shane Reti says spending cuts will continue for an extra year into 2027 because of a ...2 weeks ago - Auckland Transport (mostly) goneburger
Auckland Transport has long been a easy punching bag for the public, politicians and media, sometimes deservedly so, other times not. That could all be about to change following an announcement yesterday by the Browns – Wayne and Simeon. Greater Auckland is brought to you by a largely volunteer crew ...2 weeks ago - Luxon Takes A Beating
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 ...2 weeks ago - It’s not easy being green
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 ...2 weeks ago - *THOSE* polls! And *NOT* a hung Parliament!
..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 ...2 weeks ago - Sabin 33 #5 – Is solar energy worse for the climate than burning fossil fuels?
On November 1, 2024 we announced the publication of 33 rebuttals based on the report "Rebutting 33 False Claims About Solar, Wind, and Electric Vehicles" written by Matthew Eisenson, Jacob Elkin, Andy Fitch, Matthew Ard, Kaya Sittinger & Samuel Lavine and published by the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia ...2 weeks ago - We like to watch
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 ...2 weeks ago - Waimate Water: Not A New Problem
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 ...2 weeks ago - Restoring the status quo is not enough
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, ...2 weeks ago
- No Matter What I Do, Everything I Do Is Bad
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 ...2 weeks ago - Political Wrap Up: 11,000 construction jobs gone, Nurses Strike & Unemployment to reach Pandemic...
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, ...2 weeks ago - Tuesday 3 December 2024
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 ...2 weeks ago
- Where Is My Mind?
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 ...2 weeks ago - Gt North Rd improvements to finally start
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 ...2 weeks ago
- Govt says borrowing to build now last resort
The way through our $100 billion-plus infrastructure deficit will not be eased by Chris Bishop’s approach. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Chris Bishop unveiled 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 ...2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell On Why An AUKUS Led By Trump Is A Scary Prospect
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 ...2 weeks ago - Incy Wincy History: Pre-Tolkien Fantasy Arachnids of Unusual Size
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 ...2 weeks ago - How Plastics Fuel Climate Change
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 - ...2 weeks ago
- Labour 2026, Democrats 2024, and Luxon Accidentally Admits Neoliberalism has Broken the Country
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 ...2 weeks ago - Gendered violence and harassment in the world of work
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 ...2 weeks ago
- The Prime Minister hits the cones
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. ...2 weeks ago - Media Link: “A View from Afar” on the lame duck window of opportunity.
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 ...2 weeks ago - Subsidising ecocide
Aotearoa has long been an opponent of fossil fuel subsidies. In 2010 we joined the Friends of Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform. In 2015 we reviewed our policies to eliminate subsidies following advice from APEC. In 2021 we "lead the call" for subsidy reform at the WTO. And at COP29 just ...2 weeks ago
- A two-faced “apology”
Last month, the government formally apologised to victims of child torture and abuse-in-care. Part of the apology was meant to be for the state's long-standing policy of aggressively minimising its liabilities by dragging out cases, slandering its victims and ultimately denying redress. So you'd think that the state would actually ...2 weeks ago
- Labour leaning back towards Capital Gains Tax
2 weeks ago - Going in circles: How to fix transport in the City Centre
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, ...2 weeks ago
- Inside Labour’s difficult tax politics
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 ...2 weeks ago
- 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #48
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 ...2 weeks ago
- Kaamos: Published
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 ... 3 weeks ago - Luxon Finally Shows
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 ...3 weeks ago - Never mind the planet, check out these savings!
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 ...3 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 ...3 weeks ago - Sabre-Rattling.
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 ...3 weeks ago - No Cheers For Democracy.
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 ...3 weeks ago
- Hearing Ourselves Think.
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 ...3 weeks ago
- Privatisation Kills So Why is Reti, Luxon and Lester Levy Speeding Towards It Like A Rocket Ship?
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, ...3 weeks ago - 2024 Reading Summary: November (+ Writing Update)
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 ...3 weeks ago
- Translation #20 of The Debunking Handbook 2020 published!
