The Good the Bad and the Ugly

Written By: advantage - Date published: 8:00 am, July 4th, 2017 - 9 comments
Categories: australian politics, China, Europe, Globalisation, International, uk politics, us politics, war - Tags: America's Cup

Out here on our little islands in the Pacific, can we better judge the world dispassionately? Or do we simply enjoy the feelgood factors that we abundantly have? Does our America’s Cup runneth over?

The world has not caught fire in a great clash of great powers. But flammable material is accumulating, and it’s a shrinking group of political leadership willing to step outside their own boundaries to put the small fires out.

So is the world more secure than a year ago? Is the danger of serious economic crisis higher or lower? Are the institutional arrangements and norms that resolve conflicts and enhance the prospects for international cooperation more or less robust than they were in July 2016?

With apologies to the late Sergio Leone, here’s The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

THE GOOD

The level of conflict between human beings is still at historic lows.

The likelihood that you will die a violent death is vastly lower than it was at nearly all other moments in human history. The number of low-level conflicts have not increased significantly in the past year, even when you take the deteriorating Middle East into account. The odds that a European or American will be murdered in a terrorist attack are vanishingly small. New Zealand hasn’t had a terrorist attack fatality on shore since July 10^th 1985.

Despite plenty of provocation, voters in France, the Netherlands, the U.K., Austria, and Canada have rejected xenophobic nationalism. The Islamic State’s self-proclaimed “caliphate” is now headed for the dustbin of history – it won’t eradicate violent extremism, but it’s a good step.

The Colombian peace agreement is holding after a long and gruelling civil war.

Crony capitalism in South Korea, Malaysia, and Brazil is getting slowly lanced out of the concept of state directed development. Very good.

The current Pope has reformed little but is at least competent. That’s better than all popes since Vatican II.

Global energy systems are being transformed away from carbon. Not fast enough, but it’s happening.

Resistance against Donald Trump is growing. Not coherent, but growing – and crucially has MSM backing.

In a few states like Canada and France, newer leaders look promising.

The war in the Ukraine has settled down into a half-frozen conflict that seems unlikely to escalate.

The European Union is in its fifth straight year of economic recovery, despite uncertainties from Brexit.

Closer to New Zealand, we’re economically in shape. According to the OECD June 2017 report on New Zealand, we continue to have strong economic growth that is being driven by “booming tourism, strong net inward migration, solid construction activity, and supportive monetary policy.”

Even in banking and housing, the Australian banks that dominate New Zealand are pricing risk better, scaling back any interest-only loans to investors, and in turn indirectly cooling the entire Auckland housing market.

In our trade vulnerabilities, China is economically strong, as is Australia, and those two together set us up to make good coin for as long as we can see.

We have nothing to worry about directly according to the Ministry of Defence, and the broader region is developing very positively. Its’ last advice emphasised that “there have been a number of positive developments in the international environment since the last White Paper, including the continued rise of a more prosperous Asia, and a South Pacific which has remained more stable than expected.” A week ago the RAMSI mission folded. Soldiers seeking different jobs is a good thing.

THE BAD

Nothing seems to help North Korea get any less aggressive – not China, not the U.S.

Indonesia’s moderate Islam is turning far darker.

That is one massive country pretty close to us to see going sideways into intolerance.

China’s sustained economic success is also reflected in its greater territorial swagger. The U.S. President can do golf in Florida, but it is China with all the plans, momentum, and drive for the countries around it. Xi’s message to Hong Kong to shut up, make money and kowtow was blunt last week. Expect to hear more of that in other regions surrounding China.

The Philippines’ presidential crackdown on drugs is already an inhuman war making little difference other than instability and chaos.

It’s not easy to interpret this as saying that our region – Asia-Pacific – is a safer place than it was a year ago.

One our own home front we may be internationally virtuous, but diplomacy is weakening. Our strongest ally, Australia, has made it abundantly clear that we are to be treated just the same as any other immigrant on a boat. Our diplomacy in the Pacific Forum has achieved very little. Our economic allies in China act from cold self-interest and simply buy enough food production facilities to secure their own interests. Even those countries with a similar socially liberal outlook to ourselves like Canada have gone out of their way to keep protectionist trade barriers as high as possible – specifically against New Zealand. We have fewer friends than we had.

Broadly, with the exception of the Paris Climate Agreement aside, the institutional underpinnings of the present international system continue to fray. Even in the ashes of the TPPA, there is no apparent and better-structured successor agreement on the horizon that might have driven a new era of multilateral strong diplomacy. The TPPA could have been the platform for a full renewal of global cooperation. Fail. A failure in no small part on New Zealand’s head.

