Until all of us are safe none of us are safe

Written By: - Date published: 10:39 am, September 9th, 2021 - 78 comments
Categories: act, covid-19, david seymour, health, politicans, racism - Tags:

On Monday of this week David Seymour received a roasting after posting a confidential Health code that was to be used by Waitakere Whanau to receive priority vaccination slots.

At the time there were two possibilities:

  1. It was a brain fart by a junior staffer with control of Seymour’s twitter account.
  2. It was a calculated racist dog whistle that in essence was an attack on a disadvantaged sector of the community from receiving urgently needed vaccines.

To prove beyond doubt it was the latter Seymour has doubled down and explained in the Herald excruciating detail why he tweeted what he tweeted.

He first claims that he only wanted to help and that his publication of the code meant that it was widely available.  Attacking “preferential treatment” and then claiming that you only wanted to make sure the availability of the preferential treatment was well known takes a lot of chutzpah.

He then completely contradicts himself and confirms that it was an attack on “Preferential treatment”.

From the article:

The reason I highlighted the code at all was because I want all New Zealanders, regardless of race, to have the opportunity to be vaccinated. I don’t care if you’re pakeha, Māori, Pasifika or Chinese – we should all have equal access. But none of us should be prioritised above the others because of who our grandparents were.

Put to one side the notion that Maori are privileged, which is laughable, Seymour shows a complete lack of understanding of the purpose of the vaccination project, which is to make sure that as many of us are vaccinated as possible.

This is because the virus does not discriminate, all it needs is a warm body to propagate in.

There is still doubt about what the optimal occupation rate is.  Judith Collins earlier suggested it was 70% of the adult population.  Loosening up at this stage would have led to thousands of deaths.

The UAE and Portugal are two of the highest rating countries in terms of vaccination rates.  England is currently sitting at 71%.  A simple body count suggests strongly that although they are doing reasonably well deaths are still occurring and elimination was and is the best approach.

Maori vaccination rates are lagging behind vaccination rates for all other sectors.

And in the middle of a pandemic if there is a problem then a variety of responses should be tried.

Seymour’s rant continues the myth that Maori are somehow privileged.  A cursory examination of a number of statistics would suggest that this is tosh.  Privileged people do not die on average seven years before the general population.

His claims about “prioritisation” are nonsensical.  Should we be worried that the Health System prioritises treatment of the ill over the healthy?

In the middle of a world wide pandemic when this country’s response has been outstanding it is really disappointing that elements of the opposition have played political games with the response.  It is especially disappointing that one of them has engaged in vile race baiting.

78 comments on “Until all of us are safe none of us are safe ”

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  1. RosieLee 1
    9 September 2021 at 11:40 am

    None of us is safe.

    • mickysavage 1.1
      9 September 2021 at 11:43 am

      Both versions seem to be used.

      • Brigid 1.1.1
        9 September 2021 at 7:07 pm

        One is.

        Two are.

        None = Not one.

      • mac1 1.1.2
        9 September 2021 at 7:39 pm

        Micky seems to be right. 'None' can be singular or plural- 'not one' or 'not any'.

        Is “Until all of us are safe none of us are safe ” plural in intent? “Until all of us are safe not any of us are safe. ” “Until all of us are safe not one of us is safe. ”

        • Brigid 1.1.2.1
          9 September 2021 at 10:52 pm

          None is always singular.

          'not any' is understood as 'not any one' or 'not any two' so in that case it can be 'not any of us is safe' or 'not any of us are safe'

          'not one' can not be read as 'not any'

          'One' is defined. 'Any' is not.

          RosieLee and I are right

            • In Vino 1.1.2.1.1.1
              10 September 2021 at 10:58 am

              Technically Brigid is correct, but English tends to be lax because there is no official authority (like the French Académie Française) to rule upon what is correct.

              In English the verb is often attracted into the plural by the nearest pronoun, as in 'None of us are aware..' (us being plural) and it has become accepted usage.

              The French and Germans tend to be far more grammatically correct about such matters.

              • mac1 …
                10 September 2021 at 12:30 pm

                Does Fowler mean nothing? P 526 4th edition Fowler's English Usage even quotes one R Muldoon!

