There is no housing crisis in New Zealand *

Written By: - Date published: 8:55 am, June 10th, 2016 - 52 comments
Categories: Andrew Little, housing, Media, national, newspapers, paula bennett, same old national, spin, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags: , , ,

housing poll 2016

The Crosby Textor rule book has so far worked well for National.

The elements are now clear.  Poll and focus group as much as possible. Decide what lines will work on the middle part of the electorate to retain their attention and support. Roll out John Key, the ultimate confidence politician and schmoozer, to reassure middle New Zealand that he thinks like them and can be trusted.  And attack and blame Labour at every chance.

There are a couple of scenarios where the rule book does not work. Fast moving issues make the Government look flat footed because they do not know where to pitch their rhetoric. And occasionally their policies are that bad that they are not able to polish the proverbial turd so that it glistens.

The housing crisis ticks both boxes. The story is so fast moving with an avalanche of tales of despair that National has not been able to work out lines that will appeal to middle New Zealand.  Every time they come up with a solution another heart breaking story of the hardship being caused appears.  And National’s policies of selling off state housing while “investing” in NGOs and waiting for the market to flourish is that nonsensical and that stupid in a time of crisis that everyone is starting to notice.

Yesterday was a particularly messy day for National. As the simple touching interview of TA by John Campbell reverberated its way around New Zealand the government went into panic mode.

Andrew Little then hit National with a column in the Herald that was posted at 2 pm. Read it and weep.  Particularly this passage:

National’s has failed New Zealanders on housing. Budget 2016 delivered nothing to give young families a chance to buy their own home. It slashed funding for home insulation by two-thirds. It continued John Key’s cruel policy of taking a $118m a year profit out of Housing New Zealand at the same time families are living in cars because there aren’t enough state houses.

No wonder 76 per cent of Kiwis say there is a housing crisis, and this Government has failed to fix it. Just one in four adults under 40 own their own place today. House prices are rising at 30 times the rate of inflation. 16,000 houses are year are being bought by foreign speculators. Record numbers are living in cars and garages.

The truth, as revealed by a new study from Otago University, is that 42,000 Kiwis are suffering ‘severe housing deprivation’ – homelessness, in other words.

That was up by 25 per cent in just seven years. We are a country that rightly used to pride ourselves on looking after all our people. We used to look in horror at wealthy countries that had people living on the streets. Under National, we have become one of those countries.

As a sign of how panicked National was by this it responded with this Herald column posted at 7:42 pm by Nick Smith AND Paula Bennett. I wonder who did the typing.

The column is disingenuous to put it mildly. It says that Little had made many “incorrect claims” and that in the interest of “balance” they needed to respond.

The column started off by lauding the special housing area regime and then proceeded to trot out an array of statistics to show that everything is rosy.  There is no problem, let alone a crisis, at least according to Smith and Bennett.

Little’s column highlighted the difficulty of reconciling what John Key has recently said with the truth.  Key originally said that MSD and Salvation Army workers had gone around, knocked on homeless family’s car doors, offered them help but this was refused. After a week of backtracks it transpired that Salvation Army workers had not been involved, nor had MSD workers and they had not knocked on homeless family’s doors. Given this it is difficult to understand how the Government could still claim that people had refused help from non existent offers and non existent knocks on doors.

Smith’s and Bennett’s response to this particular allegation was contained in these paragraphs:

Mr Little also says the Prime Minister was making up information about homeless people refusing assistance.

The Labour leader is quite simply wrong. The Ministry of Social Development has been working closely with non-government organisations, and those non-government organisations have told us that some of the homeless they have been speaking to do not want our help. That is their right, but it is important they know that there is assistance available should they chose to take it up.

I had a real temptation to type this in caps.  According to Bennett and Smith Little is wrong and Key is right even though what Key said was wrong because:

  1. Salvation Army did not knock on any car doors while being accompanied by officers from  the MSD.
  2. MSD did not knock on any car doors.
  3. It is difficult to understand how Key could then report that the doors of eight homeless peoples’ cars had been knocked on given that the Salvation Army and MSD officers had not knocked on doors in the way he had described.

Bennett and Smith spend a lot of time in the column talking about special housing areas.  How many people are currently getting shelter from a special housing area?  The answer is bugger all if any.

There is the cut and thrust of political debate. But there is a stage where one side’s positioning is not reality based and we are clearly there now.