The major vulnerability facing our economy is high levels of household debt associated with rapid house price increases, particularly in Auckland. New Zealand is also exposed to protectionist trade policies abroad and to slowing Chinese economic growth. We have long-term challenges from low productivity growth and a changing labour market with badly mismatched skills, and a government content to be content. Our longer term vulnerabilities are: most people are keeping busy but no-one’s getting a pay rise, most people are going backwards, and on average our children are in a bad state.

There’s no sign of economic or military apocalypse, but no global state cooperation beyond what we have, and truckloads of complacency from small-c conservative governments who are generally running things now.

THE UGLY

Afghanistan. Not so much a quagmire as a deliberate “stalemate machine” that keeps the Pentagon’s all-powerful policy-and-budget Red Giant Sun sucking more and more of the entire U.S. federal system into its maw and well beyond any democratic oversight.

Plenty of risk of the Saudis and Iranians and Syrians expanding distinct regional wars into one almighty fire. The worst case is that the United States gets pulled into it all even worse than it is, through sheer incompetence and incoherence rather than with any goal at all. Trying to make peace with perpetual war, from the first Gulf War to the Arab Spring to now, has made the whole earth less stable.

There’s still no settled commonly-accepted economic renewal programme to replace hard-communist or hard-monetarist ones – which means in turn there are no renewal programmes to fight for. There are no new ideals, only stale ones.

After a dozen warnings, the EU have not figured out how to make their core ideals and competencies the shining beacon of inter-state cooperation that they should be. The EU remains vulnerable.

There’s no leadership. Not a Charles de Gaulle, Konrad Adenauer, LBJ, Curtin or Savage anywhere on the horizon. I’d settle for a Hawke or a Lange right now. Our current government makes Holyoake look bold.

Those leaders who have gained stronger power and governmental control have generated no evidence that was a good idea. Overall, strong-state leaders have made it a lot worse. U.K. ex-PM David Cameron used considerable political goodwill to blow it all on a foolish and unnecessary punt on Europe. His successor even worse. Recep Erdogan has gained all the power a Turk could possibly wish for, but not improved his country. The leadership of the United States – in White House, military, Supreme Court, and in Congress and Senate – are in the most spectacular motorway pileup with no-one applying the brakes anywhere.

There are no strong global instruments to protect biodiversity or water or climate change, anywhere in the world or on the horizon.

IN SUMMARY

My summary of that? To me, the good bits of the world are shrinking. There’s still plenty to play for, but within smaller boundaries. We are less secure than a year ago. And that’s only in the space of one year.

9 comments on “The Good the Bad and the Ugly ”

Comments are now closed

tc 1

4 July 2017 at 8:53 am

Good post. IMO its all about energy and food security going forward which makes us attractive and therefore vulnerable.

America has done alot of work on this off the record so we need to be cautious of such ‘allies’.
- Gristle 1.1
  
  4 July 2017 at 9:48 am
  
  Supposing the political/economic/climate situation continues to deteriorate. Fast forward a decade or two and who is the biggest risk to NZ? China, USA or Australia?
  
  The benefit of having more than one “suitor” is that they may keep each other at bay.
  
  I would argue that NZ’s trade liberalisation approach of the last 30 years may well have run its course. At a time when high quality animal protein is extremely likely to become a luxury item, the need to prostrate ourselves and beg for market access for meat and “cow flavoured water” is going to pass. Maintaining local control of food production should be a strategic objective.
Draco T Bastard 2

4 July 2017 at 10:14 am

The TPPA could have been the platform for a full renewal of global cooperation.

Considering that it was all about corporate takeover of the nations involved in it – no it couldn’t.

We have long-term challenges from low productivity growth and a changing labour market with badly mismatched skills,

And we have that because we’re failing to develop our economy and instead are looking to just do more of the same so as not to have to spend money investing.

The major vulnerability facing our economy is high levels of household debt

A direct result of the Ponzi Scheme that is our financial system.

There’s no sign of economic or military apocalypse

The ME seems to be collapsing into itself, the world is short on water and oil and countries will try to use military force to take that which they think they need to keep their populations in check.

We are less secure than a year ago.

True which means that we need to be building up our military to be able to defend ourselves. We should be becoming less reliant upon an export economy and more self-reliant so that when the brown stuff hit the whirly thing we can keep going with a reasonable living standard rather than crashing and burning as will happen now.
RedLogix 3

4 July 2017 at 10:32 am

Your very best post ever Ad. And you’ve done a few.

Clearly some thought went into it; but one very common theme I’d highlight is this; while many of our challenges have intense local symptoms, their root causes all lie in a vacuum of democratically accountable global governance. (Sorry that is a mouthful.)

