Tax cuts for all!

Written By: - Date published: 8:01 am, May 15th, 2014 - 227 comments
Categories: budget 2014, john key, national, same old national, spin, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags:

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John Key is nothing but an optimist. After delivering five successive deficit budgets and having driven core crown gross debt from $31 billion to a forecast $82 billion and despite in all likelihood delivering a wafer thin surplus that will rely on the stretching to breaking point of all sorts of accountancy rules he is talking publicly about a tax cut.

From Radio New Zealand:

Prime Minister John Key is floating the possibility of future tax cuts as National goes into the election campaign.

Mr Key said Thursday’s Budget would show increasing surpluses during the next few years.

The Government should still be able to achieve its aim of getting debt below 20 percent of Gross Domestic Product by 2020, and have some money left over.

“So there are options for that additional expenditure, and they would obviously be spending by the Government or, alternatively, returning that through some sort of tax programme,” he said.

Asked where potential tax cuts might be directed, Mr Key said middle-New Zealand was an obvious group which paid a fair bit of tax and did not get a lot in return.

Mr Key said any tax cuts would not be announced in Thursday’s Budget, and National would have to decide before the 20 September election if it wanted to include them as part of its campaign promises.

Obviously on Planet Key the population is not ageing.  We are not all getting older, there are not more and more people receiving superannuation and needing more and more health assistance.  And climate change is not occurring and will not require greater and greater resources to adapt to given that we are not going to actually do anything about it.  There is no child poverty and third world diseases never happen here.  And there is no need to pay off all this debt that National has accumulated.

You have to admire Key’s chutzpah.  But would you want to trust him with the Country’s credit card?

227 comments on “Tax cuts for all! ”

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  1. millsy 1
    15 May 2014 at 8:11 am

    The government should be reversing the prescrption cost increase back to $3, restore ACE cuts and fix the Napier-Gisborne line (among other things). NOT slash taxes like Bill Birch did in 96 paving the way for all those hospital closures. And Cunliffe should rule out tax cuts and promise more spending on public services. Give NZ a choice.

    • Gosman 1.1
      15 May 2014 at 8:17 am

      Why should government fix the Napier-Gisborne line when it is not economically viable?

      • sabine 1.1.1
        15 May 2014 at 8:21 am

        hmmmm, no taxation without representation?

      • mickysavage 1.1.2
        15 May 2014 at 8:21 am

        Ever heard about a triple bottom line analysis or of the desirability of future proofing our transport systems?

        • Gosman 1.1.2.1
          15 May 2014 at 8:31 am

          Ever heard of a cost-benefit analysis and retun on investment?

          If the Napier-Gisborne line was economically viable why isn’t Kiwirail investing in it? They are after all one hundred percent government owned SOE and therefore aren’t tarnished by the dreaded curse of private shareholders.

          • mickysavage 1.1.2.1.1
            15 May 2014 at 8:33 am

            You can’t get your head around short term economic benefit can you. With your approach we would never build a school because it will never produce a profit.

          • vto 1.1.2.1.2
            15 May 2014 at 8:34 am

            Your problem gosman, which you show again, is that you think the world consists solely of dollar notes. You haven’t a clue about people, human history or human community. So bereft.

            • Gosman 1.1.2.1.2.1
              15 May 2014 at 8:47 am

              Pretty sure I understand human history. Human development has been driven on by the need to make money (or at least accumulate surplus value). Those countries which encourage individual actions on this front generally do better than those that force collective action.

              • felix …
                15 May 2014 at 8:51 am

                QED

              • vto …
                15 May 2014 at 8:53 am

                sheesh …. point proven

                let me try just one teency tiny very large example – the cooperative known as Fonterra. Following your logic there would be a better result if each farmer acted entirely independtly in the big wide world.

                seriously gosman, I shake my head

                • Gosman …
                  15 May 2014 at 9:13 am

                  Nope. Where did I state individuals couldn’t or even shouldn’t come together in a collective manner for their own individual good. It is the very nature of the joint stock company which I believe was one of the key drivers of the industrial age. It is also why I am supportive of the concept of Trade Unions as they provide Labour the same sort of benefits that Capital accrued out of Companies. I just don’t agree with coerced collectivism.

                  • vto …
                    15 May 2014 at 9:25 am

                    slickety dick again mr gosman, you are slip sliding all over this thread on banana peel of your own tossing …

                    but nonetheless, if your slippery reposte just there holds then you need to change your original this …

                    “Those countries which encourage individual actions on this front generally do better than those that force collective action.”

                    to this …

                    “Those countries which encourage collective actions on this front generally do better than those that encourage individual action.”

                    and this is the history of human advancement, collective action not individual action ..

                  • vto …
                    15 May 2014 at 9:27 am

                    gosman and this … “come together in a collective manner for their own individual good. It is the very nature of the joint stock company which I believe was one of the key drivers of the industrial age” … goes against your various assertions around individualism

                    more bananas please

              • One Anonymous Bloke …
                15 May 2014 at 8:55 am

                Massive 🙄

                “Encourage”. That’s one way to describe the effects of progressive democracy.

              • Draco T Bastard …
                15 May 2014 at 9:12 am

                Actually, it’s the exact opposite. Hell, even protectionism actually produces better development than free-trade because nations actually have to develop their own resources and capabilities. And, yes, history actually shows that (Ha-Joon Chang, 23 things about Capitalism).

                So, you know nothing about history and your beliefs are delusional because of that failure.

          • Gosman 1.1.2.1.3
            15 May 2014 at 8:41 am

            Kiwirail is set up to make a profit not be a provider of social services. Treating commerical enterprises as social welfare providers is what leads to SOE’s becoming a massive drain on the fiscus in places such as Greece and the like.

            • felix 1.1.2.1.3.1
              15 May 2014 at 8:49 am

              Just because fools and cretins have spent 30 years trying to turn all our public services into businesses doesn’t make them so.

              Which are you? You pose as a cretin but I’d say fool trying hard.

              • Gosman …
                15 May 2014 at 8:53 am

                Which mainstream political party in NZ on the left wants to ditch the SOE model felix? Why do you think that is?

                • One Anonymous Bloke …
                  15 May 2014 at 8:56 am

                  Me. Because it’s broken.

