‘Taxpayers union’ – too ‘stupid’ to understand tax?

Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, February 26th, 2019 - 59 comments
Categories: capital gains, Dirty Politics, Economy, journalism, Politics, tax, uncategorized - Tags:

There is a classic piece of waffle in the NZ Herald this morning with a stupid title about when capital gains tax applies to the family home. Now the conditions are pretty simple. There are two cases:-

  • When a ‘family home’ is used in part as a business and collects business taxable deductions for that business. When it is partially (less than 50%) used as boarding house by running as an Airbnb, have flatmates in to pay the mortgage, and using the family home as an office for a business.  Then if the owner claims business expenses from taxation like interest of rates then they forgo the protection against CGT because the property has been used as a business.

    This isn’t rocket science. Double dipping on tax relief may be beloved by the greedy, but is irritating as hell to the other taxpayers who have to pick up the tab.
  • If the building and the land is more than 4500m– which to me seems eminently fair. If it is that that damn big then it clearly isn’t a residence. It is either monument to waste or being used for a commercial reason.

However like many things involving  fairness, this confuses the ‘taxpayers union’.

The Taxpayers’ Union says the caveats were confusing.

“Taxpayers have been told by the Working Group and the Government that the family home will be exempt, but it turns out that in a variety of circumstances that’s not quite true,” a spokesman said.

I guess that the economists in their organisation couldn’t explain it?

Possibly because the ‘Taxpayers Union’  is a well-known mouthpiece for the greedy who try to offload paying taxes from the excessively wealthy to actual taxpayers. But don’t trust me when I say this. Just try this simple test…

Try to find any time that the ‘Taxpayers Union’ has ever supported changes to taxes that would benefit the bottom 50% of income earners and not benefit more the to 5%. Every time that I have looked at any of their public utterances, they invariably favour regressive taxes like increases to GST over raising wealth taxation like CGT and they favour cutting public services that assist those without means or that provide incentives for public good like R&D.

All of the while they do this with hypocrisy, insisting that the government should be completely transparent while concealing who actually pays for the ‘Taxpayers Union’ – something that no-one seems to know.

Personally I suspect that they are simply a right-wing PR company selling their skills to the highest bidder without any sense of who or what they damage. Exactly like Cameron Slater did with Whaleoil prior to the release of Dirty Politics. 

They will last as long for as long as there are credulous, ignorant or lazy journalists around hunting for cheap copy. Or while the TP don’t get investigated too deeply – because there is certain to be an interesting story about them.  

 

59 comments on “‘Taxpayers union’ – too ‘stupid’ to understand tax? ”

  1. Booker 1

    Thanks to The Guardian we know one of their funders is big tobacco, but of course there must be others.

    • Yeah, why aren’t the Taxpayers Onion transparent about their funding? Seems a little hypocritical given their supposed purpose is to scrutinise Government funding.

      • woodart 1.1.1

        very good point, but as with most right wing outfits, the taxpayers bunion has very flexible morals that mostly are only for others, not themselves. there flatulent outbursts should come with a “believe at your own risk” health warning. most or all of there nonsence is shallow of thought, and easily picked apart by any thinking person. if many of our media wernt so damn lazy, the taxpayers bunion(thanks greywarshark) would have been laughed out of the public eye six months after they spawned.

  2. greywarshark 2

    I reckon we never should refer to the ‘Taxpayers Union’ again. The most appropriate nomenclature is ‘Taxpayers Bunion’. The meaning of bunion:

    a painful swelling on the first joint of the big toe.
    (Cambridge English Dictionary.)

    This is a very apt description of them in their position in politics and society.
    It also may apply to those who give them the treatment they deserve. They definitely are among the deserving, when it comes to recognition of the perpetrators of the ills of our society and economy.

    • NZJester 2.1

      Oh come on that is a bit unfair isn’t it comparing a Bunion to the Taxdodgers Union?
      After all, there are ways to mitigate some of the pain caused by a bunion, but at the moment there is no easy way to mitigate the pain caused by them. Also, they are a pain in the arse not a pain in the big toe.

