This is exactly why the MSM should be scrutinised as much as the government

Written By: - Date published: 2:22 pm, May 20th, 2020 - 37 comments
Categories: clickbait, Media, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags: , ,

Jason Wall, a political reporter with the NZ Herald based in the Press Gallery, tweeted this earlier today,

https://twitter.com/Jasonwalls92/status/1262871616851046400

That’s meant to represent what Coffey said at the Epidemic Response Committee this morning.

NZH also ran the same ‘interpretation’ on their website, in an article livestreaming the committee. The first sentence reads,

Labour MP Tamati Coffey is being slammed for his “tone deaf” comment to a struggling bar owner when he claimed the Prime Minister was “doing it hard” during lockdown.

A few sentences later they use the same selected quotes as in the tweet above.

Coffey’s words were approximately 20 mins into the livestream, so around 10.20am. Walls’ tweet was made at 10.23am. The date on the NZH piece is 11am.

NewstalkZB then picked it up (article at 11.46am, tweet at 12.20pm), using the same ‘slammed for being tone deaf’ line,

Where exactly is the slamming being done then NZH and Newstalk? Did you mean a couple of politicking sentences from David Seymour?

And the Spinoff, reporting what the Herald said. Closed loop.

Meanwhile, here’s what Coffey actually said,

Thank you, Reg. Thank you for that. You made the comment that obviously you’ve been tested mentally, and I just want to acknowledge that. We all have, not least our Prime Minister, who has had to make that decision, big bold decisions, based on the country’s best interests.

To get a human sense of tone and nuance here’s the snip of the video,

Fucked off? I am. If a commenter did this shit on The Standard they’d get slammed (and moderated). For good reasons. How we represent reality directly creates the politics we all have to live with.

Before the vid and transcript went up there was a flutter of leftie condemnation of Coffey on twitter, and I’m guessing even more from all sides of the spectrum for people reading the NZH and Newstalk online. Nevermind the truth.

I haven’t watched the livestream, and don’t have a context for Coffey’s words. Maybe they are still tone deaf in context. There was commentary on twitter from people watching the committee as it progressed and pointing out the issues with Coffey’s approach generally, and possibly conflict of interest. Also commentary on the business owner who Coffey was responding to. Looks to me like there is something there of public interest to report. Pity we’re not going to get that.

Like most people, I’m not going to have time today to watch the vid for context. This is a core part of the job of the Press Gallery: to report and provide an accurate representation of what is happening in parliament, to the public, so that we all know.

The great thing here is that it’s not Tova O’Brien. So we can stop focusing on the personalities, or even the business, and point straight to the culture that enables this. I give zero fucks if there was a commercial imperative in the editorial decision to run this line today. If you can’t do political journalism without needing to use deceptive clickbait, then maybe it’s time to look at your organisation’s reason for being.

NZ losing the big MSM orgs because of covid is not going to serve us well, but saving those organisations by this kind of shit isn’t either. Find a different way.

The historical power structure that is the relationship between the media and government where the public have become secondary to the process is under the spotlight too. Tech and circumstance are now breaking down the old binary that kept the public at a distance. There’s an opportunity here for the MSM to get on our side.

 

UPDATED:

 

37 comments on “This is exactly why the MSM should be scrutinised as much as the government ”

  1. weka 1

    btw, the NZ parliament now uses Vimeo for its video and livestreaming. I haven't been able to find a way to watch the stream from the beginning while it is still being streamed.

    The parliament website still isn't showing the completed video by 2.30pm. This needs to change so that the public can easily check what is happening. So I still can't see the context for Coffey's statement. Nor can I direct link to the video in the post.

    https://vimeo.com/nzparliament

  2. The Herald is a mixed bag; there are some real talents there like Simon Wilson. But then you have complete munters like Hosking and Hooton shitting in the pond and spoiling it for everyone.

    • weka 2.1

      true, but Hooton and Hosking are for commentary. Walls is an actual journalist.

      • Sacha 2.1.1

        Sure aint behaving like one. Most readers will not think "doing it hard" means being "tested mentally". They will interpret it as about a financial struggle – and outrage at comparison with anyone on the PM's pay is guaranteed. What a hack.

        • weka 2.1.1.1

          yesp, that he is journalist makes it even worse. Am glad I couldn't watch the vid, I'm guessing there is another whole post in there.

      • woodart 2.1.2

        "actual journalist" does that mean he hasnt sold out yet, and got a job in p.r.?. or he is already in p.r. but hasnt been honest enough to admit it?I would think that "actual journalists" in NZ could be counted very quickly.

  3. Sacha 3

    Disgusting misrepresentation. Some history of the person Coffey is replying to:

    https://twitter.com/strewnryan/status/1262893554549940225

  4. I Feel Love 4

    The reporter has deleted his tweet and apologised for making up the comments, the quotes. FFS. Funny, I actually started paying for Stuff today too, curious to see if they pick this up.

