This is going to be big

Written By: - Date published: 7:43 am, October 15th, 2012 - 230 comments
Categories: benefits, paula bennett, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags:

Keith Ng has uncovered a truly massive breach in MSD’s computer security, and posted about it last night at Public Address.  From Keith’s post:

My jeans were torn, my hoodie was pretty ragged, and I hadn’t shaved for a week. It turned out that bloggers are remarkably good at disguising themselves as unemployed, without even trying.

Last week, I got tipped-off that the parts of the MSD network were completely exposed to the public. You could go into any WINZ office and use their self-service kiosks to access their corporate network.

Do go and read the rest.  It gets a lot worse.

The NBR picked this up first, but it’s now on Stuff and the Herald as well.  You can also join in the ragefun on Twitter using the hashtag #wtfmsd.

If you feel like giving Keith some financial lovin’, you can also donate here.

230 comments on “This is going to be big ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. freedom 1
    15 October 2012 at 7:46 am

    What plummets faster than Felix?
    National’s credibility as a Government

    • prism 1.1
      15 October 2012 at 9:28 am

      Felix Baumgartner that is!

      • freedom 1.1.1
        15 October 2012 at 10:05 am

        yeah fuck, sorry Felix,
        very very sorry for the merest possibiltiy that your good character was slighted by my words

        • felix 1.1.1.1
          15 October 2012 at 12:10 pm

          lolz no offense taken at all 😀

          • kiwi_prometheus 1.1.1.1.1
            15 October 2012 at 12:35 pm

            How about…

            “What goes down faster than Queen of Thorns at the annual Auckland Lesbian Ball?”

            “National’s credibility as a Government!”

            • felix 1.1.1.1.1.1
              15 October 2012 at 12:57 pm

              Jeez k_p, I am QoT. How many times do I have to explain that?

            • Draco T Bastard 1.1.1.1.1.2
              15 October 2012 at 2:14 pm

              K_P proves that there is life lower than slime.

            • QoT 1.1.1.1.1.3
              15 October 2012 at 5:49 pm

              Oh god, you’ve called me a lesbian, that’s so terrible. Oh wait, no, there’s nothing wrong with being a lesbian, nor with performing cunninlingus on consenting partners, so … I don’t think that analogy is working out too well for you, k_p.

              • Jokerman …
                15 October 2012 at 9:45 pm

                🙂
                (personally, I prefer the cunning language to the fella’ ratio)
                did I just say that, oh My Lord

                now, you must read the Gospel of Thomas, in fact, there is much been hidden in the apocrypha.
                🙂

    • Dr Terry 1.2
      15 October 2012 at 10:27 am

      So here we go already with this week’s stuff up! It never stops, nor do National’s supporters cease to back up such a government (that is, in any meaningful numbers).

  2. higherstandard 2
    15 October 2012 at 7:56 am

    Gross incompetence and appalling governance…….. I expect the higher salaries commission to recommend an immediate pay rise to rectify this situation.

  3. Pascal's bookie 3
    15 October 2012 at 7:58 am

    And as Danyl highlights here:

    http://dimpost.wordpress.com/2012/10/15/open-government/

    The fact that it was open to the public in the kiosks just explains how it was found out. Everyone at MSD had full access.

  4. toad 4
    15 October 2012 at 8:04 am

    Guess WINZ had the GCSB audit their IT security.

  5. higherstandard 5
    15 October 2012 at 8:05 am

    Read the CEs bio……. comedy gold.

    http://www.ssc.govt.nz/appt-ce-msd-aug11

    • BLiP 5.1
      15 October 2012 at 9:29 am

      .

      Hahahahaha . . .

      . . . Mr Boyle is also the Government Chief Information Officer. He is responsible for developing and implementing the Government’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Strategy and for providing strategic advice on ICT matters.

      Brendan Boyle was appointed as the Chief Executive of LINZ in August 2003. In 2006-2007 the Landonline project, which he led, was completed successfully. Landonline provided for all land information and service provision for customers to be undertaken electronically.

      Prior to this role at LINZ, Mr Boyle was Director of the E-Government Unit, in the State Services Commission from 2000, where he was responsible for leading the drive towards an e-government environment for New Zealand . . .

      . . . glorious!

    • tc 5.2
      15 October 2012 at 10:28 am

      Hilarious, auckland’s a basket case so good to see he’s continued the good work at MSD, bravo old bean.

  6. Tiger Mountain 6
    15 October 2012 at 8:08 am

    This type of system laxity does not look good given Porker Bennetts White Paper that will see more information sharing and prying exacted on select groups of citizens.

    Interesting Ng was able to access the information with minimal key strokes at the kiosk, I used to snort with laughter during 90s action movies when characters accessed secure data bases or stopped nuclear deployments with 3 or 4 taps on the key board, but that is what Keith appears to have managed.

    Go blogger journalism.

    • freedom 6.1
      15 October 2012 at 8:36 am

      picturing John Armstrong having conniptions !!!

      all joking aside this is as serious as it gets.
      We know it is serious because the PM used ‘at the end of the day ” before mouthing innaccuracies about old IT gear and outdated systems. They just spent half a gazillion dollars in the last few years getting new gear ffs!

      That and not a single spokesperson was willing to front from MSD

      • David H 6.1.1
        15 October 2012 at 9:18 am

        Judging by the interview I saw on Breakfast the fool doesn’t seem to think that any thing is serious and Corin Dann my god he’s a journo?

  7. mickysavage 7
    15 October 2012 at 8:26 am

    Hopefully beneficiaries will have a couple of bash free weeks as Bennett deals with this debacle …

    • bbfloyd 7.1
      15 October 2012 at 10:59 am

      Then the pogrom will start to find out how many beneficiaries have accessed sensitive info… A 50% cut in pay for a first offense.. full cut for any other episodes discovered…

      Full reinstatement if said bennie threatens to sell info to womens day…

    • Jokerman 7.2
      15 October 2012 at 1:48 pm

      now, There is that voodoo that you do, you do..

      This is Bigger than ” gettin’ the Bash” !

    • xtasy 7.3
      15 October 2012 at 7:18 pm

      The Social Security Benefit Categories and Work Capacity Amendment Bill, or whatever it is called, must NOW be withdrawn, stopped and put back into the drawer, until a complete, thorough, comprehensive, all departments, offices and service-centres encompassing investigation on system security, on privacy standards and integrity has been conducted and completed. A proper, independent official investigation, overseen by a long serving High Court judge, staffed with other outsiders (including IT specialists), is necessary now, and a report must be presented to the government, Parliament and the public afterwards.

      NO further welfare changes must be introduced and implemented, until system security is safeguarded.

      Hence Bennett must tomorrow withdraw the bill, or at least put it on hold, until this has been done. The present situation puts all beneficiaries and OTHERS at risk, exposes them to privacy exposure that is unacceptable, could lead to dire consequences, in some cases perhaps self harm and death, and this must be given serious consideration.

      Naturally all plans for the new system to store details about children at risk of abuse, about at risk parents and so forth, must also be put on hold right away.

      I expect the opposition leaders and spokespersons in Parliament to seek nothing less than this tomorrow!

      It would help for the Chief Executive to step down. I demand also that Bennett herself takes responsibility and steps down, as her uncompromising, continued push for changes in welfare, while major system failures are not addressed and sorted out, is inexcusable and irresponsible.

      That is not the conduct of a responsible minister. She also pushed for the introduction of these self service kiosks, to save costs, so that makes her complicit in all this.

  8. tracey 8
    15 October 2012 at 8:39 am

    this from a minister who values privacy “depending on the circumstances”… Bas say they notified winz of this when the kiosks first appeared.

    • freedom 8.1
      15 October 2012 at 8:44 am

      apparently those reports/complaints were made to MSD a year ago

      • Lanthanide 8.1.1
        15 October 2012 at 9:11 am

        On the radio they made it sound like those initial reports were about some other problem that was rectified at the time. Hard to tell.