  3. Observer Tokoroa 3

    Hi Lprent
    I agree with your words. The kindy lads and lasses don’t seem to know what a home is.

    However, We never have expected Greed to be a nice feature of Wealthy NZ Stock.

    How else can you explain the hellish low wages, miserly farmers, the cruel cost of food and energy, and the monstrous high level of NZ Poverty ? Only the wealthy can cope with it. And they never think of it !

    We have always suspected the TaxPayers Union to be a Coven of Crooks. Their very name is a shitload of falsehood and flirting. Oddities. Surplus to requirement.

  4. Alan 4

    We have a group of friends that run small businesses from home.
    They are generally in their mid 60s, have retired from full time work but still want to use their skills.
    Collectively they offer services in areas such as accounting, document preparation, law, personal fitness training, architecture etc.
    They generally provide these services to other small enterprises.
    They make a valuable contribution on all levels.
    Discouraging this type of enterprise is pathetic and certainly is an attack on the Kiwi way of life.

    • Craig Glen Eden 4.1

      Alan you seem a little confused. Either that or you are just talking politically biased crap.The Government are not trying to encourage or discourage work from home.But they are trying to make taxation more fair and consistent. So Its quite simple if you claim a tax reduction as a business expense by using your home as a business it’s only fair that for tax purposes you are taxed in a consistent manner surely? I work from home I have no problem with this as it is only fair and reasonable on other tax payers.

    • Ed1 4.2

      “Discouraging this type of enterprise is pathetic and certainly is an attack on the Kiwi way of life.”

      All taxes discourage all types of enterprise – why is this situation so different that it should be exempt? A home based business enables a reduction in income taxes – is it unreasonable that when the house is sold, some allowance should be made for it having being partly a commercial property for some part of its ownership? I don’t know how the calculation would be made, but if say 15% had been claimed to be commercial for 3 years out of 20 years of ownership after 2021, would it be reasonable to charge capital gains on say 15% of 3/20ths of the capital gain since 2021 – ie on 2.25 % of those gains. I presume there is an option to not claim business expenses in the first place for a share of rates etc – more fine print to keep an army of home businesses to contemplate while seeking to select options to minimise taxes of whatever sort!

      • greywarshark 4.2.1

        Rubbish – All taxes discourage all types of enterprise
        Repeating rote learning. So handy that. Get the message, record a statement purporting to come from you, press the button and out it comes.

        I have seen a parrot that would play back what you say to it. What fun to have a parrot or facsimile of a NZ RW economist or politician or bellicose broadcaster hanging in a public place where lefties meet and repeating all the cliches like the one above.

        It would be an amusing backdrop to go with the chat, backchat, beers and wines.
        Or perhaps have a juke box where you could hear a collection of the wit and wisdom of someone, for about 1 minute when it would stop being funny.

      • KJT 4.2.2

        How come the most enterprising and innovative economies, have the highest taxes.

        Simply compare California and Washington State with Arkansas and Texas.

        In fact the taxes paid by the first two enable the latter to remain viable.

    • Gabby 4.3

      They’ve been getting their rebates no ally?

    • Discouraging this type of enterprise is pathetic and certainly is an attack on the Kiwi way of life.

      Somehow, most of us manage to overcome successive anti-kiwi governments’ attempts to “discourage” us via income tax from going to work in the morning, and to “discourage” us via GST from buying groceries. Perhaps owners of small businesses aren’t quite such delicate flowers as you imagine them to be, and will similarly succeed in overcoming such “discouragement.”

      • In Vino 4.4.1

        Quite right, PM. I used to think that it was the good time I had enjoyed over the weekend that made me so disheartened about having to go back to work on Monday. Now I clearly understand that it was having to pay tax on the income gained by the sweat of my brow that was undermining my morale.
        Double points for hypocrisy go to the Righties who demand spirited, devoted input from their income-taxed employees, but cannot maintain any form of morale themselves if they cannot go tax-free. Poor little petals.