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 ...3 weeks ago
- The Meaning of MAGA
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 ...3 weeks ago - Police: “It’s OK if you’re a cop”
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. ...3 weeks ago
- The Parade That Didn’t Exist
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 ...3 weeks ago - ‘Why we’ve cut the OCR so much since August’
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 ...3 weeks ago
- Another day, another breach of te Tiriti
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 ...3 weeks ago
- Luxon surrenders worker protections to ACT Party
“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,” ...3 weeks ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #48 2024
Open access notables Progression 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 ...3 weeks ago
- Can it be only a year?
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 ...3 weeks ago - Working in high temperatures
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 ...3 weeks ago
- Unity for 2025
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 ...3 weeks ago
- Weekly Roundup 29-November-2024
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 ...3 weeks ago
- The Hoon around the week to November 29
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 ...3 weeks ago
- Report questions Labour’s big Covid spendup
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 ...3 weeks ago
- Food and Fibre sector set to break records
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Thailand’s Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa will visit New Zealand this week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Thailand is an important economic and security partner for New Zealand in Southeast Asia,” Mr Peters says. “The visit is another important step as our two countries work to lift our relationship to a ...1 week ago
- New ferries will ensure safe, resilient connection
The Government is establishing a new company to procure two new ferries to ensure a safe, reliable and commercially viable ferry service, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “This decision will ensure New Zealand has a safe, reliable and resilient service to move people and freight between the North and South ...1 week ago
- Milestone for Iwi Māori Partnership Boards
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Iwi Māori Partnership Boards have taken a major step as part of the Government’s commitment to the health of Māori communities. Minister Reti has now received 15 IMPB community health plans, representing the vision and plans of the boards for health and wellbeing in ...1 week ago
- New seafood processing factory opens in Porirua
A new seafood processing factory in Porirua north of Wellington will bring export revenue, jobs and opportunities for the community, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The Wellington Kaimoana Hub, a joint venture between Māori owned seafood companies Moana New Zealand and Port Nicholson Fisheries, was formally opened by ...1 week ago
- Gisborne receives mental health beds boost
Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey today opened Gisborne Hospital’s new acute mental health unit, Te Whare Awhi Ora, and says the region will be better served by a bigger, more therapeutic acute mental health unit.“I have been clear that we need to build a strong mental health and addiction ...1 week ago
- Our journey towards net zero
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- Repealing advertising restrictions for media
Legislation that will repeal all advertising restrictions for broadcasters on Sundays and public holidays has been introduced to Parliament today, Media Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Traditional media outlets are operating in an extremely difficult environment and as the Government we must ensure regulatory settings are enabling the best chance of ...1 week ago
- Government announces future of greyhound racing in New Zealand
Racing Minister Winston Peters has announced the Government’s plans to end greyhound racing in New Zealand. “This is not a decision that is taken lightly but is ultimately driven by protecting the welfare of racing dogs. “Despite significant progress made by the greyhound racing industry in recent ...1 week ago
- Government cuts red tape for food exporters
The Government is delivering on its commitment to cut red tape and increase the value of exports by making it easier for exporters to deliver safe New Zealand food to more markets, says Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard. “Food exports are the bedrock of our economy, so when industry asked ...1 week ago
- Relationships & Sexuality Education refresh
