The new government’s approach to climate change

Written By: - Date published: 1:34 pm, December 19th, 2017 - 119 comments
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With much arohanui and respect for the current Government can I suggest it has a good hard think about its approach to future mining for oil gas or coal, particularly coal.

Jacinda Ardern is right that climate change is her generation’s nuclear free movement.  We are already seeing how disastrous the effects are. Collapsing ice sheets, unseasonably warm seas, dying coral reefs, forest fires, droughts, out of control storms, the list goes on and the consequences are clear.

The consequences are as were predicted by pretty well all the scientists with expertise in the area with modest variations being the only differences of opinions that count.

And the message is clear.  We need to leave much of the discovered petroleum gas and coal in the ground if we wish to avoid torching the planet.  And coal is the most CO2 producing fuel there is.  It should be top of the list of things that should no longer be extracted.

Which is why the Government should adopt a policy of no new drilling permits.  No ifs and no buts.  And why the consultation around the proposed Zero Carbon Bill is so important.  To make sure that this message is reflected in the proposed law.

Greenpeace has expressed its concern.  From climate campaigner Kate Simcock:

It’s good to see that the new Labour Government is putting climate change action into legislation.

However, the most immediate climate action this Government needs to take is to stop the expansion of the fossil fuel industry by stopping issuing new permits. Any new permits for oil, gas or coal exploration or mining undermines the job of the new Commission.

It makes no sense to outline legislation and a Commission to transform New Zealand into net carbon zero by 2050, and then issue new oil and gas exploration permits which could be spewing forth carbon pollution for decades to come.

The science is clear. We can’t afford to burn most of the fossil fuels we have already discovered. It is incompatible with tackling climate change to look for more.

We agree that a just transition for oil, gas and coal workers is required, but that means winding down those industries rather than expanding them. It is extremely concerning that the Government’s rhetoric about ‘just transitions’ appears to justify opening new mines and issuing new permits for drilling and fracking.”

The Greens are in a tricky place.  From Radio New Zealand:

Climate Change Minister James Shaw will advise against new mining permits though the government’s position is to consider them on a case by case basis.

The Labour-led government is not ruling out new permits for coal mining, offshore oil drilling and fracking during a transition away from fossil fuels.

Prime Minister said there would be no mining on conservation land, but the government would consider other new permits “case by case”. She said coal mining was not the country’s future but there had to be a transition.

Mr Shaw said as Green Party leader he had always said the country should not be opening up any new fossil fuels.

“As Minister for Climate Change I have to say that in the future, if you’re going to get to a zero carbon economy, there will be a point at which it’s simply incongruous to be issuing those [new mining permits].

“I would advise against it, as Climate Change Minister.”

And Russell Norman has clearly stated why the Government’s position needs to be braver.  Again from Radio New Zealand:

Greenpeace executive director Russel Norman says no new mining permits should be issued if the government is serious about climate change.

“If we’re going to avoid catastrophic climate change we can’t afford to burn the existing known fossil fuel reserves – we can’t even afford to burn half of them – at a global level,” he told Morning Report.

“We need a rapid transition away from fossil fuel.”

“A transition means reducing the use of fossil fuels, it doesn’t mean looking for new fossil fuels as the Prime Minister seems to be leaving the door open to.

“If we’re serious about climate change we simply can’t be taking a case-by-case approach to oil gas and coal.

“We need to have a black and white position which is no new permits.”

The Petroleum Exploration and Production Association of New Zealand supports the current position.  If you needed further cause for concern this is probably it.

The only transition necessary should be a decision on whether or not to allow current coal mines, or oil and gas wells to remain open.  In particular the sooner the use of coal as a fuel is consigned to history the better.

There will be a consultation process surrounding the introduction of the new law.  This will be the perfect opportunity for all good progressives to urge the Government to be really brave about the issue that is the nuclear free issue of this generation.

119 comments on “The new government’s approach to climate change ”

  1. Pat 1

    “The only transition necessary should be a decision on whether or not to allow current coal mines, or oil and gas wells to remain open. In particular the sooner the use of coal as a fuel is consigned to history the better.”

    hear,hear…..indeed this is far more urgent and important than nuclear free NZ ever was.

  2. BM 2

    As I’ve said before the comment about climate change being “her generation’s nuclear-free movement” was always disingenuous bull shit.

    She only said that because the Labour strategists wanted to take out the greens or knock them down so low they’d agree to whatever scraps they were offered and wouldn’t get in the way of a Peters/Labour coalition.

    This is a 4th term Clark government, apart from disproportionate handouts for Labour party voters it’s business as usual.

  3. Ed 3

    Scientist Kevin Anderson: Our Socio-Economic Paradigm Is Incompatible With Climate Change Objectives

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBAcYkc6v6A

  4. We need to leave much of the discovered petroleum gas and coal in the ground if we wish to avoid torching the planet. And coal is the most CO2 producing fuel there is. It should be top of the list of things that should no longer be extracted.

    Actually, that’s not the message.

    The message is that CO2 and other GHG emissions be reduced to zero. Coal and oil can be used in ways that do not, or at least minimise, the GHG emissions from burning them.

    Thus the law that we need is that the coal, gas and other fossil resources can be extracted but cannot be sold into industries that produce GHG emissions from their use. That includes downstream sales.