    • lprent 4.5

      Hey Allen – please don’t be a stupid dipshit like the economists at the TU.

      The reason why this is simple is because it is an optional choice. You either claim tax deductions using your home as a business and then pay CGT or you don’t claim and don’t pay CGT.

      What you won’t be able to do is to claim tax examptions twice… Thereby penalising other taxpayers by being a bloated greedy bastard.

      Since my partner is running her business from home, this is exactly the choice that we will probably make in the next few years after CGT legislation comes into force. For that matter, sometime in the next decade I will probably get bored with work and want to “retire” to making software from home.

      In either case, the few tax deductions we could make from our place of residence are likely to be too small to be worth trying to collect. They would be less than the cost of the accounting.

      • Craig H 4.5.1

        Home office expenses are much simplified compared to previous years, so shouldn’t add to the accounting expenses, but I agree that choosing between home office expenses and no CGT is easy and fair.

    • patricia bremner 4.6

      You could rent a cabin as an office, you all share, so you can claim your tax, and I believe this separates it from the home. People do this in the UK.

    • Jimmy 4.7

      May end up being better to rent external office space and claim as normal tax deduction in the business

    • Paul Campbell 4.8

      If they don’t claim the tax write-offs from their home offices etc they won’t be subject to CGT

  5. bwaghorn 5

    If I rent out a room for ten years then dont rent out a room for the following 5 years then sell do I pay cgt.

    • greywarshark 5.1

      The 50% usage would come in here woudn’t it. And whether you had paid taxes on part of it as income – has been 20% of total and whether it was board to a member of the family.

      The parametrers seem fairly reasonable, not harder than those a car driver has to learn. I don’t think we are dumb, it will be just another thing to learn about and get used to.

    • lprent 5.2

      This is where the detail of the legislation will be important. However since the IRD knows exactly what you claimed as deductions, I suspect that the pro rata basis that the TWG were pushing will be the result.

      But the simplest process would be to sell your commercial property to yourself – paying CGT on the way through.

  6. bwaghorn 6

    They say farm houses are exempt but most claim a portion of their housing costs as business expenses.
    How is that different to renting a room or doing child care.?

    Fucking over complicated isnt it .
    Can it and just change the tax brackets put a cgt on shares and toughen the bright line test.

  7. Enough is Enough 7

    I think your post highlights the biggest issue with the report. It is complex.

    There is so much to take in and National is doing their best to highlight the perceived anomalies (even though the majority of them are bullshit).

    I think Labour just needs to weed out the weird parts of the report and present a simple CGT to the public that National can’t attack.

    The beauty of GST is it broad based and easy for everyone to understand. The CGT needs to have that same simplicity so that simple Tories can understand it.

    • Peter 7.1

      Tax issues are complex aren’t they? Isn’t that why people use accountants and lawyers and move money all around the world, etc?

    • lprent 7.2

      The problem is that all changes to tax are ‘complex’.

      Back in 1986-8 I was running around Otago and upper Southland putting in computer systems to help to deal with the ‘complexity’ of the impending and post arrival of GST. Now there was a tax that virtually no complexity. For businesses it was a blunt instrument of a straight 10% on almost all sales complete with deductions of the GST on goods and services supplied. There were virtually no exemptions or conditions. The weight of the cost arrived on the end consumers.

      It was still pretty complex for many of the firms I dealt with because they didn’t have accounting records of either their supplies or their sales. They had to put in their first accounting systems manual or computerised.

      Actually this one is simple compared to either that, or even to the last tax working group back in 2009 with their bloody awful maths about ‘tax neutral and non-regressive’ increases in GST and decreases in income tax that were not tax neutral and impoverished those with low incomes far more than those large incomes.

  8. Wayne 8

    Jacinda is not going to be so stupid as to apply CGT to the family home, even if it has a home office or a bit of Air B&B or rental of a room to a boarder.
    While that might appeal to Lprent and the commenters on this item it would be just about the dumbest political judgment a prime minister could make.
    The PM knows she can probably/possibly sell a modest CGT, but not more than that.
    Certainly not on the family home, even if it has a bedroom being used as an office!