        I’d err on the side of caution and just assume that anything they raised over a year ago was a separate (although possibly related?) issue.

        • freedom 8.1.1.1
          15 October 2012 at 9:15 am

          haven’t heard the radio. I only had the tv at work, I listened carefully to what Jacinda Ardern said when she mentioned the advocacy groups had told her they raised the issue a year ago

          and speaking of work i better go do some before i end up having to go see the MSD myself, something i never ever want to do again

        • Colonial Viper 8.1.1.2
          15 October 2012 at 11:06 am

          Its important to realise that this isn’t an IT problem. This is a massive failure of competence and leadership.

          National will try and spin this as a minor technical glitch.

          From what I can see, MSD left virtually every part of their internal networks completely open. Any polytech student who has a 1 year network admin course knows not to do that and how to prevent it.

          • brybry 8.1.1.2.1
            15 October 2012 at 12:44 pm

            Yes indeed.

            “Key this morning told TVNZ’s Breakfast programme accessing the information wasn’t easy, but he conceded it was a “huge problem”.
            “You had to go looking for it, but if you knew what to do, you could get in there,” he said.”

            This is quite plainly bullshit. Choosing “File->Open” might not be easy for John Key, but it is for almost anyone else.

            Not having your publicly accessible services connected to your corporate network is really CompSec 101. And what were their testers doing?

            • Jim Nald 8.1.1.2.1.1
              15 October 2012 at 1:01 pm

              Quite remarkable comments coming from a man who likes to feign ignorance by saying he doesn’t know,

              who tends to conveniently suffer from memory loss and is quick to say he can’t recall, and

              who resists reading especially if the report is vital for him to make real decisions crucial for the continuing existence of his government.

              I wonder if he shares similar values and character traits with the puppeteer who parachuted him in to hijack my family’s Party which I used to vote for.

      • Liberal Realist 8.1.2
        15 October 2012 at 6:18 pm

        Supporting your statement; I was listening to Radio Live w Rodney Hide (filling in for Michael Laws , I on occasion, enjoy listening to bigoted rants of talkback) this morning and a caller came on, stating that they had witnessed this sort of network access first hand (with a colleague, Nelson WINZ I think?) and subsequently reported it – get this, over a year ago!

        Should be interesting/amusing to watch Bennett squirm…

      • Vicky32 8.1.3
        15 October 2012 at 7:12 pm

        apparently those reports/complaints were made to MSD a year ago

        I heard that on Radio NZ this morning… Kathryn Ryan was interviewing the beneficiary support woman.

  9. Jokerman 9
    15 October 2012 at 8:41 am

    Now, This is Bigger than Texas
    (must have been something in the water)

  10. toad 10
    15 October 2012 at 8:51 am

    Guess what? MSD’s CEO’s immediate previous job was – wait for it – Government Chief Information Officer.

  11. Jokerman 11
    15 October 2012 at 9:11 am

    Dear Paula,
    “Without doubt the greatest injury of all was done by basing morals on myth. For sooner or later, myth is recognised for what it is, and disappears. Then morality loses the foundation on which it has been built”

    Kind Regards,
    Lord Samuel (that’s, First Viscount Samuel to you Minister)

    apparently, Hegel says somewhere that all great events and personalities in world history reappear in one fashion or another. he forgot to add; the first time as tragedy, the second as farce.

    Kind Regards
    Karl Marx

    (now there is some schadenfreude)

  12. tracey 12
    15 October 2012 at 9:14 am

    Lanthanide, when alerted to the initial problem the entire security system shld have been analysed… If it was and its happened again…

    • Lanthanide 12.1
      15 October 2012 at 9:38 am

      Apparently it was ‘rebuilt’ after the initial security thing.

      Obviously for something like this to end up in production, the process was deeply flawed from start to finish.

  13. King Kong 13
    15 October 2012 at 9:14 am

    Good to see you guys finally getting on board the “incompetence of the civil service” bus.

    Lets join together to give those tax payer funded cockroaches what for!

    • TheContrarian 13.1
      15 October 2012 at 9:21 am

      It’s only incompetence when the right do it.
      When Whaleoil managed to get into the backend of Labour’s website it was theft and hacking.

      (For the record I think labour and National are as incompetent as each other)

      • felix 13.1.1
        15 October 2012 at 9:24 am

        Nah that was slack as too, and Labour got rightfully slapped around by their own supporters for it.

        There was another question there though, which was that no-one believes the Slater child actually did it himself.

      • Vinsin 13.1.2
        15 October 2012 at 12:39 pm

        It’s quite different from the Whaleoil affair. Whilst Labour’s site was wide open if someone knew how use additional software and had a modicum of knowledge of back end coding, the MSD was open for anyone with a mouse and knew how to click file open. Also the files were editable, meaning they could be copied, changed and deleted.
        And as Felix said, Labour was rightly slapped about for their fuck up.

    • tc 13.2
      15 October 2012 at 10:32 am

      try not to confuse decades of solid systems security and knowledge (albeit a tad slow) with NACT’s high profile, highly paid Consultants driven initiatives combined with their slashing of workforce numbers.

    • Draco T Bastard 13.3
      15 October 2012 at 11:12 am

      The fact is it was probably done by a private contractor who got the cheapest help available. Sure, the MSD should have overseen the work but who there actually knows what’s what in IT? What this really shows is that the government need a professional IT department.

  14. vto 14
    15 October 2012 at 9:25 am

    .
    1. EQC, despite having 80 years to prepare, finds itself without a plan to deal with an earthquake striking a major New Zealand city.

    2. The Prime Minister allows the GSCB to openly spy on New Zealanders despite it being clearly against the law.

    3. The MSD just has complete massive botch up after complete massive botch up.

    You know, in the private sector these organisations would fire the people responsible for these sorts of things or even go right out of business.

    Complete and utter incompetence. Why is this?

    botch up after botch up after botch up.

    • Tiger Mountain 14.1
      15 October 2012 at 9:39 am

      Because public service is somewhat accountable compared to the private sector, it is also under immense pressure with sinking lids, funding removed and less people to do the same amount of work creating a highly stressed work force including roaming bands of lame duck over priced consultants.

      One point-how many $Billion was it that SCF received from the long suffereing tax payer? A reasonable sized botch up, 30 plus finance companies down the toilet owing millions to hundreds of greedy (I mean mum and dad) fleeced kiwi investors. A another reasonable size botch up and a bit of jail time too for some. The business is better at stuff argument is slimmer than Rod Petrecevric’s xmas card list vto.

      • vto 14.1.1
        15 October 2012 at 9:46 am

        Well, you have a bit of a point, but you have actually confirmed the point I made. In business when massive botch-ups occur businesses go bust, people lose their jobs and people go to jail at times. The same sanctions / accountability rarely seem to apply in the public service. That was my point. Happy to be proved wrong though ….

        • Flying Kiwi 14.1.1.1
          15 October 2012 at 10:32 am

          “In business when massive botch-ups occur businesses go bust, people lose their jobs and people go to jail at times.” – yeah, like all those banks that went bust, CFOs who lost their jobs and bankers who went to jail for bringing about the Great Financial Stuff-up?

        • Draco T Bastard 14.1.1.2
          15 October 2012 at 11:17 am

          Happy to be proved wrong though ….

          Banks and Brash aren’t in jail, as they should be, for signing false documents.

        • Colonial Viper 14.1.1.3
          15 October 2012 at 11:58 am

          In business when massive botch-ups occur businesses go bust, people lose their jobs and people go to jail at times. The same sanctions / accountability rarely seem to apply in the public service.

          The accountability needs to be there at a professional and individual level, yes.

          But, you’re not going to close down or make bankrupt the MSD or the NZ Army or the Fire Service or Starship Hospital because there is a fuck up, are you?

          The analogy is inappropriate. You fix the problem and move on.

