The real coalition of chaos

Written By: - Date published: 8:52 am, May 23rd, 2023 - 22 comments
Categories: budget 2023, Christopher Luxon, climate change, Economy, ETS, national, nicola willis, poverty, same old national - Tags:

National has hatched on its attack line which we will hear about a lot over the next few months.

But it may have a problem.

Because the phrase “coalition of chaos” clearly applies to its leadership team.

Recent events suggest that National is rather chaotic.

As an example it appears that National’s announcement that it was ruling out a deal with the Maori Party was not a case of finely honed and timed racist dog whistling.  The announcement was more akin to Keystone Cops than five dimensional chess.

As reported by RNZ’s Mediawatch Luxon’s announcement on Morning Report on May 10 appears to have been a misspeak by him.  The conclusive proof is National’s urgently asking Mike Hosking to provide space on Newstalk ZB that morning so that Luxon could confirm National’s position, a request that Hosking was more than happy to allow.

I can only imagine what Judith Collins said at the time.

Then there were reports that a group of Auckland businessmen had approached Nicola Willis to roll Luxon as leader.  She said there was no basis for the claim but she also pointedly refused to respond to questions asking if it was true that they had approached her with concerns about Luxon’s ability to become prime minister.

Then she amazingly asked this question in Parliament that afternoon and received a very predictable response:

Nicola Willis: Is he aware that Auckland business leaders are concerned that the economy is going downhill fast—[Interruption]

SPEAKER: Order! Order! Silence, please. I ask the member to ask it again.

Nicola Willis: —that New Zealand has the biggest current account deficit in the developed world, he’s run the books into the red, inflation’s out of control, and interest rates have climbed higher and faster than in our history?

Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I do spend a bit of my time with Auckland business leaders—possibly not quite as much as the member does—and they have expressed some concerns to me. One of those concerns was about the leadership of the National Party—I do admit that. I presume that’s the same concern they expressed to the member.

Why would you ask this question when everyone could see that the topic was laden with kryptonite.

But for some strange reason Willis chose to go to town on the issue.  Surely she understood that this would give a story about Auckland businessmen’s concern about Luxon extra legs.

Then there was National’s preemptory ruling out continuation of free Pharmaceuticals for kiwis, a policy that has a significant rationale behind it.  This one was led by Willis.  Luxon had to walk her rhetoric back fairly quickly.  I wonder if he was smiling quietly as he did so.

Some people think this was a carefully laid trap by Grant Robertson.  I think it only emphasizes how completely out of touch National is.

The latest example is National’s opposing the Government’s grant to NZ Steel to ensure that the Government saves a lot of money in the future when it has to buy international carbon credits.

National’s response is lazy rhetoric.  Especially their claim that this is corporate welfare.

How a party that provided the Warner Brothers tax break valued at $25 million should now complain about a grant to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions is beyond me.

And also because this is a really good deal for the Government.  As noted by James Shaw:

The economics of this really stack up, especially compared to current carbon prices. The lifetime abatement cost is forecast at $16.20 per tonne. Current carbon prices are around $55 per tonne. In the long term this saves the Government and the country money.

The total price payable has some conditions that will improve further benefits from the deal.  The base funding is up to $110 million.  There is an additional $10m commissioning funding incentive paid if NZ Steel can get the furnace up and running by January 2027.  And there is a further $20m of performance funding paid upfront if NZ Steel can achieve a further 800,000 tonnes of emissions reductions by 31 December 2030 over and above the base amount committed to in the agreement.

I hope that National keeps this performance up.  Because everyone can see that at this stage put to one side its policy platform it has no ability to be a competent governor of the country.  Luxon and Willis are the real coalition of chaos.

22 comments on “The real coalition of chaos ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Ad 1
    23 May 2023 at 9:07 am

    Hipkins dealt with Mike Hoskins gracefully and evenly this morning.

    The way Hipkins has shaped his ship there are quite limited lines of attack available.

    The big Achilles heel for Hipkins is crime, and Anderson needs to reign her optimism waaaay back.

  2. Mac1 2
    23 May 2023 at 9:47 am

    I had a read of the 20 June 2019 "National's next leader? " from The Standard above. Interesting prescience from some contributors.

    For me it raised the issue of what options National has when Luxon goes for there are not many at the moment.

    It goes back to selection.

    And will National try and do another Luxon by drafting in another leadership candidate, touted as such, and risk failing again?

    It is a terribly bad look for a party to so openly and willingly espouse such a poor candidate for such a role.

    It means that they have a poor idea of what makes a leader and how to identify those traits in a person.

    I have always been impressed by the wisdom that the best leaders are those who are reluctant, who see themselves as servants, who are learners.

    https://leaders.com/articles/leadership/reluctant-leader/

    Ardern and Hipkins both seem to fit this model. The article talks about risk which is part of the initial reluctance.

