The great policy bonfire

Written By: - Date published: 10:44 am, March 14th, 2023 - 45 comments
Categories: act, chris hipkins, climate change, Environment, labour, michael wood, national, public transport, science, transport - Tags:

Chris Hipkins continues with his shock and awe campaign and has torched a number of policies that National and Act were using to foment unrest.

Among the torched policies are the following:

  • $1 billion in savings which will be reallocated to support New Zealanders with the cost of living
  • A range of transport programmes deferred so Waka Kotahi can focus on post Cyclone road recovery
  • Speed limit reduction programme significantly narrowed to focus on the most dangerous one per cent of state highways
  • Second part of alcohol reform that relates to issues such as sponsorship, advertising and pricing deferred
  • Not introducing legislation to lower the voting age to 16 for general elections. Instead, we will shift focus to lowering the age for voting in local body elections, which has stronger support in Parliament
  • Auckland transport solutions to reduce emissions and congestion will be rolled out in stages

There is lots to unpick.

Auckland’s light rail project is going to be staged rather than built as one project.  They could save money by opting for a surface option rather than tunnelling and there is also the option of a route along Manukau Road.  But both should be proceeded with.  And with the need to urgently get people out of cars to address greenhouse gas emissions continuation of the project should not be delayed.

The limitation of speed limit reductions is clearly to take away right wing talking points.  There is an environmental and also a safety aspect to the projects but the temptation for the right of making it a campaign rallying issue is now blunted.  Just remember light bulbs and shower heads from 2008 to get a sense of what was possible.  Totally rational and justifiable policies can get blasted in talkback radio land.

Scrapping the clean car upgrade scheme will save $568 million but will also mean that the transitioning of the vehicle fleet in a more sustainable way will be hampered.  Admittedly there may be better options.  For instance I have thought the Government could purchase and hand out ebikes with the funds.  Money in the car upgrade scheme could afford 200,000 ebikes.  This would have a significant and immediate effect on green house gas emissions.

And comments this morning on Radio New Zealand by Chris Hipkins were not helpful.  He did not rule out as part of the repriortisation that the funds would not be used for purposes not related to climate change.  The money is part of the Climate Emergency Response Fund that, according to Treasury, is only to be used for climate spending.  The money is from revenue collected by the Emissions Trading Scheme.

Stopping the introduction of legislation designed to test support for lowering the voting age is disappointing.  I believe that 16 year olds should be able to vote.  They are bright enough and they have more at stake in the future than the rest of us.  The right would hate it of course because having a new voting block focussed on the long term and wanting to address environmental degradation would run counter to their interests.

The changes primarily affect Michael Wood (Transport, Workplace Relations and Auckland Issues) and Kiritapu Allen (Justice and Associate Transport).

In a Blairite third way sense the changes are good politics.  But at this stage of the climate crisis you have to wonder if these decisions are in our best interests.

45 comments on “The great policy bonfire ”

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  1. Sanctuary 1
    14 March 2023 at 11:00 am

    To paraphrase George Clemenceau (French president during WW1):

    What is my domestic policy? To win reelection! What is my foreign policy? To win reelection! All the time I seek reelection!

    • bwaghorn 1.1
      14 March 2023 at 11:19 am

      Anything that keeps act out of government is OK with me, the greens are supposedly the eco warriors of government so getting them as big as possible should be any one unhappy with chippies work focus

      • Muttonbird 1.1.1
        14 March 2023 at 4:59 pm

        Anything that keeps act out of government is OK with me.

        x100. Pulling back a little on bold reform in order to save NZ from certain regression is the prudent thing to do.

        Let's get through the post pandemic and post cyclone era intact and restart reform later.

  2. tsmithfield 2
    14 March 2023 at 11:42 am

    It seems to me that a lot of those policies been put into the freezer for later use rather than onto a bonfire. A point which should not be lost on the electorate.

  3. Corey 3
    14 March 2023 at 12:03 pm

    These changes seem extremely reasonable.

    None of these policies seemed like anything more than expensive window dressing and nice to haves that wouldn't make a much of a difference.