    • Red Rosa 14.2
      15 October 2012 at 9:43 am

      Starting to look like a Black Caps batting collapse. Add a few SI items

      Parata and the ChCh schools fiasco

      The ECan continuing takeover, against advice

      The Pike River scuttle

      for starters – a full NZ list, just for the last couple of months, would be a shocker.

    • Draco T Bastard 14.3
      15 October 2012 at 11:14 am

      Complete and utter incompetence. Why is this?

      For the last 30 years we’ve been cutting government. Now we get to reap what we sowed.

    • Liberal Realist 14.4
      15 October 2012 at 6:27 pm

      “Complete and utter incompetence. Why is this?”

      Tories without a clue. The problem started at the top and has progressively spread throughout the public service sector.

  15. tracey 15
    15 October 2012 at 9:33 am

    The hallmark of leadership is how you take responsibility for the failure of those you lead. As for incompetence of the cs, are we sure it wasnt a system built by consultants or contractors?

  16. starlight 16
    15 October 2012 at 9:45 am

    The kiosk was connected to the main msd data base,which is a no,no,so those
    highflyers need their arse’s kicked out of office.
    Is any private information private anymore,in any govt dept ? probably not.
    What’s going to happen next with this happless,hopeless keyness,lot.

    • vto 16.1
      15 October 2012 at 9:49 am

      “Is any private information private anymore,in any govt dept ? probably not.”

      ha ha, you have to be fricking joking. Anyone who trusts an organisation (public and private) over anything is a fool. The world is simply too large and everyone is too far removed to feel accountable over anything today imo. It’s all fucked.

      • Draco T Bastard 16.1.1
        15 October 2012 at 11:20 am

        The world is simply too large and everyone is too far removed to feel accountable over anything today imo. It’s all fucked.

        Yep, there’s too many cut outs so that those who should be held responsible aren’t.

  17. Enough is Enough 17
    15 October 2012 at 9:46 am

    Bennet will be gone by the end of the week.

    Key will want to reassert the authority which has all but gone as a result of his governments complete failure to fuction this year.

    He will sack her as a pathetic show of being the boss.

    • Tom 17.1
      15 October 2012 at 10:49 am

      Dream on ..

      • Colonial Viper 17.1.1
        15 October 2012 at 11:00 am

        Ah Tom, you’ve not thought through the strategic implications for the National Party of Bennett’s Ministry having massively blundered under her watch.

        I personally hope you are right and that Bennett limps on like a wounded predator in her portfolio until Christmas.

        • McFlock 17.1.1.1
          15 October 2012 at 12:04 pm

          I tend to agree with Tom – for Key to demand accountability from his ministers would be a precedent that he would well fear as being a petard that should hoist him equally well. 

    • David H 17.2
      15 October 2012 at 12:12 pm

      Then he should also sack Parata Joyce Brownlee they have all been as incompetent just haven’t had the massive security breaches yet.
      But to not have set the profiles with no access to sensitive areas was dumb. No not dumb, this was incompetence on a grand scale. Any one that’s been near a network knows you have to set the shares to secure drives that you don’t want seen. Why were the kiosks even on the same network? this has to be the biggest question.

      Well key wanted to get the Dot Com scandal off the front pages. There you go John. Be careful of what you wish for…

      • Jokerman 17.2.1
        15 October 2012 at 1:56 pm

        🙂 (of course I am laughing, off and on, all day today) as I prepare to serve at the meal for a small sub-section of those of our People that this mis-direction of a minister chooses to malign

    • Vicky32 17.3
      15 October 2012 at 7:16 pm

      Bennet will be gone by the end of the week.

      I wish I thought you were right!

  18. prism 18
    15 October 2012 at 9:58 am

    We know how seriously Poorer Benefit regards ‘her’ beneficiaries privacy by the way she was happy to reveal individuals’ private information to the media because she was annoyed at suggestions of bad decisions. So Princess Poorer is quite prepared to demean the people using her government portfolio. So now there is a hole in the information security – this just follows the trend.

    NZ citizens are getting less and more inefficient services from our elected government. They are bad managers of the country with a bad attitude and Princess Poorer reigns over the most vulnerable. Further government is no longer ready to deal with people directly and making this more difficult or impossible and replacing the personal by pushing bennies into the far distance having to use machines . This may be difficult for the ordinary beneficiary, or the beneficiary may find he or she is talking to some faceless person who is just a voice over the phone, sometimes after a long wait to a call centre that may not supply correct or full information. See what has happened to Housing NZ tenants!

    Princess Poorer was once a beneficiary, John Key was once a beneficiary, and indeed many in Parliament have received benefits in their families as a result of need while they were young. All Parliamentarians too, receive advantage from the NZ government as ordinary citizens apart from their salaries. Let’s spread this advantage further. I think that other beneficiaries should be given opportunities for free education and trips overseas. Perhaps there could be a weekly draw for this as in Lotto. Though when a couple of keen hip hop music devotees got $26,000 to go overseas and study what was being done with this art resource overseas this was frowned on by Helen Clark. Perhaps it has resulted in opportunities from that information for the young in Christchurch. Anyone know what were the downstream effects?

  19. tracey 19
    15 October 2012 at 10:00 am

    Vto

    Like the former ceo of brierlys who got 4m to fuck off after he plunged the shares. To 25c. Now he gets to chair companies and crown entities. I bet he feels punished.

    • vto 19.1
      15 October 2012 at 10:04 am

      I aint defending that at all. It is the system that allows that to happen (a system designed and monitored by the public service I note).

      Tell me, did anyone ever take a proper fall for the Cave Creek disaster? (no pun intended)

      • Pascal's bookie 19.1.1
        15 October 2012 at 10:31 am

        From memory, I think the Minister eventuallt resigned after it was determined that there were ‘systemic’ problems.

      • Stephen 19.1.2
        15 October 2012 at 11:35 am

        Yes, Denis Marshall was the Minister of Conservation and he resigned. Of course that was back in 1995 when quaint notions like ministerial accountability were still held to be important.

  20. ianmac 20
    15 October 2012 at 10:22 am

    Chief Executive, Ministry of Social Development Brendan Boyle will be paid tens of thousands as a bonus for detecting computer leaks and for managing the recovery. Meanwhile a lowly ranked IT person will be sacked for incompetence. That is the way the system works. (Wonder if downsizing State Services has a connection?)

  21. BM 21
    15 October 2012 at 10:29 am

    How is this Nationals fault and it wouldn’t be Labours fault either if they were in government.

    All I see is incompetence on behalf of the programmers that set up the system.
    If it was set up by a private firm, sack their arses and hire some one competent
    if it was done in house sack their arses and hire some one competent.

    Great another BS media side show that’s going to drag on for weeks.

    • Flying Kiwi 21.1
      15 October 2012 at 10:48 am

      “How is this Nationals fault and it wouldn’t be Labours fault either if they were in government.”

      Fair question. Had it happened under a Labour Government it would be responsible.

      The relevant questions are:

      1. Is it less likely to have happened under a Labour Government, and
      2. Is there likely to be any difference in the responses to its happening under a Labour or a National Government?

      I suggest the answer to 1 is, yes, it is less likely to have happened under a Labour Government because under Labour the system is more likely to have been implimented by in-house employees with a stake in getting it done right and a seamless hierarchy of responsibility to the top. Under National it is more likely to have been done on the cheap by outsiders with no incentives to build a robust system and very responsibilites once they’ve been paid.

      I suggest the answer to 2 is, as under Labour it was done in-house those responsible right up to the Minister would have to carry the can. Under National the can will be kicked from department to contractor and back ad infinitum and the Minister will be able to hide behind ‘operational matters’ excuses and contractual confidentiality.

      • BM 21.1.1
        15 October 2012 at 10:56 am

        I disagree, from my experience in working for the public service no body gave a shit and the wastage was immense.
        You basically have to kill someone to get fired.
        On the other hand if a private firm fucks up a job, they get black listed, no more government work, bit more of an incentive to get it right .