    No burning of them but we still get plastics, drugs and other useful products created from them.

    • alwyn 4.1

      “The message is that CO2 and other GHG emissions be reduced to zero”

      That would, at least for the next 30 years or so, probably mean no air travel at all. We may get to a situation where we can have planes that don’t use fossil fuels but I can’t see it happening until at least 2050.
      Would you give up flying as a travel option in the interim? Not just for yourself but for everyone? If not how long would you allow the transition to be when the current type of air travel remains acceptable?

      Electric powered cars will probably become the norm within 5 years but aircraft and ships won’t be able to switch from fossil fuels nearly as readily.

      • Would you give up flying as a travel option in the interim? Not just for yourself but for everyone?

        Yes. It’s actually what we need to do.

        Electric powered cars will probably become the norm within 5 years

        We can’t afford electric cars. Same as we can’t afford petrol cars. It’s not just the CO2 emissions but also the land use, the rubber use, the power use, the transportation. The list goes on and on. Climate change is just a really big reason to give them up.

        Ships can be sail as they were previously. But even if they remained running on fuels they’re far more efficient than pretty much any other form of transport.

        And for both ships and planes there’s probably a limited number, very small, that we can keep going indefinitely.

        If we were serious about reducing CO2 we’d be seriously curtailing trade because we can’t actually maintain it and bring down GHG emissions.

        • srylands 4.1.1.1

          I presume you back this view up by not owning a car, and travelling by sailing boat when you leave New Zealand?

        • Grafton Gully 4.1.1.2

          Ships can be sailed by modern technology
          https://theconversation.com/spinning-sail-technology-is-poised-to-bring-back-wind-powered-ships-74872
          And engineers are working on using dynamic soaring by robots for aircraft
          http://news.mit.edu/2017/engineers-identify-key-albatross-marathon-flight-1011

          • alwyn 4.1.1.2.1

            I had heard about the spinning sail technology but I thought it had been abandoned. I suppose it might make ships mere efficient though if it can be done cheaply enough.

            I thought the second one, on the albatross, was quite fascinating. I never realised they flew so low. I’m not sure I would really want to do a long haul flight at less than 20 metres altitude though. For the robot vehicles they are considering they might make sense of course.
            I suppose the nearest thing to this would be the ground effect vehicles that were all the rage for a while. They were sort of a cross between a plane and a hovercraft. The Russians seemed to have done a lot of work on them.
            I thought they had been abandoned though.

            Thank you for the links though. Maybe we will get back to sails and quasi-gliders.

        • srylands 4.1.1.3

          As The Standard is a Labour Party blog, I thought that you would be supportive of the Government’s climate change policy. I was very reassured by the Prime Minister’s announcement on mining permits. Similarly, I don’t see any significant ramping up of carbon pricing on the horizon.

          So despite a ramping up of the talk, there are no major changes in climate change policies compared to the last Government. And the government before the last government.

          • Incognito 4.1.1.3.1

            As The Standard is a Labour Party blog …

            Oh dear, you should know better! TS supports the labour (with lower case “l”) movement.

          • Draco T Bastard 4.1.1.3.2

            As The Standard is a Labour Party blog

            Really, you’re going to start off your comment with a lie about The Standard?

            Definitely not the best way to build any credibility…

            Oh, wait, you don’t have any because of your propensity for lying.

            I was very reassured by the Prime Minister’s announcement on mining permits.

            Of course you were.

            So despite a ramping up of the talk, there are no major changes in climate change policies compared to the last Government. And the government before the last government.

            Obvious that you want things to stay the same (despite that it will most likely destroy most life on Earth) and that we all go to hell with you.

          • cleangreen 4.1.1.3.3

            “Concerned troll alert” time.

          • cleangreen 4.1.1.3.4

            Srylands

            Oh so do you advocate for yet more tarseal & trucks, and want to close down rail as your mates at treasury who work for “big oil” want?

            srylands = ‘world wrecker incorporated.’

      • SpaceMonkey 4.1.2

        So then… that could mean we’re heading for a change in air travel. Gone will be the days of London in 24 hours except for the wealthy and important. For the rest it will be back to ship or airship.

    • timeforacupoftea 4.2

      “Draco T Bastard 4
      Wrote
      19 December 2017 at 2:59 pm

      Coal and oil can be used in ways that do not, or at least minimise, the GHG emissions from burning them.”

      Twenty years ago I experimented growing vegetables in a mixture of bark, coal chips, sand and clay, no fertiliser and was pleasantly surprised how well the crops grew.
      The leaf crops were very green.

      Perhaps if anybody reads this who works at Lincoln would like to experiment with heavy soils and coal mixed together they may find they are onto a winner.

      This may save dredging the Chatham Rise for Phosphates etc.

  5. patricia bremner 5

    This situation is really beyond politics. It will affect all life. We need to face it honestly.
    However, vested interests are powerful and heavily involved in the carbon world.

    Our government has battles on all fronts caused by neglect and business self interest.
    Denial has been rife, and change too slow. It may be a poisoned chalice they have.

    • cleangreen 5.1

      Patricia I agree, we are so deep in shit now that any dilly dallying around now will only hasten our collective demise.

