The freedom to lie during an election campaign

Written By: - Date published: 6:55 am, December 11th, 2019 - 75 comments
Categories: election 2020, electoral commission, electoral systems, labour, making shit up, national, same old national, Simon Bridges, spin, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags:

The trend is becoming clear.  And many of us on the left are trying to understand the the background and the motivation for what is happening.  But the right have a new game plan when it comes to campaigning and damn it but it may work.

The old rules no longer apply.  The media is that compromised, that bereft of resources and that fearful for its future that it will not and cannot question the crap that is coming out of the right.

There have been two recent local examples.

First there was this attempt to graphically (and statistically) lie about the actual change in fuel taxes.

It received a real trashing on Twitter.  So what does the Government paid Opposition Leader’s propaganda squad social media team do?

They repeat it.

This is not some random Hamish Price type attack.  This has been focus grouped to within an inch of its life and it will have a robust business case.

Maybe the reach is more important that the truthfulness of the message. And spats on social media increase the reach. Our righteous angst against the content may just mean that more people get the message.

This issue has been brought into stark relief by the release of the Justice Select Committee Report into the 2017 election. The report canvasses an intense debate about how the law should handle deliberate lies during an election campaign.

Labour wanted to extend the time it is an offence to publish a false statement with intent to influence voters. Currently the relevant period starts two days before election day but with the advent of early voting it is rational to increase the time. They wanted it to be two days before the start of advance voting.

It seems so rational. There are so many votes now cast during the lead up period that this period should be included in the protection. After all if the intent is to stop the illegitimate influencing of votes surely all votes should be protected, not just those cast on election day. Last election 40% of votes were advance votes. Why should these voters have less protection?

National’s response? Nope. Seems they want the ability to lie safely for as long as possible.

This is National’s view as set out in the report:

The purpose of the tight and tough constraints in section 199A that apply just to the two days prior to the election is because of the reduced opportunity for scrutiny or rebuttal so close to an election. They were introduced to stop scandalous claims being made in the last moments before an election. They come with a very high penalty. A person being declared guilty of a corrupt practice is liable to imprisonment of 2 years, a fine of up to $100,000, and inclusion on the Corrupt Practice List, removing their right to vote or hold elected office.

But with so many early votes nowadays why should these voters be treated differently?

The key legal test in section 199A is that the person has published a false statement. The issue is “what is” and “who determines” what a false statement is that becomes subject to the penalty of a “corrupt practice”. There will be different views from Election 2017 on whether National’s claims of a $12 billion fiscal hole or Labour’s of 100,000 Kiwibuild homes
are false statements, but these are best contested in the context of freedom of expression and not being shut down by this draconian “corrupt practice” provision.

What strange examples. The only defence for National was that the $12 billion fiscal hole comment was made through a complete lack of understanding of basic accounting. Labour’s Kiwibuild Homes proposal was aspirational and would never have breached the test.

The proposed amendment to section 199A is hugely significant and poses major risks for the free expression of views in the three weeks prior to a general election. National views this proposal as a further worrying erosion of free speech by the current Government that will compromise free and fair elections.

How much of a threat would the change be to National’s advertising?

The relevant section of the Electoral Act says this:

A person is guilty of a corrupt practice if the person, with the intention of influencing the vote of an elector … first publishes or republishes a statement, during the specified period, that the person knows is false in a material particular; or … arranges for the first publication or republication of a statement, during the specified period, that the person knows is false in a material particular.”

My initial impression is that false graphics, like those above, may well get the publisher into trouble.  The graphic is a material particular of the statement.  No wonder National is so worried at the proposal.

Get ready.  This could be a brutal election year.

75 comments on “The freedom to lie during an election campaign ”

  1. tc 1

    It was always going to be this way as bridges is hopeless and nats have immense resources to play this deception game.

    Probably fine tuning the chat bots now.

    The more they can do without him and pullya etc the better will be the hollowmen approach.
    Let’s not forget their incredibly helpful msm players like hosk, hdpa,rnz etc

  2. Ad 2

    The left will win again when they become more creative liars.

    Catch up people!

    • bwaghorn 2.1

      You’re part of the problem if that's your attitude.

      • Ad 2.1.1

        Prepare to keep losing then.

        Theres now no regulation of campaign speech in strong democracies.

        Rules won't save the left.