                "It is a mistake to suppose that the pronoun is singular only and must at all costs be followed by singular verbs or pronouns. It should be borne in mind that none is not a shortening of no one but is the regular descendant of OE nan (pronoun) 'none, not one'. At all times since the reign of King Alfred the choice of plural or singular in the accompanying verbs, etc., has been governed by the surrounding words or by the notional sense. Some examples will clarify matters: (sing.) a fear which we cannot know, which we cannot face, which none understands—T. S. Eliot, 1935;"…………….. if you're talking about the aged and the unemployed and the sick, none of these are going to be affected—R. Muldoon, 1986; None of our fundamental problems have been solved etc etc.

                Robert Burchfield, who edited Fowler, was a Kiwi born in Whanganui, à propos of little. I’m interested in this as a former English teacher , but currently am an editor of two newsletters. I am truly interested to be better informed.

                • In Vino …
                  10 September 2021 at 12:50 pm

                  Fowler is a revered tome quoted by a majority of Grammar enthusiasts but does not have an official standing like the Govt-stamped approval enjoyed by the Académie Française, or, I think, the German Duden Institut. Fowler tends to quote respected writers to justify usages..

                  The irony is that both the Académie and Duden eventually have to alter their official rules to legalise what the majority of their speakers have been persistently but illegally doing for some time anyway..

                  But it does seem to me that from what I know of French and German, speakers do seem to adhere more rigorously to the correct singular verb when words like 'somebody' or 'none' are the subject.

                  I think these two languages are relevant because modern English is largely the outcome of Middle Anglo-Saxon English (very similar to the German of the time) being mixed over several hundred years with the Normans' French, heavily introduced to England with the Norman invasion of 1066.

                  I remember at school being told to say 'Bigger than I', not 'Bigger than me'. But later I found out that for several hundred years the English (Norman) aristocracy had been saying. 'Plus grand que moi'. Obviously the French emphatic pronoun 'moi' had been incorporated into modern English as 'me', which is why most modern English speakers have always said 'Bigger than me' and still do, despite some ignorant pedant claiming that "bigger than I' is the only correct way because it is short for 'Bigger than I am'. That rule works well for German, but not for French, and therefore neither for English.

                  I think that by now common usage has dictated that words like 'none' can take a plural verb in English.

                  • In Vino …
                    10 September 2021 at 1:13 pm

                    One more point for mac1 – note that in all the examples you quote, the plural words 'these' and 'problems' come after 'none' and just before the verb. Among grammatically careless people, the plural word attracts the verb into a structurally incorrect plural.

                    It has become endemic in English.

                    By the way, Muldoon said he had a liking/respect for what he thought was the 'Queen's English'. But he often mangled it.

                    • logie97 …
                      10 September 2021 at 2:34 pm

                      Gosh – the topic has exercised the mind such that a grammatical discussion has ensued for the best part of two hours.

                      That said, no-one on here would accept Seymour's actions were anything but dogwhistle.

  2. Patricia Bremner 2
    9 September 2021 at 11:43 am

    Act has always dog whistled, ever since Brash. They say Maori are given advantages.

    Strange how those advantages have not improved life expectancy or health

    His essay rationalizing his choices to do this is very self serving and shallow.

    The facts make much of what he wrote rubbish. A sad commentary on the attitudes of the right.

    • Ghostwhowalksnz 2.1
      9 September 2021 at 12:14 pm

      Yes. Right at the end he goes on about 'Charter schools' , and claims labour changed them to reopen with 'union teachers'

      hell , even state schools dont even 'have to have' union teachers.

      I thinks hes doing a 'Simon Bridges' from last year where he went off the rails into driveling nonsense.

      • weka 2.1.1
        9 September 2021 at 12:23 pm

        Please read my reply to you today re moderation, thanks.

      • Ghostwhowalksnz 2.1.2
        9 September 2021 at 7:06 pm

        I see the Herald has had the wording changed, Seymours claim was 'from union protected teachers'

        to now read

        ' They had to use union contracts'

        Its just a dog whistle against unions as the Ministry pays on a standard scale.