        • Colonial Viper 21.1.1.1
          15 October 2012 at 10:58 am

          On the other hand if a private firm fucks up a job, they get black listed, no more government work, bit more of an incentive to get it right .

          How’d your theory go for the private contractors who put the kiosks together for the MSD?

          Oh it didn’t, what a surprise.

          • BM 21.1.1.1.1
            15 October 2012 at 11:03 am

            Who do you think is paying for this fuckup to be fixed?
            Not the government that’s for sure.
            The company either fixes the issue if it’s fixable at their cost otherwise they’re out the door.

            • Draco T Bastard 21.1.1.1.1.1
              15 October 2012 at 11:46 am

              The company either fixes the issue if it’s fixable at their cost otherwise they’re out the door.

              So they just walk away from it and the government coughs up the costs of fixing it. That particular company might even get wound up and then the owners will create another one doing exactly the same things.

            • Kotahi Tāne Huna 21.1.1.1.1.2
              15 October 2012 at 11:54 am

              How many people have had their privacy jeopardised or breached? The company’s going to compensate them all, is it? Deep pockets they must have.

              • BM …
                15 October 2012 at 12:10 pm

                No ones information has been spread around, apart from this guy Ng who else has seen anything
                What I do find disturbing though, is that the person that tipped him off never thought of letting the MSD know about it but instead past the information onto a blogger so he could write a story to try and embarrass the government.

                Was it another Labour party supporter within the MSD spreading confidential information in an attempt to make National look bad?, wouldn’t surprise me.

                [lprent: Tell me, if you are a WINZ ‘client’ living in a climate of fear caused by Paula Bennett’s actions targeting critics drawing a benefit, or threatened by cuts to benefits when WINZ staff notice you – then why would you want to help such an organisation?

                Haven’t you read comments around here about peoples experiences dealing with WINZ these days. They have zero interest in dealing with them for any reason. The reason for that comes partly and directly from Paula Bennett targeting active opponents of National’s stupid welfare policies. An attitude that carries through into their approach to trying to get people off benefits by starving them rather than helping find them work.

                But in answer to your last point. If I see a file open on a public system then I have a look inside it because I presume that it was put there for me to look at. Most people are the same. It doesn’t require any special skills. I’m sure even our IT illiterate PM could do it almost as well as any kid who has been using a computer since shortly after birth. ]

                • Colonial Viper …
                  15 October 2012 at 12:16 pm

                  No ones information has been spread around, apart from this guy Ng who else has seen anything

                  Hey mate did you get access to the MSD’s systems too, in order to check that no one else had accessed the information?

                  LOL!

                • Kotahi Tāne Huna …
                  15 October 2012 at 12:38 pm

                  “No ones information has been spread around,” Says who? Forgive me if I don’t take your word for it.

                  No doubt the lawyers will make much of the uncertainty, the extra stress of not knowing…

                  Deep deeeeeepppp pockets.

                  P.S.: a random grab-bag of “collectors” were in the files last year. Someone tipped Ng off. Wanna lay odds on the whole lot having been downloaded by someone?

                  • Jackal …
                    15 October 2012 at 6:38 pm

                    I think we should asume the entire database has been copied multiple times.

                    This could potentially have been undertaken by pedophiles looking to find their victims whereabouts to continue the abuse… It could have been used by gangs to find out the addresses of people.

                    The potential harm such a gross breach of privacy may have caused should not be underestimated, but unfortunately it’s unlikely we’ll ever find out the true extent of the damage caused.

                    • PlanetOrphan …
                      15 October 2012 at 6:42 pm

                      Definitely, if they wanted the info they’ve got it.

                    • Jim Nald …
                      15 October 2012 at 6:55 pm

                      Oh oh oh oo ooo, I feel a ‘John Key moment’ descending on my mind … too late, rats, here goes …..

                      if those pedophiles and gangs already have got the information, they should come forward and “prove it”.

                    • TheContrarian …
                      15 October 2012 at 6:58 pm

                      “if those pedophiles and gangs already have got the information, they should come forward and “prove it”

                      That’s how the burden of proof works, if someone says something, a tape of me saying something for example, exists then it is up to them to justify that claim.

                    • PlanetOrphan …
                      15 October 2012 at 7:04 pm

                      It’ll happen TC.
                      In all of these cases it took a PM from another party too get the info released.
                      (i.e. If Sparkles aint the PM he can’t order them not too anymore)

                    • TheContrarian …
                      15 October 2012 at 7:06 pm

                      Well, if not Shearer looks like a fucking moron.

                      Edit: more than already does I mean

                    • McFlock …
                      15 October 2012 at 7:06 pm

                      It’s not how information security works, though. If you can’t guarantee its confidentiality to an acceptable level, then it needs to be regarded as  compromised.  
                              

                    • PlanetOrphan …
                      15 October 2012 at 7:13 pm

                      True McFlock, It’s a case of “Healthy Paranoia”

                    • PlanetOrphan …
                      15 October 2012 at 7:16 pm

                      “Edit: more than already does I mean”

                      What idyllic picture are you judging that on TC?
                      Key has been lying about everything for 30 years straight and you’ve just started callin him on it.

                      Name your Ideal Leader TC.

                • Vinsin …
                  15 October 2012 at 1:13 pm

                  “Was it another Labour party supporter within the MSD spreading confidential information in an attempt to make National look bad?, wouldn’t surprise me.”

                  BM

                  That comment is almost as retarded as the security flaw. How could you logically even think that, someone in MSD wants to undermine their department to make National look bad, because… oh right, Labour gives them a huge payout, but then wouldn’t further investigation find the individual or parties involved. Seems like a huge political risk to take, in fact i would suggest it would border on treason to knowingly let sensitive information out on purpose. Wouldn’t that essentially destroy the Labour party for the sake of some mud slinging?

                • prism …
                  15 October 2012 at 1:23 pm

                  BM
                  You’re a funny one. The fact that there is something like this to report by a blogger is the example of why it is important for bloggers to reveal such things publicly. Otherwise its put some masking tape on it and carry on. The government get embarrassed? I understand that special big elephant guns are required to bag them and this government and most, combine the cunning and watchfulness of a meercat with the hide of an elephant. Either way nothing ordinary gets them.

            • insider 21.1.1.1.1.3
              15 October 2012 at 12:05 pm

              Not sure how a company providing the kiosks could be blamed for unrestricted access to MSD corporate servers. It would be the MSD IT people who control access and protocols around getting access, as well as the comms links.

              My uneducated guess is that the kiosks are only supposed to give access to public online info but were connected as internal MSD computers – because they are in MSD premises – so sitting at one is like sitting at a company workstation.

              • BM …
                15 October 2012 at 12:15 pm

                Makes sense, the question is how did Ng know that, who gave him that information?

                • Colonial Viper …
                  15 October 2012 at 12:18 pm

                  Ah yes, must be time to Kill the Messenger. A very predictable CT led tactic.

                  Why don’t we wait until we get some Ministerial and Excecutive responsibility first, boys?

                  • Draco T Bastard …
                    15 October 2012 at 12:27 pm

                    Ah yes, must be time to Kill the Messenger. A very predictable CT led tactic.

                    Exactly what I was thinking.

                • insider …
                  15 October 2012 at 12:25 pm

                  He was told by someone who had probably had a play on it earlier. It’s a public computer so nothing sinister.

              • Lanthanide …
                15 October 2012 at 12:27 pm

                I’d pin the blame equally 50/50 on the external contractor and the MSD IT department, unless it can be shown that one group instructed the other on how it should be done in which case it would then be 100% the fault of whichever had been instructed (most likely the contractor instructing MSD IT).

                Either group should have caught this, in the design or rollout and testing of the units, which both groups should have been involved in.

                • Colonial Viper …
                  15 October 2012 at 12:35 pm

                  Either group should have caught this, in the design or rollout and testing of the units, which both groups should have been involved in.

                  Its a wonder that a tonne of ordinary internal users at MSD didn’t notice this.

