Te Whare Pounamu #2

Written By: Bill - Date published: 6:30 am, September 5th, 2019 - 4 comments
Categories: Abuse of power, culture, Ethics, Social issues - Tags: abuse, abuse of power

Are congratulations in order Ang! Are you perhaps patting yourself on the back for some part you played in RNZ dropping a major story on serious issues at Te Whare Pounamu quicker than a hot potato and then seemingly propelling it to obscurity faster than a .45 bullet?

Maybe not. Maybe that’s just what happens.

Or then again, maybe you need to be on the lookout for ricochets.

In the meantime, I particularly like how you’ve reportedly pivoted to imply that procedures needed to be put in place to protect staff from their current and former colleagues!

Y’know, like this attributed sentence from an apparent Newtalk ZB outlet or affiliate that runs –

“Women’s Refuge Chief Executive, Dr Ange Jury, (sic) says they’ve put policies in place, to keep staff safe from such allegations.”

– where the allegations (as you full well know!) have been found to be well grounded by two investigations, the findings of which were summarised in an inter-agency report produced by MSD.

Now here’s the thing Ang. That MSD report was very clear that if anyone, it was management who had breached codes of conduct and potentially embarrassed Te Whare Pounamu and brought the organisation into disrepute – not the staff who articulated their concerns and who (it seems) you are now keen to demonise in order to protect…well, who do you think you are protecting? The management who have reportedly jeopardised the reputation of Women’s Refuge? The Boards sitting behind those managers?

The same Board and management who, according to Deloittes allowed a culture

“… to operate with clear breaches of policy (in particular Preventing Violence in the Workplace) which is having impacts on the wellbeing of staff”

It’s an odd stance for someone in your position to adopt, is it not? I mean, anyone might have thought your impetus would be to reduce the harm meted out to vulnerable people; on stopping abuse – not to be seen as defending or perpetrating or enabling it on some level or other.

But maybe it’s all too easy for you to adopt such a seemingly incongruous position, yes? There’s that apparent history of staff bringing major operational concerns to the attention of NCIWR only for those concerns to die the death of a thousand obfuscations and fob offs, yes? But not this time.

I mean, you are aware – you must be! – that some of the self same people who were knocked to their arses as part of their concerns being squelched over the years, are on their feet again. That they have voices, and can talk… That they’re talking.

And if comments on various social media platforms are anything to go by, there are plenty more people who, it seems, having quietly walked away, are now looking over their shoulder and thinking about coming back because they have a thing or two to be saying.

Which… talking of talking brings me to an apparent lie you’ve been repeating to media.

This from the RNZ piece from the other day.

“She (that’s you, Ang) said she was unaware of any issues being raised or any complaints being made about Te Whare Pounamu until Miss Thomas’ complaint was brought to the attention of MSD last year by the office of the Minister for Social Development, Carmel Sepuloni.”

But here’s the thing. After the meeting with the Chair of the Te Whare Pounamu Board in May of last year, Miss Thomas attempted to contact NCIWR on several occasions, and left a message outlining her situation vis a vis Protected Disclosure, the serious level of her concerns and requesting that she be put in touch with NCIWR’s legal team. There was never any call back or response to any of it. None.

So, if you really didn’t know about Miss Thomas raising issues, then don’t you think you have some some serious work to be doing on communications within NCIWR? And if in fact you do know that Miss Thomas attempted on several occasions to make contact before going to her local MP, then don’t you think it’s time to cut the crap and stop maligning Miss Thomas as some kind of thoughtless or dangerous wrecker?

More generally and somewhat theoretically, can we both agree there would be something particularly distasteful were ‘bad actors’ ever able to attain positions of power and influence within organisations held in high esteem in the public eye – in organisations assumed, unquestionably, to be doing good work? Am I right to assume we’re both able to understand the potential, were the lid to be lifted on such a situation, for a pernicious dynamic to be unleashed, propelled in part by the prevalence of what we might agree to call a “sacred cow” mentality? Meaning that, anyone pointing to unpleasant realities may from the get go, be frowned upon, subjected to abuse and put down – essentially ostracised in the mind of the public, yes? And of course, were that not to happen to a degree required by those hiding behind an organisations good name and reputation, some ‘bad actors’ might also be in a position to immediately roll out a twisted inversion of identity politics as a second line of defence – ie, (and to be delivered with an appropriate level of faux outrage) “I am (insert identity of your choice), so how dare you!?”

It’s stuff that’s really quite horrible and damaging on a number of levels. And it happens. But thankfully it doesn’t wash with everyone, and of course, the head of any organisation primarily focused on abuse, were that organisation ever to find itself in such a position, well…they wouldn’t be having a bar of it, right?