        • UncookedSelachimorpha 2.1.1.1

          Theres now no regulation of campaign speech in which is one of the reasons there are no strong democracies.

          FIFY

          Copying the lies of the right is the last thing we should do.

          • Ad 2.1.1.1.1

            There are plenty of strong democracies. You're commenting from one of them.

            And the only reason Labor won here last time is because we got a good leader at the last minute. Not because of our policies or our campaign tactics.

            Copying winning strategies from others within a strong democracy is just common sense.

            • Incognito 2.1.1.1.1.1

              IIRC, Jacinda Ardern took over the leadership 7 weeks out from Election Day. Her skills as Party leader (and potential PM) were untested.

              • weka

                also, there was so much going on at the last election it's hard to tell what were the contributing factors. But a big chunk of the left votes on policy and has values around lying, so Labour using campaign tactics that ignore policy and lie like National is likely to increase the non-vote. Might increase the Green vote of course, so maybe Ad is on to something there.

                • Incognito

                  Sure, Ad could well be right but I don’t endorse lying to win an election. Why stop once sworn in?

                  Politics is not a contest of lies, it is a contest of ideas. Using rhetoric or the art of persuasion does not equal lying. Lying is the last refuge of a scoundrel.

                  • Ad

                    And there's no such thing as truth in an election either.

                    Stop trying to find it.

                    If Labour had had a better ad campaign than Dancing Cossacks we'd have about the same retirement wealth as Australia right now.

                    The purity contest for ideas can be found at the manifesto workshops. They're down the hall; you go left, then left, then left again. You can't miss it.

                    • Incognito

                      False dichotomy there, Ad. I don’t like lies and I don’t endorse them, but this doesn’t mean I advocate some kind of pure perfection and only seek and accept the Truth. I’m enough of a realist to know that ideas, intentions, aspirations can be relatively pure but that implementation and putting these into practice requires compromise at many different levels. None of that, however, makes a plausible argument for straight out lying or lying from the outset. By analogy, a comedian can only be ‘funny’ by telling crude vulgar sexist and racist ‘jokes’. I’d like to think that politicians should be more imaginative, creative, inventive, and courageous in getting their message across and countering the message of the (their) opposition. You put it as lying or losing. Maybe you were trying to be provocative? What do all those comms people do for a living?

                  • weka

                    He's not right, I was being facetious about the Green vote (I think it's true, but it's still not a good idea).

                  • Gosman

                    But you think anyone holding a view further than slightly right of center must be lying as they want policies that don't benefit society only themselves

                    [Letting this one through so that you can show where I said that or face a ban. I’m tired of your trolling – Incognito]

              • Ad

                She generated a huge popularity surge and that's why we got the win. She personally changed the campaign slogan to "Let's Do This".

                Social media just exploded.

                There's no other factor.

                Of course we could just go along and presume a leader like her will always emerge at just the right time.

                Best of luck with that, but from experience over the John Key era, it's hard work.

                • Incognito

                  I don’t disagree with all that but before you said it was because “we got a good leader at the last minute” and you saw no role for policies or campaign tactics. You now seem to be contradicting yourself.

                  Sloppy wording or simplistic reductionist thinking, take your pick 😉

                  • Ad

                    Well obviously last time our campaign tactics were shit until we got a better communicator on board. She now runs the country.

                    She led the communications shift through the digital space herself (with help of course). No need to discuss what is truth or mistruth or untruth there: it's simply better campaign leadership.

                    • weka

                      I don't think it is obvious. Part of the reason why Labour's support picked up was because a chunk of swing voters wanted to vote for someone they like and could feel good about (and Little wasn't it, for a range of reasons). Also, the shift from the Greens because of the post-Turei welfare speech fallout.

                      Like Incognito, I find your argument here a bit uneven. That JA is also good with social media doesn't mean that Labour need to lie as well as National.

                    • Incognito

                      You lost me here (wouldn’t be the first time though). We won in 2017, assuming that’s what we’re talking about, because of good or better campaign leadership; before Jacinda Ardern took over (the campaign), the campaign tactics were shite lacking. However, at 2.1.1.1.1 you were saying it was down to good leadership and “[n]ot because of our policies or our campaign tactics”!? I also struggle with your presumed irrelevancy of (our) policies. Surely, you’re not suggesting that NZ politics are so superficial that any figurehead with a good mouth and SM skills could win the election for just about any party. It is tempting to accept that because it would mean that National stands no chance as long as Simon Bridges is their leader 😉

              • Rastus

                It was enough that she wasn't Andrew Little.