    I actually think it's brilliant and total common sense that they are focusing on changing the voting age only for local elections, noone outside of the most tragic of political tragics cares about local government elections, so changing the voting age for local elections won't cause much of a fuss, if the sixth labour govt changes local elections to 16 years and older and the sky doesn't fall, the seventh labour government will be able to change the voting age to 16 in general elections.

    Golly, how long is that light rail gonna take, Ill be eligible for the pension in 2060 and I feel like I'll be using a gold card by the time it's opened for use.

    The speed limit reductions screamed light bulb and shower heads, labour actually does extremely well with the bogan/car enthusiast vote and getting rid of this is just good politics because the right would use it as proof of the "nanny state"

    With the pensions/benefit rises I bloody hope labour have changed thresholds so people don't lose money from other benefits everytime the main goes up through msd's heartless clawbacks. There's no excuses for not doing it since the deputy pm is minister of MSD and knows full well this is what happens.

    Getting reelected and stopping a national/act govt taking us back to ruthenasia era economic hell is priority number one.

    • Ad 3.1
      14 March 2023 at 1:27 pm

      New light rail or motorway projects aren't targeted at old people, because they are multigenerational projects.

      From start of City Rail Link construction to completion is 10 years. Plus about 80 years of planning and argument.

      Waikato Expressway was started in mid 1990s and completed in 30 years.

      Whangarei to Marsden Point rail has been in planning for 10 years and will take easily 10 to complete.

      Auckland Airport second runway and integrated terminal has taken 20 years of planning, 2 false starts, and will take a further 15 years.

      Old people need to respect that these are multi-term, multi-generation country-altering projects and just step back for the next generation to complete.

    • Patricia Bremner 3.2
      14 March 2023 at 1:36 pm

      Yes, in pruning terms this is crown raising.

      Removing lower limbs to clearly see the structure.

      The structure is enough left leaning vote to stymie the Nat/Act knives.

      Then we do under planting.

  4. Johnny on the Spot 4
    14 March 2023 at 12:47 pm

    One "tick" he needs to do is sort out the Banks, weak of Labour to say the Commerce Commission "might" do something

  5. Stephen D 5
    14 March 2023 at 1:08 pm

    Pretty much commonsense politics.

    He has to be seen to be doing something about the cost of living. Without creating more debt and pumping too much money into the economy, and fuelling inflation. And right wing memes.

    As commentators above have said, most are on ice rather than out the window. Anything to stop Luxon? and Seymour getting their hands on govt.

  6. AB 6
    14 March 2023 at 1:17 pm

    Needing the money for cyclone recovery is convenient cover for axing things that the Tories can make mischief over. As you say – if they could make effective mischief in 2008 over something as inoffensive as energy-efficient light bulbs, then just about anything is possible on this score. That is – until the electorate has moved on to a more balanced sense of individual rights during an environmental crisis. This has to happen much more quickly than is really likely, so the dilemma and the resulting inaction will will continue while the climate deteriorates. That's not to say that the fiscal pressures on the government aren't real though.

  7. Ad 7
    14 March 2023 at 1:20 pm

    Treasury must be going insane preparing Budget 2023.

    Mickey don't forget we are going to get more and more of these policy firing squads as different Ministries and Departments report their savings up to Ministers, then to Cabinet for the PM to announce. These are now line-by-line reviews straight out of the Bill English playbook.

    The health CAPEX for new builds will be obvious targets, to shift more resource to frontline staff constraints.

    Holding the line on further teacher pay increases is also obvious.

    I'll be impressed if NZBattery detailed business case survives for Transpower.

    But surely the biggest gravy train around is the egregious capital subsidies to local government for their water supply and wastewater work, through the 3 Waters debate. Hipkins has got to call time on those ungrateful fools and pull the cash back.

    In that vein the Hutt Valley RiverLink programme will be defending hard for itself as flood mitigation.

    The public servants who burnt 5 years thinking they had another term to get their rollouts complete and contracts signed are in for a real shock. It's too late.