I mean, they’d front foot the situation, and besides siding with any reluctant whistle blowers who were pointing out serious deficiencies and uncomfortable truths, working with them to sort shit out, and taking whatever strides they could to protect existing staff, they’d also look to identify and rectify any structural deficiencies that had facilitated the rise of any malign elements within their organisation.

I mean, I can’t see the head of any such organisation who was worth their salt bending their energies to ensure everything was shut down and then carrying on as if nothing was wrong. Can you?

4 comments on “Te Whare Pounamu #2 ”

Comments are now closed

OnceWasTim 1

5 September 2019 at 3:48 pm

Very interesting. Posted 0630, yet still no comments as at 1531

I'd suggest one explanation is that it shows just how wedded and accustomed we've all become to the cult of managerialism and all that goes with it.

Meanwhile, at the coalface – good dedicated people continue to 'labour' under the weight of it all.

Btw….does anyone know if WR has outsourced their collection of donations to a third party? It'd be "best practice" of course.
- Rosemary McDonald 1.1
  
  5 September 2019 at 5:18 pm
  
  …. one explanation is that it shows just how wedded and accustomed we've all become to the cult of managerialism and all that goes with it.
  
  Or, it could be that there is a distaste for kicking one of our much beloved sacred cows when she's down.
  
  Women's Refuge has helped literally tens of thousands of New Zealand women escape violence and abuse. That's tens of thousands of grateful women and their extended families who are potential donors.
  - OnceWasTim 1.1.1
    
    5 September 2019 at 5:47 pm
    
    Indeed @ Rosemary. I just find it interesting how this appears of little interest to people, whilst fucking "Brexit" seems to be of greater concern.
    
    Oh what a little insecure nayshun we still are.
    
    As for WR, I suspect there are vast regional differencess. I just know there are a number at the frontline around where I am doing their best, and struggling under the bureaucracy.
  - Bill 1.1.2
    
    5 September 2019 at 6:32 pm
    
    I'd tend to agree that "sacred cow" is probably writ large within the general silence being elicited by these posts of late. Ironically, that in itself becomes a part of the process whereby a "sacred cow" might well become rendered meat patty.
    
    Leaving vulnerable and abused children twisting in the breeze by refusing to record care and protection notes and follow proper procedures is not a little thing. As said in another post, that has led to the death of children.
    
    And on that front, the MSD report states – "The practice of not recording care and protection notes on client files should cease immediately."
    
    But it's still happening.
    
    Management and Board Members using donated goods as some kind of personal store and management pressuring staff to participate in the practice is also no little thing.
    
    The MSD report states – Furthermore TWP will adhere to the NCIWR policy by demonstrating that only in exceptional cases, if ever, are donated goods not used for clients or donated on to charitable organisations.
    
    But it's still happening.
    
    And of course, the bullying continues and no manager has lost their job and no trustee has stepped down in spite of the MSD report stating that – TWP must also now provide information and a process for dealing with the complaint against the management under the disciplinary processes outlined in the TWP Code of Conduct, or provide direct evidence to the contrary as to why management has not breached the TWP Code of Conduct
    
    All of the above (and more besides) had an attached deadline of the 16th of August – that deadline being set in place after others for some matters had expired.
    
    And this is the thing. Ang Jury, instead of sorting shit out, (and to be fair, I’m not sure how empowered she is) is seemingly running around on the cusp of claiming victim-hood status for TWP and Women's Refuge, while casting aspersions on staff who have spoken up and who just happen to be exactly the type of staff crucial for ensuring there exists "thousands of grateful women and their extended families".
    
    Last thing I'll say.
    
    Investigators spoke to a good number of current and former staff. People might want to reflect on the fact that they all (not just current staff) felt compelled to give evidence anonymously because (as outlined in the report) they had fears for their personal safety.
    
    Seriously.
    
    Think about that.

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Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Greater AucklandBy Matt L
6 days ago

2024 Reading Summary: April (+ Writing Update)
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
6 days ago

At a glance – Clearing up misconceptions regarding 'hide the decline'
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Skeptical Science
6 days ago

Road photos
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
6 days ago

Bryce Edwards: Paula Bennett’s political appointment will challenge public confidence
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
6 days ago

NZDF is still hostile to oversight
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
6 days ago

Winding Back The Hands Of History’s Clock.
Holding On To The Present: The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Bowalley Road
6 days ago

Sweet Moderation? What Christopher Luxon Could Learn From The Germans.
Stuck In The Middle With You: As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
Bowalley Road
6 days ago

A clear warning
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
6 days ago

Poll results and Waitangi Tribunal report go unmentioned on the Beehive website – where racing tru...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
6 days ago