    How many potential leaders will have seen the intolerable pressure put upon Jacinda Ardern and the risk her assumption of the leadership contained.

    Good leaders also know when to go. Will Luxon and Willis demonstrate that?

    • Adrian 2.1
      23 May 2023 at 11:23 am

      An ex- AirNZ engineer told me the other day that in his time there Luxon's nickname was "The Bible-Bashing-Bully ". Quite telling.

      • Incognito 2.1.1
        23 May 2023 at 12:08 pm

        Why is it ‘telling’? What is it supposed to be telling you and us?

        Do you have any political points to make here or do you rather spread innuendo based on hear-say of snide comments and personal insults that play the man? If the latter, please take it to OM, thanks.

  3. ianmac 3
    23 May 2023 at 9:47 am

    Is NZ in an out of control crime wave? I read somewhere recently that of a dozen countries, NZ was second best on the list of law-abiding countries. Media is hyping up the National/Act claims of lawlessness. "Labour is soft on crime they say repeatably. People no longer feel safe." So the people say, "We don't feel safe!"

    I don't remember where I read the table but someone might find it for me.

    • arkie 3.1
      23 May 2023 at 9:55 am

      Depends how you measure it.

      Victoria University criminologist Trevor Bradley says it’s important not to think of police-recorded crime data as a neutral count of crime, because it can often be influenced by changing reporting patterns and behaviour.

      This makes them “endlessly contestable and manipulable”, Bradley says (and as Stuff’s various analyses show) – and politicians might make opposing claims based on their interpretation of the same set of data.

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/the-whole-truth/130965380/the-whole-truth-has-violent-crime-gone-up-under-labour

      • ianmac 3.1.1
        23 May 2023 at 10:03 am

        Thanks Arkie. On QanA the Minister of Police pointed out the issues of trying to draw comparisons. And it seems that there is a World wide trend towards lawlessness. Look at the USA for instance.

    • RedLogix 3.2
      23 May 2023 at 10:08 am

      Most people would probably give an answer based not so much on an absolute comparison on crime stats with other countries – but a relative comparison over time in their own communities, Which is what after all matters to most people.

      The question they're asking themselves is "do I feel more or less safer now than say five years ago?"

      And in that respect relatively rare crimes like homicides and other crimes of major violence have less psychological impact than say vandalism, petty theft, dairy robberies and brazen ram raids in their own communities, that are definitely more common than they used to be.

    • Ad 3.3
      23 May 2023 at 10:28 am

      Hipkins can fully see how far Labour has lost the crime issue – shopowners since they are mostly subcontinent Indian used to be core Labour base.

      And there's no assurance of that now. That's a lot of votes to lose.

      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/prime-minister-chris-hipkins-said-titirangi-post-shop-closure-is-absolutely-heartbreaking/R6QSMXBUXFF4ZKA6F3OED36BD4/

      Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the closure of a West Auckland NZ Post shop due to increasing crime was “heartbreaking” and the level of retail crime is “unacceptable”.

      The owners of Titirangi Lotto and Post Shop told the Herald yesterday they were quitting after decades of running their business – frustrated by repeat destructive raids targeting their store.

      Hipkins told the AM Show this morning that the news was “absolutely heartbreaking and totally unacceptable.

      “I absolutely acknowledge that the situation we are facing around retail crime at the moment with ram raids and with aggravated robberies. It is utterly unacceptable,” Hipkins said.

      [Quotation marks added to make clear what text is quoted for NZH – Incognito]

    • gsays 3.4
      23 May 2023 at 6:12 pm

      As arkie says, it depends how you measure it.

      Bob Dylan observed that he had been robbed by more people with a pen than a knife.

      (Something along those lines.)

      Supermarkets and banks making big profits. Trucking industry not bearing the cost of the damage they do to our roads…

  4. Anne 4
    23 May 2023 at 10:20 am

    And your assumption mickysavage that the real 'coalition of chaos" presently applies to the National Party was further confirmed by Sue Moroney on Q&A last Sunday. At the bitter end of a panel interview she said in response to a question about Luxon:

    "When Nicola was a new MP I took her and others on a parliamentary trip (I think it was Britain) and one thing I picked up was that Nicola was ambitious – very ambitious" (with an emphasis on the 'very ambitious’)

    She said it with a wicked grin. Beautifully timed Sue.

  5. Incognito 5
    23 May 2023 at 10:31 am

    Luxon is lying when he asserts or implies that $140m of taxpayer money was ‘wasted’ in the deal with NZ Steel and that it could be ‘better’ spent on other things – the government money didn’t just come from the general government coffers.

    The deal is funded through the GIDI Fund.