    • James Simpson 7.1
      14 March 2023 at 1:59 pm

      "These are now line-by-line reviews straight out of the Bill English playbook"

      Indeed. Which makes this very depressing. I understand the politics behind it. National must be kept out at all costs. But it seems to me that we have a Prime Minister conceding to the right on so much of what we have battled for over the past 5 years.

      Remember Labour currently has an absolute majority and can pass any piece of legislation it damn well pleases. That is unlikely to ever be the case again. But rather than taking advantage of that we see them essentially dancing to National's agenda.

      Is the only point of a Labour government to keep National out?

      • Maurice 7.1.1
        14 March 2023 at 2:39 pm

        “Remember Labour currently has an absolute majority and can pass any piece of legislation it damn well pleases”

        Still has to 'please' the electorate. 100,000 voters opposed here and a few more 100,000 opposed there soon add up to lost seats and lost party vote. I doubt that Labour see a drift to Green as a plus as that dilutes their party and increases leverage for a future needed coalition/supply partners. Bleeding to National is very counter productive.

        Remember the old Kiwi adage – governments are voted OUT not IN

      • Obtrectator 7.1.2
        14 March 2023 at 7:45 pm

        Well, the only point of a National government is to keep Labour out ….

  8. Adrian 8
    14 March 2023 at 2:26 pm

    They may pass any piece of legislation they like James but with only months to go to the possible loss of the election and the Nats Putinacation of legislation that’s not theirs would have it all invaded and buried in weeks.

    Mickey, I think they realise that maybe the car upgrade scheme isn’t as effective as the hopeful assumed, at a full price assistance it’s only about 11,000 cars or 1/2 price around 22,000 to no doubt swap a shitter for a teenager school run conveyance, or the best part of 200,000 e- bikes lying around in garages with flat batteries all winter gathering cobwebs.
    I’m sure there are more effective options, speeding up Govt and Council vehicle fleet electricification and forcing lease and rental companies to only buy electric, all these options feed the 2nd hand market.

    • SPC 8.1
      14 March 2023 at 3:55 pm

      I’m sure there are more effective options, speeding up Govt and Council vehicle fleet electricification and forcing lease and rental companies to only buy electric, all these options feed the 2nd hand market.

      Yep. Affordability of an upgrade to a less carbon use vehicle in this way works for both government and public.

      And more E bikes (so more one car families, or flatmates with car and ebike), and low cost train/bus options.

      Maybe have the budget announcement about subsidy for e bikes from 1 September (spring use).

  9. ianmac 9
    14 March 2023 at 4:16 pm

    Each week I travel about an hour on highway 6 where for over a year the speed limit was brought down to 90kph. The curious effect seems to be that the traffic speed seems to be steadier, and very few overtake. Be interesting to see the accident /injury stats after a year or two.

    • Belladonna 9.1
      15 March 2023 at 6:55 pm

      Not that I'm thoroughly familiar with SH6 (other end of the country to me) – but this article would indicate that deaths and/or injuries in Southland, at least, have little to do with the official maximum speed. [Speeding in this context, is usually driving at well-above the maximum speed limit – not in the 90-100 km/h range that the downward shift would impact]

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/131351326/southland-road-toll-spike-six-deaths-in-two-months-highlights-dangerous-behaviours

      Speeding, failing to wear a seatbelt – causing more serious or fatal injuries, driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol and driver inattention were the four main issues police remain concerned about.

      “[It] appears distraction or inattention is causing drivers to fail to stop at intersections particularly on the open road in rural parts of Southland.”

      While police weren’t noticing more people breaking these rules than normal, the “outcomes [death] were more pronounced recently”, Ure said.

  10. Antonina 10
    14 March 2023 at 4:29 pm

    From the 'let's stay in power at any cost ' school of politics

  11. observer 11
    14 March 2023 at 5:01 pm

    The message from the voters is pretty clear. If a climate policy is postponed/deleted, it needs to be replaced with stronger ones.

    https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/03/14/poll-after-cyclone-do-voters-want-urgency-on-climate-change/

    Hipkins has hinted that is going to happen ("watch this space" were his words at post-Cab presser yesterday). Until we see that, the Greens will and should be pushing him and picking up support themselves.