Listening To The Traffic.
It Takes A Train To Cry: Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Bowalley Road
6 days ago

Comity Be Damned! The State’s Legislative Arm Is Flexing Its Constitutional Muscles.
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Bowalley Road
6 days ago

Ending The Quest.
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Bowalley Road
6 days ago

Will political polarisation intensify to the point where ‘normal’ government becomes impossible,...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
7 days ago

Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Tuesday, April 30
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:30am on Tuesday, May 30:Scoop: NZ 'close to the tipping point' of measles epidemic, health experts warn NZ Herald Benjamin PlummerHealth: 'Absurd and totally unacceptable': Man has to wait a year for ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
7 days ago

Release: Labour calls for fast track list to be released
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour Blog
17 hours ago

Release: National gaslights women fighting for equal pay
National has scrapped the pay equity taskforce that fights for equal pay for women and looks at ethnic pay gaps. ...
Labour Blog
4 days ago

Release: More job cuts, fewer houses under National
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
Labour Blog
4 days ago

Release: Children fall deeper through the cracks in Govt cuts
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
Labour Blog
4 days ago

Release: Labour honours memory of Sir Robert Martin
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour Blog
5 days ago

Release: 130,000 cattle saved from live export
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Labour Blog
5 days ago

Central Bank makes clear Government is pouring fuel on housing crisis fire
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
Greens
6 days ago

New unemployment figures paint bleak picture
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Greens
6 days ago

Release: National’s job cuts already starting to bite as unemployment rises
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
Labour Blog
6 days ago

Release: National hiking transport costs for families and young New Zealanders
Weekly expenses will grow for more than 1.6 million New Zealanders as the Government ends free and half price public transport fares tomorrow. ...
Labour Blog
6 days ago

Release: Labour welcomes EU free trade agreement
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
Labour Blog
7 days ago

Surprise: Landlord tax cuts don’t trickle down
The Green Party is renewing its call for rent controls following reports of rental prices hitting an all-time high. ...
Greens
7 days ago

Release: $1.7b for no increase in access to medicine
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
Labour Blog
7 days ago

Release: National should heed Tribunal warning and scrap coalition commitment with ACT
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Release: More accountability for preventable workplace deaths this Workers’ Memorial Day
Labour is calling for more accountability for preventable workplace deaths because everybody who goes to work deserves to come home safely. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Gaza: Aotearoa Must Support Independent Investigation into Mass Graves
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Māori Party
1 week ago

Release: Working together on consistent support for veterans this Anzac Day
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Penny drops – but what about Seymour and Peters?
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Another ‘Stolen Generation’ enabled by court ruling on Waitangi Tribunal summons
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
Māori Party
2 weeks ago

Release: Budget blunder shows Nicola Willis could cut recovery funding
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Further environmental mismanagement on the cards
The Government’s resource management reforms will add to the heavy and ever-growing burden this Government is loading on to our environment. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: RMA changes will be a disaster for environment
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Labour supports urgent changes to emergency management system
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Labour calls for New Zealand to recognise Palestine
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Three strikes law political posturing of worst kind
The Government is bringing back a law that has little evidential backing just to look tough, Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Government cuts unbelievably target child exploitation, violent extremism, ports and airpor...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Three strikes has failed before and will fail again
Resurrecting the archaic three-strikes legislation is an unwelcome return to a failed American-style approach to justice. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Environmental protection vital, not ‘onerous’
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Ferris – Three Strikes targets those ‘too brown to be white’
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Māori Party
2 weeks ago

Release: Govt cuts doctors and nurses in hiring freeze
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Fast-track submissions period must be extended
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Progress on climate will be undone by Govt
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Dark day for Kiwi kids as a third of Govt cuts affect them
News that 1000 jobs at the Ministry of Education and Oranga Tamariki could go is devastating for future generations of New Zealanders. ...
Labour Blog
3 weeks ago

Release: Alarm as Government signals further blow to school lunches
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Labour Blog
3 weeks ago

Oranga Tamariki cuts commit tamariki to state abuse
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
Māori Party
3 weeks ago

New Zealand Sign Language Week an opportunity for anyone to sign
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
8 hours ago

Next stop NASA for New Zealand students
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
8 hours ago

$1.9 billion investment to keep NZ safe from crime
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
9 hours ago

OECD reinforces need to control spending
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
11 hours ago

Agreement delivers Local Water Done Well for Auckland
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Gaza and the Pacific on the agenda with Germany
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Decision allows for housing growth in Western Bay of Plenty
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

Speech to New Zealand China Council
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

Modern insurance law will protect Kiwi households
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

Government recommits to equal pay
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