        For various reasons the old version was saved on my tablet.

        • Anne 2.1.2.1
          9 September 2021 at 11:25 pm

          Yep. I can confirm that is what I read "from union protected teachers".

          What's the bet the twat rang the Herald and asked them to change it because he was getting done over by irritated teachers or something like that.

  3. tc 3
    9 September 2021 at 11:56 am

    Rimmers playing to his base as usual via the herald.
    The traditional conduit for wtf that NACT want to say/smear.

  4. Pete 4
    9 September 2021 at 12:00 pm

    Seymour is on a determined campaign to vacuum up the redneck National votes.

    His 'explanation' is simply to reassure them that he means what he says, he's serious.

    At the same time he seeks to convince those who think he's a cute little boy and the voice of reason, that he is a nice boy and there's some intellectual rigour to his stance. Twerk and jerk will do it though, any real analysis of his position and what he says is beyond those who might be inclined to weigh it up.

  5. Ad 5
    9 September 2021 at 12:43 pm

    At 12% and rising Seymour is my enemy's enemy.

    So he should keep on this course.

    In several electorates Act got near or well above 4,000 votes last election. Usually much better than their candidates. They sometimes but not always skew white European demographic, but the Maori votes within them would tend to go strongly to Maori Ward seats. Listed:

    – East Coast Bays

    – Epsom

    – North Shore

    – Pakuranga

    – Papakura

    – Whangapraoa

    – Tauranga

    – Waimakariri

    – Rangitata

    – Waitaki

    https://interactives.stuff.co.nz/2020/10/election-2020-results-live/

    If David Seymour can find better candidates for the South Island seats, I see 3-4% upside for him in those seats against fed-up National voters.

    We can happily cheer on a fundamental split in the right.

    • AB 5.1
      9 September 2021 at 2:00 pm

      Seymour would only ever align with National – so I can't see that there's a lot of tactical upside in ACT doing better. Sure, it would annoy National and might keep their leadership unsettled, which could be helpful.

      But strategically I think it's bad if ACT do better than they are – they would be keeping alive and giving credibility to the most regressive form of right-wing libertarianism, an ideology that should have been buried for good by the end of the 1990's

    • Forget now 5.2
      9 September 2021 at 2:25 pm

      It doesn't always follow that the enemy of your enemy is your friend. A right wing led by ACT would be a more frightening prospect, at least National believes in the existence of society (if only to exploit it).

      The Stuff colorful graphics are pretty enough, but the official statistics tables are easier to compare (if a bit monotone). You missed out; Coromandel with 4,602 (nearly twice the Green Party!); Selwyn 5,396; Southland 5,016 ACT votes (amongst others 4000+), but included; East coast bays, Pakuranga, Papakura & Tauranga (close at 3,952), despite them all being under your 4000 party vote line. Why that particular number anyway Ad?

      https://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2020/statistics/votes-for-registered-parties-by-electorate.html

      • Ad 5.2.1
        9 September 2021 at 3:09 pm

        Thanks I forgot Selwyn and Coromandel. If the Greens can do it in Coromandel …

        4,000 is a solid established household voter database to increase to both party votes in a household, and freeing up your electorate vote.

        A sustained ground game with a really focused candidate can do wonders on that base if they put in the hard work.

        • Forget now 5.2.1.1
          9 September 2021 at 4:41 pm

          Apparently the Coromandel is quite a bit different than it was in decades past when Fitzsimons represented. More like a suburb for North Shore boaties nowadays. Haven't been there for a while myself. Heard the rates got jacked up a fair bit though (or at least property valuation that rates are based on).

          I was thinking that maybe the 4000 number had something to do with exceeding the vote proportion at last election, but the numbers didn't quite align. Don't know if I would call the 2020 result solid or established for ACT. The 10%+ results back in 2011 & 2014 weren't predicative for the GP once Labour got its act together.

          • Ad 5.2.1.1.1
            9 September 2021 at 4:54 pm

            Yes Coromandel is a functional suburb of Auckland for both car and digital commuters. That whole eastern side of Coromandel is just an uber-rich bolthole with a couple of tiny Maori villages surrounded. Rich Act pickings for next time.