                  • brybry …
                    15 October 2012 at 1:01 pm

                    A kiosk is just a vanilla OS install (Windows in this case) that has had a lot of the functionality tied down, or disabled. The “File/Open” issue is a well known one, so whoever did the kiosk build is a retard.

                    The fact that it was also connected to their internal network is huge no-no and just plain unforgivable. The reason that decision was made needs to be looked at. ($$ would be my guess)

                    • BM …
                      15 October 2012 at 1:09 pm

                      So in your personal opinion, do you think it’s a one off? or could it be much more widespread.

                    • brybry …
                      15 October 2012 at 1:25 pm

                      Not sure why I can’t reply to your post BM. (So I’ve replied to mine!)

                      I assume that all of these kiosks will be the same build, so they were most likely all capable of the same access.

                      This really is basic basic stuff, it’s pretty frightening that it happened at all, and is also why I would think that it has got to be a one-off. It won’t be a widespread issue in my opinion.

                    • Vinsin …
                      15 October 2012 at 1:29 pm

                      The site won’t let me reply to the one underneath.
                      Maybe this link will help answer your question.
                      http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/winz-kiosk-security-issues-may-extend-to-other-agencies-expert

                      [lprent: There is a limit on comment thread depth of 10 indents. Otherwise the comment get more and more vertical. You can tell when you have hit it – no reply link ]

                    • Lanthanide …
                      15 October 2012 at 2:53 pm

                      @lprent: actually it might be better if it showed the reply link, but simply made it reply to the parent post instead. Would certainly be easier for those really long threads where it can take a bit of scrolling to get to the right post to reply to.

      • insider 21.1.2
        15 October 2012 at 11:40 am

        So it would be like the Government Shared Network?

  22. tracey 22
    15 October 2012 at 10:40 am

    Bm, you havent noticed a pattern of privacy breaches under this government? Acc, ird, winz… Do you give bennet credit for allegedly clamping down on welfare or do you praise the civili servants for it? You cant have it both ways

  23. starlight 23
    15 October 2012 at 10:51 am

    Key on tv earlier ‘minimising the maximus’ its ok, not a prob.

  24. Colonial Viper 24
    15 October 2012 at 10:57 am

    Have donated Keith Ng a few dollars. Come on peeps lets see if we can’t get the man over $3K for this story.

  25. tracey 25
    15 October 2012 at 10:58 am

    I wonder if the details of his blind trust were made public he would be so blase

  26. Lanthanide 26
    15 October 2012 at 11:28 am

    Looks like Shearer’s/Labour’s poor handling of the supposed GCSB-Key tapes will be smothered by this story. Lucky break.

  27. mickysavage 27
    15 October 2012 at 11:41 am

    Memo from Crosby Textor

    To John Key

    Continuing disclosures concerning Kim Dotcom

    The situation is now grave. The good will that we have been able to manufacture for you concerning your personality is being undermined by your contiuous failure to know what is happening. The perception of your competence level is now in grave danger of matching your actual competence. And you have misunderstood plausible deniability. You are only meant to tell lies when it cannot be shown that you knew you were lying.

    The situation is grave and so we are now recommending the nuclear option. This may obliterate one of your strongest performers and her career but these are drastic times.

    The proposal is that you manufacture a crisis. This Government is renowned for privacy breaches so we recommend that the breach involves the MSD. And it has to be really simple to do, along the lines of walking in off the streets with a USB drive and downloading thousands of potentially significant items of information. And to make it worse the breach ought to have been pointed out previously but not acted on. And it has to undermine Minister Bennett and take down her flagship data matching project which was recently announced.

    The only benefit is that Dotcom will no longer be the lead story on the news. Until the next disclosure …

  28. Kotahi Tāne Huna 28
    15 October 2012 at 11:48 am

    The MSD and the Privacy Commissioner have known about this problem for a considerable amount of time.

    ‘Work and Income has zero tolerance for staff who breach the privacy of clients. Our Integrity Unit regularly conducts random checks of our systems, to detect such breaches.”

    The Privacy Commissioner has been informed and each client whose privacy has been breached is being contacted individually.

    That was last November. The article makes no mention of the time period over which the offending occurred.

    Amazing that some seem more concerned about Keith Ng’s behaviour than the ministry’s, and yes, of course this is a management issue, and of course the Minister has to take responsibility for it. As for Mr. Ng, he was authorised to access the data – it was a public server and people were encouraged to use it.

    • insider 28.1
      15 October 2012 at 12:08 pm

      Looks like a completely different issue – the one you link to is staff using their computers for illegal acts. Ng’s work involves public terminals accessing back office systems.

      • Kotahi Tāne Huna 28.1.1
        15 October 2012 at 12:28 pm

        Nope – the lax security in the network is obvious. Ng’s investigation demonstrates that once in, it’s access all areas. The article demonstrates it isn’t the first time this has caused problems.

    • mike 28.2
      15 October 2012 at 3:11 pm

      Work and Income has zero tolerance for staff who breach the privacy of clients.

      Damn straight, only the boss is allowed to do that.

  29. captain hook 29
    15 October 2012 at 12:52 pm

    gonna be big allright.
    the biggest cockup by infantilised adults new zealand has ever seen.
    this lot cant get anything right.
    must of been distracted by facebook or sumfing.

  30. Dr Terry 30
    15 October 2012 at 1:28 pm

    For all the BIG issues that have been occurring for weeks and months, how is it that we get a poll result such as that delivered by TV 3 yesterday? Will the Standard comment on this, for there is a good deal I would like to day.

    • blue leopard 30.1
      15 October 2012 at 2:10 pm

      “For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearances, as though they were realities, and are often more influenced by the things that seem than by those that are.”
      Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527): Discourses, 1513-1517

  31. muzza 31
    15 October 2012 at 1:56 pm

    Frankly I find it hard to believe this was an “open hole”

    The solutioning behind the work, which would of course have been carried out by an external vendor, but most likely QA’d internally, not to mentioned security assessed, as government departments must do.

    This is an oversight too stupid to have been missed by accident.

    • marty mars 31.1
      15 October 2012 at 4:31 pm

      hey muzza, if not that then what? deliberate?

    • Vinsin 31.2
      15 October 2012 at 5:07 pm

      Apparently the system was built and tested by KPMG regularly. Up until today they had never seen a hole. Stupidity, lack of inclination, lack of budget are a few other options I can imagine, the reality is National couldn’t give a fuck about beneficiaries.
      Why spend money protecting people you absolutely hate?

  32. vto 32
    15 October 2012 at 1:59 pm

    All I can say is that technology is over-rated.

    For example, eftpos is slower than cash. And nowehere near as aesthetically pleasing. Eftpos is such a stupid idea.

    • muzza 32.1
      15 October 2012 at 2:03 pm

      Eftpos is such a stupid idea.

      But an important idea in the roadmap to a cashless society!

    • Lanthanide 32.2
      15 October 2012 at 2:54 pm

      Depends on the amount of cash. If you’re talking $200+ in $20’s, eftpos could easily be faster.

    • Colonial Viper 32.3
      15 October 2012 at 3:28 pm

      Increases dependency on electronic transaction systems and provides highly traceable transaction activity located to time and place.

      • Jokerman 32.3.1
        15 October 2012 at 5:01 pm

        my thoughts exactly. all CONSUMPTION habits are recorded and analysed
        ( I withdraw my small income in cash, and meet my commitments, in cash, generally, unless I forget)

        • Jackal 32.3.1.1
          15 October 2012 at 6:53 pm

          +1 So do I. I also remove all savings and investments from New Zealand while National is in power. Better to be safe than sorry.

          • Jokerman 32.3.1.1.1
            15 October 2012 at 10:19 pm

            Amen Brother / Sister
            (I tried to comment on your site but technology / luddite difficulties (we all have our Achilles heel, personally, for me it was flow charts in the eighties; now for most people it is super-cession, this is just an old desktop that sat in the corner until I came along)
            🙂

    • Gosman 32.4
      15 October 2012 at 3:50 pm

      Not really. If you wish to purchase something over a certain amount of money then Eftpos is likely faster and more efficient for you.