Transforming how our children learn to read
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

NZ not backing down in Canada dairy dispute
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Stronger oversight for our most vulnerable children
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Streamlining Building Consent Changes
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Accelerating airport security lines
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Community hui to talk about kina barrens
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into force
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Mining resurgence a welcome sign
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first reading
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Government to boost public EV charging network
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Residential Property Managers Bill to not progress
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Independent review into disability support services
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Justice Minister updates UN on law & order plan
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Ending emergency housing motels in Rotorua
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Trade Minister travels to Riyadh, OECD, and Dubai
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Education priorities focused on lifting achievement
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

NZTA App first step towards digital driver licence
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Supporting whānau out of emergency housing
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Tribute to Dave O'Sullivan
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Speech – Eid al-Fitr
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Government saves access to medicines
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Pharmac Chair appointed
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Taking action on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

New sports complex opens in Kaikohe
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Diplomacy needed more than ever
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Anzac Commemorative Address, Buttes New British Cemetery Belgium
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Anzac Commemorative Address – NZ National Service, Chunuk Bair
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

Anzac Commemorative Address – Dawn Service, Gallipoli, Türkiye
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

Neediest areas are being shortchanged on government funds − even with programs designed to benefit...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eric Stokan, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Maryland, Baltimore County If you live in one of the most economically deprived neighborhoods in your city, you might think the government is directing a smaller share of public funds to your community. ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
53 mins ago

Tackling Pacific media’s crucial role in climate crisis and press freedom
Wansolwara The news media’s crucial role in climate change and environment journalism was the focus of The University of the South Pacific’s Journalism Programme 2024 World Press Freedom Day celebrations. The European Union Ambassador to the Pacific, Barbara Plinkert, and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Henry Puna were the chief ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
3 hours ago

QANTAS has finally settled its ‘ghost flights’ lawsuit for $120 million. What’s next?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Adams, Professor of Corporate Law & Academic Director of UNE Sydney campus, University of New England Last August, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) launched legal proceedings against Qantas. The consumer watchdog accused the airline of selling thousands of tickets ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
4 hours ago

Contradictions and confusion: More questions than answers at government press conference
The Prime Minister and Corrections Minister repeatedly provided incorrect information about their $1.9 billion planned prison spend-up. ...
Radio NZ – political
6 hours ago

A View from Afar: Buchanan and Manning – A moment of friction
This episode of A View From Afar was recorded LIVE on May 6, 2024 (NZST) which is Sunday evening, May 5, 2024 at 8:30pm (USEST). In an analytical essay titled ‘A moment of friction’ political scientist Dr Paul Buchanan wrote how we are living within a decisive moment ...
Evening ReportBy Selwyn Manning
7 hours ago

Can I take your order – and your data? The hidden reason retailers are replacing staff with AI bot...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cameron Shackell, Sessional Academic and Visitor, School of Information Systems, Queensland University of Technology Linus Zoll / Google DeepMind / Unsplash You might have seen viral videos of Wendy’s drive-thru customers in the United States ordering their fast food from the ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
7 hours ago

The steamiest movie of the year has almost no sex in it. How did Challengers do it?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Taylor, Assistant Professor, Bond University Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures At the crux of the critical response to Luca Guadagnino’s new movie Challengers is one word: “sexy”. The film charts a love triangle between three up-and-coming tennis players: Tashi (Zendaya), ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
7 hours ago

The Australian public service is letting Indigenous people down. How do we fix it?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jenny Stewart, Professor of Public Policy, ADFA Canberra, UNSW Sydney For years, First Nations people have been telling governments they want to be listened to. In particular, they want more ownership of the programs and services that are supposed to help them. ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
9 hours ago

Curious Kids: why do trees have bark?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Why do trees have bark? Julien, age 6, Melbourne. This is a great question, Julien. We are so familiar with bark on trees, that most of us ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
9 hours ago

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announces $1.9 billion plan to make NZ safer
The Prime Minister says there will be a "significant investment" in funding for frontline Corrections staffing and services. ...
Radio NZ – political
9 hours ago

Surgery is the default treatment for ACL injuries in Australia. But it’s not the only way
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Nasser, Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy, University of Technology Sydney PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is an important ligament in the knee. It runs from the thigh bone (femur) to the shin bone (tibia) and helps stabilise ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
10 hours ago

Inflation, education and productivity: Some of the problems NZ needs to fix, according to the OECD
The country is being told it needs to get inflation under control, balance the books, raise educational achievement, and lift productivity. ...
Radio NZ – political
10 hours ago

Live: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's post-Cabinet update
Watch RNZ's livestream of the press conference and follow our blog for all the latest updates. ...
Radio NZ – political
10 hours ago