                  • Gosman …
                    15 May 2014 at 9:08 am

                    So just a few hard core leftists contributing to a left wing blog then. Noone in a position to actually implement said proposal if the party they belonged to won enough seats to be part of the government.

                  • felix …
                    15 May 2014 at 9:15 am

                    Me too.

                    Doesn’t count though OAB, according to Gosman the wishes desires and opinions of parties like you and me are irrelevant in a democracy.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke …
                      15 May 2014 at 9:45 am

                      Well we can’t expect to get traction immediately. Got to just keep on repeating the message. The SOE model is broken. The SOE model is broken. 😀

            • Draco T Bastard 1.1.2.1.3.2
              15 May 2014 at 9:18 am

              Kiwirail is set up to make a profit not be a provider of social services.

              Which is actually the problem. It should be a government department set up to run at near cost with capital expenditure (rail and rolling stock) sourced through taxes.

              Oh, and trucks should be paying for the full amount of damage that they do to the roads.

            • JonL 1.1.2.1.3.3
              15 May 2014 at 3:27 pm

              So the fact that no one of substance paid any tax in Greece had nothing to do with it’s problems…?

          • Sanctuary 1.1.2.1.4
            15 May 2014 at 9:44 am

            comments like this make me smile. I smile because National is going to get quite a shock out in the provinces this September, a shock the polls will not necessarily pick up. The Nactoids can wave goodbye to half a dozen provincial and rural seats due to the dismissive arrogance of the Gosmans.

            Keep it up buddy. You are helping to bury National.

            • Gosman 1.1.2.1.4.1
              15 May 2014 at 10:27 am

              Care to have a wager with me on that?

              • framu …
                15 May 2014 at 12:37 pm

                you will just use some bullshit semantics to avoid paying up anyway so why bother

                • Gosman …
                  15 May 2014 at 12:51 pm

                  Not if we frame the wager in definitive terms. I am happy if we define what the provincial/rural electorates are up front. If Labour wins 6 or more of these I lose. If they don’t I win. Not much wriggle room there.

                  • mickysavage …
                    15 May 2014 at 12:53 pm

                    Gosman I might be wrong but I do not think that you have really addressed the tenor of the post. Do you think that tax cuts are a reasonable proposition given the current economic circumstances of the country?

                    • Rob …
                      15 May 2014 at 2:03 pm

                      No for this budget, no. There is not enough surplus. But certainly if surpluses grow continually then Govt should take less from their productive population.

                  • freedom …
                    15 May 2014 at 3:52 pm

                    Gosman, no one mentioned Labour, already you are trying to weasel the wager

          • thatguynz 1.1.2.1.5
            15 May 2014 at 10:50 am

            You can’t pick and choose the scenarios that you apply the “cost-benefit analysis” argument to. If that is your go-to stance, I expect you don’t support the “Roads of National Significance”??

            • Gosman 1.1.2.1.5.1
              15 May 2014 at 12:37 pm

              Are you stating the roads of national significance don’t have a cost benefit analysis associated with them?

              • thatguynz …
                15 May 2014 at 12:41 pm

                Of course they do. What I’m stating is that the analysis isn’t favourable to actually proceeding with them – hence why I said “You can’t pick and choose the scenarios that you apply the “cost-benefit analysis” argument to.”

      • vto 1.1.3
        15 May 2014 at 8:32 am

        “Why should government fix the Napier-Gisborne line when it is not economically viable?”

        Why should the government proceed with the north Auckland holiday highway when it is not economically viable?

        • Gosman 1.1.3.1
          15 May 2014 at 8:49 am

          I’d actually have no problem if the tracks were developed and maintained separately and if people could make a case for fixing the line and then operating the line independently. If there is a good enough case for this then you would have my support.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 1.1.3.1.1
            15 May 2014 at 8:58 am

            Who would you send in “support”? The army or the police?

          • RedLogix 1.1.3.1.2
            15 May 2014 at 9:08 am

            A very old and close friend of mine – someone I’ve admired much of my life for being incredibly observant, well informed and highly intelligent – is part of a small group of volunteers who regularly makes trips out along that abandoned Napier-Gisbourne line to try and keep clear the drains and culverts that are essential to preventing the embankments from slowly collapsing over time.

            There is no ‘economic case’ for them to do this Gosman. They do this for free out of their own time and energy.

            It’s just they are locals, they understand the history, the purpose and the future reasons for keeping this line alive. Something you cannot.

            • Gosman 1.1.3.1.2.1
              15 May 2014 at 9:17 am

              Excellent. Get enough of them together and get the capital to purchase and operate the line. They can continue to do their volunteer work as well.

              • RedLogix …
                15 May 2014 at 9:22 am

                Excellent – so you do understand that there is a case for keeping the line alive. You just want the benefits while getting someone else to pay for them.

                • Gosman …
                  15 May 2014 at 9:45 am

                  No. I want those people who will likely get the greater benefit (i.e. the people in Napier/Gisborne area) to take on most of the risk of the operation rather than those that don’t.

                  • Colonial Viper …
                    15 May 2014 at 9:50 am

                    Don’t be stupid, if you applied that same pathetic self serving right wing rule to Auckland motorways that city would be full of toll bridges within a year.

                    • felix …
                      15 May 2014 at 9:57 am

                      One at each driveway, presumably.

                    • Tracey …
                      15 May 2014 at 10:07 am

                      not gosmans, cos he wouldnt want to py for one… oh wait, he could charge his friends when they came to visit.

                    • infused …
                      15 May 2014 at 10:25 am

                      That’s probably not a bad idea.

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      15 May 2014 at 11:49 am

                      not gosmans, cos he wouldnt want to py for one… oh wait, he could charge his friends when they came to visit.

                      Tracey, the mind boggles with how many quips you just opened up there 🙂 Needless to say that’s probably not going to be a revenue spinner

                  • vto …
                    15 May 2014 at 9:50 am

                    I think one of your problems gosman is that you seem unable to assess where and how ‘benefits’ accrue. Or how people and communities are linked.

                    In this particular example you appear to see Gisborne as something wholly separate from the rest of NZ. It survives or dies on its own and has no effect of the balance of our fair lands. That there is no link.

                    This separation of peoples who are in fact linked is wrong-headed.

                    You seem to have a working brain but it seems to have had some heavy blinkers placed on it. Try prising them off for a good period of time and have a look around …..