      Time for National people to finallly come in from the ‘cold’ or in this case ‘the furnace’ to get on board as we all suffer if they dont.

      we are well past the political stae now, so it’s in or out we go folks.

      I much ignored fact is that 10yrs ago scientists had traced the path of black carbon soot and particles from vehicle tyres on the arctic ice shelf, and was then found to be also greatly speeding up ice melting.

      As the black dust particles (they rightly found) were actually then attracting and storing the heat from the sun and creating much higher amounts of heat & ice melting.

      So just driving any vehicle be it a truck or car will greatly incease the ice melting also, that is why we are always now advocating much greater use of rail with steel wheels.

      Meantime we have to live with the adverse effects of noise and pollution:-
      1 truck tyre sheds 10 times the amount of 1 car tyre. Each truck tyre sheds 0.21 g/km of tyre compound (butadiene styrene), that is 5.46 g/km for a 26 wheel vehicle. The roughness of the road surface increases tyre wear 2-3 times.
      Road run-off accounts for 40-50% of urban metal contamination to aquatic ecosystems.
      There is a 7% increase in risk of premature death living near a busy road, increasing the risk of cancer, heart attack, stroke, dementia, childhood diabetes, asthma, allergies.

      Why are the Truck lobbyists still trying to push for yet more use of trucks???

      They are now contributing to all our demise.
      We don’t need more roads for trucks we need a return of rail services.

      We need to manage our transport to lower the air pollution that will increase Antarctic ice melt.

      http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/06/140610-connecting-dots-dust-soot-snow-ice-climate-change-dimick/

      Soot and Dirt Is Melting Snow and Ice Around the World

      http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/

      The evidence for rapid climate change is compelling:

  6. Ad 6

    Ain’t no votes going further left on this issue Mickey.

    This government and local governments are already piling it on with:

    – No more open fires or wood burners in Christchurch and Otago
    – Auckland’s regional fuel tax – at a level that will makes people’s heads explode
    – Train and tram projects that will die unless they get three terms, and cause massive disruption
    – Stopping all mining in conservation areas
    – Divestment in all petroleum by NZSuper
    – Fonterra divesting out of coal

    The right signals are already there, as are the political costs to come.

    No need for further fights that gain little and just invite pissed off multinationals to persuade their home countries to trade-retaliate against us.

    • No need for further fights that gain little and just invite pissed off multinationals to persuade their home countries to trade-retaliate against us.

      Because forced trade is such a Good Idea.

  7. cleangreen 7

    Draco,

    Ad is going to surrender but we wont.

    See what Simon Bridges is sending around the electorate now, all lies and more lies so we wonder what does Ad think of this?

    Mickey will be pissed off at this low life crap.

    dear ……………
    We’ve come a long way together over the last nine years. Our families, our communities, and our businesses have worked incredibly hard to turn NZ into the confident and prosperous nation it is today.
    Sadly, we are just over 50 days into this new Government and we’re already seeing an increasing pattern of u-turns, conflicting statements and broken promises.
    National is ambitious for the future of our country. We want to help build on our successes by delivering more jobs, lowering taxes on hardworking kiwis, and solving some of the most complex social issues our country faces.
    But the new Coalition’s inability to organise itself, along with its clear practice of not sticking to its word, is putting that at risk. They’re trying to put a handbrake on the ambitions on New Zealanders. You deserve better. So Let’s Undo This.
    Bill English and National left New Zealand in good shape, with a strong and resilient economy, low unemployment, and the Government’s books in surplus.
    The Coalition has a great opportunity to build on those strengths and take New Zealand forward.
    Our job now as the Opposition is to hold them to account and ensure they stay on a positive track.
    We’ll happily support the Government on issues that will deliver in the best interests of New Zealanders. But we’ll be fighting hard to oppose them if they’re going to try to knock New Zealand off that positive track.
    So today we’re launching our Let’s Undo This campaign. It details all the back-tracks the new Government has undertaken so New Zealanders can be better informed about how this Government is performing. They don’t want to measure their performance, so we’ll do it for them.
    Add your name now, and together we can hold them to account.
    Regards,
    Simon

    • Ed 7.1

      Undo attempts to reduce child poverty.
      Nice one Simon.

    • Ed 7.2

      Undo laws to increase paid parental leave.
      Nice one Simon.

    • Ed 7.3

      Undo measures to reduce the road toll.
      Nice one Simon.

    • Chris 7.4

      “…its clear practice of not sticking to its word…”

      “It details all the back-tracks the new Government has undertaken so New Zealanders can be better informed about how this Government is performing.”

      So Bridges and the nats agree with the government’s policies. Don’t know whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing.

  8. ropata 8

    As stated on the other thread…

    Aside from the fact that Capitalism is deeply immoral and the gospel of infinite growth is to blame for wrecking global ecosystems, capitalism is an artefact of human society, the core problem is humanity itself, i.e. too many people.

    When a species overshoots sustainable levels, bad stuff happens.