Voluntary redundancies at Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment bring its tally of job los...
The latest round of voluntary redundancies at the ministry has lifted RNZ's count of public sector job cuts to more than 4000. ...
Radio NZ – political
11 hours ago

UK Tories perform badly at local elections; Labor still narrowly ahead in Australian polls
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne I covered the May 2 United Kingdom local government elections for The Poll Bludger. The Blackpool South parliamentary byelection was also held, ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
11 hours ago

Hundreds of cities have achieved zero road deaths in a year. Here’s how they did it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Mclaughlin, Adjunct Research Fellow, The University of Western Australia Matthew Mclaughlin It’s National Road Safety Week and it comes on the back of a year in which 1,286 people died on Australian roads. The rising road toll – up 8.2% ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
11 hours ago

What does the new Commonwealth Prac Payment mean for students? Will it do enough to end ‘placement...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deanna Grant-Smith, Professor of Management, University of the Sunshine Coast The federal government has announced a “Commonwealth Prac Payment” to support selected groups of students doing mandatory work placements. Those who are studying to be a teacher, nurse, midwife or social ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
11 hours ago

Education, productivity and emissions: Three big problems NZ needs to fix, according to the OECD
Economic growth is sluggish - and the problems are a familiar list. ...
Radio NZ – political
11 hours ago

New to streaming: What to watch on Netflix NZ, Neon and more this week
We round up everything coming to streaming services this week, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, ThreeNow, Neon and TVNZ+. If you love a dark comedy: Bodkin (Netflix, May 9) An English podcaster, an Irish podcaster and American podcaster walk into a pub and…make a TV show? ...
The SpinoffBy New to streaming
12 hours ago

‘Don’t mistake Pacific leaders AUKUS quietness’ as support for NZ, says academic
By Eleisha Foon, RNZ Pacific senior journalist A Pacific regionalism academic has called out New Zealand’s Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters for withholding information from the public on AUKUS and says the security deal “raises serious questions for the Pacific region”. Auckland University of Technology academic Dr Marco de Jong ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
13 hours ago

Labour says Government's water plan will see some councils 'left out in the cold'
Meanwhile, the party and National are also odds about whose plan to fix the pipes will cost more. ...
Radio NZ – political
13 hours ago

The climate cost of your digital life
How worried should we be about the cloud? This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. I currently have a few thousand unread emails languishing in my inbox, mostly old marketing newsletters and piles of unread science journal press releases. I have a similar number ...
The SpinoffBy Ellen Rykers
13 hours ago

Three fact-checking challenges in Southeast Asia
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nuurrianti Jalli, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies College of Arts and Sciences Department of Languages, Literature, and Communication Studies, Northern State University Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Southeast Asian governments not only have to deal with the virus but also with the false ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
13 hours ago

Houston area’s flood problems offer lessons for cities trying to adapt to a changing climate
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard B. (Ricky) Rood, Professor Emeritus of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan Pavement can leave floodwater with nowhere to go. Chengyue Lao/Xinhua via Getty Images Scenes from the Houston area looked like the aftermath of a hurricane in ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
13 hours ago

The scaling back of Saudi Arabia’s proposed urban mega-project sends a clear warning to other woul...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Murakami Wood, Professor of Critical Surveillance and Securities Studies, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa The skyline of Riyadh, the capital and largest city of the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia. (Shutterstock) There is a long history of planned city building by both governments ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
13 hours ago

Many immigrants to the US are fleeing violence and persecution − here’s how the federal governme...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karen Jacobsen, Henry J. Leir Chair in Global Migration, Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University The men’s dormitory at a new center for asylum-seekers in Portland, Maine. Ben McCanna/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images Immigration has become a defining issue ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
13 hours ago

LIVE TODAY: A View from Afar – A Moment of Friction
The LIVE Recording of A View from Afar podcast will begin today at 12:45pm May 6, 2024 (NZST) which is Sunday evening, 8:30pm (USEST). In an analytical essay titled ‘A moment of friction’ political scientist Dr Paul Buchanan wrote how we are living within a decisive moment of ...
Evening ReportBy Selwyn Manning
14 hours ago

How to make the most of oyster season
The Boil Up’s Lucinda Bennett considers the oyster – from freshness to pearls to the joy of shucking your own. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. In Carmen Maria Machado’s short story ‘Eight Bites’, a woman begins her last supper before bariatric surgery with “a cavalcade ...
The SpinoffBy Lucinda Bennett
14 hours ago