The second piece of bad news for National as covered by Rob was the announcement by Westpac and ANZ that they would no longer lend to foreign individuals without a permit of some sort and a local income money to buy local houses.  A similar announcement was made in Australia about a week ago.

Bankers are not stupid.  Clearly they see signs of a housing bubble and an impending correction and if the Government does not do anything about it they have to.  So they can protect their interests.  Which they are clearly doing.

And to complete a day of utter pathos news that Maori and Pacifica rates of housing are because, according to Nick Smith, they are poorly educated.  And the Government may have announced a $10,000 donation to Te Puea Marae twice.  And 72% of kiwis think that the Government needs to start building homes.

To finish a few tweets capturing various aspects of the story and showing why the Crosby Textor rule book is no longer working.

https://twitter.com/oreos_storieos/status/740855170645430272

https://twitter.com/grantrobertson1/status/740772018187079680

https://twitter.com/RFStew/status/740759611804950528

52 comments on “There is no housing crisis in New Zealand * ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. DH 1
    10 June 2016 at 9:18 am

    It’s all about perspectives IMO. National look after the people making money out of property and of course they are not in crisis. Their crisis would be falling house prices.

    I posted this earlier, it’s worth repeating to illustrate how contemptuous National are of low income earners in NZ.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/manukau-courier/80318339/Manukau-apartments-to-be-built-under-Crown-land-scheme

    Read at least to this bit…..

    “A portion must be sold for an “affordable” price – about $600,000.”

    If the $600k isn’t a typo then that should tell us all we really need to know about the National Party.

    • b waghorn 1.1
      10 June 2016 at 11:16 am

      “A portion must be sold for an “affordable” price – about $600,000.”

      If you had a 20% deposit on a $600 k house your repayment is roughly $550 a week . that’s not including rates and insurance. Hardly entry level.

      • Pat 1.1.1
        10 June 2016 at 11:26 am

        assuming of course you had the $120,000 saved for that twenty % deposit….or even 60k for the 10%…..not likely given the “average” kiwi has from memory around $1400 as available savings.

        • DH 1.1.1.1
          10 June 2016 at 11:45 am

          exactly Pat. There’s also the point that apartments have extra costs, such as body corporate fees, so the real outgoings are higher than $550 weekly. Odds are the ‘affordable’ apartments won’t have any parking either, that costs more.

          $600k for the cheapest apartment in a high density block listed as being subject to aircraft noise and high land transport noise is just outrageous. The cheapest apartment should be closer to $60k which is why I thought the $600k may be a typo but coming from National it probably isn’t.

      • Glenis 1.1.2
        10 June 2016 at 1:00 pm

        That’s on 4% mortgage interest. Wait till it goes back up to 7% or the 11% it was 8 years ago.

    • save nz 1.2
      10 June 2016 at 12:06 pm

      @DH – $600,000 – just shows how out of touch the National government is, to think this is ‘affordable’.

      Before last election they were talking $400,000 as being affordable.

      It keeps going up but sadly wages are static, so not sure how they are getting the figures about affordability.

      It needs to be $250,000 to be affordable. And a few years ago you used to be able to buy an apartment or unit for that in Auckland. You would now be hard pressed to find that now.

      A few years ago you could get a 3 bedroom house in west Auckland for $350,000 now it is $600,000.

      That is National creating ‘affordable’ housing – NOT!

      • DH 1.2.1
        10 June 2016 at 2:54 pm

        There’s still apartments in Auck for less than $150k, they just largely come with high ground rents and/or bodycorp fees

        This is a new freehold apartment being sold off the plans, in a higher land-cost area than the Manukau one.

        http://www.trademe.co.nz/property/residential-property-for-sale/auction-1091652176.htm

        $212k for 27m2. It’s way overpriced & too small but there’d be huge margins on that for all the middlemen so it should show it’s still possible to build affordable housing if the profit element is taken out and economies of scale applied.

        The first question I’d ask on that apartment build I linked to is whether National are planning to build $600k luxury apartments or whether they’re going to be asking $600k for apartments that cost a lot less to build and raking in huge profits. Either way they’re just blatantly sneering at low income people who haven’t a hope in hell of saving the deposit let alone servicing a mortgage & outgoings that size.