                  • felix …
                    15 May 2014 at 9:55 am

                    I tire of these fools spouting the same old user-pays claptrap that we’ve all seen through decades ago as if it’s a new idea that we don’t understand yet.

                    It’s patronising and insulting.

                  • DS …
                    15 May 2014 at 11:38 am

                    Excellent. So we South Islanders can stop subsidising Auckland and Wellington’s roads?

                    Rail is a basic piece of infrastructure. Like roading, it is there to help encourage economic activity; it shouldn’t be there to make a profit in itself.

      • kenny 1.1.4
        15 May 2014 at 2:00 pm

        I think you will find that most rail lines throughout the world are not economically viable and that most national railways are subsidised by governments.

  2. sabine 2
    15 May 2014 at 8:18 am

    anyone asked him by how much he will increase GST?

    • felix 2.1
      15 May 2014 at 8:57 am

      …and ACC, fuel levies, vehicle registration, alcohol tax, ciggie tax, court costs, and every other fee tax levy and duty the govt has available for revenue collection and probably a few new ones.

  3. freedom 3
    15 May 2014 at 8:19 am

    or it could reinstate the 18 million that crippled Adult Education programmes across the country or replace the million recently taken from Food for Schools to pay for nit chairs.

  4. Gruntie 4
    15 May 2014 at 8:23 am

    Im a 50 year old male white man in the middle class and I don’t want tax cuts – I do in fact get a lot back from the taxes I and generations contribute to – a great education for my kids, great healthcare for my elderly parents, – fuck off To Hawaii in your la la land John Key

    • Gosman 4.1
      15 May 2014 at 8:27 am

      That’s nice that you personally don’t want tax cuts. Here’s an idea for you. How about you voluntarily gift more of your income to the Government.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 4.1.1
        15 May 2014 at 9:02 am

        How about you cite one real world example of a country that has adopted your fictional notions? Apart from Somalia.

        • Gosman 4.1.1.1
          15 May 2014 at 9:06 am

          What fictional notions are those that you are referring to?

          As for Somalia, I am not sure why you think this is in any way reflective of some right wingers version of paradise. They have a large amount of governmental and quasi governmental interference in people carrying out business and no consistent application of the rule of law.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 4.1.1.1.1
            15 May 2014 at 9:15 am

            So, no real world example of the things you’d like to see then.

            • Gosman 4.1.1.1.1.1
              15 May 2014 at 9:19 am

              There are lots of real world examples of things I would like to see and lots of real world examples of things I would like to avoid.

              The FTA with China is an example of something I would like to see more of.

              The aborted 75% wealth tax in France is something I would like to see less of.

              • One Anonymous Bloke …
                15 May 2014 at 9:24 am

                So, the Army, the Police, Treasury and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, along with customs and border security staff. Or are the police doing that? You’ll need someone to run your systems too. Better have a Ministry of Internal Affairs.

                Who’s going to train all those diplomats and prevent them from simply following pure self-interest on the job?

              • felix …
                15 May 2014 at 9:35 am

                “The FTA with China is an example of something I would like to see more of.”

                Yeah that makes sense. Especially as you don’t think govts should own anything.

                🙄

                • Gosman …
                  15 May 2014 at 10:02 am

                  Where have I ever stated that govts shouldn’t own anything. I have stated that I don’t believe the State should own commercial enterprises. That is a separate matter though.

                  • vto …
                    15 May 2014 at 10:06 am

                    You need to be able to distinguish between commercial enterprise and, for example, essential life services such as electricity and water.

                    This is one of the failures of the neoliberal thinking, and it kills people, such as the 29 dead men at Pike River. Or the elderly who perish earlier than they should due to cold and damp houses brought about by insufficient electricity.

                  • Tracey …
                    15 May 2014 at 10:10 am

                    other than the army and the police, what other things do you think govt should run they dont fit your cost-benefit model?

          • Draco T Bastard 4.1.1.1.2
            15 May 2014 at 9:26 am

            Because Somalia is the perfect example of what we would get if we followed right-wing social and economic prescriptions.

            • Wayne 4.1.1.1.2.1
              15 May 2014 at 9:42 am

              Do you really believe this. That the Nats would like to turn NZ into Somalia.

              • Colonial Viper …
                15 May 2014 at 9:57 am

                The NATs would like to turn NZ into a country where private sector interests have maximal control – either directly themselves or through lobbyists acting on a weak and anaemic state – the one difference in the Somalia scenario is that their private sector does not have “big business leaders” it has “warlords” otherwise the principles hold true.

              • Draco T Bastard …
                15 May 2014 at 10:13 am

                I didn’t say that they would like to. I said that it is the natural result of their policies and actions.

              • Tracey …
                15 May 2014 at 10:13 am

                he didnt write that national would like nz to be like somalia he wrote that in his opinion the end result of nat and act policy would eventually be a somalia like situation.

                my concern is what happens when we have the next economic crisis, and history says we will, when we have nothing left to sell off?

              • DS …
                15 May 2014 at 11:43 am

                No, the Nats would like to turn the clock back to Dickensian England.

                “Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?”

            • MaxFletcher 4.1.1.1.2.2
              15 May 2014 at 9:44 am

              No it isn’t at all. Not supportive of right-wing social or economic principles but Somalia’s troubles run far deeper than economic. Factional warlords and religious violence being two such issues.

              • Draco T Bastard …
                15 May 2014 at 10:15 am

                Factional warlords and religious violence being two such issues.

                And what else did you think competition between mega-corporations was?

                • MaxFletcher …
                  15 May 2014 at 10:55 am

                  Factional warlords and religious violence in Somalia predating mega-corporations.

                  • Colonial Viper …
                    15 May 2014 at 11:03 am

                    BTW do you think Somalia and the rest of east Africa have an indigenous arms manufacturing industry?

                    Or, where do you think these African warlords get all the USD required to buy and import their AK47s, machine guns, RPGs, mortars etc?

                    Bottom line is that the colonial powers, now including China, have always treated Africa and its people as a resource to be exploited.

                  • Draco T Bastard …
                    15 May 2014 at 11:32 am

                    Doesn’t matter which came first. Although they use different methods there’s no real difference between the two.

                    • MaxFletcher …
                      15 May 2014 at 12:31 pm

                      Well it does because the factional war-lording and religious violence was a problem before, and not because of, the mega-corporations. To say “Because Somalia is the perfect example of what we would get if we followed right-wing social and economic prescriptions.” ignores a raft of historical issues.

