The states of John Key – The drivers

Written By: - Date published: 10:13 am, July 24th, 2010 - 21 comments
Categories: john key - Tags:

Second of a series by Guest poster Blue.

The biggest clue is how when he was younger, his aim in life was to ‘make a million dollars and be Prime Minister’. His sisters describe how he got in early practicing how to play golf, because ‘he’d figured out that business guys have golf lunches.’  He was fascinated by politics, especially by Robert Muldoon, but didn’t take a strong position on any of the contentious issues at the time. He studied for a commerce degree and pursued a career as a currency trader.

The motives of the man above are not difficult to discern. Power and money are the two things that drive him. After he had acquired the fortune he sought, he turned his interest to his other love power. Politics for him is not about championing a cause, it’s about being top dog. One of National’s own MPs says in the Herald’s biography that Key ‘seems to harbour a deep instinct to be the most important guy in the room,’ and the biography further says that ‘if an outsider comes in who might challenge that status, Key is said to almost physically transform to take up the challenge.’  He did not get into politics to serve, but to rule.

Key’s time as PM has largely been spent preserving the power base of his own personal popularity not to mention showing off his power and status with photo ops, a Letterman appearance, and his own JK PM’s Pinot. Much has been made of his ‘relaxed’ style, but commentators have called his day-to-day political management sloppy. He is more interested in the status than the responsibility of power. Key is perfectly happy to leave others to do the work while he goes on holiday or to another photo-op.

His constant jokes are another sign of his need for dominance. Often seen as a mark of a relaxed and friendly personality, Key actually demonstrates a need to be the man who makes everyone laugh. There’s power and status involved in comedy it’s about being in control of your audience and commanding the reaction you want. If you can make someone laugh you have power over them. It’s a potent political tool because audiences don’t see humour as a power play it can disarm the most hard-bitten journalist and defuse the most hostile town hall meeting.

So, now that Key has the top job, what to do with it? That’s not an easy question to answer, because John Key essentially doesn’t have any principles. It’s something that has won him praise from the media for being ‘pragmatic’ and not ‘ideological’. It seems strange that a politician with no principles should be the ideal, but it does help him as a political operator if something proves unpopular, it’s no hardship to him to shelve it and move on.

Key doesn’t have a strong position on anything not to do with finances. He is neither a liberal social reformer nor a conservative reactionary. His main aim with anything not about money is just to not damage his popularity. Figuring out some cheap and easy people-pleasers like ‘getting tough’ on law and order and implementing national standards in schools is enough to maintain the illusion that National has policies on non-financial matters.

The real aims are all economic. Key and National want smaller government, and since coming to power they have laid off public servants, cut spending, given significant tax cuts to the wealthy and business, strongly hinted at selling off state assets, set private ownership of prisons in motion and introduced measures cracking down on social welfare. It is worth noting that this is a considerably more right-wing agenda than the National Party campaigned on back in 2008, with its appeal to ‘Labour-plus voters’. They have largely gotten away with it by using the recession as a catch-all excuse.

In addition, National have played their hand carefully when it comes to restricting worker’s rights and cracking down on unions. The ghost of the Employment Contracts Act has ensured Key approaches these issues carefully, not wanting to bring about a public backlash, but doing enough to tip the workplace balance of power significantly more in favour of the employer.

Free trade agreements have exercised the usually relaxed Prime Minister more than anything else on the international stage. If he attends any major international gathering it is only because of the opportunity to advance New Zealand’s case for free trade agreements with any country willing to listen.

However, despite his focus on growing the economy, Key has become known for blue-sky ideas that turn into expensive white elephants. The PM’s cycleway and the idea of a ‘Party Central’ for the Rugby World Cup are two notable examples of grand sweeping ideas that are impractical, costly and exist for little more reason than to gratify Key’s ego.

Blue

Series posts

The states of John Key Quantum uncertainty
The states of John Key The drivers
The states of John Key The Salesman
The states of John Key – Flexible in telling the truth

21 comments on “The states of John Key – The drivers ”

  1. BLiP 1

    John Key – Aotearoa’s Schrödinger’s Prime Minister.

  2. ZakC 2

    Great pic of whatever rodent that is.. not holding the golfclub properly..