    • ianmac 8.1

      Perhaps having “The PM knows she can probably/possibly sell a modest CGT, but not more than that,” Is a beginning on which future Governments can extend like the Bright Line was. In maybe 2026 National might scramble back into power and presto, they will “modify” the CGT to increase revenue without recalling Simon’s frantic calls against it all.

      • Wayne 8.1.1

        inmac,

        You misunderstand National. While they might not repeal a modest CGT (if they didn’t get elected into government till 2023 or 2026), which was the equivalent of the Australian CGT, they would not extend it. But if they did get elected in 2020 they would have to repeal it. It would be part of their campaign committments.

        The Liberals in Australia have never repealed the CGT, even though they have been in power for most of the time since it was enacted in 1987. The reason being that it is not too onerous. It takes account of inflation, the rate is 15%, the family home is exempt and I think there are other exemptions as well. But they have not extended it.

        National essentially believes govt should not be more than about 30% of GDP. In large measure that is a philosophical premise. It reflects the belief that people should be able to keep the bulk of their income, and that in the interests of liberty, the government should not be too big and intrusive.

        Taxes are designed to reflect that. That usually requires a significant tax reduction package every few years, just to take account of inflation and GDP growth. Not a tax increase package.

        Interestingly Labour has bought into that to a significant extent. Their Fiscal Responsibility Rules has the government as being around 30% of GDP. Obviously Labour governments spend more than National, but the difference is no longer huge (and haven’t been for the last 35 years). It is not as if Labour has a dramatic plan to extend the size of government by a UBI, or re-nationalising the economy. Their ambitions are more modest, though still significantly different to National.

        • KJT 8.1.1.1

          Unfortunately.

          Poverty will continue to increase and our infrastructure will decay to an untenable degree, because, “Freedom”.

          What the Neo-liberals really mean is “their freedom” to continue to rip us off, unhindered by democracy.

          People are not “free” if they cannot escape the poverty trap.

          No mixed economy has succeeded with that little Government spending.

          The lack of investment is already apparent.

        • left_forward 8.1.1.2

          “National essentially believes govt should not be more than about 30% of GDP. In large measure that is a philosophical premise. It reflects the belief that people should be able to keep the bulk of their income, and that in the interests of liberty, the government should not be too big and intrusive.”

          Thank you Wayne I concur that this is the essential dogma of the current right wing perspective, greatly influenced by the libertarian views and neo-liberalism.

          I suspect that the 30% of GDP is entirely pragmatic (rather than philosophical) however as libertarians cannot understand why they should pay any tax at all because they feel that all taxation is theft. Social Philosophy has long debated this point and in a modern context the libertarian view does not stand up to close scrutiny.

          The left wing position rejects it, and believes that there is a legitimate role for a larger Government and that the only way to maintain a fair, safe, and just society is for there to be a mechanism for the re-distribution of wealth through taxation.

          I believe that Labour will soon get to the point where it will feel secure enough to fully abandon the last vestiges of the libertarian dogma that tragically dominated the Labour movement from 1984 – the sooner it is entirely gone the better.

          • Wayne 8.1.1.2.1

            left_forward,

            Well, yes the actual figure of 30% is pragmatic, but the principle behind it is not.

            I appreciate the left wing (really the more left wing part) does believe in a much bigger government than we currently have. But I don’t believe that is the general expectation of the public.

            For instance to lift the size of government to 35% of GDP would require a $13 billion dollar increase in taxes, that is, one sixth of existing tax revenue. All tax rates would have to increase. That amount could not be got off the highest 10% of incomes. To go to 40% of GDP would mean a $26 billion tax increase, one third greater than present. That would require the level of taxes that existed prior to 1984, with a top rate of over 60% on at least the top third of all income earners.

            Jacinda is not going to do that. She is not going to go into the 2020 election with that kind of policy.