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      15 May 2014 at 12:42 pm

                      The monetary system is a result of war and bloodshed that happened a long time ago (Debt: The first 5000 years by David Graeber). Corporations are a result of that monetary system. It is only through acts of socialism that, finally, that war and bloodshed has come to an end. Policies of the right will take us back to it – they have, after all, always opposed those acts.

            • Gosman 4.1.1.1.2.3
              15 May 2014 at 10:14 am

              Actually Somalia is the end result of a failed attempt to turn the country in to a Socialist utopia. I find it perverse that leftists would use the outcome of a socialist experiement to diss free market capitalism.

              • Tracey …
                15 May 2014 at 10:18 am

                yes. how dare anyone dispute your world view and belief that capitalism has brought nothing but sunshine and rainbows to all.

              • Draco T Bastard …
                15 May 2014 at 10:21 am

                Strange, I could have sworn that it had something to do with civil war and warlords fighting for control. Not something I’d call socialist.

                • Gosman …
                  15 May 2014 at 10:30 am

                  The civil war and warlords came about as the result of the collapse of the socialist dictatorship of Siad Barre

                  • Colonial Viper …
                    15 May 2014 at 10:41 am

                    Everyone is “socialist” to you Gosman, and if it was a true socialist government of the people like that of the Sandanistas or Mossadegh or Allende, the USA would have doomed it or overthrown it anyhows.

                  • Draco T Bastard …
                    15 May 2014 at 11:42 am

                    It eventually settled on the Soviets’ Cold War arch-rival, the United States, which had been courting the Somali government for some time.

                    And

                    By that time, Barre’s government had become increasingly unpopular. Many Somalis had become disillusioned with life under military dictatorship. The regime was weakened further in the 1980s as the Cold War drew to a close and Somalia’s strategic importance was diminished.

                    Again, not what one would call socialist. And I’m not surprised to find that it was supported by the US after it became a military dictatorship – after the USSR dropped it for becoming one.

          • framu 4.1.1.1.3
            15 May 2014 at 12:40 pm

            ”

            What fictional notions are those that you are referring to?”

            all of them

            are you even interested in having an intelligent discussion or are you still in your self professed bullshitter and stirrer mode?

      • Lanthanide 4.1.2
        15 May 2014 at 9:09 am

        Gos, I’d be quite happy to follow the lead of the top 1% if they started voluntarily gifting their income to the government.

        That doesn’t seem forthcoming, so I’d be quite happy to be caught by higher tax rates if those are what is required to force the 1% to pay more tax.

        • Tracey 4.1.2.1
          15 May 2014 at 9:16 am

          if we followed the lead of the top1% we would be trying to find ways to pay less tax, using people with the skill-set of the Minister for dairies….

      • Colonial Viper 4.1.3
        15 May 2014 at 9:55 am

        That’s nice that you personally don’t want tax cuts. Here’s an idea for you. How about you voluntarily gift more of your income to the Government.

        Or voluntarily vote in a Government who will set taxes, public spending and government services at a responsible level serving the needs of ordinary NZers.

        • Tracey 4.1.3.1
          15 May 2014 at 10:16 am

          how dare you bring democracy into gosmans spreadsheet world

          • Colonial Viper 4.1.3.1.1
            15 May 2014 at 10:44 am

            Honestly it’s like advocating for higher levels of local and central government activity, activity which must be structured within the direct control of the public, is some kind of extreme radicalism.

  5. Gosman 5
    15 May 2014 at 8:23 am

    The deficits and associated massive increase in Government debt was all predicted to occur in the 2008 PREFU except the deficits were predicted to last till 2018 and the Debt was predicted to get bigger as a result. This was under the spending regime put in place by the last Labour led government.

    I would be interested to know what exactly Labour would have done differently to reduce the deficit and associated debt increase if they were in power. I know that even relatively straightforward savings that National made were opposed by Labour such as the cut to funding the Superannuation fund. I also seem to remember Labour suggesting there should be greater spending to try and spend our way out of the recesssion. This would have led to more debt and a greater deficit.

    What specifically would Labour have done differently to bring us back to surplus sooner?

    • mickysavage 5.1
      15 May 2014 at 8:27 am

      This was under the spending regime put in place by the last Labour led government.

      Yep Helen Clark failed us. She should have realised the extraordinary greed that merchant bankers had, the complete mess they made of the world’s economy and the extreme measures that would be required by all of the world’s economies to get out of the mess.

      She should have not only paid off the country’s net debt, she should have stockpiled a big pile of cash.

      Her failure to do so was the spending regime that caused the global financial crisis.

      I mean Gosman really?

      And the returns from the Superannuation fund have been extraordinarily good. Cutting the payments to the fund has made as much sense as privatising the power companies.

      • Gosman 5.1.1
        15 May 2014 at 8:36 am

        Cullens last few budgets essentially led to the decade of deficits and the associated increase in Government debt. It is all set out in the 2008 PREFU. Even if you are right and it was all down to the GFC (unlikely given Treasury had no way of knowing how long the economic downturn may have lasted) then what you are agreeing with is that the increase in debt and deficits are not the fault of National. You will still have to give them credit for bringing the books back in to the black years before predicted.

        • risildowgtn 5.1.1.1
          15 May 2014 at 9:08 am

          But there is no surplus
          Only a blind sided fool like yourself would believe that

          http://www.nationaldebtclocks.org/debtclock/newzealand

          wake up

          • Tracey 5.1.1.1.1
            15 May 2014 at 10:21 am

            3.8 billion per year in interest and gosman is promoting imaginary surplus.

            look i have ten dollars in my pocket but a mortgage of 200k. i’m in surplus!

            will look for his response to you ut he is selective about which people he responds to.

        • Tracey 5.1.1.2
          15 May 2014 at 9:18 am

          “You will still have to give them credit for bringing the books back in to the black years before predicted.”

          Problem is those predictions must be wrong, given how often the Finance Minister and Mr Kep tell us they are wrong….

          I believe they had some things to say about asset sales that the Pm and Bill said were wrong…

          a phrase used by Bill English is “just forecasts”….

          so only you believe all the predictions are set in stone, your leader and his bagman dont., unless they make them look good.

