The struggle over gambling corruption

Written By: - Date published: 10:04 am, March 25th, 2014 - 48 comments
Categories: accountability, community democracy, corruption, crime, peter dunne, poverty, same old national - Tags: ,

The concern and debate over the loss of funding to the Problem Gambling Foundation has focused a lot on the PGF’s opposition to the SkyCity deal and the government’s, especially Peter Dunne’s, possible role in the de-funding decision.

Powerful pokie trusts & non-transparent manipulations

However, there are indications that the most significant of PGF’s opponents are not within government itself, but powerful commercial networks involved within the gambling industries – not just at SkyCity, but those involved in managing pokie trusts.  Such trusts lack full transparency. It is highly likely that key people involved in the trusts are buddies with, and/or move within the same networks as influential, wealthy and powerfully connected people.  This would make it very hard to locate the ways in which anti-PGF interests influenced the outcome of the decision to limit funding to the PGF.

The NZ Herald editorial yesterday hinted at this.  The government, especially Peter Dunne as Minister of Health, the ministry responsible for the decision has bent over backwards to ensure that he is not linked to the decision making.  However, the editorial also suggests ways that public servants can act in ways to provide the outcome that the government wants, without being directly instructed to do so.

As that minister, Peter Dunne, said in reply to criticism from the Greens, Labour and the Public Service Association, the ministry “went beyond the requirements of best practice”. Which could well confirm the critics in their cynicism. They know and the electorate knows public servants can pick up on political winds, anticipate their masters’ prejudices and move to consider them. Not always to meet them, but to find a way for the political within the strict machinery of the state.

[Edit: The NZ Herald is confusing on ministerial responsibilities.  Peter Dunne is Associate Minister of Health – responsible for problem gambling-;  and Minister of Internal Affairs – responsible for gambling legislation and licenses, etc]

Other news articles have pointed to complaints against the PGF by Pokie Trusts.  For instance, Steve Kilgallon on Stuff reported 2 days ago,

A senior industry source said pokie trusts had lodged several complaints with the ministry about PGF’s behaviour, resulting in the foundation’s chief executive, Graeme Ramsey, being called to “please explain” meetings.

Ramsey confirmed the meetings, saying “it’s fair to say our political activity creates tension with the funder” but said he had told the ministry no taxpayer money was spent on advocacy work.

The main concern about the pokie trusts is that they don’t return as much of the profits from pokies back to the community as the laws and regulations intend. The trusts must therefore be involved in some secretive manipulations to siphon profits back to the trust managers.

The PGF has been campaigning against such corruption since at least 2010.  In this press release of November 2010, the PGF supports Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell’s private members Gambling Harm Reduction Bill.

The Problem Gambling Foundation says now is the time to review the current system of distributing pokie funds through trusts, a system which continues to be abused.

[…]

Graeme Ramsey, Problem Gambling Foundation CEO, says this will address the issue of the blatant misuse of pokie money by people held in positions of trust that is rife in New Zealand.

“Year after year, the number of cases involving the misuse of pokie funds is outstanding. People who are trusted with the distribution of large sums of public money continue to flout the law, and it is the community that is deprived of valuable funding for worthy causes,” he says.

According to yesterday’s NZ Herald editorial, the decision to review the allocation of funding for problem gambling was “signalled” in 2012.  In an article by Simon Collins in today’s NZ Herald, Graeme Ramsay of the PGF says they were not aware that such a review was being undertaken.  The PGF is considering a legal challenge to the de-funding.

Flavell’s Bill was introduced to parliament in late  2010.  In the course of progress through the House, the government succeeded in ripping the teeth out of the Bill.

Kate Shuttleworth reported in the NZ Herald on July 10 2013:

Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell defended his Gambling Harm Reduction Bill in Parliament tonight, after most of its measures to minimise the harm caused by pokie machines were removed or weakened.

The Bill became law on 14 September 2013.

Previously a Maori Party document claimed that:

The system is rife with corruption and misuse of public money

It included this graphic

Gambling Harm reduction Maori Party document

The Nats, crime & addictive gambling systems

A well researched 2012 submission to the Gambling Harm Reduction Bill by the PGF had outlined the harms of gambling addictions, of which pokies are the most damaging.  It also points to the lack of transparency and accountability in the allocation of public money to pokie trusts.

On the passing of the Bill, Green MP Denise Roche claimed that the National government had “hijacked” and “gutted” the Bill as a result of pressure from the pokie trusts.

The struggle over gambling addictions and the alleged corruption of the powerful Pokie Trusts has been going on for several years, with the government acting in support of the interests of these trusts in the gutting of the Gambling Harm Reduction Bill.

The PGF has also been outspoken about the association with gambling addictions and various criminal activities, including money laundering via casinos and pokies. See for instance the interview with ex PGF head John Stansfield on RNZ’s Panel, part 1, on 21 March 2014 (h/t joe90) – from 7 minutes into the audio.