The Government welcomes a new report which confirms the way Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) is taught in schools isn’t fit for purpose, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “In a world that’s rapidly changing, young people deserve every opportunity to be equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to ...1 week ago
- Applications open for mental wellbeing campaigns
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announced that applications will open today for the $5 million Mental Health Promotion Fund for organisations to run campaigns that promote mental wellbeing while at the Digital Mental Health Summit. “Strengthening the focus on prevention and early intervention is one of my key priorities. Our ...1 week ago
- Raising the visibility of New Zealand’s ethnic communities
A first-of-its-kind report launched today lays the groundwork for growing the visibility of New Zealand’s ethnic communities through data, Ethnic Communities Minister Melissa Lee says. “Too often and for too long, ethnic communities have largely been invisible in public sector data. As a result, their voices have not always been ...1 week ago
- Pay deductions for partial strikes to be reintroduced
Changes to collective bargaining will help rebalance the rights and consequences of industrial action, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says. A bill to allow for pay deductions in response to partial strikes will be introduced today. “Partial strikes are industrial actions that normally involve turning up to ...1 week ago
- Strategic leasing another tool in the infrastructure procurement belt
The Government is issuing strategic leasing guidance to agencies to ensure more efficient use of taxpayer dollars where the private sector is better placed to own and maintain infrastructure, Infrastructure Under-Secretary Simon Court says. “On a basic level, strategic leasing is like any other government leasing arrangement, where the government ...1 week ago
- Next steps for banking competition
The Government is pushing ahead with moves to increase banking competition by boosting Kiwibank and taking steps to ensure the Reserve Bank places greater importance on competition in the sector, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “The change will enable the New Zealand-owned bank to more vigorously compete against the ...1 week ago
- New campaign promotes alcohol-free pregnancies
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has launched a new public health campaign to prevent fetal alcohol spectrum disorder by promoting alcohol-free pregnancies. FASD is the leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disorders in New Zealand, causing lifelong physical, behavioural, learning and mental health problems. “The impact of FASD in ...1 week ago
- New Climate Change Commission Chair appointed
Rt Hon Dame Patsy Reddy has been appointed as the new chair of the Climate Change Commission, the independent Crown entity that provides the Government advice, monitoring and reporting to support New Zealand’s transition to a climate-resilient, low emissions future, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “I’m pleased that Dame ...1 week ago
- Commonsense changes to insulation standards
The Government is proposing commonsense changes to reduce the upfront cost of building, while maintaining robust energy efficiency standards, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “We know from a social investment point of view that Kiwis do much better when they have access to affordable, insulated, secure housing. “However, ...1 week ago
- Racing Act changes to boost racing industry sustainability
Racing Minister Winston Peters has announced the introduction of legislation to amend the Racing Industry Act 2020 which will extend TAB NZ’s current land-based monopoly for sports and racing betting to online. The Racing Industry Act established TAB NZ for the purposes of funding the racing industry. It provides ...1 week ago
- HYEFU revealed: Nicola Willis deploys convenient new measure amid bleak books
Analysis - The opening of the books at Treasury has revealed a bleak economic outlook, and a new measure to improve that picture. ...2 days ago - New Zealanders Be Warned – More Brutal Cuts To Public Services Coming
"History and now fresh evidence tell us that austerity doesn’t work, but the Government is failing to listen. Today in the Budget Policy Statement it set the stage for further deep and broad cuts which will impact the services New Zealanders need now and in ...2 days ago - The best books of 2024: The people’s choice
The results of our reader survey of the best books of the year. Over 300 Spinoff members responded to our call out to discover what people enjoyed reading locally and internationally this year. The results show a healthy crossover with The Spinoff’s best New Zealand books of 2024, with some ...2 days ago - Now We Know Why Nicola Willis Didn’t Want Experts In The Room: Changes OBEGAL Calculation To Appea...