We are well past the limits of the nation state; the age of empire is quickly dwindling, and there are no places on earth that stand alone, isolated and independent. In raw pragmatic terms, everything is now connected to everything.

Of course into that vacuum has poured a multitude of competing corporate interests, the projected power of the USA, China and to some extent Russia. Yet none of it is a solution, it only makes matters worse.

Again I repeat my core theme here; a new socialism must expand it’s moral horizons to embrace the whole of humanity, operate in the interests of the entire human race and the single rather fragile planet on which we all utterly depend.
- Ad 3.1
  
  4 July 2017 at 10:54 am
  
  Well cheers RedLogix.
  I bore you in mind for the real estate bits.
  
  On your first paragraph, the efforts at democratic renewal that the world has seen, such as the Arab Spring and BREXIT and if I squint Crimea, are pretty low on durability. I see democracy going backwards in more parts of the world than forwards.
  
  On your second paragraph, my gut says the age of transnational digital corporations can still be a force for social good – they are still the best chance for the world to remain connected as dialogue leading to praxis.
  
  I have no idea what a new socialism would look like, and I resolutely try to be pragmatic and cheerful rather than standard left-melancholic. The remaining avenues I see are for remaining good states to take a decade to re-strengthen, and for non-government Facebook, Baidu, and other to sustain global dialog. Would be good to see people start writing more on the prospects for those….
  
  …or else human dialogue starts to fade as Snapchat images,
  “like tears in the rain”
  as the Bladerunner said.
  - RedLogix 3.1.1
    
    4 July 2017 at 11:35 am
    
    Very poetic, and yes I am prone to standard-left melancholia. All idealists are. 🙂
    
    But I remain optimistic because I do have a vision of how socialism can expand beyond the ‘post-war sunny days’ where nation-state socialism transformed the lives of millions, to a vision that embraces the whole of humanity and might transform the lives of billions.
    
    It’s unlikely to be either imposed as a single top-down institution, nor emerge from an inchoate grass-roots movement. Technology will play a role as an enabler, but ultimately it will be fusion of all these components coming together at a critical moment. We will know it when we see it.
    
    And it will happen, for fear of the consequences of not doing it.
    
    And one last suggestion to everyone reading this thread. Rather than the usual commenting pattern, I’d suggest going back to the OP and addressing it in detail. There is a lot in it worth exploring.
    
    Cheers
    - Gosman 3.1.1.1
      
      5 July 2017 at 2:57 am
      
      Socialism was always international in outlook. That was never a problem for it.
      - RedLogix 3.1.1.1.1
        
        5 July 2017 at 8:08 am
        
        I think that was definitely true up until a few decades ago. I can’t pin date or event on it, but as corporate ‘globalism’ became a dirty word, the original notion of ‘internationalism’ got smeared along with it.
Philj 4

5 July 2017 at 3:56 pm

The Good, the Bad and the non existent. The post did not show up on my browser. Just saying. Sounded good if only I could see it.

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Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
4 days ago

Luxon gets out his butcher’s knife – briefly
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
4 days ago

More tax for less
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
4 days ago

Real News vs Fake News.
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
4 days ago

Another way to roll
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
4 days ago

Simon Clark: The climate lies you'll hear this year
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
Skeptical Science
5 days ago

Cutting the Public Service
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
PunditBy Brian Easton
5 days ago

Luxon’s demoted ministers might take comfort from the British politician who bounced back after th...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
5 days ago

This is how I roll over
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
5 days ago

The Waitangi Tribunal is not “a roving Commission”…
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisition NOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
5 days ago

Is Oranga Tamariki guilty of neglect?
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same? Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
5 days ago

Three Strikes saw lower reoffending
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
5 days ago

Luxon’s ruthless show of strength is perfect for our angry era
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
5 days ago

'Lacks attention to detail and is creating double-standards.'
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
5 days ago

One Night Only!
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
David FarrierBy David Farrier
5 days ago

What did Melissa Lee do?
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
PolitikBy Richard Harman
5 days ago

Skeptical Science New Research for Week #17 2024
Open access notables Ice acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment: In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Skeptical Science
6 days ago

Maori Party (with “disgust”) draws attention to Chhour’s race after the High Court rules on Wa...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
6 days ago

Who’s Going Up The Media Mountain?
Mr Bombastic: Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
Bowalley Road
6 days ago

“That's how I roll”
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
6 days ago

“Comity” versus the rule of law
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
7 days ago

Aotearoa: a live lab for failed Right-wing socio-economic zombie experiments once more…
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder. In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
exhALANtBy exhalantblog
7 days ago

Water is at the heart of farmers’ struggle to survive in Benin
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére Sosou Market gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Skeptical Science
7 days ago