[audio http://podcast.radionz.co.nz/aft/aft-20140321-1610-the_panel_with_susan_hornsby-geluk_and_nevil_gibson_part_1-048.mp3 ]

The removal of most of the funding for the PGF is the latest chapter in this struggle: a chapter in which the government bent over backwards to ensure that they are not linked with the decision.

48 comments on “The struggle over gambling corruption ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Colt45 1
    25 March 2014 at 10:15 am

    Yeah but in total – 72.12% is going to the public[according to that Maori graph] – either directly, or via government. There’s no smoke here at all let alone a fire.

    • Colonial Viper 1.1
      25 March 2014 at 10:20 am

      Wait – you’re not worried about where the remaining 28% of hundreds of millions of dollars end up?

      You’re not worried about who exactly receives that 37% of hundreds of millions of dollars going “to the community”?

      That’s a massive amount of money, and we’ve already seen evidence in the courts of big money rorts. Why are you taking such a laid back attitude?

    • karol 1.2
      25 March 2014 at 10:32 am

      You need to look more closely at the Maori Party document. The money should be returned to the community that the pokies took the money from – not be spread throughout all communities in the country.

      And the aim should be to return 80% of the funding to the local community. But Pokie managers tend to aim for the lower 37% minimum as the standard.

      Then you also need to look at the amount being returned to the trusts – 27% – the trusts are meant to be covering their costs, not profiteering out of it. The Maori Party document gives these examples.

      Shane Alvin Cosgrave
      –
      a former pokie boss and was a trustee of the South Auckland Community Trust. Admitted giving himself personal loans from the trust, and used $139,000 of trust money to pay for expenses and renovations to his pub.

      The Trusts Charitable Foundation (TTCF)
      –
      Murray Acklin was paid $425,254 over three years as an “executive trustee with special responsibilities. DIA considered the expenditure to be excessive and not reasonable or necessary to the gambling operation.

      Otago Rugby Union
      –
      Investigated for use of pokie money. Grants being used to pay creditors instead of for authorised purposes.

      Plenty of other examples including money being given to clubs etc in wealthier areas and not the low income areas where the pokie machines extracted revenue.

      • wyndham 1.2.1
        25 March 2014 at 1:04 pm

        Dunne not Minister of Health, Karol. Associate, I think.

        • karol 1.2.1.1
          25 March 2014 at 1:21 pm

          Thanks, wyndham. Will correct.

          Edit: On checking I found it was the NZ Herald editorial that first made the error. I repeated it. Dunne is Assoc Minister of Health and Minister of Internal Affairs. The Health Ministry is responsible for problem gambling. The Internal Affairs Ministry is responsible for gambling legislation, licenses, etc.

    • Mark 1.3
      25 March 2014 at 4:08 pm

      You have got to be joking. I owned a hotel from 2002 to 2007 and money was and still is awash in the system. Every rule was circumvented and hobby horses were funded. The CEO of the trust I was involved with was heavily involved in Ice hockey in Nz. It somehow managed to get $300,000 from the trust each year even though it wasn’t listed as one of the core groups the trust was looking to fund. The system is a crock for the benifit of a few at the expense of the rest of us.

  2. Penny Bright 2
    25 March 2014 at 10:28 am

    http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/pb/presented/petitions/50DBHOH_PET3196_1/petition-of-penelope-mary-bright-and-13-others-that-the

    Petition of Penelope Mary Bright and 13 others

    That the House conduct an urgent inquiry into why New Zealand Auditor-General Lyn Provost did not disclose that she was a shareholder in Sky City Entertainment Group Ltd at the time she declined to conduct an urgent investigation into the failure of the Organised and Financial Crime Agency of New Zealand to carry out ‘due diligence’ on the increased risk of money-laundering arising from the New Zealand International Convention Centre (Bill) 2013.

    Petition number: 2011/101
    Presented by: Denis O’Rourke
    Date presented: 12 March 2014
    Referred to: Finance and Expenditure Committee

    The NZ Auditor-General Lyn Provost IS A SHAREHOLDER IN SKY CITY and was so at the time I asked her to investigate a matter involving Sky City (which she declined).

    This petition is now before the Finance and Expenditure Committee of the NZ Parliament.

    In my considered opinion, (and I have told her to her face), I believe that NZ Auditor-General Lyn Provost is UNFIT FOR DUTY – CORRUPT and SHOULD BE SACKED.

    So far NO mainstream media have picked up this story!

    ‘Believe it or what’?!

    Don’t you think one or two members of the public (locally, nationally and internationally ) might be just a little bit interested in this, given that NZ is supposed to be the ‘least corrupt country in the world’ and all that crap ….. ?