    • Draco T Bastard 32.5
      15 October 2012 at 4:35 pm

      For example, eftpos is slower than cash.

      Try not to use cash any more as it’s a PITA. I actually find cash slower and then I actually have to carry the stuff around and make sure I have enough etc etc.

      And nowehere near as aesthetically pleasing.

      Fuck the aesthetics.

      Eftpos is such a stupid idea.

      Nope, it’s absolutely brilliant. It’s only downside is that it’s run by the private sector.

      • Gosman 32.5.1
        15 October 2012 at 4:43 pm

        Your problem with it being run by the Private sector is what exactly?

        BTW Kiwibank could set up a rival Eftpos system just as the ANZ bank did.

        • Colonial Viper 32.5.1.1
          15 October 2012 at 5:07 pm

          Duplicate systems are costly and unnecessary. Just nationalise it and have it run as a utility for the public good. Businesses will love the lower costs.

          • Gosman 32.5.1.1.1
            15 October 2012 at 5:22 pm

            You assume the costs will be lower which is definitely not a given. Business seems happy with the status quo but I suspect you think you know better than those silly business people.

            • felix 32.5.1.1.1.1
              15 October 2012 at 6:13 pm

              Is it being run for profit? If so it can be run for less.

              • Draco T Bastard …
                15 October 2012 at 8:41 pm

                EFT-POS in NZ is owned by the four Australian banks so it can be assumed that they’re making a profit.

                @Gosman

                Business seems happy with the status quo but I suspect you think you know better than those silly business people.

                Businesses don’t have a choice.

                • Colonial Viper …
                  15 October 2012 at 9:53 pm

                  Gossie demonstrates how out of touch with SMEs he is. SMEs fucking hate the EFTPOS fees, the bullshit costs to upgrade EFTPOS terminals, the incessant predatory ticket clipping which goes on.

                  Basically, Gossie has no concept.

        • TheContrarian 32.5.1.2
          15 October 2012 at 6:29 pm

          Yeah I am kinda confused by why being run by the private sector is a downside.

          • McFlock 32.5.1.2.1
            15 October 2012 at 6:36 pm

            big surprise, dat.

            • TheContrarian 32.5.1.2.1.1
              15 October 2012 at 6:47 pm

              Amusing as always

                • TheContrarian …
                  15 October 2012 at 7:14 pm

                  Sure. You can assume all types of things.

                  Setting aside there is no guarantee of cheaper prices (because you know, no government has ever run anything to make a profit from it) what’s wrong with providing a service for profit? Those business who use eftpos, say coffee shops, also pay for food and coffee. Shit, that should all be nationalised to because it would be cheaper than paying those greedy coffee producers to funnel their money overseas.

                  • felix …
                    15 October 2012 at 7:17 pm

                    If food and coffee were monopolies I’d go along with that.

                  • McFlock …
                    15 October 2012 at 7:20 pm

                    Depends.
                         
                    Is the barista the sole or near sole supplier of a piece of infrastructure that is essential for modern society? There’s the reason your coffee analogy is intensely stupid.

                    Have you seen what happens in a supermarket when the EFTPOS goes down?

                    • TheContrarian …
                      15 October 2012 at 7:27 pm

                      “Have you seen what happens in a supermarket when the EFTPOS goes down?”

                      Because under the watchful eye of government EFTPOS will never go down!

                    • McFlock …
                      15 October 2012 at 7:34 pm

                      wow, you overdosed on the stupid pills tonight, didn’t you.
                             
                      Show me in this thread where anyone has said that perfect operation is a benefit of state ownership. I merely pointed out that EFTPOS going down tends to block customer ability to purchase goods much more significantly than a barista taking a break shortens my options for a morning coffee. 

                    • TheContrarian …
                      15 October 2012 at 9:30 pm

                      Great, so we both agree that neither in private or public owner can guarantee that EFTPOS service won’t go down. We are making progress, sorta.

                      So then your gripe must be about profit, as my example about the cafe pointed out, the business owner has other outgoings which profit others too. Are you going to complain about that too?

                    • McFlock …
                      15 October 2012 at 9:52 pm

                      are those other outgoings being paid to near-monopolistic suppliers of goods or services essential to the operation of a modern society?
                         
                      No, raw sugar and milk thermometers don’t meet that criteria? Oh. well I guess not. Maybe you should learn to read. 

                    • TheContrarian …
                      15 October 2012 at 10:02 pm

                      “are those other outgoings being paid to near-monopolistic suppliers of goods or services essential to the operation of a modern society?”

                      Since we have already established that the government is no guarantee these “services essential to the operation of a modern society” will run anymore efficiently than they already do then this is a mere red herring.

                      So your problem is the money is going to something you don’t support despite it providing a service that the public seem to be fairly happy with, as well as the business that use them.

                      edit: Anyways, lets take this up in the morning. I have an early networking breakfast to attend…which sounds more boring than it is.

                    • McFlock …
                      15 October 2012 at 10:09 pm

                      Fucking slide there with extra lube. 
                           
                      1: no guarantee of never failing != comparative efficiency
                      2:  failure rate is not the only measure of economic efficiency. Extra money being sucked out by profit-seeking also counts.
                      3: use of a near-monopolistic service that is essential to modern life no more equals “people seem to be happy with it” than drinking from the only polluted water source in the area signifies that the water is safe.
                       
                      Slippery cont. 

                    • TheContrarian …
                      15 October 2012 at 10:15 pm

                      If ever meet you in real life, McFlock, I am going to insert an oily penis into your ear.

                      You fucking Tory.

                      [lprent: Where was the point of that comment? McF managed to make several points with extra abuse. Yours just read like a stupid threat.

                      And I suggest that you be curtail giving a “humourous” response. This is a warning that you may yet achieve your ambition to self-matyrdom. ]

                    • felix …
                      15 October 2012 at 10:17 pm

                      “Since we have already established that the government is no guarantee these “services essential to the operation of a modern society” will run anymore efficiently than they already do then this is a mere red herring.”

                      No, its the entire argument you’ve been working so hard to ignore. It’s about removing the drag of profit from monopolistic essential services and nothing to do with any of the strawmen you’ve failed to erect.

                    • McFlock …
                      15 October 2012 at 10:18 pm

                      cheers, cottonbud…

                    • TheContrarian …
                      15 October 2012 at 10:24 pm

                      See you tomorrow, sweet-pea

                • Jokerman …
                  15 October 2012 at 10:24 pm

                  Lord, Contrarian, you, like myself, appear to let your self down at times; yet often so witty?

        • Draco T Bastard 32.5.1.3
          15 October 2012 at 8:38 pm

          Your problem with it being run by the Private sector is what exactly?

          1.) The dead weight loss of profit
          2.) The fact that unaccountable private businesses have such information about me and everyone else
          3.) The transfer of money is an essential public service and, as such, should be done by the government.

          BTW Kiwibank could set up a rival Eftpos system just as the ANZ bank did.

          Why increase the expense?

          • TheContrarian 32.5.1.3.1
            15 October 2012 at 9:40 pm

            “1.) The dead weight loss of profit”

            Profit is not always ‘dead weight’. It is only dead weight if shuffled off into a tax haven. If it is spent and invested it becomes active in the economy.

            “2.) The fact that unaccountable private businesses have such information about me and everyone else”

            Like your WINZ details? Or like the credit card numbers Labour accidentally left unsecured? Or some ACC details which rolled a top minister?

            “3.) The transfer of money is an essential public service and, as such, should be done by the government.”

            The payment between the organization I work for and myself is an arrangement between myself and them. I have a legal as well as social contract between them. The government does not come into it expect to tax my tax (which I am happy to pay). When I buy something from a private company, that is a transaction between myself and them using a means of monetary transfer which has been agreed upon by both parties. The government does not have any need to be a party to this.