At a time of media turmoil, Melissa had nothing to proclaim as Minister – and now she has been dem...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
7 days ago

These people are not our friends
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
7 days ago

Some advice from our tertiary history for the University Advisory Group
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
1 week 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
3 hours 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
1 day 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
1 day 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
1 day 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
1 day 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
2 days 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
2 days 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
5 days 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
7 days 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
1 week 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
1 week 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
1 week 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
1 week 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
1 week 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
1 week 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
1 week 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
1 week 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
1 week 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
1 week 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
1 week 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
1 week 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
2 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
2 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
2 weeks ago

Release: Quick, submit – stop Govt’s dodgy approvals bill
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Government throws coal on the climate crisis fire
The Government’s policy announced today to ease consenting for coal mining will have a lasting impact across generations. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Public transport costs to double as National looks at unaffordable roading project instead
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Cost of living in Auckland still not a priority
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Te Pāti Māori to visit Queensland to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
Māori Party
2 weeks ago

Greens look to fast-track submissions on harmful law
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
Greens
3 weeks ago

Release: Govt should stop making people’s lives harder and build more homes
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Labour Blog
3 weeks ago

Release: Melissa Lee missing in action on media
The action Melissa Lee promised to protect democracy and the media sector is missing, Media and Communications spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
Labour Blog
3 weeks ago

Landlord Government leaves little hope for renters
The Government’s announcement on tenancy rules prove that it does not care about renters. ...
Greens
3 weeks 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
5 hours 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
5 hours 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
7 hours 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
22 hours 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
22 hours 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
23 hours 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
1 day 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
1 day 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
1 day 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
2 days 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
2 days 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
2 days 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
2 days 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
2 days 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
2 days 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
2 days 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
3 days 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
4 days 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
4 days 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
4 days 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
5 days 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
6 days 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
6 days ago

PM announces changes to portfolios
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

New catch limits for unique fishery areas
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Minister welcomes hydrogen milestone
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Urgent changes to system through first RMA Amendment Bill
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Overseas decommissioning models considered
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Release of North Island Severe Weather Event Inquiry
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Justice Minister to attend Human Rights Council
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Patterson reopens world’s largest wool scouring facility
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Speech to the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective Summit, 18 April 2024
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Government to introduce revised Three Strikes law
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

New diplomatic appointments
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Humanitarian support for Ethiopia and Somalia
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Arts Minister congratulates Mataaho Collective
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Supporting better financial outcomes for Kiwis
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Trade relationship with China remains strong
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

$41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 weeks ago

From Gallipoli to Gaza: remembering the Anzacs not as a ‘coming of age’ tale but as a lesson for...
ANALYSIS: By Olli Hellmann, University of Waikato When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day today on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also to mark a defining event for national identity. The battle of Gallipoli against ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
50 mins ago

‘A major shakeup’: the Optus outage has been investigated. What’s going to change now?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark A Gregory, Associate Professor, School of Engineering, RMIT University The telecommunications industry faces a major shakeup following the release of the post-incident report on last November’s 12-hour Optus outage. Telecommunications companies will have to share more information with customers during future ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 hour ago

Unemployment Data Shows Need For Govt To Act Now
NZCTU Economist Craig Renney said new data released by Statistics New Zealand shows the need for Government to act now, with unemployment rising from 3.4% to 4.3%. ...
Scoop politics
1 hour ago

Ngāti Kahungunu becomes NZ’s first iwi to call for a Gaza ceasefire
Asia Pacific Report Ngāti Kahungunu in Aotearoa New Zealand’s Hawkes Bay region has become the first indigenous Māori iwi (tribe) to sign a resolution calling for a “ceasefire in Palestine”, reports Te Ao Māori News. Reporter Te Aniwaniwa Paterson talked to Te Otāne Huata, who has been organising peace rallies ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
2 hours ago

PNG businesses want grants, not loans over Black Wednesday riots
By Dale Luma in Port Moresby “We want grants and not concessional loans,” is the crisp message from Papua New Guinea businesses directly affected by the Black Wednesday looting four months ago. The businesses, which lost millions after the January 10 rioting and looting, say they need grants as part ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
2 hours ago

Pay bump for politicians: What you need to know
Explainer - MPs are about to get a pay bump, but is it fair and how does it compare to other countries? ...
Radio NZ – political
2 hours ago

School lunches funding likely to be time-limited
It's an approach to funding the government has spent months criticising Labour over - calling them "fiscal cliffs" . ...
Radio NZ – political
3 hours ago