    Penny Bright

    ‘Anti-corruption / anti-privatisation Public Watchdog’

    • srylands 2.1
      25 March 2014 at 2:34 pm

      “So far NO mainstream media have picked up this story!”

      Gee I wonder why? You come across as a bit mad. Like most of us she probably has shares in dozens of companies. Are you suggesting that her financial stake in Sky City was so material, both absolutely, and relative to her total net wealth, that her shareholding was a real conflict of interest with her official duties? Can you substantiate such a claim?

      • One Anonymous Bloke 2.1.1
        25 March 2014 at 2:53 pm

        S Rylands, your refusal to take the Mad Queen seriously is evidence of your corruption. You must resign forthwith!

      • Murray Olsen 2.1.2
        27 March 2014 at 5:48 pm

        Most of us don’t have shares at all. Things might be different in your Sydney neighbourhood, but I think this gives us a clue as to how you sustain your delusions……

  3. thatguynz 3
    25 March 2014 at 11:41 am

    From memory I think Martin has posted here in the past but I’m sure now is a prescient time to bring his findings back into the light…

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/6785852/The-inside-man

    tl;dr The gambling industry in NZ has always been “corrupt”/unexplained. This is but another (albeit tragic) chapter in an already long story..

  4. Puckish Rogue 4
    25 March 2014 at 12:23 pm

    The Ministry of Health had several meetings with the Problem Gambling Foundation to address concerns about political lobbying after complaints by poker machine trusts about outspoken attacks on the sector, the Sunday Star-Times has been told.

    A senior industry source said pokie trusts had lodged several complaints with the ministry about PGF’s behaviour, resulting in the foundation’s chief executive, Graeme Ramsey, being called to “please explain” meetings.

    Ramsey confirmed the meetings, saying “it’s fair to say our political activity creates tension with the funder” but said he had told the ministry no taxpayer money was spent on advocacy work.

    The ministry decided on Thursday not to renew its problem gambling counselling contract with PGF.

    PGF is highly unpopular among the gaming sector, a senior official said, saying it “was blatant politicking and it went beyond advocacy and into manipulation. They had become a vehicle for the Greens and the Labour left”.

    • thatguynz 4.1
      25 March 2014 at 12:52 pm

      Surprising that you would come along and parrot that as fact PR…

      Do you think that it may have been in the interests of the gaming sector to politicise this as stated “They had become a vehicle for the Greens and the Labour left”.?

    • One Anonymous Bloke 4.2
      25 March 2014 at 1:31 pm

      …as opposed to the National Party, which has become a vehicle for money launderers, casinos, and Judith Collins’ close friends and family.

    • Naki Man 4.3
      25 March 2014 at 2:03 pm

      When I was a volunteer fireman pub charity paid for all our and many other fire brigades rescue equipment to cut people out of car wrecks. Graeme Ramsey has had his snout in the trough sucking on tax payer’s money for far too long. I am glad the funding has been transferred to the Salvation Army. You are to blame Mr Ramsey no one else. That will teach you to bite the hand that feeds you.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 4.3.1
        25 March 2014 at 2:17 pm

        Surround yourself with yes-men. That’s the way to be a raging success, yes sirree.

      • McFlock 4.3.2
        25 March 2014 at 2:23 pm

        When I was a volunteer fireman pub charity paid for all our and many other fire brigades rescue equipment to cut people out of car wrecks

        The gist of your argument seems to be that social services should be funded by untreated addicts we exploit, rather than by government taxing those who have reaped the most benefit from the society we create.

    • McFlock 4.4
      25 March 2014 at 2:21 pm

      So PGF were only allowed to try an clean up the harm caused by gambling, not point it out?

      While I’ve never been an ally of ASH, saying that “PGF is highly unpopular among the gaming sector” is like saying that ASH is highly unpopular amongst tobacco growers.

    • Tracey 4.5
      25 March 2014 at 3:46 pm

      all sounds reasonable until the major paranoia exhibited in the last sentence. why should an organisation that deals on a daily basis with the human face of the destructive side of gambling be a friend to the pokie trusts…

      the pokie trusts biggest problem has been themselves and tgeir dubious connections with rugby and rugby league ex players.

  5. ghostwhowalksnz 5
    25 March 2014 at 1:41 pm

    Switching to another provider – who seems as surprised as anyone else- just doesnt add up.

    To het these sort of contracts you have to fill out plenty of forms to show you have capacity- ie trained counsellors and support staff etc.

    As well the final awarding of contract is usually done with a scoring system to cover all these items and the overall management of the program. This scoring system is normally given to the applicants before they apply

    But still the SA ( a highly reputable organisation) got the full contract, something it hadnt asked for.

    The paper trail of this will make hilarious reading, given that Dunne the responsible minister claims its
    “beyond best practice”

    Its hard not to see that ‘every rule in the book’ was broken to do this.