Auckland University staff appeal over Gaza protest in solidarity with students
Asia Pacific Report A group of 65 Auckland University academics have written an open letter to vice-chancellor Dawn Freshwater criticising the institution’s stance over students protesting in solidarity with Palestine. They have called on her administration to “support” the students who were denied permission to establish an “overnight encampment” by ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
15 hours ago

How the Student Volunteer Army is helping high schoolers give back
The Student Volunteer Army is on the march, generating approximately 1.6 million hours of volunteering from roughly 35,000 secondary school students in just five years. For Rebekah Brown, the pathway to volunteering started with her singing coach. With a passion for the arts, the suggestion to volunteer at Acting Antics, ...
The SpinoffBy Joel MacManus
15 hours ago

Here’s what happened when I replaced my personality with the Meta AI chatbot for a day
Keeping up with online communication can be exhausting, so Fran Barclay enlisted the help of Meta’s new ‘intelligent assistant’ to respond to all her messages. Could her mates tell the difference? For centuries, technology has ruled the ways in which we communicate. From the dawn of written language, to the ...
The SpinoffBy Fran Barclay
15 hours ago

MP Jamie Arbuckle to keep two jobs – and two salaries
Jamie Arbuckle, a councillor who has become an member of parliament, says he has settled into having two roles so comfortably he's going to keep both pay cheques. ...
Radio NZ – political
16 hours ago

What Australia can learn from Latin America when it comes to tackling violence against women
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luis Gómez Romero, Senior Lecturer in Human Rights, Constitutional Law and Legal Theory, University of Wollongong Fifty years ago, Australian feminist Anne Summers denounced “the ideology of sexism” governing over so many women’s lives. Unfortunately, sexism is as lethal today as it ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
17 hours ago

A tax on sugary drinks can make us healthier. It’s time for Australia to introduce one
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Breadon, Program Director, Health and Aged Care, Grattan Institute Leah Newhouse/Pexels Sugary drinks cause weight gain and increase the risk of a range of diseases, including diabetes. The evidence shows that well-designed taxes can reduce sugary drink sales, cause ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
17 hours ago

As New Zealand CBDs evolve post-pandemic, repurposing old or empty spaces should be on the drawing b...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jose Antonio Lara-Hernandez, Senior Researcher in Architecture, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images The COVID-19 pandemic and the hybrid work patterns it fostered have changed the way we think about office space, and central business districts in general. While fears ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
17 hours ago

Nuclear power makes no sense for Australia – but it’s a useful diversion from real climate actio...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Simpson, Senior Lecturer, International Studies, University of South Australia Wlad74, Shutterstock Opposition leader Peter Dutton argues Australia needs nuclear power to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. But nuclear power is not feasible for Australia. It is too slow, too ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
17 hours ago

Australian churches collectively raise billions of dollars a year – why aren’t they taxed?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dale Boccabella, Associate Professor of Taxation Law, UNSW Sydney There’s a good reason your local volunteer-run netball club doesn’t pay tax. In Australia, various nonprofit organisations are exempt from paying income tax, including those that do charitable work, such as churches. ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
17 hours ago

Real comedy, real trauma: how Baby Reindeer and Feel Good are forging a new television genre
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marina Deller, Casual Academic, Creative Writing and English Literature, Flinders University Netflix Comedy is opening up spaces for silences to be broken and trauma stories to be told. In 2018, Hannah Gadsby started a revolution with Nanette, asking audiences to rethink ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
17 hours ago

Tense office dynamics draining your soul? Kink can help with that
The workplace can be a minefield of bad comms and passive aggression. Kinksters can help you navigate it. A friend and colleague recently gave me a compliment I loved. They told me I’d always been good at emotional communication and making people feel comfortable. “But I feel like it’s really ...
The SpinoffBy Othername
17 hours ago

Old, more polluting ships serving NZ could be a barrier to climate goals
The Climate Change Commission is floating the idea of bringing international shipping into New Zealand's carbon-cutting targets. ...
Radio NZ – political
19 hours ago

A week on, the school phone ban is (mostly) winning praise
Even if some students are now just texting on their laptops. Stewart Sowman-Lund writes in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
19 hours ago

Could Wellington be the next region to ink a water deal with the government?
Councils from Horowhenua, Kāpiti, Wairarapa, the Hutt Valley, Porirua and Wellington City will meet this Friday to work together on a plan for a Greater Wellington region water deal. ...
Radio NZ – political
19 hours ago

Award-Winning Musician Ria Hall Announces Candidacy For Mayor Of Tauranga
Renowned musician, advocate, and proud born and raised daughter of Tauranga, Ria Hall, is announcing her candidacy for Mayor of Tauranga and Pāpāmoa Ward for the upcoming election on July 20th. ...
Scoop politics
20 hours ago

