The Maori Party’s commitment to democracy

Written By: - Date published: 12:46 pm, May 16th, 2009 - 60 comments
Categories: auckland supercity, democracy under attack, greens, labour, maori party, national/act government - Tags: ,

In an epic last-ditch defence of Aucklanders’ right to be consulted on the removal of their democracy, Labour and the Greens are currently filibustering the government’s enabling legislation in Parliament by forcing a vote on thousands of new amendments.

Their objective is simple, they want to get the bill off to a select committee and some hearings in Auckland so the people can have a say on the future of their democracy. National can delay the bill to let this happen, or they can have the opposition delay it for them.

This is an extreme situation – the government is removing people’s democratic rights under Parliamentary urgency – and unorthodox measures like this are entirely justified.

But apparently this commitment to democracy is a little too much for Tariana Turia:

Mrs Turia left the debating chamber in anger yesterday after Labour forced votes on almost 1000 largely trivial amendments to a bill to set up a transitional authority and create the Auckland Council.

After she walked out, the Maori Party did not cast votes on the remainder of the amendments Labour had put forward as part of its filibuster strategy to draw out the passage of the bill in protest against National’s use of urgency.

Mrs Turia said her party was strongly opposed to the legislation, but said Labour had taken it too far and was wasting taxpayers’ money and valuable constituency time.

“But for the first time ever, I walked out of the House totally disgusted with this behaviour, which Labour thought was very amusing.”

I’m more than happy for Labour and the Greens to use a few cents of my tax dollars to defend democracy. That’s what good oppositions do.

But then Turia has the mana of her party’s deal with National to worry about, doesn’t she? And that’s clearly more important to her than the democratic rights of Auckland Maori.

[ps. Check out channel 94 on Sky TV if you’ve got it. It’s great political theatre.]

Update: gobsmacked points out the Maori Party have continued to vote with Labour and the Greens on this. So this was just a tantrum from Tariana Turia, not a change in Maori Party policy.

60 comments on “The Maori Party’s commitment to democracy ”

  1. Forgive me: what democratic rights, precisely, are being “removed”? The right to be represented by multiple layers of local government? Or is there a clause in one of these bills taking the franchise off women?

    Or is it that we’re talking about the “right” to have everything the Opposition can’t vote down in Parliament go to referendum? Can you point me towards the part of the Royal Commission’s report recommending a referendum on this stuff? Or even a draft question for such a referendum?

    Good Oppositions don’t trivialize the House, putting up joke legislation, like renaming Auckland’s Council the “Rodney Hide Memorial Council” or the “Funsized Council”—and yes, an amendment to a bill is an attempt at legislation, even if you know it’s gonna lose. It’s not the cost of this that annoys me, it’s the implicit disrespect for Parliament.

    • Anita 1.1

      Try s49 of Schedule 3 of the Local Government Act. Residents have a right to vote on reorganisations, National is taking this right away from Aucklanders.

      • s49 exists to stop councils from reorganizing themselves without mandate. Parliament has authority to do this without referendum.

        • Anita 1.1.1.1

          Parliament can give itself the authority to do just about anything without a referendum. That’s hardly an argument.

          If parliament passed a law mandating detention and execution of all left-handers would you say it’s not removed anyone’s rights?

          • BK Drinkwater 1.1.1.1.1

            Not quite sure I buy this argument, but could be persuaded.

            s49 of schedule 3 establishes a process, rather than a right per se. There are plenty of things in these bills I’m not wild about, but I think a lot of the “democracy under attack” stuff is overheated. Clearly, I need to read more, and think more about it.

            I’m not a huge fan of the bills or how the government’s been trying to handle them. I’m even less of a fan of the filibuster. It’s too tacky for words. I failed to make this clear in my original comment. Apologies.

    • Ron 1.2

      I think it’s pretty clear, isn’t it? Our democratic process is pretty straight forward and urgency bypasses it. I am a lot more concerned about the implicit disrespect shown by NACT is deciding to push through such an important bill under urgency. While they’ve talked about a referendum (I’m no fan myself and both sides drag out the referenda idea when they don’t get their way) the Opposition have more clearly said “Send this bill to Select Committee and the fillibuster stops.