  6. ianmac 6
    25 March 2014 at 1:42 pm

    Well this would be interesting.
    “Foundation for helping problem gamblers is seeking lawyers’ advice over Govt decision to cut its funding.”
    I bet the Govt will find a way to block that.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11225568

    • ghostwhowalksnz 6.1
      25 March 2014 at 1:53 pm

      It wont block the court hearing…

      But as part of the process it has to supply all the information it had to make the current decision

      Which is what the PGF is after

      • ianmac 6.1.1
        25 March 2014 at 2:06 pm

        Thanks Ghostie. Wonder how long the procees will take? Very peculiar all round but appears to tie in with the “National looks after their cronies” and ” National always in dodgy deals.”

  7. captain hook 7
    25 March 2014 at 2:07 pm

    When it comes to gambling the rule is the House always wins. The National party is making sure that the house has enough money off the skim to pay for donations so the lowbrows can enjoy their brief stint in power. They are just as much crooks as the guys that “FIX” the take.

  8. captain hook 8
    25 March 2014 at 2:45 pm

    they still crooks naki man and if you support them then you must be bent too.

    • Mainlander 8.1
      26 March 2014 at 9:10 am

      Tard comment of the day, so you are saying half of all of NZ is corrupt because they support the “Blue Devils” kinda insulting to your fellow Kiwis isnt it

  9. Tracey 9
    25 March 2014 at 3:50 pm

    i cant find pete georges post of dunnes statement explaining the non tender process and how sallies didnt know they were getting funding increase and what for. he was so helpful on friday.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 9.1
      25 March 2014 at 4:24 pm

      pg;dr

    • Pete George 9.2
      25 March 2014 at 4:28 pm

      I haven’t seen anything from Dunne on it, but NZ Doctor have done some checking.

      “The fact the Salvation Army said it did not tender for the contract to supply problem gambling services, yet was awarded it, adds weight to the allegation that the Problem Gambling Foundation was being punished for its opposition to the SkyCity deal,” Ms Roche says in a press release.

      We tendered, says Salvation Army

      But the head of the Salvation Army’s Addiction Services, Captain Gerry Walker, says this is wrong.

      “We tendered for it,” he told New Zealand Doctor, “We tendered for what we believed we had the capacity and capability to deliver.”

      Captain Walker says he does not know where the idea the Salvation Army was surprised to receive the contract had come from and that it had not described itself as the “national provider”.

      “There is no surprise. We have been waiting to hear what we will be contracted to provide.”

      http://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/news/2014/march-2014/24/we-did-tender-for-gambling-addiction-services,-say-sallies.aspx

      I think there’s valid questions to be asked about the tender and how the service can best be provided but making this a highly politicised issue and making what appear to be incorrect claims is diverting from what should be examined.

      • Tracey 9.2.1
        25 March 2014 at 4:36 pm

        interesting statements given the very recent decision by the sallies to give up premises suitable for providing more services than currently and the shedding over the last few years of qualified and experienced counsellors for those learning on the job.

        i am sure the sallies wouldnt object to their tender document being available for public scrutiny given they were the only ones going for this new super provider position.

      • Tracey 9.2.2
        25 March 2014 at 4:41 pm

        mr walker also said

        “… the army has 18 gambling-related staff in six “Oasis” centres, compared with 63 Problem Gambling Foundation staff in 10 centres.”

        the quality of some of those staff in one oasis centre is very questionable.

        • McFlock 9.2.2.1
          25 March 2014 at 4:53 pm

          I’m just surprised that PG has a paid-up subscription to NZ doctor, given that the article he links to is behind a paywall.

          Unless someone else gave him a copy of the article, or even a prepared excerpt that handily avoids stating exactly what “it” was that the sallies tendered for…

          But then pete’s completely impartial, isn’t he? I’m sure he’s no longer on Dunne’s email list.

          • Tracey 9.2.2.1.1
            25 March 2014 at 4:57 pm

            i did try to find it but struck the wall.

            • karol 9.2.2.1.1.1
              25 March 2014 at 5:04 pm

              Strangely I can’t access the article from PG’s link, but I accessed it via google news on chrome.

              http://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/news/2014/march-2014/24/we-did-tender-for-gambling-addiction-services,-say-sallies.aspx

              I’ll include the raw link so as to compare it to PGs – looks the same to me.

              Edit: no the link doesn’t work here. More of article:

              “There is no surprise. We have been waiting to hear what we will be contracted to provide.”

              No details on tender

              Asked how much of the total services the Army had tendered for, he says it is not appropriate to discuss the content of its tender.

              “It was for what we could deliver,” he says. “It was an open and transparent tender.”

              • karol …
                25 March 2014 at 5:15 pm

                Also, the PGF were aware of the tender process, but not that it was going to involve a formal review. The tender process was seen by the PGF as no different from the previous submissions for funding.