        • Draco T Bastard 5.1.1.3
          15 May 2014 at 9:33 am

          There was no decade of deficits – well, except under this government. How else do you think we ended up in so much debt?

        • sixincomefigure 5.1.1.4
          15 May 2014 at 1:56 pm

          Clark ran a surplus for nine out of nine years and halved the public debt/GDP ratio over that period. Key ran a deficit for five out of six (that’s being extremely generous to this year’s “surplus”) and almost tripled the debt. And yet somehow it’s all Clark’s fault.

          What’s your secret to keeping a straight face when you say stuff like this? Expensive acting classes? Try as I might, I just can’t keep it together if I attempt to get away with anything half that blatant.

          • blue leopard 5.1.1.4.1
            15 May 2014 at 1:58 pm

            +100

          • Gosman 5.1.1.4.2
            15 May 2014 at 2:05 pm

            Have you never read the 2008 PREFU sixincomefigure?

            It is very illuminating especially the medium term outlook section figures 2.12 and 2.13. Check it out and then get back to me with how wonderful the Clark led government was and what a great legacy they left in terms of the shape of the government’s finances.

            • Tracey 5.1.1.4.2.1
              15 May 2014 at 2:19 pm

              have you consider their projection was wrong… like the prediction of the govts tax tax has been wrong for a few quarters, like its surplus is bigger than predicted?

            • Draco T Bastard 5.1.1.4.2.2
              15 May 2014 at 3:45 pm

              The interesting thing about Treasuries predictions is that they always predict far below what Labour does and over predicts what National do.

              It’s this thing called institutional bias. Treasury has it bad.

        • DS 5.1.1.5
          15 May 2014 at 6:47 pm

          When Clark and Cullen ran a series of proper surpluses, the Right complained about an evil over-taxing Government. When Key and English fiddle the accounts to give us one surplus in six, the Right regards it as fiscal prudence.

      • Gosman 5.1.2
        15 May 2014 at 8:38 am

        Where would Labout have made the savings then given you don’t think contribution to the Super fund should have been cut?

        • mickysavage 5.1.2.1
          15 May 2014 at 8:44 am

          Labour is always better at reducing unemployment rates (reduces benefits and increases tax take) and in growing the economy. And those 2009 tax cuts that were meant to be fiscally neutral obviously were not.

          • Gosman 5.1.2.1.1
            15 May 2014 at 8:51 am

            They were designed to be but weren’t initially due to the nature of the economy at the time. However given the nature of the economy now they are certainly likely to be so at the moment. I note you still haven’t mentioned what Labour would have specifically done differently to reduce the deficit sooner.

            • Tracey 5.1.2.1.1.1
              15 May 2014 at 9:01 am

              what’s the predicted surpluses for the next 3 years?

            • mickysavage 5.1.2.1.1.2
              15 May 2014 at 9:03 am

              I am just struggling to understand how anyone can believe that a government whose policies had the economy humming who made the state a net creditor and who never ran a deficit was a bad economic manager while the current bunch that gave unaffordable tax cuts, trebled debt and have not yet run a surplus are good managers.

              • Gosman …
                15 May 2014 at 9:22 am

                Yet they left policies in place that were predicted to leave us with a decade of deficits and the massive increase in government debt that we have seen over the past few years.

                You still haven’t identified what specific policies Labour would have introduced that would have led to the deficit and government debt being reduced at a faster rate.

                • One Anonymous Bloke …
                  15 May 2014 at 9:28 am

                  No, they wouldn’t, because (and here’s the really clever part, so pay attention) they wouldn’t have kept the same policy settings. Tricky, eh.

                  I especially doubt they’d have reduced their own revenue stream.

                  • felix …
                    15 May 2014 at 9:32 am

                    Now look OAB, if the only evidence you can point to is a govt that actually did eliminate govt debt AND run a surplus every year…

                    …then I’m going to have to lean toward Gosman’s fantasies.

                  • Gosman …
                    15 May 2014 at 10:17 am

                    They were already committed to do so in the tax cuts they introduced in the 2008 budget. However even if they cancelled this cut to taxes it would not have brought the country back to surplus. Where else would they have reduced the deficit?

                • Tracey …
                  15 May 2014 at 9:44 am

                  what’s the predicted surpluses for the next 3 years?

              • felix …
                15 May 2014 at 9:24 am

                Well that depends entirely on the objective. The banks to whom we owe all that new debt are happy.

            • Tracey 5.1.2.1.1.3
              15 May 2014 at 9:19 am

              “hey were designed to be but weren’t initially due to the nature of the economy at the time. ”

              not designed to be, we were TOLD they WERE, at present, from the date they came in. As for the nature of the economy at the time they came in, that was well known to the national party, and of course the boffins that do all that predicting you rely on so much.

            • Draco T Bastard 5.1.2.1.1.4
              15 May 2014 at 9:49 am

              However given the nature of the economy now they are certainly likely to be so at the moment.

              Nope, they’ll still be fiscally negative. That will be true no matter how much spending increases because the money going to the rich will increase at the same time.

              • Gosman …
                15 May 2014 at 10:20 am

                ?

                Not sure you understand how taxes work Draco.

                • Tracey …
                  15 May 2014 at 10:23 am

                  whats the predicted surplus for the next three years?

                  • Gosman …
                    15 May 2014 at 10:40 am

                    I’m sure the budget will supply those figures for you.

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      15 May 2014 at 2:23 pm

                      Yeah more BS forecasts using fantasy based Excel modelling

                    • Tracey …
                      15 May 2014 at 2:24 pm

                      because you didnt know and expect people to address your queries but you dont have to address those of others.

                      surplus is 370 million, interest on current debt is 3.7 billion per annum and an additional $1 billion in spending…

                      so, is it a real life surplus, or a book surplus.

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  15 May 2014 at 10:49 am

                  I understand how they work. You don’t seem to understand how the rich get rich and thus why any increase in spending by the majority will result in the discrepancy remaining.

        • Tracey 5.1.2.2
          15 May 2014 at 2:21 pm

          i see key and english are doing a junior lollie scramble and adopting labour policies as their own… not admitting that of course.

    • Stuart Munro 5.2
      15 May 2014 at 8:45 am

      You really need a better lie Gosman- but still:

      Making more progress on the Christchurch rebuild would have restored some of the city’s contribution sooner. Napier was flattened and rebuilt in two years – Christchurch suffered less fromthe earthquake and more from the gross corruption and inefficacy of Gerry Brownlee.