“Nicola Willis is guilty of manipulating the fiscal indicators in the same way then Opposition Finance Spokesperson Nicola Willis jumped up-and-down about when Grant Robertson changed the way Net Core-Crown Debt was calculated to make the numbers ...2 days ago
- Minimum Wage Decision A Conscious Decision To Increase Poverty
It is an indefensible attack on working people and will only serve to inflame poverty and undermine a weak economy. ...2 days ago
- What makes a great sports coach? We identified 17 of the world’s best, and found some patterns
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cliff Mallett, Professor of Sport Psychology and Coaching, The University of Queensland red mango/Shutterstock The study of leadership in high-performance coaching aims to deepen the understanding of how and why coaches lead the way they do, rather than just what they ...2 days ago - Government makes it easier for businesses to hire migrants
Cabinet has also agreed in principle to bring in two new seasonal visas from late 2025. ...2 days ago
- HYEFU: Government books to stay deep in deficit until 2029
And Nicola Willis has adopted a new measure for its finances, excluding the impact of ACC, which it said distorted previous forecasts. ...2 days ago
- Forecast surplus delayed two years, Willis vows earlier end to deficit
The Treasury’s end-of-year fiscal and economic update shows the Government’s return to surplus has been delayed by two years on current projections.Using either the traditional operating balance measure or a new measure announced Tuesday, the Government will run a deficit for at least two years more than forecast at the ...2 days ago - Why zoning reform won’t solve the housing crisis
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Raphaël Fischler, Professeur titulaire à l’École d’urbanisme et d’architecture de paysage, Université de Montréal Montréal’s Plateau-Mont-Royal neighbourhood and downtown are exemplary places for functional diversity. (Shutterstock) There are many good reasons to bring about reforms in zoning, but reducing the cost ...2 days ago
- How can you stay safe from cyber attacks? Here are 2 simple checklists from experts
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jing Jia, Senior Lecturer, Business School, University of Newcastle cottonbro studios/Pexels “Cyber security” may sound like a far-off worry for big corporations or telcos, but that’s far from the case. Cyber security simply means the practice of safeguarding your sensitive data ...2 days ago
- NZTA settles High Court battle with Transmission Gully builder
The The Transport Agency and Wellington Gateway Partnership have been wrangling over claims that work areas have not been properly cleared up. ...2 days ago
- Minimum Wage Announcement “A Pay Cut For The Most Vulnerable”
“The Government has made another callous decision which will make in-work poverty even worse in Aotearoa,” E tū Assistant National Secretary, Annie Newman says. ...2 days ago
- The Spinoff’s favourite TV shows of 2024
From evil penguins to globe-trotting jackals, here are the TV shows that we were animals for this year. We’ve already covered off our favourite local television moments of the year, but there is still so much more to dive into beyond our televisual shores. It was predicted that 2024 would ...2 days ago
- Smallest minimum wage increase ‘since the 1990s’
The minimum wage will rise by 1.5 percent to $23.50 from April 1, it was announced Tuesday. ...2 days ago
- Wellington Council moves ahead with submission against Treaty Principles Bill
One councillor called it a waste of time and ratepayers' money, saying the council should keep out of "central government barn politics". ...2 days ago
- Media Should Make Point Of Speaking To The CTU This Afternoon On HYEFU
Banning the CTU, the Taxpayers’ Union, and groups like Business NZ and the Federated Farmers is not a strategy to get back to surplus. At best, it’s a cheap PR ploy to attempt to control the media narrative. ...2 days ago
- ‘Taken the local out of local government’: Councils react to crackdown
Mayors are accusing ministers of taking "the local out of local government" with proposed changes to rates and spending rules. ...2 days ago
- Empty classrooms, silent language: Kōhanga reo faces a crisis
As the fight to revitalise te reo Māori continues, kōhanga reo are grappling with severe teacher shortages, outdated facilities, and a lack of trust in their national leadership. Te Reo Māori is integral to understanding the Māori worldview. It provides a window into te ao Māori that is nearly impossible ...2 days ago
- NZCTU Put Brooke Van Velden On Notice Over WorkSafe Cuts
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi have sent an open letter to Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden, following another round of devastating job cuts at WorkSafe. ...2 days ago
- Open Letter Urges Govt Not To Accept Appointment Of New Israeli Ambassador
Those who have signed the letter are urging the New Zealand government to not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel until it is prepared to comply with international law. ...2 days ago
- ‘Enormous mismatch’: What can you do when your leave doesn’t cover the school holi...