                The public tender process was “signalled” in 2012. A formal review of the submissions was commissioned at the end of 2013.

                From today’s NZ Herald article.

                Details are still sketchy. Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne denied allegations of political influence and said on Friday that a public tender for problem gambling services was signalled in 2012 because the sector had developed “in an ad hoc manner with duplication of services from national providers simply not achieving the best value for money”.

                He said a six-member panel evaluated the 32 bids late last year and the ministry commissioned an independent review by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) before proposing that the major national provider would be the Salvation Army.

                But Mr Ramsey said he was unaware of the PWC review and had no inkling the foundation’s main contract might be axed until he was told last Thursday that the ministry had accepted “a superior bid or bids”. He said no reasons were given.

          • Pete George 9.2.2.1.2
            25 March 2014 at 5:02 pm

            Odd, I get the wall when I follow the link but I accessed the article without any problem (and still can) from a Google search: salvation army tender gambling

            • McFlock 9.2.2.1.2.1
              25 March 2014 at 5:47 pm

              I stand corrected – works via that google search, but not directly. Weird.

              Anyway, the sallies reckon they got what they tendered for, but are cagey as to whether they tendered for more than quadruple what they currently provide (their current plus the PGF).

              Still looks dodgy, and the use of an external review screams “hatchet job”. Who commissioned the review and defined the terms of reference? Did they pull a Parata?

              Something stinks

              • One Anonymous Bloke …
                25 March 2014 at 6:02 pm

                It’s the stink of having to wade through acres of Pete George before you can get to the raw Peter Dunne sewage.

                Edit: “Peter Dunne sewage” is a tautology.

            • lprent 9.2.2.1.2.2
              25 March 2014 at 6:48 pm

              There is also the possibility of the page being redirected to a readable copy when coming from a google search. That is getting fairly common behind paywalls to keep their pages up in the google search criteria.

              You also may be reading a cached copy courtesy of google. If the page was at any point visible to the world (as they often are on publications for short periods) and marked as cacheable, then they can and often are. If you ever looked closely at google’s search pages in the past (but not now apparently) you’d have seen a “Cached version” on many pages. These days they often just serve it up transparently when the site can’t be contacted.

              It took a bit of work to make sure that didn’t happen here.

              In this case looking at delivery, it looks like there was a redirect 304 at the NZDoctor

  10. Ad 10
    25 March 2014 at 5:43 pm

    What bothers more more than this instance is how much democracy has cooled down under this government.

    Deleting the Problem Gambling Foundation is small. But meaningful.

    The stripping out of the night-school classes in their first term deleted a whole layer of activist community.

    The rapid decline of unions is another alternative voice – of both protest and alternative analysis – which this government has hastened.

    The tone in which their Ministers and their agencies have shut down rather than opened up dialogue with the Christchurch rebuild has been startling and so consistently rude.

    The GCSB Act – while it may not affect many people, it still has a chillling effect on the societal expression that is possible.

    The major retrenchment planned for the role of local government in New Zealand also undercuts the full role of democracy as a value and as a function.

    Even this recent move to enable bloggers to join the Press Council and hence be disciplined by them can send a little unnecessary chill.

    None of them are connected explicitly. But all of them add up to a society in which our expressive being is smaller, more uniform, less interesting and challenging. Not only do we become more easily led, but we also find less reason to contest any existing order – eg through elections.

    Not that New Zealand could ever be accused of being pro-intellectual – quite the opposite. But it’s a lazy path for a central government to take us down. Few miss any one element now, but – like the Kiwi itself – collectively we will miss them when they are largely gone.

    • Ergo Robertina 10.1
      25 March 2014 at 6:25 pm

      Add to your list the Disability Amendment Act, which removed the right of the disabled to use the courts to pursue future equity cases on family payment matters. Attorney General Chris Finlayson said it could violate the Bill of Rights. But of course like all the Nat sheep he voted for it.
      – Enabling charter schools to avoid public scrutiny by exempting them from the OIA.
      – Removing democracy in Environment Canterbury and refusing to reinstate it.

    • tc 10.2
      25 March 2014 at 6:41 pm

      Night classes showed the ugly early and the cavalcade through the sectors has continued to this recent PGF situation.

      NZ as a restaurant has had the legs sawn off alot of tables by the nact. Some taken off with barely a whisper.