    Al Jazeera has published this stunning video clip about the latest “warning to humanity” from 15000 scientists…

    This is a "warning to humanity" from 15,000 of the world's leading scientists. pic.twitter.com/cvCT3PJgP3— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) December 17, 2017

    Here’s a similar YT clip

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBs-zDZkScU

  9. eco maori 9

    I new Jacinda was going to be a intelligent assertive Leader to all you national trolls whom say she has not earned her role as OUR PRIME MINISTER.
    I’d say that at least % 40 preferred her for the job. She lifted the Labour Party up to the heights of government there were many obstacles that could have triped her up on this journey and she navigate a clear path to become OUR 40th PRIME MINISTER and the 3rd lady. Now all you naysayers national trolls go get a tissue and dry those tears and face reality and that is known matter what you do or say Jacinda is PRIME MINISTER.
    And the wantobees who think they could be prime minister you have the carimisma of a rock Mr lea and bridges so slap your own faces and see your reality as that’s never going to happen lol things will change for the better all in good time all we have to do is support Jacinda Kia Kaha.

  10. Whispering Kate 10

    I was listening to RNZ Morning Report this morning and listening to Dr Norman Russel from Greenpeace and man was he giving the new PM a rark up about her playing around the edges of oil and coal extraction. That she was stating that she would consider each permit for extraction on a one on one basis. He was stating that there should be a complete halting of any more extraction of oil or coal and that the world was going to hell in a handbasket (not his words but to that extent). There supposedly was quite a hefty fine to cancel out of existing permits but Dr Russel was adament that money shouldn’t even come into the equation – that any way that could be achieved these permits should be stopped.

    I am so glad I voted for the Greens. They seem to be the only party that sees the seriousness of climate change and what its going to bring about in the future. We only have to see our crazy climate now world wide to know there is a seriously perilous situation coming and we are all in serious shit if something geniune is not done to cope with it.

    Our PM with her nuclear moment doesn’t resonate with me, everything she is trying to do she is watering down to satisfy somebody – it is very disappointing after her charismatic bringing together of the nation and bringing down the National Government. All we are getting is more of the same and with climate change there needs to be real courage to front it and she isn’t showing that at all.

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018626892/oil-companies-need-to-be-history-russel-norman

    • BM 10.1

      It’s all an act.

      Ardern is an actor and not a very good one.

      • Ed 10.1.1

        Evidence?

      • Wow, you RWNJs are really pissed that Labour have actually put forward a leader that makes your leaders look like the pathetic dinosaurs that they are.

      • cleangreen 10.1.3

        Yes Draco; – it’s a beautiful sight seeing these National trolls going nuts now eh?

        “concerned troll alert”

        The climate change is occuring fasternnow than ever. just loook out your car window or home to see this now and go to the beach to see the errossion of all our coastal areas, it will convince every the most hardened concerned national troll.

    • timeforacupoftea 10.2

      I’m thinking Whispering Kate that 6% green vote that is of the voting public on voting day verses labour 40% leaves the greens far far behind Jacinda crew, besides she is not into immediate suicide the world won’t die so don’t panic or attempt to be an alarmist she is to cleverly educated and wants to win next term as Prime Minister, doesn’t SHE.

      • David Mac 10.2.1

        Yep, anyone that thought our government would be aiming for anything but the middle ground were setting themselves up for heartbreak. It’s what we want.

        I’m expecting the same tune sung in a different key. An entire octave change would be nice, from Spinning Cash B Minor all the way up the scale to People and the Planet.

        • Whispering Kate 10.2.1.1

          If anyone thinks I am a RWNJ they are very much mistaken. I am a progressive left wing voter and nothing this new Government is doing so far is making me think we are progressing in the right direction. Firstly our beneficeries are still being treated like they are lepers and they cannot live on what they receive from the government – and I am talking about people with long term disabilities. Secondly climate change is a very present danger to all humanity and just fiddling at the fringes is not going to help at all. Future generations (if we last that long) will not be thanking us selfish buggers one bit. The new PM needs to lift her game as the previous government just sat on its ass and did nothing.

          Somebody wrote on this site I think that its only going to happen when the wealthy in their beach side properties see the water lapping up and drowning their Matisse on the wall and then it will be too late.

  11. Tanz 11

    If only climate change was real rather than a tax-grabbing hoax.

    • Ed 11.1

      If only fools like you never appeared on blogs.

    • ropata 11.2

      gravity is a hoax too, and the earth is flat… 😂

    • Macro 11.3

      ^^^^^^^
      Tanz – Card carrying member of the Chumpkins.

      If you had a brain cell Tanz – it would be lonely.

    • cleangreen 11.5

      “Concerned Nat troll alert” dreamer= Tanz.

    • srylands 11.6

      That is pretty ignorant.

      I devoted 4 years to working full time on Climate change mitigation. The evidence for anthropogenic climate change is overwhelming. But you are entitled to your view I guess.

      What is open for debate is the best New Zealand government response. After, 20 years of trying, that response is all over the place. Sadly, it won’t change under this government.

      • cleangreen 11.6.1

        Thank you for your response Srylands;

        I personally have been forced not to use ‘Climate change chemicals’ mostly of CO2 emissions and fuels & other VOCs’ alderhydes and halogens that are harmful to our environment and us now since being chemically poisoned 25yrs ago.

        Now I have been left with a resulting life long disabilty that has forced me to adapt and I have spent that twenty five years using all other methods of surival with mostly non use of fosil fuel, as this was by choice.