      • Anita 1.2.1

        What’s wrong with passing a bill under urgency?

        I think your complaint is probably that it didn’t go to Select Committee. Bills often have stages passed under urgency, it’s a normal process. Using urgency for one or more stages of a bill doesn’t prevent Select Committee consideration.

  2. wtl 2

    Simple: The right to be able to make submissions on a piece of legislation that will affect me and more than a million other Aucklanders.

    • There’s opportunity to make as many submissions as you like on the more important bill, the Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill.

      Note that the transition authority isn’t replacing the councils in Auckland at all; it’s just what its name says it is: a transition authority. Read here for the list of its “draconian” powers.

      • Anita 2.1.1

        Have you checked out Subpart 3? It dissolves the existing councils. Are you gonna tell us that this is not important?

        • BK Drinkwater 2.1.1.1

          Totally my bad. I withdraw, and beg forgiveness. Embarrassing. Will go think.

          • BK Drinkwater 2.1.1.1.1

            OK, I’ve had a better chance to read everything, and also to watch Angels and Demons; I’ve had a mixed night.

            Subpart 3 dissolves the existing councils on November 1, 2010, i.e. in time for the new Auckland council to have an election. That’s a little bit different to “the councils get dissolved and the transitional authority becomes all-powerful immediately”.

  3. outofbed 3

    Or the right of R Hide to oversee every tiny bit of spending of the democratically elected Auckland councils for the next 18 months
    The transition authority gives Hide draconian power
    3% of the vote WTF??

  4. outofbed 5

    Yeah resume at 2pm fascinating stuff
    I have a new found respect for Mallard

  5. felix 6

    It should be noted that Pita Sharples arrived in the house last night and cast votes on behalf of the maori party – I think he was casting 3 votes each time?

    So there would seem to be some disagreement in the maori party on whether to support the filibuster.

    The greens were only casting 4 or 5 of their votes too. I guess when you’re in bed with the governing party you can’t rock the boat too much, eh?

  6. outofbed 7

    The greens were only casting that number of vote because they were the only green Mps in the parliament at that time

    • felix 7.1

      Um, no. Meteria was the only green mp in the house at the time. The votes were split, as the maori party’s were.

      • gingercrush 7.1.1

        139 Procedure for party vote
        (1) In a party vote—
        (a) the Clerk asks the leader of each party or a member
        authorised by the leader to cast the party’s votes; parties are
        asked to vote in the order of the size of their parliamentary
        membership:
        (b) a party’s votes may be cast for the Ayes or for the Noes or
        recorded as an abstention, and a party may cast some of its
        votes in one of these categories and some in another or
        others (a split-party vote):
        (c) the total number of votes cast for each party may include
        only those members present within the parliamentary
        precincts together with any properly authorised proxy votes:
        (d) after votes have been cast by parties, any Independent
        member and any member who is voting contrary to his or
        her party’s vote may cast a vote; finally, any proxy vote for
        a member who is voting contrary to his or her party may
        be cast:
        (e) the Speaker declares the result to the House.

        151 Casting of proxy vote
        (1) A proxy vote may be cast or an abstention recorded on a party or
        personal vote only by the person who has authority to exercise it.
        In the case of any dispute, the member exercising a proxy must
        produce the authority to the Speaker.
        (2) In the case of a party vote, proxies may be exercised for a number
        equal to no more than 25 percent of a party’s membership in
        House, rounded upwards where applicable, but at least one proxy
        may be exercised for a party.
        (3) In the case of a party vote, proxy votes may be exercised for a
        party consisting of two or three members only if at least one of the
        members of that party is within the parliamentary precincts at the time

        • felix 7.1.1.1

          and…?

          • gingercrush 7.1.1.1.1

            Well the reason Maori Party were casting 3 votes was one Maori MP in the house. And two other votes making up the 25%.

            In regards to the Greens. One in the house. 4 or 5 votes making up the 25%.

            I’m sure Graeme could explain it all easily. But as you often point out. I’m not that smart.

          • felix 7.1.1.1.2

            Oh I see, thanks. I still think you’re a daywalker though.