    • Chooky 10.3
      25 March 2014 at 9:07 pm

      +100 …NZ democracy is being undermined and trashed in many many conceivable ways by this NACT govt

      ….but I fear worse and more fatal onslaughts from without if the TPP goes ahead and if internet freedom is undermined by the USA and multi-nationals

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    The Kākā’s climate correspondent and had a chat with environmental historian and author Catherine Knight about why ‘feel good' actions like recycling and owning an electric car are unlikely to be enough to create a transition to zero emissions, let alone a just one. Knight says comments like ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    18 hours ago

  • Chippy misses a chance
    National leader Christopher Luxon has pulled out of any rescheduling of tonight’s Press debate, which has had to be cancelled because Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has Covid. The cancellation has given National an excuse to avoid a debate, which was always going to be a risk for Luxon. But ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    19 hours ago

  • The Angry Majority.
    The People's Champion vs The People's Prosecutor: It is the news media’s job to elicit information from politicians – not to prosecute them. Peters’ promise to sort out TVNZ should be believed. If he finds himself in a position to carry out his threat, then it will only be because ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 day ago

  • Verrall is chuffed by govt’s latest push into pay equity while Woods enthuses about an $11m spend ...
    Buzz from the Beehive The headline on a ministerial press statement curiously expresses the government’s position when it declares:   Government shows further commitment to pay equity for healthcare workers. Is it not enough to declare just one commitment? Or is the government’s commitment to pay equity being declared sector by ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago

  • A very worthy coalition partner for Seymour and Luxon
    There have been 53 New Zealand Parliaments so far. The 39th of them was elected in 1978. It was a parliament of 92 MPs, most of them men. The New Zealand Music Awards that year named John Rowles Male Vocalist of the Year and — after a short twelve months ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago

  • Labour still protecting the status quo
    Aotearoa has a cost of living crisis. And one of the major drivers of this crisis is the supermarket duopoly, who gouge every dollar they can out of us. Last year, the Commerce Commission found that the duopoly was in fact anti-competititve, giving the government social licence to fix the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago

  • Gordon Campbell on National’s myths about the desolated state of the economy
    Familiarity breeds consent. If you repeat the line “six years of economic mis-management” about 10,000 times, it sounds like the received wisdom, whatever the evidence to the contrary. Yes, the global pandemic and the global surge in inflation that came in its wake occurred here as well – but if ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    1 day ago

  • MICHAEL BASSETT: Hapless Hipkins and his racism
    Michael Bassett writes – Without so much as batting an eyelid, Chris Hipkins told an audience on Saturday that there had been “more racism” in this election campaign than ever before. And he blamed it on the opposition parties, National, Act and New Zealand First. In those ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • BRIAN EASTON: The ‘recession’ has been called off, but some households are still struggling
    While the economy is not doing too badly in output terms, external circumstances are not favourable, and there is probably a sizeable group of households struggling because of rising interest rates. Brian Easton writes – Last week’s announcement of a 0.9 percent increase in volume GDP for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Monday’s Chorus: Richie Poulton's lament
    “You can't really undo what happens during childhood”, said the director of the Dunedin longitudinal study. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Richie Poulton, the director of the world-leading Dunedin longitudinal study showing how devastating poverty in early life is, died yesterday. With his final words, he lamented the lack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • North-western downgrades
    This is a guest post from reader Peter N As many of us know, Auckland Transport and Waka Kotahi are well into progressing works on the northwestern interim “busway” with services to kick off in just over a month from now on Sunday 12th November 2023. Some of the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago

  • Has Webworm Found New Zealand’s Weirdest School?
    Hi,Before we talk about weird schools people choose to send their kids to, a few things on my mind. I adored the Ask Me Anything we did last week. Thanks for taking part. I love answering your weird and nosy questions, even questions about beans.I am excited and scared as Mister ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • Another mother of a budget
    A National government would make spending cuts on a scale not seen since the 1990 – 96 Bolger government.That much was confirmed with the release of their Fiscal Plan on Friday.Government spending is currently high as a percentage of GDP — as high as it was during the Muldoon ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • A crucial week starts as early voting opens in the NZ Elections … it’s been a ride so far. Are y...
    Chris Hipkins down with Covid, at least for 5 days isolation, National continue to obfuscate, ACT continues to double-down on the poor and Winston… well, he’s being Winston really. Voters beware: this week could be even more infuriating than the last. No Party is what they used to be ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    2 days ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #39
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 24, 2023 thru Sat, Sep 30, 2023. Story of the Week We’re not doomed yet’: climate scientist Michael Mann on our last chance to save human civilisation The renowned US ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Clusterf**ck of Chaos.
    On the 11th of April 1945 advancing US forces liberated the Nazi concentration camp of Buchenwald near Weimar in Germany. In the coming days, under the order of General Patton, a thousand nearby residents were forced to march to the camp to see the atrocities that had been committed in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • The party of business deals with the future by pretending it isn’t coming
    Years and years ago, when Helen Clark was Prime Minister and John Key was gunning for her job, I had a conversation with a mate, a trader who knew John Key well enough to paint a helpful picture.It was many drinks ago so it’s not a complete one. But there’s ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • 2023 More Reading: September (+ Old Phuul update)
    Completed reads for September: The Lost Continent, by C.J. Cutcliffe Hyne Flatland, by Edwin Abbott All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque The Country of the Blind, by H.G. Wells The Day of the Triffids, by John Wyndham A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    3 days ago