        My resulting chemical poisoning now dictates that I need to aviod any VOC (volitile organic chemical) exposures.

        Or else my medical professionals who have studies my disabilities now advises will die.

        So your five years is admirable Srylands, but is just the beginning of your journey that I have already travelled by medical requirement now.

        There is no more compelling reason for change than having it forced upon you by a threat to our very life.

        You will soon be forced to comply with this force from climate change shylands. We are sorry to say it this way but that is the reality of our situation now.

    • srylands 11.7

      That is pretty stupid.

  12. Tanz 12

    Climate change is a load of hogwash and is now very much discredited.

  13. Anne 13

    The Tanzes of this world should be ‘shot at dawn’ for being so thick and ignoble they are a danger to the future of the planet. Even the humble hedgehog has more brains.

    Btw, and I’m being serious now. You Tanz are getting more obnoxious (look it up in a dictionary if you don’t know what it means) by the day. Is obnoxiousness an offence that would qualify for a permanent ban? Although I do admit she affords quite a lot of amusement.

    • ropata 13.1

      That’s rude. Education and disinformation is the problem here.

      • Anne 13.1.1

        No its not. It’s what what she deserves. She has been making crass statements on this site for a couple of years at least now. It’s time to call her out once and for all because she refuses to learn.

        Edit: “shot at dawn” was in inverted commas.

        • Ed 13.1.1.1

          When catastrophic climate change kicks in, I hope there will be justice meted out to those who caused inaction by denying its existence.

        • David Mac 13.1.1.2

          I think tanz is lonely, seeking attention and fearful of love. If I felt like that I’d probably play the “Hey all you Commie Bastards” game too.

          • ropata 13.1.1.2.1

            Possibly but IMHO she is stuck in the Young Earth Creationist mindfuck

            Young-Earth creationists actually embrace a philosophy that says nothing can be known about the world around us.

            Appearances and measurements lie. Trees lie. Carbon lies. Bones lie. The stars in the heavens lie. And nothing at all can be trusted from what we deceive ourselves into imagining we’re learning from observation, study, experiment and measurement.

            Their claim is even more audacious than that. It has to be. They want to say that they’re only disputing the honesty of “science,” but if that were the case, then we could easily test their claim by, say, switching on the light or looking at this page on the Internet. Science seems to work. And thus the epistemological anarchists of young-Earth creationism cannot simply be asserting the unreliability of science, they must also assert the unreliability of seeming. If a universe that seems ancient is not ancient, then both the universe and our seeming must be lying. Nothing we think we see, hear, touch or measure can be trusted. Nothing can be known.[…]

            These folks are demonstrably untrustworthy when it comes to their claims about the universe. It seems unwise, then, to regard them as wholly trustworthy when it comes to their claims about the Bible. It seems far likelier that their approach to the Bible is as reliable, thoughtful and defensible as their approach to the universe is — which is to say not at all.

      • dv 13.1.2

        Tanz also thinks Bill English is the greatest PM in the history of the world.

        • Tanz 13.1.2.1

          He is. The New Zealand electorate somewhat agreed, must have, since he outpolled Jacinda Ardern by a country mile! He will be back. post Winston, to govern alone, with no need for partners, after the rort of 2017! I would stake my house and farm on it, as well as my zippy black car…

          • Dv 13.1.2.1.1

            Ha better than Key, interesting.
            Nope his party polled height, but adern higher as preferred PM
            And over 50 % don’t want the Nat.
            Ok what are the House car and car wort?

          • ropata 13.1.2.1.2

            Do you vote based on an ethical framework at all? Or are you just voting to entrench your privilege/inflate your property values/drive a gas guzzler?

          • ropata 13.1.2.1.3

            PS: 100% wrong about the popularity of Ardern over English… I am amazed at how much BS the typical Nat supporter believes

            RNZ Poll of Polls:
            https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/345867/poll-voters-broadly-say-yes-to-new-government

            The latest averages represent roughly a 2% swap from National to the government since the election.

            That is no big bounce, but Labour was up in all three polls to almost exactly the same reading in each.

            Another measure suggests that voters are comfortable with the arrangement. All three polls ask if voters think the country is heading in the right direction or on the wrong track. Morgan recorded 66.5% positive to 20% negative, UMR 65%-17% and 1 News Colmar Brunton 51%-26%.

            These are substantially higher than before the election.

            And Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had a clear lead over National leader Bill English in all three polls as preferred prime minister or in positive-v-negative ratings.

            One News Colmar Brunton:
            https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/ardern-says-voters-hopeful-after-1-news-poll-shows-labour-missing-traditional-post-election-boost-in-support

            In the preferred Prime Minister stakes, however, Ms Ardern is on 37 per cent – well ahead of rival Bill English on 28 per cent.

            The poll also asked New Zealanders whether they thought the current government is heading in the right or wrong direction.

            Fifty-one per cent felt it was going in the right direction while 26 per cent said the wrong direction and 23 per cent didn’t know.

            To be honest Tanz, you are firmly in the “Don’t Know” category on most topics.

    • Macro 13.2

      But the P***y grabber says it’s a hoax – so it must be true.

      • srylands 13.2.1

        What is a party grabber?