          • Graeme 7.1.1.1.3

            A party may cast a vote on a party vote for each of their members who is within the parliamentary precinct (the Beehive, Bowen House, the House, Parliamentary Library etc.); they can also cast votes for up to 25% of their members who are not with the precinct.

            This means that, if National is casting 58 votes, then at least 44 of their members are within the precinct. If the Maori Party are casting 4 votes, that means 2 of their members are away. On those occasions where Labour is casting 25 votes, this implies 27 members are away from the House (10 for whom they can cast proxies, and 17 for whom they cannot).

            I say “implies” because I’ve been wondering for a while now whether Labour have been deliberately voting low despite having at least 32 of its members within the precincts so that National will let some of its members go out/home, and then Labour could cast all its votes and defeat the bill…

  7. outofbed 8

    I guess when you’re in bed with the governing party you can’t rock the boat too much, eh?
    Yeah we are in bed with the Governing party that’s why we put out this
    http://www.thestandard.org.nz/the-green-new-deal/
    co authored by Gerry Brownlee

    • felix 8.1

      I understand the point you’re trying to make but it’s absurd for you to deny that we’re in bed with the nats.

      And when you get in bed with the nats, you get fucked.

  8. Swampy 9

    Labour, and everyone else, know full well that there is going to be a full select committee process and public submissions and everything happening with the rest of the laws coming in, getting this one together quickly without a long drawn out select committee process is an obvious move just to get the ball rolling. And that is mostly what it is about. The Transitional Agency does not abolish the elected councils. It does not say what the council is going to look like. It just sits there to keep an eye on things until the rest of the process which will have full public submissions coming in has happened. The elected councils will be going about their business as usual with some additional compliance requirements with the Transitional Agency. So this is all nonsense.

    • Draco T Bastard 9.1

      To get the ball rolling (or stop it completely) is what the referendum that we’re supposed to have by law is for not undemocratic bills passed by petty dictators under urgency.

    • r0b 9.2

      Labour, and everyone else, know full well that there is going to be a full select committee process and public submissions and everything

      We know full well it will be a meaningless charade. This government has been very clear right from the start that it doesn’t intend to listen:

      But Mr Hide made it clear those who opposed the plans for the Super City and how it was being structured should prepare to be disappointed.

      Also:

      Auckland Mayor John Banks said Mr Hide was prepared to listen to everyone who had something sound and sensible to add to the debate. “The structure of the proposition won’t change. What will happen now is we’re going to get a coalition of agreement on how we should build more democracy into those community boards.

      Mmmm yes, community boards with no powers. Very democratic.

      This profound arrogance already makes a mockery of the promised select committee process and “public consultation”. They are already trying to force that process to be so narrow as to be meaningless – according to this National party press release:

      The second Bill will go through a select committee process ending in September. Among other things, it will lay out the structure of the Auckland Council and the Local Boards, and make the Local Government Commission responsible for deciding boundaries. The third Bill will deal with more of the details. As the second and third Bills go through select committee, Aucklanders will get a chance to have a say about the region’s structure.

      If you feel strongly, I urge you to contribute to this process. I’m interested to know what you think about the number of at-large councillors and the responsibilities you think the Local Boards should have.

      That’s it. Nothing about the powers of the new uber-mayor. Nothing about the local councils (recommended by the royal Commission and dumped by John Key). Nothing about the gutted Social Issues Board. No, that’s all decided. Comment is called for only on stuff that doesn’t matter. “Consultation” National style.

  9. Nick 10

    This bill is simply about putting the transition board into place as recommended by the Royal Commission. You don’t need a select committee process for that. Is Labour against that Royal Commission recommendations? Or just the ones they can’t implement?

    I would have liked a select committee process for the bill passed under urgency by Labour validating, retrospectively, unlawful election spending at 2005 election. You spent $800K of our money then, unlawfully, and your wasting $700K of our money daily on this filibustering.

    • Draco T Bastard 10.1

      I really do wish you RWNJ would stop and think for a change. The 800k wasn’t against the law as it was understood until the GG changed the rules after the election.