            • Colonial Viper 32.5.1.3.1.1
              15 October 2012 at 9:46 pm

              Profit is not always ‘dead weight’. It is only dead weight if shuffled off into a tax haven. If it is spent and invested it becomes active in the economy.

              BULLSHIT

              Investments in overseas bonds and derivatives does nothing for the “economy” that real people live in. (although it might help Wall St investment bankers).

              The best way to make sure that money stays in the community which generated the profits is to pay more workers in those communities more.

              • TheContrarian …
                15 October 2012 at 9:50 pm

                “The best way to make sure that money stays in the community which generated the profits is to pay more workers in those communities more.”

                So profit is not always dead weight. Glad we agree.

                (p.s. I never said “overseas bonds and derivatives”. I meant spent in the local economy, invested into infrastructure, new technologies and start-ups. i.e in useful, productive sectors.)

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  15 October 2012 at 11:07 pm

                  Paying workers isn’t profit and you know that. It’s payment to cover their living expenses.

            • Draco T Bastard 32.5.1.3.1.2
              15 October 2012 at 11:04 pm

              1.) Profit is always a dead weight loss.
              2.) WINZ is democratically accountable.
              3.) So you’d be fine with accepting IOUs from every Tom, Dick and Harry?

              The government does not come into it…

              Incorrect. The government essentially makes the money used in society worth something.

              When I buy something from a private company, that is a transaction between myself and them using a means of monetary transfer which has been agreed upon by both parties.

              A transaction that, most likely, can only come about due to the existence of government.

              The government does not have any need to be a party to this.

              Wrong again. Without the government setting and enforcing rules for the transaction there’s no way you’d be able to trust that the transaction was worthwhile – not in a society larger than about 200 hundred anyway.

              But that’s not the point. If the government owned and ran EFT-POS they’d come into the transaction no more than the banks do now. The only difference is that the government wouldn’t clip the ticket and so you’d get to keep more of the money from the transaction.

    • Dv 32.6
      15 October 2012 at 4:48 pm

      Here is a challenge for you VTO
      Pay power account, telephone, trade me purchase to someone in wairoa, amazon book purchase in cash in 20 min with no extra cost like petrol.

      • Gosman 32.6.1
        15 October 2012 at 4:52 pm

        Good point. It is possible if VTO can wire the cash via something like Western Union. However that is simply another form of electronic transfer albeit a more primative version.

      • felix 32.6.2
        15 October 2012 at 5:11 pm

        Dv you can just do all of that on line. Why would you bother driving to all those places to use their eftpos machines? And what if the person in Wairoa doesn’t have one?

        • Vinsin 32.6.2.1
          15 October 2012 at 5:14 pm

          What’s this “on line” you speak of? Is there a line somewhere I don’t know about?

          • Gosman 32.6.2.1.1
            15 October 2012 at 5:25 pm

            So Eftpos is somehow not useful yet the Visa and Mastercard payment systems , (which are owned by those dreaded foreign companies), via the internet is fine??? Go figure.

            • felix 32.6.2.1.1.1
              15 October 2012 at 6:04 pm

              Sorry Gosman, I didn’t realise “EFT” stood for “Every Fucking Thing”.

              Can you remind me again what the “POS” stands for?

              • Gosman …
                16 October 2012 at 4:57 am

                You seem to be making an assumption that a payment via Eftpos is fundamentally different to making a payment online. I’m letting you know that they are not really. In many countries they use Creditcard systems to replicate what we have here with Eftpos.

                Interesting that people think Eftpos is a monopoly, or near monopoly, and thus should be nationalised. There are two main players in the POS industry in NZ. This is similar to how many main players are in the operating system market. Do people want to see Microsoft nationalised as well?

                • felix …
                  16 October 2012 at 7:50 am

                  “You seem to be making an assumption that a payment via Eftpos is fundamentally different to making a payment online.”

                  Not an assumption. There’s very a clear distinction between a POS transaction and an online one. The clue is in the name.

                  “I’m letting you know that they are not really.”

                  But you’re a moron. Not only have you failed to note the context of the discussion, you’ve also missed all of the detail. The answer you pretend to seek has already been spelled out for you several hours earlier.

                  • Gosman …
                    16 October 2012 at 7:57 am

                    The context of this discussion was that VTO stated technology was overated. VTO then went on to use Eftpos as an example and stated cash was much better.

                    In that context pointing out that Eftpos transactions and Internet transactions are pretty much the same is valid. It would be completely idiotic for VTO to state Eftpos is not good but internet transactions are fine.

                    • felix …
                      16 October 2012 at 8:02 am

                      vto compared cash vs electronic at the shop counter. That’s what “POS” means you fucking dunce.

                    • Gosman …
                      16 October 2012 at 8:18 am

                      Whether it is POS or not is irrelevant when it comes to the underlying technology. Both POS and Internet payments utilise similar infrastructure. To try and argue that one is fine while the other is a waste of time is a stupid argument.

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      16 October 2012 at 8:26 am

                      Except for the fact that:
                      – EFTPOS came out many years ahead of internet purchasing,
                      – EFTPOS cannot be performed in a card absent transaction
                      – EFTPOS does not require the use of a credit card style product whereas internet transactions do
                      – EFTPOS cannot be used by internet businesses to transact sales.

                    • felix …
                      16 October 2012 at 8:27 am

                      “Whether it is POS or not is irrelevant when it comes to the underlying technology”

                      No, because that was the comparison. Cash at point of sale vs eft at point of sale.

                      It’s not my fault you didn’t understand it, but there’s nothing new about that.

        • Dv 32.6.2.2
          15 October 2012 at 6:35 pm

          Felix my point exactly.
          VTO said Eftpos is such a stupid idea.

  33. AsleepWhileWalking 33
    15 October 2012 at 2:16 pm

    ALL WINZ FILES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED COMPROMISED.

    http://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/onpoint-msds-leaky-servers/?p=272452#post272452

    All of them, including secure files such as mine. I expect a sizeable offer in the mail and an apology by phone within the week.

  34. starlight 34
    15 October 2012 at 3:01 pm

    CERA could also be compromised now ,what a shame, gerry wont be happy.

  35. weka 35
    15 October 2012 at 4:05 pm

    Following links from twitter…
     
    La Maison du Che’z, About 6 hours ago
     

    This is pretty gobsmacking and must be a NEW thing.
    I worked for WINZ (frontline in various roles) for 24 years, finishing in 2010. All these details that you have been able to access are amazing, considering we, as staff, were NEVER able to access any of them. Even our Service Managers couldnt get into them.

    It was so ’locked down” that we couldnt even access Internet unless we personally had been granted electronic licence. (so no Trade Me, Facebook, Twitter etc)

    We did have our own internal “Intranet” and access to our own client’s benefit records, but I am appalled that the public has been able to access stuff, even we as staff, could never get to, or would even attempt to get to.

    Thank you for exposing this anomaly in their system, but would appreciate it being reported that it is reported that it is not WINZ information that you have been able to see, it is other organisations within MSD.


    http://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/onpoint-msds-leaky-servers/?p=272298#post272298

  36. Tom 36
    15 October 2012 at 5:10 pm

    La Maison du Che’z: “Thank you for exposing this anomaly in their system, but would appreciate it being reported that it is reported that it is not WINZ information that you have been able to see, it is other organisations within MSD.”

    Ah yes, but which ones ?

  37. Vinsin 37
    15 October 2012 at 5:23 pm

    Funnily enough I had to drop some forms off at the WINZ today, i walked in and found a security guard next to the kiosk, which was turned off and covered up with blank sheets of A4.

    Nothing to see here, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

  38. gobsmacked 38
    15 October 2012 at 5:43 pm

    Question to the Minister of Social Development in Parliament tomorrow:

    “Does the Minister stand by her statement on Radio Live at 5.15 pm on Monday: “It ain’t gonna happen twice“?