The a new movement is encouraging employers to focus more on output, not the number of hours worked. ...2 days ago
- The cost of being: A public servant and mum who’s saving for a house deposit
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a 47-year-old public servant, mother and musician shares her approach to spending and saving. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here. Gender: Female. Age: 47. Ethnicity: Pākehā. Role: Public ...2 days ago
- Minimum wage set to get modest bump to $23.50 in April
The increase strikes a "balance" between supporting workers and limiting further costs on business, the Workplace Relations and Safety Minister says. ...2 days ago
- Should non-disclosure agreements be restricted in cases of workplace sexual harassment? Here’s wha...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Heap, Senior Researcher Centre for Future Work at the Australia Institute; Sessional Academic RMIT University, The Australia Institute Tomasz Trojanowski/Shutterstock Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) are again in the spotlight – mostly because of how they can affect the way companies deal ...2 days ago
- Fantasia 2000: celebrating 25 years of a concertless film in search of a concert
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Will Jeffery, Sessional Academic, Discipline of Film Studies, University of Sydney IMDB/Disney Imagine attending a concert including excerpts from Ludwig van Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, Ottorino Respighi’s Pines of Rome, George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, Dmitri Shostakovich’s 2nd Piano Concerto, Camille Saint-Saëns’s ...2 days ago
- Live: ‘Pipes before cycleways’: Christopher Luxon on council spending crackdown
"I don't think roof top gardens on bus stops are a great idea," the prime minister says at the government removes "wellbeing" provisions from the Local Government Act. ...2 days ago
- An imaging company gave its patients’ X-rays and CT scans to an AI company. How did this happen?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stacy Carter, Professor and Director, Australian Centre for Health Engagement, Evidence and Values, University of Wollongong Zamrznuti tonovi/Shutterstock Australia’s biggest radiology provider, I-MED, has provided de-identified patient data to an artificial intelligence company without explicit patient consent, Crikey reported recently. ...2 days ago
- 5 things to know before boarding your dog or cat this summer
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Melissa Starling, Postdoctoral Researcher in Veterinary Science, University of Sydney Tatiana Kovaleva/Shutterstock Around this time of year, pet owners across the country are scrambling to finalise holiday care arrangements. Some lucky animals go to the home of a familiar family member, ...2 days ago
- NZ’s government may ask the public to underwrite the risk of fossil fuel exploration – this coul...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nathan Cooper, Associate Professor of Law, University of Waikato Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images After reversing the ban on new offshore oil and gas exploration permits, New Zealand’s coalition government is now considering whether to share the risks of exploration with the fossil ...2 days ago
- More Australian families are choosing private schools – we need to understand why
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sally Larsen, Senior Lecturer in Education, University of New England The shape of Australia’s school system is undergoing a significant change. Enrolments in independent schools are growing, while fewer students are going to public schools. Why are more families choosing an ...2 days ago
- When you wish upon a star, is it already dead? An astronomer crunches the numbers
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Nicole Driessen, Postdoctoral researcher in radio astronomy, University of Sydney ESO/Luis Calçada/Herbert Zodet, CC BY When you wish upon a star, Jiminy Cricket told us, your dreams come true. But according to an idea doing the rounds on social media, ...2 days ago
- Harold Holt is a meme today, but when the prime minister went missing in December 1967, it was no la...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Black, Visitor, School of History, Australian National University At some point, Australians stopped grieving Harold Holt’s death and many started to laugh about it instead. The sudden disappearance of a prime minister at a Victorian beach in December 1967 has furnished ...2 days ago
- Advocates plea for scrapping of boot camps in open letter to the prime minister
Youth advocates want the government to scrap a bill which would make boot camps permanent. ...2 days ago
- Councils back on the government’s naughty step
Sharp rates increases are the latest target for the PM and Simeon Brown, explains The Bulletin’s Stewart Sowman-Lund. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...2 days ago
- Commerce Commission clampdown won’t stop ‘insane’ card surcharges
Further cuts to bank interchange charges expected this week – even though new data shows card surcharges have only increased The post Commerce Commission clampdown won’t stop ‘insane’ card surcharges appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Hundreds of MBIE workers begin strike action after 0% pay offer
"Offensive" zero percent pay offers could see a wave of strike action across the public sector in coming months, the Public Service Association is warning. ...2 days ago
- Te Pāti Māori roasts Electoral Commission over Manurewa marae apology
Debbie Ngarewa-Packer is accusing the commission of bowing to "a bit of political heat" after it apologised for using Manurewa marae as a voting place. ...2 days ago
- Xmas: the best nonfiction book of 2024
Up and down the motu, house to house, party to party, tangi to tangi, car to car, Talia Marshall is always on the move in her memoir Whaea Blue. She’s running from something, or to something. In the space of 350 pages we move from the Mormon church in which ...2 days ago
- Live: Larger deficits expected as the government opens its books
Treasury will release its half-year economic and fiscal update today. ...2 days ago
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