  5. bill 5

    That reads like pretty standard fare for journalism these days – one person or outlet invents or receives an angle, and the angle gets picked up by everyone else and that becomes the story, while the actual story is left standing in some forgotten corner waiting for a journalist to happen by.

    If and when a journalist does happen by, the actual story has to struggle for oxygen from beneath the layered narrative that's already been set down.

    I'd agree with those who say the woeful state of mainstream/corporate/legacy journalism these days has a lot to do with why independent youtube commentary and podcasts are so popular – and why facebook, youtube and google find it necessary to rejig algorithms to boost the visibility of "traditional" media at the expense of independent media when they're not just straight-up censoring and de-platforming them. (Banning Alex Jones was just a convenient exercise to get the political censorship ball rolling)

  6. Ad 6

    Your point is fair enough, but there's just nothing that can regulate the speed of this kind of speech.

    It's only going to get worse in these four months of election period.

    • weka 6.1

      Pretty quick turn around for Walls to apologise and delete though. I don't know him, so have no idea if it's face saving or genuine this signals more care in the future. I agree it's going to be an issue over the next months.

      The more people jump on the MSM when they do this, the harder it will be for them to sustain it.

      The public having access to the livestream is gold. In the past we would have to trust what the media was saying, now we can fact check them. Fucking sad state of affairs though.

      The sticking point I saw today was that there was no easy way to watch the video directly (didn't check FB). Some people were able to and so pushed back, but I couldn't find a copy despite asking. That could be fixed easily by whoever runs the parliamentary livestream.

  7. Cinny 7

    Having met Tamati before, he is such a kind caring person and so genuine. He's awesome.

  8. Herodotus 8

    "This is exactly why the MSM should be scrutinised as much as the government"

    Pity is that the current govt is ABOVE any real scrutiny. Bar the likes of Thedailyblog and the likes of Susan St John

    Supporting NGO's Foodbanks etc as they come under severe pressure over this time assisting those in real need

    "..About $32 million will go towards responding to the increasing demand for food banks…"

    I wonder if there is an unaddressed issue that this govt is blind to and is happy to allow A Good Samaritan to fix what the govt should, same with food in schools 200,000 are in need.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12331724

    https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2020/05/18/budget-fallout-child-poverty-was-once-at-the-heart-of-this-government/

    • Herodotus 8.1

      To add to my previous post from an AMAZING person – I hope she goes far in the future, a real gem. But don't worry something is happening within National that is FAR MORE IMPORTANT !!

      South Auckland cry: 'NZ wants to rebuild, but it's on our backs'

      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12333389

    • roblogic 8.2

      the current govt is ABOVE any real scrutiny

      Yeah, apart from the Opposition, pretty much every media outlet, talkback radio, the morass of RW blogs, and talking heads like Don Brash, Bob Jones, Michelle Boag that won't go away

      Perhaps you mean that under Jacinda this govt is pretty much untouchable. Because of intelligent and empathic leadership that is recognised around the world.

  9. barry 9

    I watched it,

    I thought Coffee's approach was strange, but no excuse to misquote him.

    Basic journalism – say what is said, not what you heard.

  10. Jum 10

    People need to complain about media confusing fact with opinion and sometimes fiction. Journalists that do that should be disbarred. I've seen Walls on The Nation. Enough said.

    • xanthe 10.1

      its not just confusing facts with opinion its confusing (and promoting) propaganda as opinion. much of the horseskins crap is NOT opinion it is propaganda ie words with intent to influence without regard to facts or even personal belief.

      bullshit is actually worse than untruth , a liar knows the truth and chooses for whatever reason a different path, a bullshitter has no concern for what it true at all, only the effect their words will have on opinion. That is a bigger dishonesty

  11. Shanreagh 11

    Walls may have deleted and been terribly, terribly sorry but he won't have it follow him round like a bad smell as Tamati Coffey will.

    I am getting a bit tired of hearing about 'tone deaf' people as described by the media! Are there any targets of the media who are not 'tone deaf' these days? Now used so often it is meaningless.

    As a wearer of bi-lateral hearing aids (making my hearing great) I cannot help but think that it is showing a lack of respect for hearing impaired people who do suffer sometimes from the gist and emphasis not being as they thought. In other words ‘tone deaf’.

    • Shanreagh 11.1

      Not doing the poor me, or saying my disability 'trumps' yours or being precious. This is not my intention.

  12. McFlock 12

    I'm really not sure about the media these days, as in how it can be sustained.

    This is a prime example of the three constraints on modern media: time-sensitive "scoop" imperatives, desperation for clicks, and dwindling subscriptions decreasing staff numbers.

    Journo has social media to boost clicks, gets wrong take.

    Other outlets nab that take, and what subbies remain concentrate on clickbait headlines rather than asking for fact-checking. After all, they only "report" that the first guy reported it, so if it's wrong it's not their problem.

    Twenty years ago they'd have checked the source. Now they take the easy metric and file another three stories that day, because there's not that many of them in the newsroom anymore.