Teachers don’t want the new histories curriculum to be ‘rebalanced’
The new Aotearoa histories curriculum is rich with potential. There’s still work to be done, but the education minister’s criticisms about ‘balance’ miss the mark, argues primary school teacher Jessie Moss. In 2015, Ōtorohanga College students presented to parliament a petition signed by more than 10,000 people calling for a ...
The SpinoffBy Jessie Moss
21 hours ago

At last! The kiwi is getting its comeuppance
For too long our so-called national bird has maintained its stranglehold on the economy of regional New Zealand. Thanks to the fast track legislation, we will have our revenge. Theories abound on what ails New Zealand’s economy. National leader Chris Luxon has posited that we’re negative, wet, whiny, and inward-looking; ...
The SpinoffBy Hayden Donnell
21 hours ago

An incident at Glenmark station in Canterbury
Late one afternoon in March 1860 a man in a thin green velveteen jacket and a wide-awake hat arrived on foot at a sheep station named Glenmark, about 65 kilometres north of Christchurch. The man was in his mid-fifties but he looked older. Several people who met him that day ...
NewsroomBy Peter Walker
21 hours ago

An obscure climate accounting decision with billion-dollar consequences
Opinion: For a country that trades on its reputation as a trustworthy international counterpart, we must follow through on our climate commitments – or face serious financial risks The post An obscure climate accounting decision with billion-dollar consequences appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Rob Morrison and Dr Christina Hood
21 hours ago

Officials set aside environmental benefits of waste-to-energy facility
A $350 million waste incinerator is a step closer, but questions marks remain over its environmental benefits The post Officials set aside environmental benefits of waste-to-energy facility appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy David Williams
21 hours ago

Auckland’s decades-old stadium shuffle
If building one of Auckland’s possible waterfront stadiums was funded privately, it would need to hold a sold-out Ed Sherran concert every weekday for 25 years. That’s Rob Hamlin’s finding – he’s a senior marketing lecturer at the University of Otago. “It’s not going to happen; forget about it,” he ...
NewsroomBy Tom Kitchin
21 hours ago

Federated Farmers’ support for fast-track bill ‘ambiguous’
Fed Farmers’ oral and written submissions on the fast-track bill contain no definitive indication of the group’s support. Board member Mark Hooper clarifies. The post Federated Farmers’ support for fast-track bill ‘ambiguous’ appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Fox Meyer
21 hours ago

How advertising, not social media, killed traditional journalism
Comment: The debate over the future relationship between news and social media is bringing us closer to a long-overdue reckoning. Social media isn’t trying to kill journalism, because social media has never really cared about journalism. Social media is resolutely in the attention business. News propels some attention — perhaps ...
NewsroomBy 360info
21 hours ago

Daily crossword, Monday 6 May
The post Daily crossword, Monday 6 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles
21 hours ago

Political donations: people power no match for big business
Analysis: Experts are renewing their calls for a cap on donations as the gap between the left and the right widens The post Political donations: people power no match for big business appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Laura Walters
21 hours ago

Newsroom daily quiz, Monday 6 May
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Monday 6 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles
21 hours ago

New Kiwi gymnast flips for Olympic dream
For the past 12 years, Georgia-Rose Brown has balanced on the brink of making an Olympic Games – but always landed gracefully on the wrong side. Reaching the Olympics is a dream the gymnast has harboured since she was a six-year-old; a dream that would dwindle every four years, yet ...
NewsroomBy Suzanne McFadden
21 hours ago

Rent controls are far from being ‘economically illiterate’
Opinion: There are many ways to regulate for rental increases, depending on the market conditions The post Rent controls are far from being ‘economically illiterate’ appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Rob Campbell
21 hours ago

Southland stream life wiped out by single contaminant dump
An investigation is underway into how freshwater crayfish, trout and thousands of eels were killed when pollution from private land ended up in a healthy stream The post Southland stream life wiped out by single contaminant dump appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Jill Herron
21 hours ago

Students on social work, nursing and teaching placements to get weekly $319.50 means tested Prac Pay...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra A new Commonwealth Prac Payment will provide students with $319.50 a week when they are on clinical and professional placements. The payment will be means tested and start from July 1 next year, which ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Auckland Palestine rally honours Gaza journalists for freedom award
Asia Pacific Report About 500 people honoured Palestinian journalists in the heart of the New Zealand city of Auckland today for their brave coverage of Israel’s War on Gaza, now in its seventh month with almost 35,000 people killed, mostly women and children. Marking the annual May 3 World Press ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
1 day ago