Cum chairs, stolen pay and shitting bans: Workers share their horror stories with us
Happy May Day. Join a union. Q: What’s worse than a staff break room where the only place to sit and have a cup of tea is on a teetering stack of old pornography magazines? A: Your boss replacing the magazine stacks with chairs that are “heartily encrusted with ...
The SpinoffBy Hera Lindsay Bird
3 hours ago

Landlord Government Once Again Pushes Renters Into The Cold
The Coalition is trying to axe yet another opportunity to improve rentals by dropping the Residential Property Managers Bill. ...
Scoop politics
4 hours ago

Ready, set, go in Solomons PM race – Jeremiah Manele vs Matthew Wale
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor Former opposition leader Matthew Wale has been announced as the second prime ministerial candidate ahead of the election in Solomon Islands tomorrow. He will face off against former foreign affairs minister Jeremiah Manele, who was announced by the Coalition for National Unity and Transformation ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
4 hours ago

Unemployment rate rises to 4.3%
Fewer jobs are created and immigration is increasing the size of the workforce, Stats NZ says. ...
Radio NZ – political
4 hours ago

The art of the three-day birthday
We get but one birthday a year – why not make it last as long as possible by scheduling as many meals with friends and family as you can? This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. How do you celebrate your birthday? Do you celebrate at ...
The SpinoffBy Lucinda Bennett
5 hours ago

If the industry is to survive, journalists need to convince the public of their worth
A Koi Tū discussion paper released today proposes sweeping changes to New Zealand’s media industry. The principal’s key author, Gavin Ellis, explains how journalists have a key role to play in making others value their role in society. This is an abridged version of a piece first published on knightlyviews.com ...
The SpinoffBy Gavin Ellis
5 hours ago

Government Risks Wellbeing Of Māori With Proposed Cuts To Te Puni Kōkiri
The Government’s spending cuts are again targeting support for Māori with proposed reform of the agency charged with advising on Māori wellbeing and development. ...
Scoop politics
5 hours ago

What just happened to Bonza? Why new budget airlines always struggle in Australia
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Douglas, Honorary Senior Lecturer, UNSW Aviation., UNSW Sydney The history of budget jet airlines in Australia is a long road littered with broken dreams. New entrants have consistently struggled to get a foothold. Low-cost carrier Bonza has just become the industry’s ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
5 hours ago

Free trade deal with the European Union comes into force
The European Union ambassador says the FTA will have immediate wins for kiwifruit, apple, and onion growers. ...
Radio NZ – political
6 hours ago

Violence against women is both a legal and cultural problem. What can we do to address it?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rosalind Dixon, Director, Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law, UNSW Sydney Australia is finally having a sustained conversation about violence against women and what we can do about it. It is more than time. Australian women and girls continue to experience ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
6 hours ago

GP clinics are going to pay more payroll tax, which could reduce bulk billing
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne stockfour/Shutterstock Preliminary bulk billing data released this week shows a 2.1% rise in bulk billing up to March. ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
6 hours ago

‘Make me a sandwich’: our survey’s disturbing picture of how some boys treat their teachers
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Schulz, Senior Lecturer, University of Adelaide Australia is once again grappling with how we can stop gendered violence in our country. Protests over the weekend show there is enormous community anger over the number of women who are dying and National ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
6 hours ago

Australians lose $5,200 a minute to scammers. There’s a simple thing the government could do to re...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University AnastasiaDudka/Shutterstock What if the government was doing everything it could to stop thieves making off with our money, except the one thing that could really work? That’s how it ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
6 hours ago

Psychological drama, wilderness reality and everyone’s favourite dog: the best of streaming this M...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin Harrington, Senior Lecturer in English and Cultural Studies, University of Canterbury The Conversation It seems to be a time of old favourites. This month our experts have recommended two new seasons – the second season of Alone Australia (although ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
6 hours ago

Te Tiriti o Waitangi could be heading home after 'long and arduous journey'
After 184 years, Te Tiriti o Waitangi may be on its way home. ...
Radio NZ – political
7 hours ago

The Eta Aquariid meteor shower is about to peak and could be the best this century – here’s how ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland A bright Eta Aquariid meteor photobombed this photo of comet C/2020 F8 (SWAN) in May 2020. Jonti Horner Meteors – commonly known as shooting stars – can be seen on any night of the ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
7 hours ago

Wondering what Australia might look like in a hotter world? Take a glimpse into the distant past
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Flannery, Honorary fellow, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock Current concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in Earth’s atmosphere are unprecedented in human history. But CO₂ levels today, and those that might occur in coming decades, did occur millions of years ago. ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
7 hours ago

Foreign minister speech tipped to shed light on Aukus involvement
Winston Peters has been keen to dismiss speculation on our involvement in Aukus but will give a speech tonight on the direction of our foreign policy, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell 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 Anna Rawhiti-Connell
7 hours ago