    And for every decent journo who puts the work in rather than tweaking just tweaking a few words in an otherwise unchanged press release like an undergraduate plagiarising a 1200 word essay, the clicks dictate that the same outlet needs the attention only an outraged tory white man can achieve with a rant.

    • weka 12.1

      Pretty much. It looks to me like it's going to need serious lateral thinking to create new models that will work in NZ. Media like Newsroom and Spinoff have shown that there are other ways to do this. It needs that kind of creativity for the bigger organisations but I'm feeling that confident. I suspect shareholder returns is a big part of the sticking point.

      • McFlock 12.1.1

        Stuff is pulling the Guardian/wikipedia model of just outright begging, which might work.

        The herald is the one that irks me. Hosking is often free, but decent reporting is behind the paywall. So the reporters subsidise Hosking.

        There's no reason for it. I'd actually pay $10/wk for some decent reporting without access to Old Rich White Guys with Opinions. I'm sure some folks would like sports without other news for a similar price.

        And an easy-to-do niche thing might be an ereader version. I opened up the odt website on an eink device, and it just felt clean and crisp. A daily one of those would be really interesting as a concept, and not much of a boggle to set up in their web content managers.

        But all we get are all-or-nothing subscriptions with the most obnoxious content as the teaser to draw people in. Troube with that model is that they need to keep increasing their obnoxiousness to get the same interest, and end up doing a paul henry. Sooner or later hosking will go too far and get his ass fired. Hopefully. But then he'll be replaced by some other white dude with an opinion.

        Fuck, I AM a white dude with many opinions, and even to me the tory clicksturbaiters all look the same.

        • weka 12.1.1.1

          I really like the idea of a daily edition. I'd buy it like I do a newspaper, on the weekends and when there's something important going on.

          The thing that gets me about Stuff and NZH that I will never pay for is the way they break up the article text with advertising and links. And their inability to use paragraphs. Sometimes I can't even tell if the article has ended, oops, there's more below all that crap I have to scroll through. I'm sure the Guardian can get people to pay for it in part because it's visually appealing not a dog's breakfast. No idea what their consumer research says, but I find it hard to believe that the formatting that Stuff/NZH use appeals to many people.

          Even NZH's reader version of an article still has links in the middle of it to other NZH articles. Are they trying to get me to click away and not finish what I am reading? Clickbait rulz.

      • peterlepaysan 12.1.2

        The internet rules.

        Advertising pays the bills.

        • peterlepaysan 12.1.2.1

          Boards of directors, shareholders, management slave drivers prosper.

          We live in interesting times.

          My hope is in the under forty age group. ( I am in my late 70's).

          The internet rules (often extremely badly}.

          The media are often very hypocritical and politically biased.

          The chattering class need to focus . they keep telling us ignorants to pay attention.

          The editors decide content which generates shareholder wealth.

          us peasants do not matter.

        • McFlock 12.1.2.2

          except the bills aren't getting paid, which is why they're slowly going under.

          Bauer dragged a lot of titles down at the same time, but few of the survivors are genuinely thriving.

  13. Maurice 13

    There are two types of MSM News at present:

    1) Print Media – News you can wipe with

    2) Broadcast Media – News you cannot wipe with

    Both do not do the job

    • Philg 13.1

      I refer to the MSM news as non media. I don't switch it on to stay informed. The state has a crucial role to play. Unfortunately for the public, over the past 40 years it has failed to deliver …. still waiting

  14. Observer Tokoroa 14

    Weka – you seem to have endless woes. They need to be listed and looked at on a daily basis so that we can make things better for you.

    I feel sure the Standard would assist You.

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    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
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    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
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    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    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:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
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    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
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    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • There’s a name for this
    Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Echoes of 1968 in 2024?  Pocock on the repetitive problems of the New Left
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Two bar blues
    The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 13
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • AT Need To Lift Their Game
    Normally when we talk about accessing public transport it’s about improving how easy it is to get to, such as how easy is it to cross roads in a station/stop’s walking catchment, is it possible to cycle to safely, do bus connections work, or even if are there new routes/connections ...
    6 days ago
  • Christopher's Whopper.
    Politicians are not renowned for telling the truth. Some tell us things that are verifiably not true. They offer statements that omit critical pieces of information. Gloss over risks, preferring to offer the best case scenario.Some not truths are quite small, others amusing in their transparency. There are those repeated ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
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    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
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    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
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    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
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    5 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
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    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
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  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
    The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
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    6 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
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    7 days ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
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    1 week ago
  • Government lowering building costs
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    1 week ago
  • Trustee tax change welcomed
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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister’s Ramadan message
    Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness.  It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister appoints new NZTA Chair
    Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
    Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology.  It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Progress continues apace on water storage
    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government agrees to restore interest deductions
    Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
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    1 week ago
  • Minister to attend World Anti-Doping Agency Symposium
    Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity
    This year’s Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity and the contribution of Pacific communities to New Zealand culture, says Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti.  Dr Reti announced dates for the 2024 Pacific Language Weeks during a visit to the Pasifika festival in Auckland today and says there’s so ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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