  • Losing The Left.
    Descending Into The Dark: The ideological cadres currently controlling both Labour and the Greens are forcing “justice”, “participation” and “democracy” to make way for what is “appropriate” and “responsible”. But, where does that leave the people who, for most of their adult lives, have voted for left-wing parties, precisely to ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • The New “Emperor’s New Clothes”.
    “‘BUT HE HASN’T GOT ANYTHING ON,’ a little boy said ….. ‘But he hasn’t got anything on!’ the whole town cried out at last.”On this optimistic note, Hans Christian Andersen brings his cautionary tale of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” to an end.Andersen’s children’s story was written nearly two centuries ago, ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • BRYCE EDWARDS: The vested interests shaping National Party policies
      Bryce Edwards writes – As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: A conundrum for those pushing racist dogma
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – The heavily promoted narrative, which has ramped up over the last six years, is that Maori somehow have special vulnerabilities which arise from outside forces they cannot control; that contemporary society fails to meet their needs. They are not receptive to messages and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • CHRIS TROTTER:  The greater of two evils
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.   Chris Trotter writes – THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 30
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Labour presented a climate manifesto that aimed to claim the high ground on climate action vs National, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • The ‘Recession’ Has Been Called Off, But Some Households Are Still Struggling
    While the economy is not doing too badly in output terms, external circumstances are not favourable, and there is probably a sizeable group of households struggling because of rising interest rates.Last week’s announcement of a 0.9 percent increase in volume GDP for the June quarter had the commentariat backing down ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago

  • Climate Change: The wrong direction
    This week the International Energy Association released its Net Zero Roadmap, intended to guide us towards a liveable climate. The report demanded huge increases in renewable generation, no new gas or oil, and massive cuts to methane emissions. It was positive about our current path, but recommended that countries with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • “Racism” becomes a buzz word on the campaign trail – but our media watchdogs stay muzzled when...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Oh, dear.  We have nothing to report from the Beehive. At least, we have nothing to report from the government’s official website. But the drones have not gone silent.  They are out on the election campaign trail, busy buzzing about this and that in the hope ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Play it, Elvis
    Election Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t have time for. You’re welcome, etc. Let us press on, etc. 1.  What did Christopher Luxon use to his advantage in ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Pure class warfare
    National unveiled its fiscal policy today, announcing all the usual things which business cares about and I don't. But it did finally tell us how National plans to pay for its handouts to landlords: by effectively cutting benefits: The biggest saving announced on Friday was $2b cut from the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Ask Me Anything about the week to Sept 29
    Photo by Anna Ogiienko on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for an hour, including:duelling fiscal plans from National and Labour;Labour cutting cycling spending while accusing National of being weak on climate;Research showing the need for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Weekly Roundup 29-September-2023
    Welcome to Friday and the last one for September. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted at the latest with the City Rail Link. On Tuesday, Matt covered the interesting items from Auckland Transport’s latest board meeting agendas. On Thursday, a guest post from Darren Davis ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago

  • Protest at Parliament: The Reunion.
    Brian’s god spoke to him. He, for of course the Lord in Tamaki’s mind was a male god, with a mighty rod, and probably some black leathers. He, told Brian - “you must put a stop to all this love, hope, and kindness”. And it did please the Brian.He said ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Labour cuts $50m from cycleway spending
    Labour is cutting spending on cycling infrastructure while still trying to claim the higher ground on climate. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Labour Government released a climate manifesto this week to try to claim the high ground against National, despite having ignored the Climate Commission’s advice to toughen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • The Greater Of Two Evils.
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very rarely is an opposition party elected ...
    Bowalley Road
    5 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #39 2023
    Open access notables "Net zero is only a distraction— we just have to end fossil fuel emissions." The latter is true but the former isn't, or  not in the real world as it's likely to be in the immediate future. And "just" just doesn't enter into it; we don't have ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Chris Trotter: Losing the Left
    IN THE CURRENT MIX of electoral alternatives, there is no longer a credible left-wing party. Not when “a credible left-wing party” is defined as: a class-oriented, mass-based, democratically-structured political organisation; dedicated to promoting ideas sharply critical of laissez-faire capitalism; and committed to advancing democratic, egalitarian and emancipatory ideals across the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Hipkins fires up in leaders’ debate, but has the curtain already fallen on the Labour-led coalitio...
    Labour’s  Chris Hipkins came out firing, in the  leaders’ debate  on Newshub’s evening programme, and most of  the pundits  rated  him the winner against National’s  Christopher Luxon. But will this make any difference when New  Zealanders  start casting their ballots? The problem  for  Hipkins is  that  voters are  all too ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    5 days ago