        • Andre 13.2.1.1

          Don Brash is a good example – he’s grabbed two of them. For all the good it did him. And them.

          • cleangreen 13.2.1.1.1

            100% Andre,
            Another was Bob Jones, these cretins we dont need anymore so labour/NZF/Greens; – ‘lets do this’

        • Macro 13.2.1.2

          Trump is a good example – He grabbed the GOP and is riding it into oblivion.
          But the *** represents “uss” not “art”. And grabbing them is not an art – it is an offence. To date there have been 18 allegations made against him, and he has even boasted of it on tape. -Now he is is trying to deny that tape – just as he tries to deny AGW. But for Tanz and her ilk everything the chump does is AOK with them. If he says that he didn’t do it – well there you go – he didn’t do it. And if he says that the $1B tax break he has given himself for xmas is good for her as well – well then it must be true. And if he says that climate change is a hoax – well then it is a hoax, and all those who say it isn’t don’t know what they are talking about.

    • Ed 13.3

      People who knew about the Holocaust and denied it are now considered to be complicit in the deaths of many.
      Knowingly denying climate change, thereby delaying any action to mitigate and limit its impacts, will mean the deaths of millions of humans.
      That is why what morans like Tanz should lose their airtime.
      In World War 2, Goebbels didn’t get a say on the BBC.

    • Incognito 13.4

      It is good to be reminded that there are people out there who see things differently and we may tolerate the intolerable. That said, my impression is that they conflate climate change with taxes and if so, they would do a complete U-turn the day they get promised tax cuts in favour of supporting climate change.

      • Anne 13.4.1

        Its not a case of ‘seeing things differently’ because that gives their ignorant rantings a degree of credence. There is rarely any credence in what these “flat earthers” have to say and their wilful refusal to listen to reason is a waste of space and time.

        • Incognito 13.4.1.1

          I don’t agree that it gives them “credence” and I do think that they have a right (!) to be ignorant as well as the right to communicate this to others. If they choose to remain ignorant (deaf & blind), so be it; we cannot force them … Once you start drawing subjective lines for what can and cannot be said and try to enforce these we are entering dangerous territory of exclusion, separation & division IMHO.

      • Ed 13.4.2

        Some people saw Belsen and Treblinka differently.
        We despised them for that view.
        We defeated them at war.
        And tried them.

        • Incognito 13.4.2.1

          Hmmm, it is a bit of a leap from war and war crimes to showing one’s ignorance about climate change, don’t you think? I’d call it for what it is: false equivalence.

          For some reason, people who tolerate the intolerable and (strongly) support free speech often get accused of defending the indefensible when things get a little complicated and heated. FWIW, I’m not defending the comments by Tanz, but I am defending their right to make these comments; they are entirely separate things!

          • ropata 13.4.2.1.1

            +1 also, Tanz is engaged enough to comment, that’s making a nonzero effort, so there’s a chance she might learn something. How boring would this blog be if we banned anyone deemed obnoxious.

    • cleangreen 13.5

      100% Anne, these “national trolls’ are murders of our people and our future and should be treated as criminals.

      • srylands 13.5.1

        You know you sound like a character from Animal Farm, right?

        • cleangreen 13.5.1.1

          Srylands,
          I direct you back to my response to you on 11.6 my response is compelling is on 11.6,1
          perhaps you can moderate your use of “ridicule of disabled persons”?

          you are breaching Human Rights codes for the disabled ; – Infringement of our human rights ‘dignity’ there.

          • srylands 13.5.1.1.1

            I have no idea what you are on about.

          • red-blooded 13.5.1.1.2

            cleangreen, srylands can be extreme and I almost never agree with him/her, but frankly, I don’t see anything earlier up the thread that could be construed as anti-human rights or anti-disabled. (And I live with a permanent disability and can – if anything – be over-sensitive on this stuff.)

            Plus, all your demands for people who have different values and opinions from you to be “treated as criminals”, fired (your comments on the thread about RNZ), prosecuted etc make you sound disturbingly like someone at a Trump rally (“Lock her up! Lock her up!”).

            Now, back to the actual point that’s meant to be under discussion: The issue is the new government’s approach to climate change. I think we need to start by acknowledging that they’re actually making this a priority and doing things like establishing legal benchmarks and an independent climate commission – both good moves to help hold future governments, as well as themselves, to account. As for the comments about mining permits, I think we should wait and see how this pans out. If they simply declared a ban, I’m pretty sure that would run up against legal issues (trade agreements etc). If they say it’s case-by-case, then the test will be seeing which (if any) new applications actually get approval, and on what grounds. James Shaw has made it clear he’ll be advising against any new applications, and Ardern will have known this when she appointed him as Climate Change Minister.

            I might be wrong, but I’m relatively hopeful.

            • cleangreen 13.5.1.1.2.1

              Oh thank you yes Red blooded did you get chemical poisoning?

              You should have seen this as the focus of why we as Chemically poisoned do understand/appreciate the ‘impacts’ all these VOC’s are causing both to our climate change and to us and our environment.
              Srylands is known to us from the 2014 election cycle so no point advising of his/hers lack of humility and compassion.

              If you was unfortunately poisoned by chemicals in the workplace as happened to me, I would feel assured that you grasp where our discussion lies here?