GCSB foreign spying capability under scrutiny
The Government Communications Security Bureau denies hosting a foreign spying capability flagged by the watchdog, differentiating it from the system recently criticised. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Auckland academics call out university stance over pro-Palestine protest
RNZ News A group of academic staff at New Zealand’s largest university have expressed concern at the administration’s move to block a protest encampment that was planned to take place on campus calling for support for the rights of Palestinians. This week, the University of Auckland warned that while it ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
2 days ago

Auckland's new water plan unveiled by Mayor Wayne Brown and Local Government Minister Simeon Br...
The government claims Aucklanders will avoid a projected 25.8 percent water rates increase with the coalition's Local Water Done Well plan. ...
Radio NZ – political
2 days ago

'Māori Seabed, For Shore!' – Two decades on from the largest hīkoi in a generation
Twenty years has passed since the historic hīkoi against the controversial Foreshore and Seabed Act reached Parliament. ...
Radio NZ – political
2 days ago

An Ode to .. Julie Anne Genter
Genterwocky After a hard days marching, Sir Doocey calls in at the Village Tavern For a pint of ale and a pork pie. The grim villagers stare at him. “Do not be travelling on the forest road,” warns a crusty old beak. “And why is that, antique peasant?” Grins Sir ...
NewsroomBy Victor Billot
2 days ago

National aims high while struggling to take off
Political conferences after a party returns to power are usually a chance for some healthy, even unhealthy backslapping. Yet National Party president Sylvia Wood’s address to its mainland representatives on Saturday hardly contained the unalloyed delight that one might have expected following National’s escape from the wilderness of opposition. Yes, ...
NewsroomBy Sam Sachdeva
2 days ago

Real journalists can lead the war against deepfakes
Comment: Almost half the world is voting in national elections this year and artificial intelligence is the elephant in the room. There are genuine fears AI-generated or AI-edited deepfakes will potentially manipulate election outcomes not just in the US and UK, but critically in countries such as India. For that ...
NewsroomBy 360info
2 days ago

Meet the cast of Married at First Sight NZ for 2024
Ahead of the reality franchise’s return to New Zealand, allow us to introduce the eight brides and grooms. Chuck on a veil and tie back your man bun, because it’s time to say “I do” to a new season of Married at First Sight NZ. The reality TV “social experiment” ...
The SpinoffBy Tara Ward
2 days ago

The good news is the government plans to cancel $3 billion in student debt. The bad news is indexati...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Norton, Professor in the Practice of Higher Education Policy, Australian National University Every year on June 1, student debt in Australia is indexed to inflation. In 2023, high inflation pushed the indexation rate to 7.1%, the highest since 1990. This ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
2 days ago

Albanese government to wipe $3 billion in student debt, benefitting three million people
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Changes in the May 14 budget will cut the student debt of more than three million people, wiping more than $3 billion from what people owe. The government will cap the HELP indexation rate ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
2 days ago

ICC demands end to threats against court amid Gaza war probe
Asia Pacific Report The prosecutor’s office at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has appealed for an end to what it calls intimidation of its staff, saying such threats could constitute an offence against the “administration of justice” by the world’s permanent war crimes court. The Hague-based office of ICC Prosecutor ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
2 days ago

New Caledonia’s women sit-in to support smeared Kanak journalist
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk A women’s union in New Caledonia has staged a sit-in protest this week to support senior Kanak indigenous journalist Thérèse Waia, who works for public broadcaster Nouvelle-Calédonie la Première, after a smear attack by critics. The peaceful demonstration was held on ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
2 days ago

New Zealand signs deal with Germany on Antarctica cooperation
The memorandum of understanding with Germany's Alfred Wegener Institute is expected to foster cooperation between the two polar science bodies. ...
Radio NZ – political
2 days ago

NZ food safety agency monitoring Indian spice mix recalls
New Zealand Food Safety is monitoring overseas recalls of Indian packaged spice products manufactured by MDH and Everest due to concerns over a cancer-causing pesticide. ...
Radio NZ – political
2 days ago

Fiji’s media freedom ranking jumps, Papua New Guinea’s plummets
By Stephen Wright and Stefan Armbruster of BenarNews Fiji’s ranking in a global press freedom index has jumped into the top tier of countries with free or mostly free media after its government last year repealed a draconian law that threatened journalists with prison for doing their jobs. Fiji’s improvement ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
3 days ago

The Boy in the Water: ‘I just can’t do this anymore’
We might be in Invercargill but all anyone can talk about is Gore. Specifically, Salford Street. That’s where three-year-old Lachlan Jones lived, south of the centre of town, between the A&P Showgrounds and the Mataura River. Roughly 1.2 km away from the single level home he lived in with his ...
NewsroomBy Bonnie Sumner
3 days ago

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