      The long term effects of the 285 000 kiwi children in poverty depresses their lifetime earning potential significantly, this cost will be reflected in poorer long term growth. The longer you leave it the worse it gets.

      The tax cuts were not an effective stimulus, and put NZ 50 billion in debt for no good reason.
      That debt must be serviced, dragging more money away from constructive use.

      Failure to resolve the housing crisis and implement effective regulation and building programs has created a real estate bubble on the scale of Biarritz. This is not productive activity and competes with the productive economy.

      The systematic corruption of our higher government functions by ‘cash for assess’ and similar rorts makes government insensitive to social problems and adds an extra layer of cost to the kinds of enterprise they support, this stifles growth.

      Novopay doesn’t work, but thanks to gross National incompetence they have become the new industry standard in NZ.

      The asset thefts were particularly egregious,badly conducted and deliver inadequate value to the NZ public. The money squeezed out of NZ households by the foreign institutional owners of these assets willnot but circulating virtuosly in the local economy.

      I could go on all night Gosman. National have done nothing right. If they had any self-respect whatsoever they’d go into exile or shoot themselves.

      • Gosman 5.2.1
        15 May 2014 at 9:00 am

        You talk about lies. The tax cuts did not put NZ 50 billion in debt. That is blatent leftist spin.

        • Draco T Bastard 5.2.1.1
          15 May 2014 at 9:56 am

          Correct, it was only ~$12b. The other $40b odd was due to the government borrowing to give money to corporations and to sell our assets.

          • Gosman 5.2.1.1.1
            15 May 2014 at 10:43 am

            Russell Norman states it was 5 billion. Where did you get 12 billion from?

            • Draco T Bastard 5.2.1.1.1.1
              15 May 2014 at 10:50 am

              ~$2b loss per year times 6 years.

              • KJT …
                15 May 2014 at 10:59 am

                Plus the compounding interest on the borrowing for the foregone tax and the money which disappeared overseas when the rich spent their tax cuts on Hawaii holidays. Grossman proves again that RWNJ’s cannot do their arithmetic.

                • Gosman …
                  15 May 2014 at 12:22 pm

                  Apparently Russell Norman can’t do arithmetic either. I am not running for elected office specialising in an economics area at least.

                  • KJT …
                    15 May 2014 at 12:40 pm

                    I am sure you may have heard of the difference between the nominal amount per year, which Russell used, not incorrectly, and the actual compounding losses.

                    Like spending $2000 more a year than you earn and putting it on the credit card.

                    How much are your total repayments after 6 years if you have paid nothing back, Gosman?

              • Gosman …
                15 May 2014 at 12:20 pm

                So Russell Norman is massively wrong on his figures then. Not sure that is a good look for a potential finance minister.

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  15 May 2014 at 12:26 pm

                  I didn’t say that. I was, after all, just going on broad numbers that I could recall.

                  And you really are stretching there. Trying so hard to make it seem like Norman’s wrong.

                • Colonial Viper …
                  15 May 2014 at 12:29 pm

                  So Russell Norman is massively wrong on his figures then. Not sure that is a good look for a potential finance minister.

                  It’s not an impediment for Bill English, so why are you promoting double standards?

                  • Gosman …
                    15 May 2014 at 12:43 pm

                    Are you happy with a finance minister that has problems with basic arithmetic then?

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      15 May 2014 at 1:12 pm

                      No, I’m quite unhappy having Blinglish as Finance Minister. Especially the way he twists statistics to try to get them to say what he wants rather than what they actually show.

                    • You_Fool …
                      15 May 2014 at 3:43 pm

                      Also I am 100% confident that Russell Norman won’t be finance minister in the next 3 years. I am about 47% – 53% confident that Bill English won’t be finance minister either, but that nagging doubt continues to press against me like a cold chill down my spine.

        • Jim 5.2.1.2
          15 May 2014 at 11:12 am

          The tax cuts for the wealthy and increasing of GST was far from neutral as predicted by the government at the time. You state that although there was initially an income gap which would have reduced in recent years. This is only looking at one side of the equation as there is good research to show that tax cuts to the wealthy does not stimulate an economy, where as increasing direct taxes like GST does retard the economy significantly. You also state that if National Super contributions had been continued that this would have added to debt. Given the large returns the National Super has produced in the last 5 years net debt would have been considerably less if contributions had been continued. Economies are very complex and there are dozens of economic leavers which would have been done differently from National, each of which can be debated individually.

          • Gosman 5.2.1.2.1
            15 May 2014 at 1:51 pm

            Then debate a few of them at least. Which particular levers would have Labour likely have used to get us out of deficit quicker than National has done? I suspect you will suggest spending even more to stimulate the economy. That would have led to greater accumulation of debt though.

            • captain hook 5.2.1.2.1.1
              15 May 2014 at 1:59 pm

              stop wasting money on arselickers for a start.
              what sort of kcikback are they giving you gossy?
              after all there is no such thing as a free lunch in your cosmos.

            • Jim 5.2.1.2.1.2
              15 May 2014 at 3:46 pm

              Gosman, I did debate your two examples, that being tax changes and scrapping the contribution to national super. Are you just trolling for the sake of it!

            • You_Fool 5.2.1.2.1.3
              15 May 2014 at 3:48 pm

              I don’t know if you noticed Gosman, because that would require you reading Jim’s post, but he did bring up what he thought Labour would have done differently

              a) Not do the great tax switch – thus keeping revenue higher and the economy running better, which would create more revenue for the crown

              b) Continue contributions to the National Super Fund, which would bring in larger returns than what was being spent on it

              To be fair Jim isn’t debating these, as that would require you to raise your own points so that discussion could follow, which doesn’t appear to be your desire today

    • framu 5.3
      15 May 2014 at 12:42 pm

      “The deficits and associated massive increase in Government debt was all predicted to occur in the 2008 PREFU ”

      fucks sake – just how big a douche bag are you? – you did that line to death yesterday!

      and you still cant accept that after the prefu things changed so the predicitons in the prefu are null and void

  6. millsy 6
    15 May 2014 at 8:29 am

    What hospitals do you want to close Gos?

    And to show you how spiteful this government is it will not even lease the NGL to a private consortium to run services on the line.