            Even a Labour/Green government (no NZF) would not do it. They won’t have the mandate, not in 2020. Such a shift would require the Green party to be the dominant part of government. I simply can’t see that happening, not at the next election and not in 2023.

            After that it is almost certain, based on the electoral cycle that has lasted the last 100 years, that National will be in power.

            • KJT 8.1.1.2.1.1

              Taxes can be on things other than wage and salary incomes.

              And private firms tax also. Like the banks percentage on every cashflow transaction.

              Many people are starting to notice, as with power bills.
              If you cut State provision from taxes, the average households outgoings, go up, not down.

            • left_forward 8.1.1.2.1.2

              Your 40% of GDP tax scenario is very attractive to me. Can you imagine the restoration of quality health, education, social services and social housing As a result of such potential investment. The quality of life for all would immediately be lifted and NZ would be a far kinder, fairer, and more enjoyable place to live. Why would NZers not aspire to that Wayne?
              The reason is that they have been subject to relentless propaganda about the lies and so called benefits of a low tax society by those with vested interests.

              • KJT

                When my top tax rate was 60% on the dollar, there was also this huge list of “free” Government services paid with my tax.

                It costs us more for those basic services now, than we gained with tax cuts.

                In fact the extra power bill alone, from power privatisation, puts a big hole in those cuts.

                Not to mention all the compounding costs from poverty, lack of infrastructure investment, and lack of research and development, piling up, with a bill for the future.

                Of course those chanting tax cuts, never bother to mention the services that will be cut, at the same time.

            • KJT 8.1.1.2.1.3

              And here we have the full horror, of the ideological disaster inflicted on us since the 80’s.

              For no other reason that some deluded twits think “Small Government good”, “Democracy bad”. Hell we may even vote, like California, to reverse tax cuts on the rich.

              With the other sources of Government income sold, in a fire sale, the expectations of the rich that they shouldn’t be taxed, and National’s ideologically inspired campaigns against more taxes, it will take decades to reverse the damage done, by successive Neo-liberal Governments.

              Britain will probably never recover from Thatcher.

              We will probably never recover, from the last 30 years.

        • Muttonbird 8.1.1.3

          Funny how Labour’s beliefs are ideological, and National’s are philosophical.

        • Stuart Munro 8.1.1.4

          Yeah well of course National are a pack of fools.

          Fish an arbitrary figure out of thin air like say, 30%, and pretend that has some relation to good governance – pitiful, frankly.

          You were one of the best of that tragic collection of ambulant dog tucker, but crap like this reminds us, that not even the best of the Gnats has a shred of rational policy. Which goes a long way to explaining their miserable performance in government.

          • Wayne 8.1.1.4.1

            Hmm,

            You will also have to take that complaint up with Labour as well. They also adopted the 30% figure in their Fiscal Responsibility rules.

            • Sam 8.1.1.4.1.1

              Wayne doing as Wayne does best. Kicking government debt along the narritive that 20% of the GDP in taxes can pay for 30% or more in government debt.

              • Wayne

                You have got your numbers mixed up, though maybe as a joke.

                • Sam

                  If I have got it mixed up its because I got those numbers from your replys. Care to comment on the utility of your own numbers?

                  • Wayne

                    The 30% relates to the size of government as a percentage of the economy (GDP). The 20% relates to the amount of government debt as a size of the economy. They are not directly related.

                    However, in contemporary times they are both seen as a prudent measure of the size of government in our society by both the moderate right and the moderate left.

                    Obviously the Green Party and the left wing of Labour want a larger government than 30% of GDP, just as ACT and the right of National would prefer a smaller size.

                    As for myself, anywhere from 28% to 32% seems reasonable. For instance at 32% that is an extra $5 billion spending per year above the present level, basically most of the surplus. You could do a lot with that.

                    I happen to think the current tax structure is basically OK. I would not be that concerned if there was a higher rate of income tax on income above $150,000 or $200,000, But I would expect the current 30% and 33% thresholds to shift up a fair bit.