        • McFlock 2.1.1.2

          If both sides lie as bad as each other, there's no difference.

          A victory in those circumstances is still a loss.

          And we can win without being the most copious liars on the block. Case in point: our PM.

  3. Jimmy 3

    All politicians lie and make ridiculous promises that sound great in theory but are not possible. Once elected the excuses come out. Don't forget Kiwibuild said it would build 100,000 houses!

    As for the graphs…there are lies, damn lies and statistics

    • Sacha 3.1

      All politicians lie

      That is what the lying ones want us to believe.

      • tc 3.1.1

        Key's greatest political achievements IMO was via DP and smearing through the MSM he got the sheeple thinking they're all the same.

    • michelle 3.2

      Some lie more than others Jimmy and at the moment the national party are winning that race ( the liars race)

    • weka 3.3

      "Don't forget Kiwibuild said it would build 100,000 houses!"

      That wasn't a lie. It was an ambitious plan that failed. The difference is important.

      • Jimmy 3.3.1

        I will have to disagree with you on that one. They were told it was over ambitious and not achievable before they were elected and the results to date have confirmed it. When does an over ambitious plan become a lie? Another example of planting a billion trees also comes to mind……

        I think political parties need to be more accountable (other than every three years when we vote) on what they "promise". If National say if they are elected and for example said they will make a two lane highway with median barrier the length of the country, Labour could say, we will make a four lane one.

        • weka 3.3.1.1

          A lie would be 'we know this isn't going to work, but we're going to do it anyway and pretend it will'. I don't think this is what happened. They fucked up (with the policy from the start), but that's different.

          It looks to me like Labour (and Ardern) thought a number of things were going to be easier than they have been. The issue for me is whether they are learning from that experience.

          I agree about the accountability. The Greens Policy Costings Unit policy would be a start. Afaik it didn't make it through coalition negotiations.

          https://www.greens.org.nz/policy/fairer-society/policy-costings-unit

          Planting a billion trees seems more doable to me, the problem there is that it should have been given to the Greens to do. Much of what happens with this govt is tradeoffs between the three parties. With this I wish we had a system where they could be more honest about it.

          • McFlock 3.3.1.1.1

            What I love is that during the campaign the tories said that both KB and the billion trees were totally crazy talk.

            Sure, KB has been a bit of a fizzer, but they're srangely silent about the trees lol

  4. Sacha 4

    Monbiot on lying for political gain in a context of toothless media regulation: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/dec/10/break-embargo-expose-press-lies-labour

    If elections are won by lies, we find ourselves governed by liars. They won’t hesitate to ramp up their deceptions when in office.

  5. Bill 5

    Can I… You write – The media is that compromised, that bereft of resources and that fearful for its future that it will not and cannot question the crap that is coming out of the right.

    Media isn't compromised in the way you suggest Micky. Our political discourse is in the shit can because (and this applies to Labour too) politicians are really struggling to defend the indefensible. They all want to see the indefensible persist because they all merely want 'their shot' at governing the status quo and making 'their shot' last as many election cycles as they can.

    Media's very much a part and parcel of the whole shenanigans that passes for politics these days – keep it dumb and very "Oh my gosh!!!" and preserve the notion that there's nothing out there bar this.

    Filling news space with wonky graph scandals and bullshit tittle tattle with either a red hue or a blue hue keeps things trucking along just nicely. Media isn't compromised. Media's a central player.

    • Gosman 5.1

      What is this nonsense about having to defend the indefensible? Ultimately your massively left wing bias has lead you to take a belief position which seemingly blinds you to the reality that people can quite easily have a different political view and can defend it.

      • Wensleydale 5.1.1

        Don't take the bait, people. Just pretend this comment never happened. Nothing to see here. Move along.

      • Tiger Mountain 5.1.2

        Ker splosh!… Gosman drops another one in the pool…

      • michelle 5.1.3

        Gosman can you please stop making lame excuses for the lying brigade national party

        • Wayne 5.1.3.1

          I have noticed the Standardnistas are getting really wound up. Basically loosing all perspective and can only see Labour’s political opponents as the devil incarnate who could only be supported by evil people.