  7. Gosman 7
    15 May 2014 at 8:40 am

    Kiwirail is not the government. The fact you equate the two is part of the reason the state should not own commercial enterprises. If Kiwirail does not want to lease the line then you are best placed to ask them the reasons.

    • felix 7.1
      15 May 2014 at 8:45 am

      Yeah legit government is just Treasury, the Police, and the Army.

      🙄

      • Colonial Viper 7.1.1
        15 May 2014 at 12:12 pm

        Don’t forget the prisons.

        Oh, of course, you just contract those out to Serco and let their shareholders make money off the brown people in shackles.

    • vto 7.2
      15 May 2014 at 8:49 am

      And you and your types are part of the reason private enterprise should not own essential services, like electricity, transportation (rail duh), water, on it goes ….

      It always ends up like kiwi rail is (after Fay and Richwhite stripped and dumped it – areseholes), like electricity prices are, like the financial sector did (bailed out by the public), lke … on it goes … you lot are bloody useless at it and should stick to producing plastic buckets in China. It is all you lot are good for.

      • Gosman 7.2.1
        15 May 2014 at 9:03 am

        Transportation – like Trucks, Buses and Taxis? I didn’t realise that members of the left in NZ wanted to nationalise our entire transportation sector. If only that was official policy of one of the mainstream left wing parties. National would be guarranteed re-election for a number of terms.

        • vto 7.2.1.1
          15 May 2014 at 9:07 am

          slickety dick

          I went to add in the word “infrastructure” but the edit function time had passed. I thought you may have worked it out ….

          • Gosman 7.2.1.1.1
            15 May 2014 at 9:28 am

            Fair enough if it was a edit issue. I would agree to an extent about infrastructure in terms of helping develop it. However it should always be with the eye on economic value otherwise you get the situation of bridges to nowhere that occur in places like the US. Commercial enterprises utilising that infrastructure though should not be owned by the State in my mind or, if they are, should be run on commercial not social grounds.

            • RedLogix 7.2.1.1.1.1
              15 May 2014 at 9:35 am

              Yeah – and when they fail they come running to the govt to bail them out.

              Privatising profit- socialising losses. The actual driving force of neo-liberalism.

              • Tracey …
                15 May 2014 at 9:43 am

                “Privatising profit- socialising losses.”

                Plus 100

              • Gosman …
                15 May 2014 at 10:21 am

                I don’t support government bailing out failed enterprises. They fail they fail. Let their assets be picked up by others.

                • Colonial Viper …
                  15 May 2014 at 10:46 am

                  The power-elite who benefit from those huge socialised bailouts – and indeed, set up and structure those bailouts as they see fit – think that your opinion is both quaint, and irrelevant.

                  Can’t you see it? Western governments are all run on socialism for the 1% (and especially the 0.1%) nowadays, from the USA through to UK and Europe, with the edges of it infecting Canada, Australia and NZ.

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  15 May 2014 at 10:54 am

                  The social costs are too high to let private enterprise that provides essential services to fail. These services need to be run by government (which is cheaper and more efficient anyway).

                • KJT …
                  15 May 2014 at 11:09 am

                  And. If it is essential infrastructure to allow the country society and businesses to function?

                  Allow it to fail? As it will, as we have seen so often, when our particular breed of short term profit focused, greedy, incompetent, business managers have done their time.

                  It always makes me laugh when someone say we should run something like a business.

                  Hords of overpaid managers and directors skimping on pay for good staff and capital investment, and stripping out assets, so they can get out in three years with a big bonus or a golden parachute.
                  We have had generations of “Management” now, whose only skills are cost cutting and asset stripping to gain a short term profit. Who have no idea how to build a collective enterprise because they are too focussed on their own gain. Just like Key, Joyce, Collins and the rest.

                  Your local plumber knows more about building a business than our, so called, business people.

                • Tracey …
                  15 May 2014 at 1:52 pm

                  of course you dont, but it doesnt stop you voting for them.

  8. Ergo Robertina 8
    15 May 2014 at 9:00 am

    Winston had the best response: tax cut talk is a dog whistle from Key, a patronising sop to the lower paid.
    Norman used it to skewer Key for having borrowed to give the rich tax cuts, displaying his usual no nonsense analysis.
    Cunliffe let Key set the agenda saying Labour won’t rule out tax cuts.

    • Gosman 8.1
      15 May 2014 at 9:31 am

      How much more (remember the budget was already predicted to be in deficit as a result of the spending arrangements left in place by Labour) did National have to borrow as a result of the income tax cuts?

      • Ergo Robertina 8.1.1
        15 May 2014 at 9:37 am

        $5 billion, according to Norman.

      • KMB 8.1.2
        15 May 2014 at 11:50 am

        ‘How much more (remember the budget was already predicted to be in deficit as a result of the spending arrangements left in place by Labour) did National have to borrow as a result of the income tax cuts?’

        If this deficit was predicted in 2008, then why did National still go ahead with their tax cuts for higher income earners? Surely that was irresponsible – especially since a de facto tax cut in the form of Working for Families was already in place.

        • Colonial Viper 8.1.2.1
          15 May 2014 at 11:59 am

          One thing I like about National – they are dedicated to delivering benefits to their core constituency, come hell or high water.

          • Srylands 8.1.2.1.1
            15 May 2014 at 12:11 pm

            The government is dedicated to helping the poor. Just look at the giant welfare safety net.

            What exactly do you want? Tax breaks for solar energy, alternative medicine practitioners and the feckless? We have a moderate centre left government. Stop the delusion.

            • Colonial Viper 8.1.2.1.1.1
              15 May 2014 at 12:14 pm

              We have an unsustainable crony capitalist system which continually gifts the lions share of society’s resources and output to the top 5%, leaving the bottom 50% absolutely scrambling, insecure and one small step away from the poverty line.

            • Gosman 8.1.2.1.1.2
              15 May 2014 at 12:16 pm

              Ahh Srylands. We meet at last. I did find it amusing that some people thought you were me reincarnated.

              • Tracey …
                15 May 2014 at 1:54 pm

                did you giggle at your screen with delighted self importance?

              • srylands …
                15 May 2014 at 3:18 pm

                Settle. This isn’t ‘meeting’. It isn’t real. It is no more real than Alice’s pool of tears. The inhabitants are anthropomorphic.

          • Gosman 8.1.2.1.2
            15 May 2014 at 12:14 pm

            It was an election promise. Don’t left wingers keep election promises?