      I’d prefer to spend 700k/day on keeping our democracy than to throw it away the way NACT want us to.

    • Anita 10.2

      Any evidence of the “$700k”? Or was it just a rhetorical device?

    • Quoth the Raven 10.3

      Nick – Did you forget about National’s “GST miscalculation”?

  10. Swampy 11

    Now what is really happening here?
    1. Most of the amendments being put up by Labour are totally frivolous, like the different names being suggested for the city council. These are all separate amendments to the same clause. Labour cannot have any credibility with either the frivolousness, or contradiction, of the amendments.

  11. outofbed 12

    some additional compliance requirements with the Transitional Agency.
    Like what ?How much is it going to cost ? Why only 4 members of the Transitional Authority,? Who chooses them? who do they answer to /
    etc etc

  12. Swampy 13

    2. The issue is not attracting much attention outside Parliament and political blogs, frankly. It is not the issue Labour makes it out to be. And that means any sane person has to look hard at what it is really about, and what it is really about, is that Labour perceives its own power base in Auckland to be under attack. Probably there is a lot of truth in that, but it is very self seeking for Labour to put up all this nonsense, they need to learn that they really are the opposition, and that they lost the election.

    I’m waiting for Labour to lose the next election, as will obviously be necessary, for them just to get it into their head. They are in opposition, they lost the election, and they should stop their arrogance and behave themselves. This filibustering is pretty well unprecedented in NZ. Labour has to remember they put through a whole pile of even more controversial legislation under urgency in their own time, and there was not the huge delaying tactics that they are putting up to this legislation. This is just totally childish stupidity by the Labour Party.

    • felix 13.1

      Careful, you’re criticizing the National party’s filibustering while in opposition.

      Go do some reading before you embarrass yourself further.

  13. Swampy 14

    It is all under public scrutiny and will be under huge political scrutiny.

  14. Swampy 15

    What obviously matters to Tariana is that Labour is wasting time and money, they are not going to stop the Bill from being passed.

    If the Opposition doesn’t like the law, their role is to produce constructive worthwhile amendments to it. I’d love to see what reason George Hawkins gave for the multiple contradictory amendments to the council’s name for example. Those are the waste of time.

    Now the fact is that Parliament is a court, and that kind of time wasting is not allowed in any other court in the country. This is a debate on a law. It is not a General Debate, and as such it is supposed to be about constructive process of forming a law, which is not what Labour is doing.

  15. dave 16

    ….. therefore Labour has got no right to moan about democracy when it is trying to subvert the democratic process – ie, we have a parliament that’s main aim is to pass laws. If parts of parliament don’t like the law, or the porcess, they can either vote against it or provide constructive amendments.

  16. gobsmacked 17

    Public opinion, a guide for beginners:

    1) Number of people whose votes in the Auckland council elections 2010, and parliamentary elections 2011, will be influenced by:

    – the ‘Super City’ legislation
    – the rushing through of the legislation
    – the lack of an opportunity to express their views on the legislation
    – the cost of the legislation
    – the consequences of the legislation
    – the candidates who supported all of the above

    Thousands.

    2) Number of people whose votes in the Auckland council elections 2010, and parliamentary elections 2011, will be influenced by:

    – filibuster tactics in May 2009 which they barely noticed and have long since forgotten

    Approximately nil.

    If National/ACT (and their troops on here) don’t understand that, I can’t help them.

    • felix 17.1

      You can’t help them anyway until they accept that they need help.

      • gobsmacked 17.1.1

        Perhaps the Auckland rates bill 2011 (aka NACT’s suicide note) will include “water, sewage and filibustering”?

        Money, it’s the only language they understand.

  17. Swampy 18

    Oh, and try reading the legislation:
    http://www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/government/2009/0035-1/latest/versions.aspx

    There is hardly anything in it. The guts of it is to be filled out by the rest of the legislation that is going to the select committee.

  18. gobsmacked 19

    Incidentally, the Maori Party have been voting consistently with the opponents..

    Eddie’s post is out of date. It was a Tariana-tantrum, not a change in the party’s stance.