          Yes, the petrol price ad was seriously wrong (even David Farrar said so so he clearly was not behind it) but it was hardly the worst possible political sin.

          I would say, chill a little.

          • Ad 5.1.3.1.1

            Based on the polling shifts this year, National's campaign tactics are right on the button.

          • weka 5.1.3.1.2

            Sometimes people get wound up because there is something seriously wrong.

            If you don't want to be seen as a trolling, dirty politics, wind up merchant fool like Gosman I suggest putting some effort into rebutting what micky is saying in the post about National instead of inane comments telling Standardistas to chill. Because that comment looks exactly like what I would expect from the dirty politics movement that is now rife within the left (ignore the substantive points, instead have a go at undermining at the people objecting).

            You have a long history here of bringing serious conversation to TS. I don't know what's happened in the past few years but increasingly your comments look like astroturfing.

            • Gosman 5.1.3.1.2.1

              What do you mean by rebutting? Do you want him to rebutt the fact that National are using politically spun attack ads?

          • Psycho Milt 5.1.3.1.3

            I would say, chill a little.

            But you would say that. From our perspective, we've seen right-wing electoral success from campaigns of lies (USA and Australia maybe the foremost examples), we've seen NZ trolls-for-hire Topham Guerin promoted as leaders in running right-wing social media lying and smear campaigns, we can figure out that the trolls for hire are likely also working for National and we're now seeing an increase in lying, smearing attack ads from National. Don't expect us to assume it must be just our imaginations.

          • McFlock 5.1.3.1.4

            can only see Labour’s political opponents as the devil incarnate who could only be supported by evil people

            It's odd, but my own impulses swing back and forth on that one. Some things I can understand as being from a different perspective, but then there's shitbirds like farrar and hooten and williams, willing to immediately make political capital out of every possible tragedy. The fuckers took barely hours to start blaming the government handling of the eruption.

            And some responses to child povertyy information are equally as sick.

          • tc 5.1.3.1.5

            yes dear, wow DPF eh lots of integrity there.

          • Climaction 5.1.3.1.6

            Losing their shit as any shit sticks to an incompetent government With more failures than wins in 2 years.

            cant think the last time we saw a post on the standard lauding a transformational left leaning policy, that succeeded

            • Incognito 5.1.3.1.6.1

              That’s because you have a selective memory.

              • Climaction

                First year fees free – enrolments drop

                kiwibuild – .297% off it’s total goal achieved after 20% of the time has elapsed

                trees planted – a little higher, at around .578% of its target.

                One successful major policy achieved in two years of government? Anyone?

                [Do you enjoy trolling here? If so, please continue. Thus far, your comments have helped tremendously with robust debate and it would be sad to lose your contribution. Please provide links to show that you did not make up shit. I think you might be on thin ice with your assertion about enrolments but we’ll see what you come up with and it had better be good. I’m tired of your trolling here – Incognito]

                • weka

                  Zero Carbon Act.

                  But there's always this to peruse.

                  https://www.labour.org.nz/progress-2yrs-2019

                  Much more likely is that the left are sick of the right wing trolls lying and being dicks.

                • Incognito

                  See my Moderation note @ 5:48 PM.

                • Climaction

                  Sorry fees free enrollement are up slightly but overall tertiary numbers are down.

                  Whether that’s a success or not depends on your point of view I guess

                  [You are not out of the woods yet, two more links to go. In fact, I asked for three links as you made three assertions and I have not seen any yet. We cannot discuss merits or success of stuff that you made up so we first need to make sure that you got your facts right. So far, you are on the back foot and I am serious about this – Incognito]

                  • SPC

                    FFS. The purpose of free fees is to enable a no fees cost education, so people get jobs and save for a home without that debt.

                  • Sacha

                    Tertiary enrolments always fall when unemployment does.

                  • Incognito

                    See my Moderation note @ 7:25 PM.

                  • Climaction

                    I posted a link from kiwiblog, again not the least biased of commentators but he's usually good on the stats front. this seems to have disappeared though.

                    I got trees wrong too, they're at 2.5% with 24.6 million out of one billion planted.

                    but I was right about kiwibuild. 279 house out of 100,000 is .279%

                    the numbers reflect an abject failure to deliver on major, election winning, policy announcements by this government.