    Overall, the prospects for a Lab/Green gov't in October are looking brighter than a few months ago.

  12. Incognito 12
    14 March 2023 at 5:09 pm

    Climate Change doesn’t operate in stages or 3-year election cycles. Anywho, National wants a bonfire of regulations – it doesn’t have any policies to burn – and Labour is stoking up a bonfire of policies. Who needs major parties like these two? It puts a whole new meaning to the following saying:

    When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers

  13. Thinker 13
    14 March 2023 at 5:43 pm

    The good thing about all the delays on planning light rail is that technology is improving all the time. There are solutions now that weren't there before, like trackless trams that could reduce the cost and time of an above ground layout.

    I could never see the below ground working because if it is intended to run to the North shore one day, how do you get your lower queen St tunnel below the underground heavy rail tunnels, esp when lower queen Street is semi liquid.

    Then, when you get out to the burbs, how do you cope with the cost of digging enough tram stops to make the service viable?

    I always wondered how many weet Bix Twyford had for breakfast after he went for the below ground option like he'd just found the Lost Dutchman mine..

  14. Jenny are we there yet 14
    14 March 2023 at 9:40 pm

    The great policy bonfire

    Written By: MICKYSAVAGE

    Chris Hipkins continues with his shock and awe campaign and has torched a number of policies that National and Act were using to foment unrest…..

    Fomenting unrest against these policies when in opposition?

    National and Act will be putting a torch to them when in government.

    So let's do it to ourselves first. Yeah that makes sense.

    Policy is not the only thing going on the bonfire.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpyshWtCbBg&t=3s&ab_channel=TravelLinksDirectory

  15. Darien Fenton 15
    15 March 2023 at 5:18 am

    GST has been removed from e bike purchases – just yesterday in Tax Bill.

    • Maurice 15.1
      15 March 2023 at 5:25 am

      Note to self: Must get the stock and station agency to record ALL my purchases as …

      E Bike – no GST

      and only list any Invoice as an E Bike purchase!

    • Darien Fenton 15.2
      15 March 2023 at 5:42 am

      Sorry not quite right ; Here's the tweet from the Greens : "Thrilled the Govt has just picked up my proposal to exempt bikes/scooters (including electric) from fringe benefit tax. This means employers can offer subsidies for e-bikes/scooters for commuting tax-free. When employers support active and public transport, it makes it easier and more affordable for people to get around in lower-emissions ways, resulting in cleaner air, a stable climate, health benefits, and less traffic. A win for people & the climate! Thanks to the hundreds of ppl and organisations who submitted to select committee!"

  16. Mike the Lefty 16
    15 March 2023 at 7:31 am

    For the next election the main choices will be National or National-lite. It will be the two support parties The Greens and ACT that will dictate whether the country moves forward – very slowly – or regresses.

  17. Alan 17
    15 March 2023 at 9:59 am

    All he has to do now is reinstate tax deductibility on rental properties and he will win

  18. Ad 18
    15 March 2023 at 10:35 am

    Just in case we're wondering how Auckland Council got itself into such a financial hole and proposes to slash budgets so hard:

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-government/131499344/billion-dollar-blowout-aucklands-city-rail-link-to-cost-55b

    This is a 51-49% cost share between central and local government, so Auckland Council are in a world of financial pain on it.

    And also makes more sense to why Treasury made such a wide variation of costs for light rail: if it blows out in 3 short years on a smaller project, the risk of it blowing out on a much longer and larger project is even higher.

    Can't imagine any future government wanting to take on major urban rail jobs for a while after the late-2025 opening of CRL.

  19. adam 19
    15 March 2023 at 2:11 pm

    nats = bullshit economics gone mad

    act = bullshit economics going totally bat shit

    labour = economics now a bit of them both, act and nats.