              As anyone who suffered such heavy chemical poisoning (as I did) and develops a lifelong disability that virtually prevents me from entering anywhere outside a “safe home chemical free environment from the time of injury.

              To grasp this point was my point of discussion that increasing exposure to “climate changing emissions” that are in fact the same groups of chemicals that us chemical poisoned disabled people cannot be exposed to.

              If you are similarly heavily sensitised with a list of medical conditions related to chemical exposure perhaps then you know where people with what is termed the “21st century disease” but we may forgive you if you are not familiar with this permanent chronic disease as even the Ministry of health in NZ has no policy on any treatment protocols for this.
              I was fortunate that some brave doctors in Canada & US do have vast knowledge of this disability and was given some treatments before returning to NZ.

              Back to the question in hand “new government’s approach to climate change”

              What is the government doing about Climate change?

              First they need to send folks from the Ministry for climate change with the ministry for the environment ‘workshops’ around the country as labour did in 2002-4.

              As giving solid “inclusion” they also must invite the local NGO’s and public groups to attend these workshops not just the local councils as we are wary of them at present.

              This way their Climate change panel and environment panels all will learn of all the ‘real local impacts those communities are experiencing.’ not some doctored reports’ as we have seen to many of these in our 16yrs as an NGO for community environment & health.

              Our Environmental advocacy centre was invited to attend two of these Climate change & environmental workshops during that time in Napier (2003) and we had just completed a one yr ‘air quality study’ ourselves with assistance/peer reviewed from two senior air quality agencies, NIWA and Watercare, and our press release was featured in the Dominion Post march 10th 2003 headlined as “Pollution regularly exceeds guidelines”

              My role in this study was earmarked by our local regional HB regional Council as a watershed event.

              Yes we need to be involved with the Government over climate change so “inclusion” is the word we are advocating for our involvement red blooded.
              Remember we are part of the environment as stayed in the RMA and we need inclusion on those effects we will all suffer from the increasing amounts of “pollution and climate change emissions” entering into our bodies as we speak.

              Unfortunately people such as us with highly sensitised chemical effects are beginning to feel the effects now becoming worse every month and year. CO2 levels and other volatile organic chemicals are entering our air in ever increasing amounts as we speak.

              Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is real, and no-one knows this more than those of us who have had for many years and never leaves us.

              Several countries US, Canada, Australia, Germany are some but NZ is not yet there, so we need to alert the general population and this government that as time goes on more and more of us will fall victim to this disease as air pollution increases with climate change be rest assured.

              • ropata

                Nope, no more workshops and fucking around. Implement the Paris agreement and legislate to cut carbon emissions immediately to levels our scientists say is acceptable. Planting 1 billion trees is a step in the right direction, as is investing in rail and other PT. Cut tourism (massive carbon footprint from globetrotters) and reduce immigration to sustainable levels. Massively increase funding to MPI inspectors and other environment watchdogs that the Nats have mindlessly abolished. Subsidise efficient home heating and insulation solutions. NZ should normalise its petrol taxes against Europe or other places where driving is disincentivised. Implement punitive import tarriffs to shut down the huge influx of motor vehicles clogging our public spaces. Promote cycling and walking everywhere.

                • cleangreen

                  ropata yes we would agree to your fast tracking of legislation.

                  But if it is not made as you wish, my point is to have us all included in the ‘Planning of the policy’.

                  Already Red blooded seems to favour this ;

                  Quote ” I think we need to start by acknowledging that they’re actually making this a priority and doing things like establishing legal benchmarks and an independent climate commission”

                  But that doesnt involve our voices and could be held in Holland or USA who knows.

                  As if we are bypassed and the government just uses “consultants” you and us all risk loosing to a weakened watered down policy that does not include the people us that are all affected by beaurocrats desisions made behind closed doors as the TPP11 was.

                  So it must be ‘inclussive of all peoples’ who share this land and who will suffer if they make the wrong decisions.

                  Inclussion means our views are taken regard of and oplaced in the planning documents as a historic event to use in future as ‘insurance’.

                  • ropata

                    Tangata Whenua definitely have a right to be included and respected, and I’m pretty sure that Kelvin Davis and the Maori members of Labour/Green will ensure that is the case.

                    But our democratically elected Government still has a mandate to “do this” without unnecessary delay from vested interests such as farmers and transport lobbyists.

              • red-blooded

                cleangreen, I’m not doubting the reality of your condition (which sounds awful) – all I said was that I didn’t see anything said by syrlands that attacked the disabled in any way. I still don’t. You claimed that he/she was breaking human rights laws. Maybe you two have history that helps to give context to your claim, but nothing said in this thread justifies it.

                As regards your desire for local workshops, hey – it may be that this happens again (it’s very early days for this government, remember). I’m not convinced that it’s necessary, though. For one thing, Labour has done it before (as you pointed out). For another, there’s plenty of information and I’d argue that there’s plenty of buy-in for action on climate change, too. Let’s do it.

                • cleangreen

                  Shit red blooded ;

                  Dont let labour of the hook here, and not keep Labour’s pledges we voted for.

                  Which was ; quote;
                  Jacinda said on several occasions; – ‘every citizen will have a voice and be heard as we are going to have an “inclusive”, caring, kinder, transperant government”.