            • Colonial Viper 8.1.2.1.2.1
              15 May 2014 at 12:16 pm

              Like I said, National should be admired for the way it consistently channels benefits to it’s core constituency and main stakeholders.

              • srylands …
                15 May 2014 at 3:21 pm

                Their main stakeholders are low income families and the unemployed. Is that what you mean? What do you want, subsidised homoeopathy?

            • thatguynz 8.1.2.1.2.2
              15 May 2014 at 12:21 pm

              Not when they’re not fiscally viable.

            • KMB 8.1.2.1.2.3
              15 May 2014 at 12:35 pm

              Yes, but then they put up GST which they promised they wouldn’t do…

            • framu 8.1.2.1.2.4
              15 May 2014 at 12:46 pm

              so your in favour of irresponsible govt spending? – no wonder you vote nact

            • Tracey 8.1.2.1.2.5
              15 May 2014 at 1:46 pm

              by election promises do you mean like promising to not raise taxes and then raising goods and services TAX?

  9. Lanthanide 9
    15 May 2014 at 9:05 am

    Hang on, he’s now admitting “middle NZ pay a fair amount of tax”, after that ridiculous report from 2013 by treasury showing people on middle incomes pay “no net income tax”?

    • Tracey 9.1
      15 May 2014 at 9:20 am

      that was one of the reports or predictions that he (and gosman et al) know are wrong but conveniently dont get referred to when it doesnt suit the current spreadsheet world they are peddling.

    • srylands 9.2
      15 May 2014 at 12:13 pm

      What was wrong with the report? It was spot on. Simply a wake up call for the unskilled and the feckless recipients of the leviathan handouts.

      • KJT 9.2.1
        15 May 2014 at 12:30 pm

        Srylands, despite being shown the numbers many times, still hasn’t figured out that a large proportion of taxes, and Government income, are not from “income tax”.

        Charges such as GST and petrol taxes impact disproportionately on middle and lower income, earners. Skilled and necessary workers.

        Middle income earners, skilled workers, on PAYE, pay the bulk of income tax anyway.

        Half of the wealthiest people in NZ, according to the IRD, declare an income for tax of less than 70k a year.

        Srylands, Gosman and Fisiiana should be kept on here for amusement value.
        The refusal to accept facts shows why we had the “Rogernomics”, and lately the “Key” recession.

      • Colonial Viper 9.2.2
        15 May 2014 at 3:55 pm

        What was wrong with the report? It was spot on. Simply a wake up call for the unskilled and the feckless recipients of the leviathan handouts.

        And mostly, they’re bankers and finance company owners.

    • You_Fool 9.3
      15 May 2014 at 3:52 pm

      I want to know if we (middle NZ) are deserved a tax break, how come we didn’t get more of a break in the great tax switch? Not only did our taxes go down by a slim amount, we had to pay more for food.

      Maybe JK should put tax back up on the top bracket and drop taxes for the lower brackets, to show his support for “middle” NZ

  10. felix 10
    15 May 2014 at 10:01 am

    So anyway, knock a couple percent off income tax (disproportionately benefiting the rich), then ramp up every other tax fee levy and duty on the books, starting with GST (disproportionately impacting the poor).

    Just like last time.

  11. vto 11
    15 May 2014 at 10:08 am

    Having gosman charging around on a thread like this is great. It is a test of the thinking that goes on behind the different ‘philosophies’.

    We need a scoreboard ………..

    • Colonial Viper 11.1
      15 May 2014 at 12:01 pm

      Although your use of the word “thinking” seems quite generous 🙂

  12. vto 12
    15 May 2014 at 10:16 am

    Re the actual thread, the left should watch out because promising tax cuts for the middle will definitely grab a chunk of votes imo

    Key, the master snakeoil salesman …

    • Tracey 12.1
      15 May 2014 at 10:30 am

      promising future tax cuts if all goes well.

      how much tax cut, for whom? and guess who decides if all is going well.

      this is not what gosman calls a massive spending spree

      • srylands 12.1.1
        15 May 2014 at 12:14 pm

        For the people who pay the tax.

        • Colonial Viper 12.1.1.1
          15 May 2014 at 12:18 pm

          It’s time we give everyone who wants it a full time job at $15/hr, so they too can pay their fair share of tax.

        • framu 12.1.1.2
          15 May 2014 at 12:52 pm

          whats the tax rates srylands? – i mean here in NZ not in kapati, australia

          i hope its going to be gst rates all over again – that was hilarious

        • Tracey 12.1.1.3
          15 May 2014 at 1:40 pm

          thanks for the non reply Judith

  13. infused 13
    15 May 2014 at 10:27 am

    If you actually watched the video last night, you’d see that the media basically made up their own mind on tax cuts. Key and English said nothing, apart from if there were going to be tax cuts, the middle class could benefit from them.

  14. freedom 14
    15 May 2014 at 12:03 pm

    A few months back we were told that there would be a small surplus of between $80m-$150m ( it seemed to vary in different media) then we had the more recent announcement that there is a shortfall of $800 million against last year’s budgeted tax take,

    Ignoring the debt for a moment, can someone explain how we still made a surplus?

    • Colonial Viper 14.1
      15 May 2014 at 12:07 pm

      Was a surplus reported as being actually delivered, though?

      • freedom 14.1.1
        15 May 2014 at 12:11 pm

        that happens this afternoon doesn’t it?

      • ianmac 14.1.2
        15 May 2014 at 1:58 pm

        They said there was no surplus now. But there would be one in the next financial year. Strange?

        • freedom 14.1.2.1
          15 May 2014 at 4:28 pm

          he always said the 2014/15 year would see surplus
          just now we know he meant the very end of the 2014/15 year

          and a whole $75million, woohoooo
          nothing’s gonna’ get in the way of a figure like that

          bring on the surplus !!!!
          all hail thermal expansion 😉

  15. captain hook 15
    15 May 2014 at 2:02 pm

    when is keys going to anounce some policy of his owninstead of decrying everybody else.
    he is turning into another first class whiner.

  16. sabine 16
    15 May 2014 at 8:33 pm

    how much do you think they are paying Gossman to be wilfully obtuse? Surely he can’t be that annoying just because he can. I hope he does receive more then the minimum wage, he puts a lot of effort in his persona.

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    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

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