  • Govt is energising housing projects with solar power – and fuelling the public’s concept of a di...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Not long after Point of Order published data which show the substantial number of New Zealanders (77%) who believe NZ is becoming more divided, government ministers were braying about a programme which distributes some money to “the public” and some to “Maori”. The ministers were dishing ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • MIKE GRIMSHAW: Election 2023 – a totemic & charisma failure?
    The D&W analysis Michael Grimshaw writes –  Given the apathy, disengagement, disillusionment, and all-round ennui of this year’s general election, it was considered time to bring in those noted political operatives and spin doctors D&W, the long-established consultancy firm run by Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Known for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • FROM BFD: Will Winston be the spectre we think?
    Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes-  Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • California’s climate disclosure bill could have a huge impact across the U.S.
    This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Untangling South East Queensland’s Public Transport
    This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    6 days ago

  • Try A Little Kindness.
    My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • What makes NZFirst tick
    New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • September AMA
    Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago

  • Bludgers lying in the scratcher making fools of us all
    The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving. They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • More “partnerships” (by the look of it) and redress of over $30 million in Treaty settlement wit...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order has waited until now – 3.45pm – for today’s officially posted government announcements.  There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehive’s website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • ALEX HOLLAND: Labour’s spending
    Alex Holland writes –  In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • If not now, then when?
    Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • THE FACTS:  77% of Kiwis believe NZ is becoming more divided
    The Facts has posted –        KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division 77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
    The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    6 days ago

  • Wednesday’s Chorus: Arthur Grimes on why building many, many more social houses is so critical
    New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago

  • Bennie Bashing.
    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago

  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    7 days ago

  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    7 days ago

  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    1 week ago

  • Always Be Campaigning
    The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • Youth justice programme expands to break cycle of offending
    The successful ‘Circuit Breaker’ fast track programme designed to stop repeat youth offending was launched in two new locations today by Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis. The programme, first piloted in West and South Auckland in December last year, is aimed at children aged 10-13 who commit serious offending or continue ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago

  • Major milestone with 20,000 employers using Apprenticeship Boost
    The Government’s Apprenticeship Boost initiative has now supported 20,000 employers to help keep on and train up apprentices, Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni announced in Christchurch today. Almost 62,000 apprentices have been supported to start and keep training for a trade since the initiative was introduced in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago

  • Government supporting wood processing jobs and more diverse industry
    The Government is supporting non-pine tree sawmilling and backing further job creation in sawmills in Rotorua and Whangarei, Forestry Minister Peeni Henare said.   “The Forestry and Wood Processing Industry Transformation Plan identified the need to add more diversity to our productions forests, wood products and markets,” Peeni Henare said. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago

  • Government backing Canterbury’s future in aerospace industry
    The Government is helping Canterbury’s aerospace industry take off with further infrastructure support for the Tāwhaki Aerospace Centre at Kaitorete, Infrastructure Minister Dr Megan Woods has announced. “Today I can confirm we will provide a $5.4 million grant to the Tāwhaki Joint Venture to fund a sealed runway and hangar ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago

  • Updated forestry regulations increase council controls and require large slash removal
    Local councils will have more power to decide where new commercial forests – including carbon forests – are located, to reduce impacts on communities and the environment, Environment Minister David Parker said today. “New national standards give councils greater control over commercial forestry, including clear rules on harvesting practices and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago

  • New Zealand resumes peacekeeping force leadership
    New Zealand will again contribute to the leadership of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, with a senior New Zealand Defence Force officer returning as Interim Force Commander. Defence Minister Andrew Little and Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta have announced the deployment of New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • New national direction provides clarity for development and the environment
    The Government has taken an important step in implementing the new resource management system, by issuing a draft National Planning Framework (NPF) document under the new legislation, Environment Minister David Parker said today. “The NPF consolidates existing national direction, bringing together around 20 existing instruments including policy statements, standards, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government shows further commitment to pay equity for healthcare workers
    The Government welcomes the proposed pay equity settlement that will see significant pay increases for around 18,000 Te Whatu Ora Allied, Scientific, and Technical employees, if accepted said Health Minister Ayesha Verrall. The proposal reached between Te Whatu Ora, the New Zealand Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • 100 new public EV chargers to be added to national network
    The public EV charging network has received a significant boost with government co-funding announced today for over 100 EV chargers – with over 200 charging ports altogether – across New Zealand, and many planned to be up and running on key holiday routes by Christmas this year. Minister of Energy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Safeguarding Tuvalu language and identity
    Tuvalu is in the spotlight this week as communities across New Zealand celebrate Vaiaso o te Gagana Tuvalu – Tuvalu Language Week. “The Government has a proven record of supporting Pacific communities and ensuring more of our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated,” Pacific Peoples Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Many ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
    Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
    Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Immigration settings updates
    Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

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