  2. weka 2
    10 June 2016 at 9:40 am

    “listening to Bennett and King on TV3+ 1 talking about housing. Henry asked why over 700 houses are empty, Paula then says some need an oven”

    “@MariaSherwood2 Henry, unusually,had a go. An oven, bloody hell. I’d rather live in a hose with no oven than a car with no oven”

    https://twitter.com/mariasherwood2/status/741005042971332608

    Gross incompetence. This govt can’t even get some ovens installed in houses ffs.

    • Pat 2.1
      10 June 2016 at 9:49 am

      Gross deliberate incompetence……

      Run down public services, create a distrust and disgust with public provision, privatize by sale or contract, reap the profits of captured market.

      National don’t want public provision and as DH points out they are simply looking after their own and have nothing but disdain for lower socio-economic cohorts who are only there to be milked. As far as they are concerned its all going according to plan.

      Rentiers

      National…governing for (the top 10% of) New Zealanders since forever

    • Ch-ch Chiquita 2.2
      10 June 2016 at 4:20 pm

      ‘Some need an oven’ – is this the new ‘some people turn houses down because of birds chirping’? Paula Bennett is terrible at lying and comes across as either stupid or incompetent, or worse, both.

      • weka 2.2.1
        10 June 2016 at 4:44 pm

        I didn’t see it, but I agree it’s probably a lie. By ‘some’ she probably means two, and thus she avoids answering the real question which is why the state houses aren’t up to scratch or available.

  3. save nz 3
    10 June 2016 at 11:40 am

    What a great response by Andrew Little.

    Can totally see the slogan

    Andrew Little for Honest Government!

    • leftie 3.1
      10 June 2016 at 12:20 pm

      YES !!!! Nowhere in Bennett’s and Smith’s litany of lies and deceit did I read how National’s so called “supporting New Zealanders with accommodation costs” is forcing people into enormous debt that they will never be able to pay back.

      “Most New Zealanders don’t expect the State to simply hand them a house – they want to be independent and work and save for their own future”

      Sure, but didn’t Paula Bennett access a government scheme that allowed her to buy a house while she was on a DPB and was receiving free education and all the government support she needed?

      Isn’t it just peachy how National ministers pulled the ladder up so no one else could have the state support that they had had?

      • Richardrawshark 3.1.1
        10 June 2016 at 12:45 pm

        Evil is as evil does, they are racking it up(debt), I suspect Labour will wipe it after the Nats lose! That will leave labour one terming struggling to repair the damage. We are royally..

        Nats are setting up the next government for a major fall, hoping to get the rebound.. tell me it’s not one of their Crosby Textor strategies if it looks like an election loss.

  4. Richardrawshark 4
    10 June 2016 at 12:39 pm

    Bennetts also running scared, I’d dare say she’s getting death threats by the dozen hence they moved the meeting this morning, that’s three times now, reading between the lines it says a lot, moving the meeting to central Auckland was for protection not because of any media circus I hope.

    I hope, in the fact she needs to sweat it up for a bit, as I never seen anyone in NZ so mean and nasty, get into power as that ..thing. Remember how nasty she looks on the attack, like when she refused to apologize over divulging private benificiery details.

    What goes round comes around Paula, is there a few people that want your guts for garters eh?. Boo fkn hoo.

    Dear GCSB, we know your listening, it’s true we all went down to the Tennis Court and talked it up like “Yeah”

    • Pat 4.1
      10 June 2016 at 12:44 pm

      “I hope, in the fact she needs to sweat it up for a bit, as I never seen anyone in NZ so mean and nasty, get into power as that”

      you obviously don’t remember Ruth Richardson nor Jenny shipley

      • Richardrawshark 4.1.1
        10 June 2016 at 12:50 pm

        I never found Shipley outright nasty, you know the attack face, getting angry emotionally.

        I left NZ in 89 came back 98 from the UK, so I think I missed that thankfully, tho the UK at that time was no better but we didn’t go through the big Muldoon repair era.

        From what I read and doco’s I’ve watched, I think i’m glad I went abroad then.

        • Pat 4.1.1.1
          10 June 2016 at 1:02 pm

          “In her role as Minister of Social Welfare, Shipley presided over sharp cutbacks to state benefits. Later, when she became Minister of Health in 1993, she caused further controversy by attempting to reform the public health service, introducing an internal market. When National gained re-election in 1996, Shipley left the Women’s Affairs portfolio and took on several others, including responsibility for state-owned enterprises and transport.”
          wiki

          Opposition Labour welfare spokesman Michael Cullen said of her: “She has become the most hated minister in the history of this country.”

          http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/24/059.html

          yes, you must have been a very long way away not to know her reputation

          • Richardrawshark 4.1.1.1.1
            10 June 2016 at 1:16 pm

            I hate Paula more, can’t help it. I loathe someone who thinks so arrogantly that rules do not apply to her.