    What a great time we live in, have to feel for the greens, getting stabbed in the back over this policy shift. Mind you, the greens should be use to it by now from labour.

    • Clive Macann 19.1
      15 March 2023 at 6:24 pm

      adam. You have got tunnel vision on GREEN and everything else is bad. That is a sad thing to read considering we should ALL be open-minded enough to not trash so much of that around us.

      • adam 19.1.1
        15 March 2023 at 11:19 pm

        Clive Macann no idea what your talking about.

        You get that labour is the one doing the trashing right?

        All under the guies of far right liberal economics, oh wait there's no guies – they really are now far right economic carpetbaggers.

        • SPC 19.1.1.1
          15 March 2023 at 11:40 pm

          You had noticed that many were in no position to buy motor vehicles given their living cost issues? And the government had some unexpected costs after floods etc?

          Bikes, electric bikes and scooters will be added to the types of transport exempted from fringe benefit tax under changes proposed today.

          Revenue Minister David Parker said the change would allow bicycles, electric bicycles, scooters, electric scooters, and micro-mobility share services to be exempt from fringe benefit tax where they are being used for commuting to and from work.

          https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/bikes-and-scooters-be-exempt-fbt

          • adam 19.1.1.1.1
            16 March 2023 at 1:14 am

            Oh noes, a crisis, lets blame that so we can move even further to the right economically.

            Yeah a bit sick of that dumb ass argument, got anything better?

  20. Hunter Thompson II 20
    15 March 2023 at 2:21 pm

    A great policy bonfire? Oh, I get it now, it's the bonfire that is referred to as great, not the policies, so they can be dumped.

    Expect some very fancy footwork soon from the PM over Three Waters. The late John Armstrong had it right; it's all about power.

  21. Jenny are we there yet 21
    16 March 2023 at 7:55 am

    Wayne Hope writing at the Daily Blog gives a balanced appraisal, hi-liting the PM's success in crisis management, but writing that climate mitigation is not an add on, but a must have.

    –

    ….Our Prime Minister grasps the short-term imperatives as Christopher Luxon flounders. But, ruthless short-term pragmatism is only a palliative; joined-up thinking is required. Playing off the cost-of-living crisis against the expense of global warming countermeasures is myopic. Already we have seen that climate crisis effects worsen our cost-of-living crisis. This causal linkage will tighten, regardless of who wins the 2023 general election. A low-carbon future is not a nice-to-have.

    https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2023/03/16/polycrisis-polls-and-the-election-cycle/

  22. Jenny are we there yet 22
    18 March 2023 at 9:39 pm

    Another climate change disaster.

    Mass fish die off in Darling river due to warm water temperatures and flooding deoxygenating the water.

    Let's hope the Australian government doesn't take it's cue from Chris Hipkins. And postpone all climate change mitigation to concentrate on the clean up.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEVfrvScrLw&ab_channel=ABCNews%28Australia%29

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    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    19 hours ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    19 hours ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    20 hours ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    23 hours ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    23 hours ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    23 hours ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    1 day ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    1 day ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 day ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

    Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...

    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    5 days ago

  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago

  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: “What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
    No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago

  • Sad tales from the left
    Michael Bassett writes –  Have you noticed the odd way in which the media are handling the government’s crackdown on surplus employees in the Public Service? Very few reporters mention the crazy way in which State Service numbers rocketed ahead by more than 16,000 during Labour’s six years, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • In Whose Best Interests?
    On The Spot: The question Q+A host, Jack Tame, put to the Workplace & Safety Minister, Act’s Brooke van Velden, was disarmingly simple: “Are income tax cuts right now in the best interests of lowering inflation?”JACK TAME has tested another MP on his Sunday morning current affairs show, Q+A. Minister for Workplace ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Don’t Question, Don’t Complain.
    It has to start somewhereIt has to start sometimeWhat better place than here?What better time than now?So it turns out that I owe you all an apology.It seems that all of the terrible things this government is doing, impacting the lives of many, aren’t necessarily ‘bad’ per se. Those things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
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