    Here’s an overview of the GIDI Fund: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2022-04/GIDI%20fund%20summary%20infographic%20Final.pdf.

    The Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry (GIDI) Fund was expanded in May 2022, as part of the government’s Climate Emergency Response Fund (CERF). The programme will see around $650M of capital grants co-investment made available to support valuable decarbonisation projects.

    https://www.eeca.govt.nz/co-funding/industry-decarbonisation/about-the-government-investment-in-decarbonising-industry-fund/

    The CERF is made up of cash from ETS proceeds.

    At its establishment, the CERF was set up with funding equivalent to the available cash proceeds from the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) over the period from 2022/23 to 2025/26. In the Budget Economic and Fiscal Update, Treasury has revised up its forecasts of ETS cash proceeds, indicating that another $800 million will be available over that same forecast period.

    https://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2022-05/CERF%20investments.pdf [pg. 4]

    ETS, of course, receives its monies from polluters such as NZ Steel.

    You get the picture unless you’re a tribal Nat voter.

  6. Thinker 6
    23 May 2023 at 11:32 am

    Given the moniker refers to a coalition, one presumes ACT is also happy with it.

    At best, it has the ring of a superhero movie (Fantastic Four, Invincibles, etc). At worst, well, it's all been said in the article.

    Koalition of Keystone Kops might have been a front-runner but pipped by this one.

    I would have recommended Coalition of Clouseaus

  7. observer 7
    23 May 2023 at 12:18 pm

    Coalition of Cons?

    National will need ACT, obviously.

    ACT want a top income tax rate of 28%, to scrap the Zero Carbon Act and the bright line test and much else.

    While Hipkins (and Ardern) have often been asked about Green Party policies, Luxon is rarely if ever challenged to rule out ACT policies.

    ACT are at least upfront and specific about the drastic cuts they demand. National just say "bureaucrats" a lot. And Mr Luxon really, really cares about climate change. Really, really. You can trust him on that.

    It would be Bolger and Richardson and the mother of Budgets all over again. Vote for painless, vacuous "change", get a very different kind of change.

  8. Corey 8
    23 May 2023 at 12:44 pm

    A nat/act government would be brutal and hellish for poor people, renters and anyone with mental or physical health problems.

    While the alternative is better, a labour/green minority govt relying on support from a nationalist/separatist party in the cross bench is not ideal either.

    Weve never really had the balance of power sit in the cross bench, our confidence agreements have so far been more like coalition agreements, inside the tent pissing out.

    I genuinely hope (at the expense of Nat/act seats) NZf and TOP get representation in parliament and join the Maori party in the cross bench, therefore if the Maori party doesn't wanna support a bill they could go to top or NZf.

    And if we have to have a national govt, tell me you wouldn't prefer NZf or top being a handbrake on act.

    I feel like there should always be a lib dem style centerist party and regional centerist party in parliament to balance out the crazys. Labour and National should do deals to ensure they both get in parliament.

    I feel like we do MMP, incredibly immaturely, other proportional countries have parties from across the spectrum talking to each other, in Germany they have a coalition of basically labour, act and the greens, act won't talk to labour and the greens won't talk to national, and national and labour? Forget about it.

    it concerns me because nz has a unicameral parliament and relies mostly on convention, if we do get some truly crazy ferals in parliament, would our leaders be mature enough to work together ie lab/nat or nat/green or lab/act to keep out the truly dangerous or would we negotiate with the Looney's?

    I honestly feel like our leaders in labour and national would negotiate with the Looney's rather than compromise with mainstream parties on the other side of the house.

  9. Patricia Bremner 9
    23 May 2023 at 1:31 pm

    Personally I prefer the name Mean Team for these two. Micro expressions are a dead giveaway.

    Luxon's glare and Willis' sneer are often caught by photographers. They are very revealing as was "Bottom feeders", a slip by Luxon, plus "targeted help" by Willis.(Who picks the targets?)

    For me all but one of their selections show a failure of representative choice, and an acceptance of personal flaws and bad behaviour as "ok".

    Further the coalition of National/ Act is plain scary!! The Roll Back Team.!!

    • PsyclingLeft.Always 9.1
      24 May 2023 at 9:19 am

      Aye Patricia. The "Mean Team" (like ! ) Include Seymour and the roll back time machine would go RIGHT back..to the late 80/90's . And NZ ? Screwed again.

      Stiil…Im optimistic with the way Labour is fighting back.

      Must do !

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 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
    6 days 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
    6 days 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
    6 days 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
    6 days 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
    6 days 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
    6 days 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
    7 days 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
    7 days 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
    7 days 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
    1 week 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
    1 week 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
    1 week 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
    1 week 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
    1 week 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
    1 week 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
    1 week 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
    1 week 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
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-04-24T11:54:25+00:00