            Plus she through her winz changes directly affected my recovery from serious disease. Pushing me back out into work well before I had gained muscle mass or got over the effects of chemotherapy for Hep c. Where I had my immune system killed off, then fed tablet wise large doses of antivirals and lived in a state of suicide for 6 months.

            Then the day my test came back virus undetectable on the last day of my weekly injection of immune system chemo drugs, I was told i was fit to start working. Manipulated by sending me to their prefered Dr who actually passed me fit to work.

            I am also Bi-polar, the meds are and were extremely dangerous for me as they cause depression.

            My specialist at Waikato hospital was shocked.

            So you can imagine what I think of the nasty bitch.

            It’s still going on, but now even the Winz ladies who know what I’ve been through give me a break. If Paula knew she’d have kittens.

            At least if you drop the attitude and they at winz know your genuine they help out and do the right thing. At least here they seem too be lately

          • leftie 4.1.1.1.2
            10 June 2016 at 1:29 pm

            And Jenny Shipley STILL has her snout very much in the trough. She is one of John key’s string pullers.

            I would say Paula Bennett now holds that of title of being “thee most hated minister in the history of this country.”

            Paula Bennett, and not forgetting the other overpaid Paula, “the destroyer of our public services” Paula Rebstock, that John key awarded a dameship to for a wrecking job well done, John key and his National government have blood on their hands. And they don’t give a shit, not one little bit.

            • Duncan 4.1.1.1.2.1
              10 June 2016 at 2:43 pm

              Shipley (along with John Slater) were the (visible) people responsible for recruiting Mr Key.

        • M. Gray 4.1.1.2
          10 June 2016 at 2:34 pm

          Maybe you didn’t have to eat her beneficiary soup. Remember it was her that lowered the drinking age to 18 and she got a quick and free angina operation in a public hospital

          • leftie 4.1.1.2.1
            10 June 2016 at 4:32 pm

            And didn’t Shipley also have her stomach stapled at the expense of the tax payer? Did Ann Tolley pay for hers, or did struggling NZers pay for that too?

  5. save nz 5
    10 June 2016 at 12:56 pm

    There is no housing crisis in New Zealand – in fact there is a surplus as big as Bill English’s budget and as large as John Key’s heart!

    So many State houses, the National Government is knocking them down!

    “Preparations made to start demolition of Housing New Zealand homes”

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/80857062/preparations-made-to-start-demolition-of-housing-new-zealand-homes

    • leftie 5.1
      10 June 2016 at 1:38 pm

      National demolished good state homes that families were living in, on the “perception of being earthquake prone”

      Upper Hutt residents mobilise to fight State House sell-off

      “Ms Homan represents the St Joseph Parish Justice, Peace, and Development Group. She said that the vacant land they were standing on had recently been filled with State housing that were homes to several families. She said some of families may have been relocated to other State houses further away in Timberlea, or private rentals elsewhere, up-rooting children from their local schools and disrupting their established education and local connections to the community.”

      “Ms Homan said the buildings had been torn down, ostensibly because they were “earthquake prone”. She added that that bulldozers and other wrecking machinary had had difficulty in tearing down the structures.”

      “The land was now for sale to private developers. There is no guarantee that social housing will be built on the site. Ms Homan said she was fearful that Housing NZ would be moving fast to sell the land. She said”

      <a href="http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/06/05/upper-hutt-residents-mobilise-to-fight-state-house-sell-off/

      <a href="https://fmacskasy.wordpress.com/2015/11/06/state-houses-wrong-place-wrong-size/

      • M. Gray 5.1.1
        10 June 2016 at 2:39 pm

        They are ripping us of selling our assets to there rich mates why should social housing and the land that we own go to these greedy parasites who then start making money from the assets they brought for example accommodation supplement they win twice greedy greedy greedy

        • leftie 5.1.1.1
          10 June 2016 at 4:34 pm

          +1 M.Gray, well said.

        • save nz 5.1.1.2
          10 June 2016 at 4:35 pm

          @M Gray, yep , no surprises why ‘zoning’ needs to be changed to make their crony mates fortunes.

          After 8 years and people in cars and tents through, I think even the MSM are realising it is not credible position.