                  We wrote to Jacinda in advance requesting her to include these in her government’s promises, and so far with TPP11 and this Climate change panel we are yet to see them kept.

                  We need to see those promises kept.

                  Thanks for acknowledging my disabilities.

                  I can tell you it was sheer hell for all of my family then with two young kids and wife in another country when I after six months in a large Toronto building without ventilation for six months was struck down with this injury, and no one knew what it was then.

                  As everyone in Napier who knew me before my family left our shores working in Canada, saw me as a go getter, highly motivated, talented, electrician with a young family.

                  But after I lost my ability to work and sing country music at Nashville my life was over.

                  And really I was only saved by two special people as doctors who fought to save me, one in Florida one in Toronto, and after “big pharma” and the repective medical college’s marfia tried to close their practice’s down for blowing the whistle on chemicals risking their lives/future’s – now you know why I am highly suspicious of the medical ‘establishment’ as I will always owe my life to two fine doctors.

                  Bless them both and thanks for the understanding as we odd injured are always treated as outcasts now. .
                  merry xmas & happy new year keep safe.

  14. cleangreen 14

    our last response to the-new-governments-approach-to-climate-change
    this etter was forwarded to the MPs also.

    Public COMMUNITY letter;
    21st December 2017.

    Dear Ministers, Physics discussion.
    Climate change.

    Please consider this physics discussion we are having on the climate change situation and some steps you can use to control emissions.

    Less chlorine in our water also please, as it is toxic read here.
    Less trucks & more electric rail is required to lessen the emissions of alkenes from internal combustion engines.
    Rail must be used far more here in our regions of HB/Gisborne please.
    (Please read our physics discussion below here we have today on the social media.)

    Warmest regards,

    My blog of the day – on the-new-governments-approach-to-climate-change
    21/12/2017.
    https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2017/12/20/why-being-carbon-neutral-by-2030-is-meaningless-sophistry/

    I so much admire your knowledge AFEWKNOWTHETRUTH.

    “Removing large quantities of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in a short time is chemically impossible. (It’s all to do with bond energies, entropy and enthalpy, the foundation of chemical reactivity.)”

    This is so correct as there they changes in all chemical structures during weather conditions, in the presence of salt sea spray, and sunlight for example in the presence of certain chemicals such as traces of chlorine.

    The changes in chemical structures is called “substitution reaction” and is the hallmark of learning science and is covered in the “common law of physics” in ‘General Chemistry.’
    “Scientific American” by PW Atkins Oxford University. Page 851

    quote;
    “Substitution reaction is a reaction in which an atom or a group of atoms is substituted for an atom in a reactant molecule”

    For an alkane, The displaced is a hydrogen atom(7)
    An example is the reaction between methane and chorine.
    A mixture of these two substances is stable in the dark but in the sunlight when exposed to ultra-violet radiation or when they are heated they react.

    Their action does not only produce chloromethane but instead leads to a mixture that also contains dichloromethane, and trichloromethane and tetrachloromethane..

    Trichloromethane better known as ‘chloroform’ was one of the early anaesthetics.

    Tetrachloromethane which was commonly called ‘carbon tetrachloride’ as been used as a solvent and in fire extinguishers however the realisation that it is toxic has limited its use.” unquote.

    So we are in a real pickle now are we not, and we all need to get serious before we all are toxic and poisoned as I was 25yrs ago.

    Less trucks & more electric rail is required to lessen the emissions of alkenes from internal combustion engines.

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

    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 ...
    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 ...
    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

  • 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
    14 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
    20 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
    21 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
    23 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
    23 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
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
    The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research.   “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government redress for Te Korowai o Wainuiārua
    The Government is continuing the bipartisan effort to restore its relationship with iwi as the Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Claims Settlement Bill passed its first reading in Parliament today, says Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith. “Historical grievances of Te Korowai o Wainuiārua relate to 19th century warfare, land purchased or taken ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Focus on outstanding minerals permit applications
    New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals is working to resolve almost 150 outstanding minerals permit applications by the end of the financial year, enabling valuable mining activity and signalling to the sector that New Zealand is open for business, Resources Minister Shane Jones says.  “While there are no set timeframes for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Applications open for NZ-Ireland Research Call
    The New Zealand and Irish governments have today announced that applications for the 2024 New Zealand-Ireland Joint Research Call on Agriculture and Climate Change are now open. This is the third research call in the three-year Joint Research Initiative pilot launched in 2022 by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Ireland’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Tenancy rules changes to improve rental market
    The coalition Government has today announced changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to encourage landlords back to the rental property market, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “The previous Government waged a war on landlords. Many landlords told us this caused them to exit the rental market altogether. It caused worse ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Boosting NZ’s trade and agricultural relationship with China
    Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay will visit China next week, to strengthen relationships, support Kiwi exporters and promote New Zealand businesses on the world stage. “China is one of New Zealand’s most significant trade and economic relationships and remains an important destination for New Zealand’s products, accounting for nearly 22 per cent of our good and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Freshwater farm plan systems to be improved
    The coalition Government intends to improve freshwater farm plans so that they are more cost-effective and practical for farmers, Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay have announced. “A fit-for-purpose freshwater farm plan system will enable farmers and growers to find the right solutions for their farm ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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