    I venture to suggest it is not a marmot. Reasons being, a marmot knows its golfclubs, and marmots are global warming lovers. Anthropophiles. For yes, they are getting fatter from shorter hibernations. Would you believe..? You’d better, because it is troo. Scientists say so. See!!

  3. Ari 3

    Ivory Tower is to setting as John Key is to character 😛

  4. Francisco Hernandez 4

    I’m sorry I’ve been a long time member of the Labour Party but this is just irrelavant personality-driven attacks.

    We’re going to have to do much better than this to win in 2011.

    [lprent: This is a left group blog with no association with the NZLP apart from having some (not the majority) of the authors being NZLP members – read the about. But this wasn’t even written by one of our resident authors.

    This is a well-written set of posts by a guest poster coming through the contribute post button using a throw-away e-mail address. Of course we will put it up. It expresses clearly the attitude of many towards our current PM. There are a lot more of them yet to come… ]

    • outofbed 4.1

      Lke get rid of Goff?

    • Anne 4.2

      @ Francisco Hernandez
      “I’m sorry I’ve been a long time member of the Labour Party but this is just irrelavant personality-driven attacks.”

      Please tell me what this Guest Post has to do with the Labour Party?

    • logie97 4.3

      @ Francisco – Presumably as a long time member of the Labour Party you would have a political philosophy. That is what defines left and right. Key on the other hand is Mr In-between and demonstrating that he is shallow with no philosophy – he will trip up one day – sometime soon we hope. People will begin to see through the Mr Niceguy. When he trips he will need to seek support from some of the more extreme in his party to bail him out but he might find it hard to identify with them and he will then be history.

      So I do not see any problems with these posts. Keep reminding the punters of his history. It will catch him out one day.

      Incidentally, if you managed to catch him on Maori TV with Willie Jackson last night… you will have seen examples of his uncomfortable wriggling and his endearing little nervous giggles…)

  5. Tanya 5

    He made his goals, didn’t he. He can’t take his money with him though, when he leaves the earth, His silver will canker.

    • Daveosaurus 5.1

      I highly doubt he will ever leave the earth; or, at least, its troposphere. There’s no votes in hopping on a space shuttle to somewhere.

  6. john 6

    Why did Kiwis vote him in then? Anyone could read what type of man he is!!!

    • BLiP 6.1

      That’s a good question and there’s all sorts of answers. There’s the naive belief that it was National Ltdâ„¢’s “turn”, there’s the “communist lesbian nanny combo” appeal to the irrational emotional aspect of the population, there’s the fact that the electorate seems to have a short memory when it comes to National Ltdâ„¢ and couldn’t/wouldn’t believe that its manifesto was a schedule of bollocks, there was the turd polishing hagiographic personal biography of The Goober . . . be good to get a definitive answer, assuming there is one. It certainly wasn’t a considered decision based on policy, hell no!! If there should ever be a happy election day that happens, we’ll have a Green Party in power.

      But what about you, john, what do you think? Do you even?

      • felix 6.1.1

        “…the electorate seems to have a short memory when it comes to National Ltdâ„¢…”

        I’ve been thinking a bit about this lately BLiP. Why did so many voters in 2008 act like they were born yesterday?

        One factor I haven’t seen discussed is the enormous number of immigrants who entered the country during Labour’s 3 terms who – having never lived in NZ under a National govt – may well have taken more of the bullshit at face value than many long-time residents would.

        The whole “you can have all the good stuff plus a tax cut” schtick only really made sense if you had no idea what Nat govts are like. A lot of their campaign rhetoric was so blatantly 180 degrees from anything National govts have ever stood for but how would you know unless you’d lived here before ’99 or taken a particular interest in NZ political history?

        To recent immigrants you can add anyone relatively apolitical who turned 18 sometime after 1999 and you’re looking at a decent amount of voters who, politically speaking, actually were born yesterday.

        Will they fall for it again? Anecdotally I can think of quite a few who won’t. Thoughts?