  19. burt 20

    Eddie

    When National were filibustering over the EFB it was a bad and childish thing. Why is it a good thing now Labour are doing it ?

    • lprent 20.1

      Because at the time National were supporting electoral reform, but were unable to prevail in select committee with their arguments. In the post you referenced…

      No Right Turn has picked up on this too, and sums up the situation well:

      These are not the actions of a serious, responsible party truely interested in reform. Rather, they are the actions of a self-interested party eager to please its rich mates and rort and abuse the electoral process to buy their way to power, just as they tried to do in 2005.

      In this case Labour, the Greens, and the Maori Party are saying that there has been no consultation through a select committee. This bill changes the governance of Auckland BEFORE any consultation has taken place

      burt: Do you think that select committees should be bypassed and legislation that changes the biggest city should be rammed through under urgency?

      • burt 20.1.1

        No, select committee should not be bypassed. NRT cracks me up, no wonder comments are not able to be made there.

        Not many people would say “rort and abuse the electoral process to buy their way to power, just as they tried to do in 2005.” with reference to National and expect to be taken seriously.

        • r0b 20.1.1.1

          NRT is completely correct Burt. There was a reason Don Brash had to step down, if you recall, and that reason was the public outrage at National’s tactics in the 2005 election…

  20. gingercrush 21

    WTF is a daywalker?

  21. dave 22

    it is because Labour is doing it. And Eddie is a Labour person

    • lprent 22.1

      Interesting – where did he say that? You can provide a link? Tim over at Tumeke thinks that he is, but like you, without any particular reason or evidence.

      That gets perilously close to being an attack on one of my posters on their own site. Read the policy. You know how seriously I take offense to that type of attack.

  22. Swampy 23

    Ah yes Gobsmacked, but effectively Labour has launched its campaign to win the 2010 Auckland Council and Mayoralty elections. That is what the whole process will be about. I hope they lose. I hope that in 2010 people remember how the Labour campaign was launched and how bitter and divisive the Labour Party’s tactics were.

    I think that most of what the Opposition is claiming for this piece of legislation is all a load of rubbish. John Key is a sensible politician who is not about to sign his electoral death warrant. He has shown that time and time again up to this point. He is clever enough to see that the best political outcome is to be able to show how bitter and divisive Labour was throughout the whole process (as it will be, it is scarcely credible with this huge campaign on a trivial piece of legislation that they are going to cool down for the rest of it) which will cost them dearly in 2010 council elections and 2011 national elections.

    So not a lot of cleverness for Labour, not a lot of intelligence, has been Hodgson needs to make way for some new political strategy.

  23. jarbury 24

    So the bill is now seriously referes to Auckland as Tamaki Makau Rau? A Rodney Hide amendment…. bizarre.

    And the Maori Party voted against the amendment… even more bizarre.

    • Lew 24.1

      Jarbury,

      And the Maori Party voted against the amendment even more bizarre.

      Not that bizarre, since Tāmaki Makaurau doesn’t refer to all of Auckland; only to the isthmus and immediately adjoining areas.

      L

  24. Burt – Did you read the post you linked to. It is clearly attacking Bill English saying one thing then doing another. He said they would not filibuster, and they did. simple. Don’t start inventing your own history.

  25. Swampy – “This filibustering is pretty well unprecedented in NZ”

    What!!! hahahahahahaha you are kidding right? Try reading any history of the New Zealand Parliament.
    I suggest John E. Martin’s ‘The House’

  26. dave 27

    lprent If I provided a link I`ll be banned. So perhaps I`d better not do that, because you`ll view that as an attack on one of your own posters – and I don’t do that sort of thing. particularly as you said my last post was “perilously close to being an attack”. which of course it wasn’t.

  27. It’s pretty much over now: the bill’s in third reading. A big batch of amendments from Jacinda Ardern ruled out of order by Rick Barker.

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

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
    The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
    Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government lowering building costs
    The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Trustee tax change welcomed
    Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister’s Ramadan message
    Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness.  It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister appoints new NZTA Chair
    Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
    Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology.  It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Progress continues apace on water storage
    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government agrees to restore interest deductions
    Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister to attend World Anti-Doping Agency Symposium
    Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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