          Only thing missing seems to be the houses! And the affordability!

      • beatie 5.1.2
        10 June 2016 at 8:13 pm

        These flats near me in Greymouth have been empty for 3+ years. They were fully tenanted until they were deemed an earthquake risk and the tenants were moved out. They are now up for tender but so far a tender has been received for only one of the blocks. I doubt whether HC has made them earthquake proof, so they are ‘For Sale, As Is’
        Housing corp will argue that they are ‘not needed’, but like everywhere, Greymouth has a lack of affordable, warm,insulated rental accommodation for families.

        http://harcourts.co.nz/Property/766272/GM6677/16-20-Wickes-Street-Cobden

  6. Richardrawshark 6
    10 June 2016 at 12:56 pm

    Thatcher and Bennett and Key are similar you know. All came from humble beginnings and attacked the very people and communities they were raised in.

    I went to Sunderland in 89 the mass strikes had just finished and the place was decimated for jobs.

    Crime took off, drugs took off. Thanks Maggie your so kind.

  7. Richardrawshark 7
    10 June 2016 at 1:00 pm

    Mum just returned from the UK, there is no state housing anymore.

    I lived in a state house there, people lived in them for life, then they sold them to the people for a knock down price, during the housing boom. Whatever way they did it, they managed to kill state housing there completely.

    The agenda was a success there, it’s done guys, and their is no way to stop it here.

    or is there?.

    Just checked with mum their is a few council house area’s left they are just not building anymore and selling them to the tenants if they can. Sorry.

    • leftie 7.1
      10 June 2016 at 1:41 pm

      It all sounds very familiar doesn’t it? That’s the neolib blueprint. John key has done here, what Thatcher did there.

  8. AmaKiwi 8
    10 June 2016 at 1:05 pm

    As builders, developers, and the Salvation Army have said, this crisis has been 10 years in the making. It will take 10 years to solve it.

    Labour/Greens, you have 16 months to enjoy the ride to election day.

    What will I do when I don’t have Key to kick around any more?

    • Richardrawshark 8.1
      10 June 2016 at 1:21 pm

      Party, rejoice, because he is shit, and wrecking the country, or are you a Key fan AmaKiwi?

      Plus unlike Key when the opposition get in power I don’t know whether they will spend 8 years blaming the last government at every opportunity, and whilst doing that so much, they forget to run the country.

      I suspect the new government is going to be, to busy trying to fix things to give a crap about Key.

    • Colonial Viper 8.2
      11 June 2016 at 1:49 pm

      As builders, developers, and the Salvation Army have said, this crisis has been 10 years in the making. It will take 10 years to solve it.

      That dates back to 2005/2006.

      Who was in charge then…

  9. WILD KATIPO 9
    10 June 2016 at 1:43 pm

    Analogy time… back in 1849,… with no regulations in the Californian gold rushes… a shovel could cost a miner a months earnings,.. a slab of bacon a weeks earnings… and so on and so forth …

    In other words… without regulations and adequate policing , and due to scarcity and difficulty of transport … hawkers could capitalize on even the most basic of goods. And essentially , – these are the conditions faced today in NZ’s housing crisis … a lack of regulations controlling lending from banks and a negligent govt endorsing those bankers practices because of the huge profits to be made .

    What we have now is a quintessential gold rush mentality in operation in both banks and this govt.

    People died during that gold rush – not least from starvation and exposure to conditions. We have had people die from cold damp housing and lack of funding for medical needs. Now we have people – whole family’s living in cars and the like during winter.

    We have people who cannot afford to buy that first house ( the shovel ) , we have people who cannot afford even the rent ( the slab of bacon ).

    This is what the total ‘free market ‘ and unregulated neo liberal ideology does.

    It is anti society , anti democratic , anti family , and anti children – and only views fellow citizens as chattels to be used to further ones personal self interests.

  10. SPC 10
    10 June 2016 at 2:49 pm

    The RB needs to require 50% equity for investors (currently they can leverage gains – 30% off one or 15% off 2 past investments to gather the 30% deposit for the next one). At least give those few first home buyers capable of saving a 20% deposit the chance of buying a house. And that is 50% equity over their entire portfolio if they want to add another property.

    The government needs to review its bright line test, it is resulting in more properties not being rented out but instead being renovated and flicked on – doer uppers exempt from the CGT. Unoccupied homes exacerbate the “shortage of housing”.