        • BLiP 6.1.1.1

          Ahhhh . . . now there’s a dynamic I hadn’t considered and, I wonder if, Labour made fatal assumptions concerning. Being an immigrant in Aotearoa is not an easy fate, especially for our melatonin-enhanced brothers and sisters, and those who might initially flounder with the lingua franca. I would suggest that C/T et al were more aware of it than perhaps the rest of us should have been and were quick to fund the likes of Shawn Tan et al to stir up fear that egregious spate of crime facilitated. (Where are the headlines now, I wonder.) Labour and the Greens should be all over this issue ensuring as best they can, as The Who so wisely said, they don’t get fooled again.

          Very good thinking, 99. I’m going to have to ponder but, as usual, you have provided another slant, this time on the “what happened” question. Cheers mate.

          In the meantime, you might be interested in this highly confidential, internal Crosby/Textor training video. It looks as if they have been turning to practical science to supplement their social science experiments and it explains exactly what was done to John Key in the lead up to November 2008.

          • felix 6.1.1.1.1

            Don’t forget about the less-pigmented immigrants either – lots of fairly apolitical Brits have come here in the past decade to buy a house and raise kids and generally get a fair go at the Kiwi dream – the “all this + a tax cut” would’ve resonated pretty well there too.

            As for the video, it reminds me of being a kid and having someone explain to me how a “sheen” is light reflected off a surface whereas a “gleam” radiates from within something. You really can put a sheen on anything it seems.

      • prism 6.1.2

        there’s the “communist lesbian nanny combo’ appeal to the irrational emotional aspect of the population, there’s the fact that the electorate seems to have a short memory when it comes to National Ltdâ„¢

        A politician can wear out the goodwill voters had whether male or female. It is sexist to constantly cast criticism of HC in terms of anti-female. Labour did not have a good majority in the previous election, and did not please or offer enough positive visions for the voters who cared when they finally went down. National seemed to have better ones, and didn’t have the weight of years of activity that hadn’t given enough lift to the country for the future.

        The anti-spam says it all for now – mess!

  7. ghostwhowalksnz 7

    This could be useful

    The Keirsey Temperament Sorter (KTS) is a self-assessed personality questionnaire designed to help people better understand themselves and others. It was first introduced in the book Please Understand Me.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keirsey_Temperament_Sorter

    The type that probably corresponds to John Key is this one

    Promoters are tactical operators, concrete in speech and utilitarian in action. In social situations, they are directive and expressive.[2] Promoters are the most adept among the types at maneuvering other people to their position. They make a point of getting to know those in positions of influence. Promoters are also resourceful, knowing where the fun and the action are. They like to indulge themselves in the finer things in life and to bring other people with them. Their goal in life is to sell themselves and their ideas to others. Dramatic and debonair, they are gifted at earning others’ confidence.[1]

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promoter_(Role_Variant)

    Sorry about the cut and paste but it makes the point

    [lprent: fixed the tags ]

  8. I agree with Francisco, if I were a member of the Labour Party I woulnt base my opposition to the NACTs on such a flimsy characteristion of Key’s personality as the vacuous man in the middle. Key is just the man for the NACTs, having gone through Binglish and dumped Don, and with the rest useless or faceless, Key is the personable ‘smiling assassin’ who can front NACTs rightwing agenda. What makes Key good is that he is actually believes the crap about the meritocracy and his own life is proof of it for many NZers who would have loved to go from state house to Wall St to ‘live the dream’.
    So its not Key that is important as such but the fact that Key represents the realised ‘aspirations’ of lots of middle class NZ trying to escape the working class even when theyre not. He provides a few targets to blame and bash.
    So he can be pragmatic, this and that, feint left and right, but all the time he serves the basic agenda of the ruling class to try to fool most of the people most of the time so that the bosses can gerrymander, jackup, pay off, suck off, smile and gloat while they shaft us with rogernomics 11. He is still doing pretty well considering the rolling ruck the NACTs are using to steamroll democracy, welfare, and climate change policy.
    Its not about leaders its about followers. While NZ follows the leader like sheep they will end up at the works.

    • felix 8.1

      That’s spot on but it cuts both ways. You could attack the rest of National on their policy, their sub-par cabinet, their already long list of lies and corruption from now until the election and you know what? Key would still smile and dance his way into half the Party vote. But he’s all they’ve got, electability-wise, and they know it.

Links to post

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
    14 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
    17 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    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
    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
    7 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
    7 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 2024-04-24T14:09:11+00:00