                    [You made three assertions and I challenged you to provide three links. As it turns out, you were wrong on two out of three. I requested you to provide links and so far you have only produced one link. You make up shit, you correct it, with links. You make correct assertions, you support them, with links. What don’t you understand about the request for links? Your comments are held up in Pre-Moderation until you comply with the request for links. Your comments don’t disappear, they are held up until they are approved (or not). I don’t know why but I’ll give you one more chance or you come back after a long break because I have had enough of this and next time you make an assertion without link you’re out for even longer – Incognito]

                    • Incognito

                      See my Moderation note @ 2:56 PM.

                    • McFlock

                      Umm – no, you're wrong. The one billion trees policy was to lift total output to 1 billion trees by 2028. 100million a year, on average.

                      So far, 150-odd million have been planted, and of that 25 million were direct grants of government funding. You missed out partnership funding and the current status of the private sector.

                      So 15% achievement in 15-20% of the allotted timeframe. Not far off target, given that nothing magically appeared on the day the coalition was signed.

                    • That's a scam that the Right's been running since the election, led by DPF who still has a "Government Tree Deficit" counter running on Kiwiblog. The grift is that they pretend the policy was for the government to plant 1 billion addtional trees. Looks like Climaction is one of the suckers the scam is aimed at.

                • Climaction

                  It's kiwi blog, but a neat summary.

                  turns out i was wrong about the trees promised target

                  https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2019/10/labours_year_of_delivery-2.html

                  it was 1,00,000,000 but they've achieved 24.6 million. which is 2.5% of the deliverables.

                  Still not amazing numbers though

      • Bill 5.1.4

        Liberalism isn't defensible from a working class perspective. That's not an exclusively left position btw. You think Trump was only voted in by people holding left wing political views? Of course he wasn't. The bulk of his formerly disenfranchised support came from people who were simply over having the liberal status quo imposed on them and their lives. And in Trump, they grasped at a forlorn hope for something different and perhaps better.

        But hey. If you can provide a link that offers up a robust defence of liberalism from a working class perspective in the 21stC , then I'd be keen to peruse it.

  6. Wensleydale 6

    I'd love to see Newshub or some other media outlet spend 30 minutes going, "Look at this! It's National! And they're telling lies again! Look at their dodgy statistics, hilariously skewed graphs and gratuitous hyperbole! They appear to be lying liars who tell lies! Could it be they have a history of this sort of behaviour? Why, yes… let's delve into that a little more thoroughly."

    Probably never happen though.

  7. pat 7

    There's lies…and then there's lies (and there's statistics)

    https://www.quickbase.com/blog/know-when-someone-is-lying-7-types-of-lies

    The problem is the shift in the type of lying….sadly a scrupulously honest politician seldom advances in his/her career
    P.S. and the apparent lack of consequence when exposed is extremely problematic

  8. Enough is Enough 8

    "It will not and cannot question the crap that is coming out of the right"

    I think there is a clear an obvious reason why they won't question it. Other than the tiny minority of people who read twitter (100% of whom are politically entrenched), no one in the real world sees this crap.

    National is wasting time and resources on advertising to their followers and their sworn enemies. The people who decide elections (people who aren't reading twitter all day), don't see that shit. So why would the media waste their time on that same shit when there are real issues to be discussed.

  9. Stuart Munro 9

    Wayne wrote:

    an only see Labour’s political opponents as the devil incarnate

    The Devil is smart and sophisticated – no-one could mistake National for that.

    • I feel love 9.1

      He also wrote "loosing" instead of "losing".

    • McFlock 9.2

      The Robbie burns poem comes to mind.

      On John Morine, laird of Laggan

      When Morine, deceased, to the Devil went down, 'Twas nothing would serve him but Satan's own crown: Thy fool's head, quoth Satan, that crown shall wear never; I grant thou'rt as wicked – but not quite so clever.

  10. SPC 10

    When you intend to govern in the interests of a minority lying is a necessity.

  11. Roger 11

    Sean Topham (28) and Ben Guerin (24) (former Young Nats who specialize in social media-dirty-tricks) are currently spearheading Boris Johnson's social media campaign and will likely be behind National's current social media lie-fest. Topham and Guerin maintain offices here and will be back for the next elections. Topham and Guerin were instrumental in handing Scott Morrison and unexpected win.

  12. Irene 12

    Crikey, didn't Hamish get it so wrong with his tweet, what a loser.

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    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    18 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    2 days ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    6 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    6 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
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