    Just ask the DIRECT question. Can you guys please do this, for once?

    Follow up as necessary: “When she said “It ain’t gonna happen twice”, was that a promise, or just empty words?”

    “If it ain’t gonna happen twice, will she resign if it does?”

    (I know, you don’t read blogs, and you can come up with a much more long-winded question yourselves, and let Bennett off the hook, as you’ve been doing for 4 years … or you could try something else? Please?).

  39. captain hook 39
    15 October 2012 at 5:53 pm

    I have been busy all day.
    Has Bennet resigned yet?

  40. Tombstone 40
    15 October 2012 at 5:58 pm

    Heard Bennett on the radio when driving home work claiming that she was extremely concerned about how easily private information could be accessed and that it was extremely concerning – kind of ironic considering she was the minister who was more than happy to ride rough shod over the rights of two beneficiaries who spoke out against policy changes that directly effected them when there was no reason to do so other than to silence them and use her position to bully people into keeping quiet. Words can’t even begin to describe how much that woman disgusts me.

    • Kez 40.1
      15 October 2012 at 6:37 pm

      Do you mean the 2 idiots who went public with only half the story being told? They “earned” more than I did working a 40 hr week.
      You want disgusting, look at the liar-bore from bench. Nuff said.

      • Tombstone 40.1.1
        15 October 2012 at 8:42 pm

        So double standards are all fine and well depending on the situation? You can’t have it both ways. It’s either right or wrong to divulge or make otherwise private information public. Surely?

      • Draco T Bastard 40.1.2
        15 October 2012 at 8:48 pm

        They “earned” more than I did working a 40 hr week.

        And did you have all the same expenses? I suspect that you didn’t and didn’t even consider that the amount that they were getting wasn’t enough to cover their expenses whereas you did get enough.

  41. PlanetOrphan 41
    15 October 2012 at 6:08 pm

    So how much money did they waist on these Kiosks?

    Obviously another qualified contractor
    (That’s sarcasm by the way)

  42. xtasy 42
    15 October 2012 at 6:58 pm

    PRIVACY LEAK or Information GAP?

    Ha, what a joke! Who cares about any innocent, public person having a double check through a “self service kiosk” at good ol WINZ on what goes on inside the department and Ministry?

    Is it not just fair that information is “shared”?

    Paula was happy “sharing” information about some of her “difficult” clients herself. Lest we forget:

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/2740483/Privacy-Commissioner-confirms-investigation-into-Paula-Bennett

    http://brianedwardsmedia.co.nz/2009/07/why-paula-bennett-is-not-fit-to-be-a-minister/

    These are just two links to what went on during 2009! I am sure there are heaps more.

    And yes, maybe your attempts to keep hidden the “designated doctor training” that was managed and done through your cherished “work focused” Principal Health Advisor Dr David Bratt, and the previous senior advisor for health matters at MSD, Dr David Rankin (now with ACC, as I believe) from 2008 on, thus “compromising” the “independence” of such doctors “examining” and “assessing” client’s health, can now no longer be maintained either?

    Open the whole can of worms, please, Keith Ng and others. More people know what I am on about. Come forward, share with us, what you found through WINZ service points, on their systems and servers, please, we want to get square with dear Paula Bandit Benefit now, for good, thanks!

    Time to say good bye Paula!

  43. Reagan Cline 43
    15 October 2012 at 7:27 pm

    Paula must be trying to get people off welfare.

  44. Pascal's bookie 44
    15 October 2012 at 8:08 pm

    Keith Ng just tweeted that the name of the person who put him on to the breach has been leaked to the media:

    https://twitter.com/keith_ng/status/257732420785303552

    Full post on it here:

    http://publicaddress.net/onpoint/the-source/

    The leaker would appear to be MSD.

    • toad 44.1
      15 October 2012 at 8:40 pm

      No doubt with the personal approval of Bennett herself, given her track record.

      Question time in Parliament tomorrow won’t be much fun for either Key (GCSB illegal spying) or Bennett (WINZ privacy breaches)

    • Jim Nald 44.2
      15 October 2012 at 9:35 pm

      Ira should be given a knighthood. Public support for people who have high standards.
      Keith should be recognised with New Years honours.

      • gobsmacked 44.2.1
        15 October 2012 at 9:59 pm

        I’m bloody furious about this. It’s our version of the Pentagon papers, when the government machinery turned its guns on the truth-tellers, in so many nasty ways.

        I’m furious about Bennett and Key and their spin machine, and I’m almost as furious with the fucking fuckwits who think Labour should be more like them. That’s really working out great, isn’t it?

        Let’s hear some fire in Parliament tomorrow. Let’s hear some principle and conviction and some anger. No more fucking appeasement.

        • PlanetOrphan 44.2.1.1
          15 October 2012 at 10:05 pm

          Well Said M8!
          Ignore the non sensicle comebacks and hammer them on everything.
          Exorbitant remuneration + incompetent leadership/portfolio management = Our Current Government.
          Where’s the Money John! Those shares are gonna take years to sell.

        • xtasy 44.2.1.2
          16 October 2012 at 9:54 am

          gobsmacked: “I’m furious about Bennett and Key and their spin machine, and I’m almost as furious with the fucking fuckwits who think Labour should be more like them. That’s really working out great, isn’t it?”

          I am as furious as you, totally!

          But forget much “real” fire in Parliament. We will get the usual: Tit for tat political game playing, some challenging questions rather for gaining political points, than for genuine wish to achieve a change of the whole system (which we need urgently). They (Labour, Greens and NZ First) will of course hammer Bennett on the WINZ privacy gap, Key on GCSB and Dotcom saga, and others for their cock-ups and lies, but they do this only to discredit the government enough, to work on getting more votes next time. Then they may take over as an alternative government, and most likely they will soon forget all the questions they asked, the matters they raise, apart from what they see convenient to achieve under their watch.

          They will keep systems in place, be ministers or supporting MPs, run the show by working with all the departments, agencies and so, which are powers within the state making their own laws (they give government to pass), and not all that much will change.

          International obligations and ties will force them to work with the US government, with the Mainland Chinese government, with the EU and others, they will hang onto FTAs, let trade continue as it is, maybe put a few more checks and balances in, and soon enough the public will moan about them.

          Realise, please, these parties have low memberships, unions have low memberships, they are without solid basis, they only get votes by pandering to enough voters to get voted in, but they are non-committal supporters, who swiftly change their preferences.

          Hence parties of any direction have become just “opportunistic operators” having their systems, that are intent on getting as much of their agenda and policies into law, as may be allowed by public sentiment, which again is largely influenced by a manipulative, commercialised media, which is there to cater for businesses selling advertising, which are their bread and butter, and which are other forces with their agendas.

          So nothing will change much in the musical chairs of modern politics.

          I am resigned and see no solution, but to start new movements and parties like the “Pirate Parties” in Europe. But they are now failing, because they also struggle to develop a cohesive direction and policies.

          A radical change is needed, and people must be involved face to face, be made MEMBERS and be taken serious, not just used as opportune votes to win an election.

          So Bennett and Key know all this, they are part of the system and part of the problem. They will manipulate the public and media, keep their jobs, and all will be forgotten within days, the MSM happily assisting in keeping things as they are (also ensuring their own survival).

          People only have power if they have guts, are not complacent and take action. That is NOT happening. Mouseclics will NOT change anything, it is also just like a reaction to “appeals to votes” for perceived alternatives, that will only be moderate “alternatives” for a short while.

  45. Red Rosa 45
    15 October 2012 at 9:24 pm

    Full of privacy assurances, just last week

    http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/bennett-promises-lessons-winz-hacking-5133143/video?vid=5133228

    This week, not so good.

    Assumed office, November 2008. Presumably responsible for policy since then. All her own work.

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    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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    4 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
    4 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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

  • $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
    16 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
    18 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
    19 hours ago

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

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

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

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    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 Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
    The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research.   “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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