                    I also would not be that concerned about an Australian style CGT (inflation taken into account, a rate of 15%, and a decent exemption for lower level investments, small business and farms). Whether that happens we shall see. I can’t see Winston agreeing to any more than that, and perhaps not even that. After all his voters will be mostly opposed to a CGT.

                    • Sam

                      All right then, you got me, you can gloat now. Mainly because I can’t be arsed checking to see if you said it was National Party Philosophy to have the size of government set at 20% of the GDP. It’s easier to just put it down as rent money.

                      You pay landlords rent, and they, assuming they’re not total slum lords, keep the place running. Elevators that work, doors that don’t fall down in a stiff breeze, security in the nicer places, that kind of thing.

                      Only you’re paying for welfare, roads, police and fire services, streetlights, road sweeps and other infrastructure services that keep the cities from descending into a Arab State set.

                      Lowest company tax rate in the world:

                      Qatar: 10%
                      Singapore: 17%
                      Saudi Arabia: 20%

                      The choice of company tax rate is obvious.

                    • Pat

                      we are currently at 32 % (and were under National)…which makes your additional 5 billion a non event

                      https://www.oecd.org/tax/revenue-statistics-new-zealand.pdf

                    • alwyn

                      I think your comment on what the Australian CGT entails are wrong to a degree.
                      I really can’t be bothered trying to explain it is full but inflation is no longer taken into account, unless you actually held the assets prior to 21 September 1999.

                      The tax rate is only 15% on SMSF’s. An individual may get a discount of 50% on the amount of the capital gain but the tax on that is at your full marginal tax rate. At the moment the maximum tax rate can be 45% plus a medicare (usually 2%).
                      A Company gets no discount and is taxed at 30%.
                      For an SMSF the discount is 33.3%.
                      The rules for a small business exist but they are pretty restrictive.
                      I’m not sure if there are any particular exemptions for a farm except for a partial exemption if your main residence is on the property. Other than that it would possibly be classed as a small business.

                      If you are really a sucker for punishment, which I doubt, the rules are all here.
                      https://www.ato.gov.au/general/capital-gains-tax/

    • lprent 8.2

      The problem is with allowing weasel room just encourages accountants to rip off other taxpayers.

      Simple choices are better. So making the decision either one or the other is better.

      Personally I’d be happy with simply making it so that you can’t get tax deductions for family homes. They should be reserved for declared business premises.

      • woodart 8.2.1

        possibly the answer is to tax accountants at a higher rate and also offshore as much accountancy work as possible to kill off there work (just like accountants have for most other sections of NZ society). I have long advocated that treasury should be outsourced to delhi, save us at least $500 million a year, and give them a taste of their own medicine.

  9. Observer Tokoroa 9

    Under the Auspices of Justice

    A) …IF POVERTY Continues

    Given that the Wealthy have had a nice time handing out appalling conditions, low Wages expensive Heating; High cost Food; and avoiding Tax – what exactly should civilised New zealand Citizens do ?

    B) …If it is no LONGER Possible for a NZ WORKER to PURCHASE a HOME….

    What should people with homes be forced to do? Should their Capital, Land and Money be held by the State ? Until Workers can afford a home of their own.

    C) … IF LANDLORDS Can charge any FEE they LIKE…..

    What should be done with their Property ? How many years in Prison should be given to the LandLord for excessive cruelty to Tennants?

  10. Bauble 10

    They strongly oppose the $2 billion tobacco tax which is overwhelmingly a transfer from the poor to the rich.

  11. tc 11

    Great piece. I picked up granny whilst waiting for a coffee yesterday to see a front page of scaremongering and spin over the CGT PROPOSALS.

    You’d think it was a real tax about to be levied the way people get sucked in. Nice work really here between gran and dirty politics 2.0 (TU) on behalf of the top end of town.

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  • 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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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
    17 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
    20 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

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
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    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
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    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
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    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
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    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
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    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
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    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
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    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
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    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
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    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
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    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
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    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
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    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
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    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
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    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
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    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
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    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
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    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
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    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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