Will New Zealand’s school phone ban work? Let’s see what it does for students’ curiosity
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Usmar, Lecturer in Critical Media Literacies, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images With the coalition government’s ban of student mobile phones in New Zealand schools coming into effect this week, reaction has ranged from the sceptical (kids will just get ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
7 hours ago

School's struggle with asbestos removal: 'It's destroyed me'
An Auckland school's efforts to get rid of asbestos has been so tough its principal thought of quitting the job. ...
Radio NZ – political
8 hours ago

Hospital hiring has to go through head office in 'short term' budget move
Hospitals around the country are not allowed to make a single hiring decision without the approval of Te Whatu Ora's head office, including for cleaners and administration staff. ...
Radio NZ – political
8 hours ago

Urgent democratic need to save NZ’s journalism ecosystem
A new report on protecting journalism and democracy in New Zealand recommends a levy be charged on global platforms like Facebook and Google to fund media firms undertaking public interest reporting. It also calls for the reinstatement of a powerful Broadcasting Commission to distribute public funding for journalism and other ...
NewsroomBy Tim Murphy
8 hours ago

Unions Celebrate May Day During Tough Time For Working People
On International Workers' Day, also known as May Day, the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi and the wider union movement are celebrating the proud history of the labour movement during a tough time for working people. ...
Scoop politics
9 hours ago

'Never a right time' – MPs respond to pay rise news
The pay rises are not particularly great timing when the public is doing it tough, ACT Party leader David Seymour says. ...
Radio NZ – political
10 hours ago

The highs and lows of James Shaw’s 10 years in parliament
From bills to beards, a walk through the former Green co-leader’s time in politics. After close to a decade in politics, James Shaw is preparing to bid farewell to parliament. Tonight will see the former minister deliver his valedictory address, certain to be a speech filled with Shaw’s trademark wit ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
10 hours ago

Efeso Collins deserved better than what parliament offered yesterday
Two months ago, MPs unanimously voted to give themselves a week off in Efeso Collins’ honour. On Tuesday, most were too busy to give even an hour of their time. The day Fa’anānā Efeso Collins died, parliament felt different. In a building that operates at a breakneck pace, everyone stopped ...
The SpinoffBy Joel MacManus
10 hours ago

What you need to know about the world’s biggest election, happening right now
India’s election involves hundreds of millions of people and is a months-long affair. Here’s how voting works and what’s at stake. The biggest-ever election in world history started on April 19, with more than 10% of the world’s population eligible to vote. Elections in India, the world’s most populous country ...
The SpinoffBy The Spinoff
10 hours ago

If not journalists, then who?
Comment: Journalists are very good at telling other people’s stories, but they fall well short when writing about their own profession. Perhaps that is why it is so undervalued. Every successive poll on the public’s attitude toward journalism is more alarming than the last. In the last month we have ...
NewsroomBy Gavin Ellis
10 hours ago

Preterm babies deserve better care
Opinion: A young Māori woman and her Pacific partner arrive at their local hospital by ambulance. She has gone into labour at just under 24 weeks, but the couple haven’t recognised the symptoms – and don’t know the risks of premature birth for their baby. By the time they arrive, ...
NewsroomBy Professor Katie Groom
10 hours ago

Bishop backtracks after fast-track backlash
Behind closed doors, NZ First will be arguing fiercely against any watering down of the ministerial decision-making powers in the Bill The post Bishop backtracks after fast-track backlash appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Marc Daalder
10 hours ago

Boy in the Water: Mum speaks publicly for first time
Emotional scenes played out in the Invercargill courthouse on the first two days of the coronial inquest into the death of Gore toddler Lachlan Jones, in which the boy’s mother was accused of disposing of her son’s body. The second season of Newsroom’s award-nominated podcast The Boy in the Water ...
NewsroomBy Bonnie Sumner
10 hours ago

When the doghouse is an upgrade, ECE is in trouble
Opinion: The impression from the carpark is very inviting. The area is well fenced but barred so there is easy visibility of loved ones. Inside, the spaces are welcoming and clean and staff are friendly and clearly comfortable. I am greeted by ‘Kim’. She has worked here for three years, ...
NewsroomBy Susan Bates
10 hours ago

Daily crossword, Wednesday 1 May
The post Daily crossword, Wednesday 1 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles
10 hours ago

Boards, don’t just wait for the axe to fall
Opinion: Community organisation board members need to step up their strategic thinking The post Boards, don’t just wait for the axe to fall appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Jo Cribb
10 hours ago