    All properties bought and sold within 2 years need to be included – capturing the doer uppers (these limit the amount of lower cost housing available, not a good thing so should not be encouraged by tax policy).

  11. SPC 11
    10 June 2016 at 3:27 pm

    The Nat plan is to run down state housing levels outside Auckland.

    Raise the threshold for getting a state house and then say there is a surplus, then demolish properties and sell off land.

    However when those in paid work paying private rents retire they will not be able to afford these rents when on super, so will have to either continue to work until they die or seek a place in the diminished amounts of local state/social housing.

    This is all foreseeable, but National is operating like a private equity firm looking for short term profit before leaving future governments with an even bigger crisis.

  12. Gangnam Style 12
    10 June 2016 at 3:30 pm

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/306069/kids-living-in-vans-i'm-mad-as-hell

    “The John Key approach to our burgeoning homelessness problem has been to apply sticking plasters to the issues as the media exposes them. And not even fresh, clean sticking plasters – no, he prefers the kind you find under your shoe, already used.”

    • Paul 12.1
      10 June 2016 at 5:02 pm

      From the same article

      ‘This is a crisis. A crisis that disproportionally affects those already in need.

      And families like T.A’s are just the tip of the iceberg – her mother has a job and yet they still can’t afford to live in a house. That’s not even getting on to our rough-sleeping homeless population, an accurate number of which we still can’t grasp. Why? Because if the government started collecting data on homelessness they would then have to define it as a distinct social issue – and allocate budget and services accordingly. You know, like most other developed nations.

      In other words, if you put your hands over your ears and say “la la la” loud enough, the problem doesn’t exist.’

  14. Paul 14
    10 June 2016 at 5:21 pm

    South Auckland cancer sufferer forced to live in van with family

    ‘A cancer sufferer and her family were forced to live in a van for a month because they had nowhere else to stay.
    The 45-year-old South Auckland woman wants to be identified only as Trey.
    She slept in the vehicle with her partner and five children aged 10-25 until they found a private rental in Manurewa.
    Trey’s family planned to stay with a relative until they got settled, but that arrangement fell through. So they borrowed a vehicle from an aunty and moved into it.
    “We slept in the car and parked in family members’ driveways or on the kerb. We’d go to public toilets or a McDonald’s and have a wash.”
    The family would occasionally park up at Mountfort Park in Manurewa so they were close to the children’s schools.
    “There were street kids walking past at night and it was scary,” Trey says.
    They eventually moved into a house but the $540 weekly rent consumed most of her benefit.
    “All I had left over each week was $4. We were living off food parcels from the Salvation Army and little things I could sell. My partner and I didn’t eat much. We drank a lot of water.”
    A Salvation Army social worker referred the family to the Monte Cecilia Housing Trust in Mangere.
    Trey is now staying at the trust with her partner and three of their children while their application for a state house is assessed.’

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/80810066/south-auckland-cancer-sufferer-forced-to-live-in-van-with-family

  15. Paul 15
    10 June 2016 at 5:25 pm

    John Campbell on Checkpoint at Te Puea Marae.
    Compulsory viewing.

  16. Smilin 16
    10 June 2016 at 5:45 pm

    There is no depression in NZ ,There is no houses for the poor

  17. Craig H 17
    10 June 2016 at 8:16 pm

    http://www.newshub.co.nz/opinion/opinion-diddly-squat—govt-incompetent-on-housing-2016061011#axzz4BA4hlkOz

    Paddy Gower’s take is not kind to the government. Might have been nice if instead of moaning about Labour as well, Kiwibuild had got a mention…

  18. Robert Atack 18
    11 June 2016 at 7:51 am

    Stefan Molyneux: The Truth About Brexit – UK’s EU Referendum. – and why houses are going up in price?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hebQ10NddmE

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    Submissions on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law are due today (have you submitted?), and just hours before they close, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has been forced to release the list of companies he invited to apply. I've spent the last hour going through it in an epic thread of bleats, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 hours ago

  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
    Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    8 hours ago

  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
    1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    8 hours ago

  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    11 hours ago

  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
    Chris Trotter writes –  MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    12 hours ago

  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    13 hours ago

  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    13 hours ago

  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    14 hours ago

  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    14 hours ago

  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    15 hours ago

  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    17 hours ago

  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    18 hours ago

  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    20 hours ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 day ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    2 days ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 days ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

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

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    5 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    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
    7 hours 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
    9 hours 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
    10 hours ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
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  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
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