We have an emergency emergency
After the Christchurch earthquake, the then-national civil defence boss compared his experience to “putting a team on the rugby field who have never ever played together before”. Now, eight years later – and following a damning inquiry into the emergency response of cyclones Gabrielle, Hale and the Auckland anniversary weekend floods – ...
NewsroomBy Tom Kitchin
10 hours ago

A body in Devonport
“I had just come off the end of a major robbery case which I had been working on for six months when I got a call on the afternoon of September 1, 1992, that some remains had been found at a building site in Devonport, so I drove over with ...
NewsroomBy Scott Bainbridge
10 hours ago

Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 1 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, Wednesday 1 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles
10 hours ago

Beef and beliefs: EU diplomat on the NZ relationship
Brussels’ man in Wellington on our newly active trade deal and the shared values underpinning ties The post Beef and beliefs: EU diplomat on the NZ relationship appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Sam Sachdeva
10 hours ago

Pacific alliance condemns France over bid to ‘derail’ Kanaky decolonisation
Asia Pacific Report A Pacific civil society alliance has condemned French neocolonial policies in Kanaky New Caledonia, saying Paris is set on “maintaining the status quo” and denying the indigenous Kanak people their inalienable right to self-determination. The Pacific Regional Non-Governmental Organisations (PRNGOs) Alliance, representing some 15 groups, said in ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
13 hours ago

New Koi Tū future report calls for overhaul of outdated NZ mediascape to restore trust
Koi Tū New Zealand cannot sit back and see the collapse of its Fourth Estate, the director of Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures, Sir Peter Gluckman, says in the foreword of a paper published today. The paper, “If not journalists, then who?” paints a picture of an industry ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
14 hours ago

Chalmers outlines a more ‘risk-based’ foreign investment policy and guardrails around Future Mad...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Foreign investment proposals with implications for Australia’s strategic or economic security will face tougher scrutiny, under a policy overhaul to be announced by Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Wednesday. At the same time, the government ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
14 hours ago

National first introduced piece of Oranga Tamariki Act legislation it now seeks to repeal – Wi...
A Waitangi Tribunal inquiry report has warned government that a repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act could cause harm to children in care. ...
Radio NZ – political
18 hours ago

New Papers On Government Consumption Multipliers, Automatic Stabilisers And Economic Shocks
The Treasury has published today three new papers covering government consumption multipliers, automatic stabilisers and the impacts of global shocks on New Zealand’s economy. ...
Scoop politics
19 hours ago

Pacific state of Hawai’i first in US to pass dual Gaza ceasefire resolutions
Asia Pacific Report The Pacific state of Hawai’i’s House of Representatives has joined the state’s Senate in calling for a ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza, becoming the first state to pass such a resolution, reports Hawaii News Now. In March, the Senate passed a ceasefire resolution with a 24–1 ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
20 hours ago

Australia just made a billion-dollar bet on building the world’s first ‘useful’ quantum comput...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Ferrie, A/Prof, UTS Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research and ARC DECRA Fellow, University of Technology Sydney PsiQuantum The Australian government has announced a pledge of approximately A$940 million (US$617 million) to PsiQuantum, a quantum computing start-up company based in Silicon Valley. Half ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
21 hours ago

What are heart rate zones, and how can you incorporate them into your exercise routine?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hunter Bennett, Lecturer in Exercise Science, University of South Australia Cameron Prins/Shutterstock If you spend a lot of time exploring fitness content online, you might have come across the concept of heart rate zones. Heart rate zone training has become more ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
21 hours ago

Ministry of Māori Development proposes to cut 38 positions
A recruitment pause put in place last year had reduced the scale of job losses necessary, says the secretary for Māori development. ...
Radio NZ – political
22 hours ago

'A man of the people': MPs pay tribute to Fa'anānā Efeso Collins
The MPs reflected on the impact Fa'anānā had in Parliament, in his communities, and their long friendships with him. ...
Radio NZ – political
22 hours ago

School phone ban for 16-year-olds 'very backward' – principal
Two secondary school principals are not convinced a phone ban is warranted and say it will be difficult to enforce. ...
Radio NZ – political
23 hours ago

27 years in captivity – free Marwan Barghouti, ‘Palestine’s Mandela’
SPECIAL REPORT: By Eugene Doyle He is the most popular Palestinian leader alive today — and yet few people in the West even know his name. Absolutely no one in Gaza or the West Bank does not know him. That difference speaks volumes about who dominates the media narrative that ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
23 hours ago

Members of Parliament and Prime Minister to get pay rise
The Remuneration Authority has set an ordinary MPs' salary at $168,600 a year, and the PM's salary will rise to $484,200. ...
Radio NZ – political
23 hours ago

Long before politicians called to ‘stop the boats’, First Nations people welcomed arrivals from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Will McCallum, PhD Candidate – School of Communication and Creative Arts, Deakin University Earlier this year, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of not supporting Operation Sovereign Borders – the military-led border security operation that has “closed Australia’s borders ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
23 hours ago

Does the AFL ban on skinfold testing avoid fat shaming – or has footy ‘gone soft’?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominique Condo, Senior Lecturer in Sports Nutrition, Deakin University Microgen/Shutterstock There was, perhaps unsurprising, outcry from some sections of the sports media when it was revealed the AFL was removing body composition testing (including skinfold testing) in its junior (under the ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
24 hours ago

Supreme Court reinstates PNG MP after bribery ruling overturned
By Melyne Baroi in Port Moresby A Papua New Guinea MP, Peter Isoaimo, who had been ousted by the National Court in an alleged bribery case, has been reinstated by the Supreme Court on appeal. A three-member Supreme Court bench found that the National Court had erred in finding that ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
24 hours ago

Problems for news media arose 'too fast' – former media minister Melissa Lee
The former media minister says she may have been "a little slow" in reacting to dramatic changes. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

‘When the ship docks’: Publishing the poetry of the late Schaeffer Lemalu
Publisher Chris Holdaway reflects on the unique project of collecting the work of the late, terrific poet Schaeffer Lemalu. One of the nice things you can do as a truly independent publisher is to make the books that writers want to make, whatever they happen to be. That’s how I’ve ...
The SpinoffBy Chris Holdaway
1 day ago

New minister announces review into disability support services funded by Whaikaha
The ministry has been under fire for not consulting with carers before changing entitlements to flexible funding support. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Afghanistan Service Recognised In NZ Post’s Modern Veterans Stamp Series
Those profiled in the stamp series served on overseas deployments from 1995 onwards, and all have been awarded theNew Zealand Operational Service Medal. ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

On the politics of vengeance
Last night’s dismal poll result for the coalition government shows the limits of trying to govern as an opposition, argues Joel MacManus. There’s a quote from the American political activist Barbara Deming: “Vengeance is not the point; change is. But the trouble is that in most people’s minds, the thought ...
The SpinoffBy Joel MacManus
1 day ago

Govt might take $1.1b hit to return GST on rates to councils
Analysis by infometrics shows central government collected about that amount in GST from rates in 2022. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

‘Abject failure’: why Australia’s scheme to curb foreign influence doesn’t work and can’t ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shireen Morris, Associate Professor and Director of the Radical Centre Reform Lab at Macquarie University Law School, Macquarie University Leonid Andronov/Shutterstock Foreign interference in Australian democracy poses a growing risk to our national sovereignty. It refers to coercive, corrupt or ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Defendant Pleads Guilty In Mortgage Fraud Scheme
A defendant charged by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has pleaded guilty to four charges of obtaining by deception in relation to a mortgage fraud scheme. Sentencing has been scheduled for 14 August 2024. ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

A handy primer for arts spokespeople who know nothing about New Zealand art
What to say when pesky journalists ask gotcha questions like ‘can you name a single book you’ve ever read?’ and ‘did you read it, or did you just see the movie?’ This week, Act Party arts spokesperson Todd Stephenson foolishly agreed to an interview with Newsroom’s Steve Braunias regarding his ...
The SpinoffBy Hera Lindsay Bird
1 day ago

School cellphone ban: What you need to know
Explainer - What will a ban on cellphones in schools achieve? Can students use them during lunch breaks? And what happens if you need to contact your child? ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

We found pesticides in a third of Australian frogs we tested. Did these cause mass deaths?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jodi Rowley, Curator, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Biology, Australian Museum, UNSW Sydney Jodi Rowley, CC BY-NC-ND In winter 2021, Australia’s frogs started dropping dead. People began posting images of dead frogs on social media. Unable to travel to investigate the deaths ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Share Of Home Transfers To Overseas Buyers Remains Low
In the year ended March 2024, 0.4 percent of home transfers were to people who didn’t hold New Zealand citizenship or a resident visa, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

364,000 New Zealanders rely on an accomodation supplement – but these 3 flaws need fixing
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wasay Majid, Research Assistant , University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau New Zealand’s accommodation supplement scheme is facing scrutiny, with Social Development Minister Louise Upston recently saying “there is merit in considering whether the current settings are fair and sustainable long-term”. The ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Manasseh Sogavare bows out of prime ministerial race in Solomon Islands
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor The first prime ministerial candidate has been announced in Solomon Islands and it is not Manasseh Sogavare. The man of the hour is Jeremiah Manele, the MP for Hograno/Kia/Havulei constituency in Isabel Province, who served as minister of foreign affairs in the last government. ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
1 day ago

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