            The Greens have held despite saying almost nothing in the media for years. Impressive voter loyalty.

            But the better National-Act comparison is the New Labour split in 1989. Seymour just needs to attract a couple of young disenchanted National 'dries' to his team.

            • Anne 5.2.1.1.1.1
              9 September 2021 at 5:40 pm

              Seymour just needs to attract a couple of young disenchanted National 'dries' to his team.

              They tried to do that in the mid 1990s. Apart from a few disenchanted Nat members from the Muldoon era, they didn't have much luck. Former Nat politician, Maurice Williamson was one of those they approached but he didn't bite.

              Labour politician Mike Moore was also approached and he didn't bite either.

  6. Enough is Enough 6
    9 September 2021 at 12:50 pm

    Seymour comes from the old tired perpsective that positive discrimination is a bad thing and we should focus solely of equal opportunity rather than equal outcome.

  7. woodart 7
    9 September 2021 at 12:55 pm

    act cant understand that like most things in life, community health grows from the bottom up. they(like most right wingers ) think that everything is trickledown.

  8. Reality 8
    9 September 2021 at 1:30 pm

    He was happy to accept his own vaccination which was offered to party leaders some weeks ago, well before large scale vaccinations were opened up for his age group. Hypocritical.

  9. Incognito 9
    9 September 2021 at 3:12 pm

    Seymour wouldn’t want people with a broken leg on crutches or in a wheel chair have priority or pre-boarding on an airplane because “we should all have equal access” without preferential treatment or privileged priority access. If it happens to be person of certain ethnicity, they should simply wait in the queue like everybody else, according to Seymour. Because equality and stuff the broken leg, it was probably a bad personal choice, anyway.

  10. rod 10
    9 September 2021 at 4:55 pm

    Seymour will say anything to get his smug and smarmy face in the news.

  11. Stuart Munro 11
    9 September 2021 at 7:04 pm

    I suspect Cmore will gain a few Gnat voters out of this, for a while at least.

    But it's cheap.

    If ACT are ever to be more than a fringe party they need to be more statesmanlike.

    Character is destiny, and Seymore's looks like nothing Gowron would approve.

  12. swordfish 12
    9 September 2021 at 10:02 pm

    .

    Yes … my understanding is that all poor people are brown, all brown people are poor, low income elderly Pakeha have fantastic health outcomes & must therefore be punished & that it's best if those elderly Pakeha & Asians with potential comorbidities wait patiently behind young fit Maori & Pasifika so that affluent Woke elites can indulge in ostentatious moral posturing while scapegoating people far less financially privileged than themselves.

    #FakeLeft

    • Incognito 12.1
      9 September 2021 at 10:33 pm

      Fair comment, but the vaccination roll-out is and was based on prioritisation based on risk/need, not on ethnicity and/or age alone. The average life expectancy of your “young fit” Māori and Pacific people is many years less than of European and Asians.

      https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/national-and-subnational-period-life-tables-2017-2019

      Don’t compare apples with oranges; leave that to Seymour.

      • DukeEll 12.1.1
        10 September 2021 at 12:44 pm

        JT was on the 6pm news last night complaining that only 300 people in one day went through his vaccination station when he is equipped for 1800. Maybe JT is the problem and his communication to his community isn’t working.

        Peni Henare summed it up well on the same show

        • Incognito 12.1.1.1
          10 September 2021 at 9:34 pm

          David Seymour did say that he was trying help. It just wasn’t clear that he tried to help JT with his communication issue. Yeah, right! JT is sticking up for his people; you’ll have to give him that.

    • McFlock 12.2
      9 September 2021 at 10:41 pm

      Not sure Seymour was spilling the code to poor pakeha rather than the entitled UMC.

  13. vto 13
    10 September 2021 at 7:30 am

    "Privileged people do not die on average seven years before the general population."

    In contradiction men, apparently privileged, do mickysavage

    the whole 'privilege' issue is not something easily understood by most people. When they see someone lawfully entitled to something because of their birth, they see privilege, and it is at a base level. This point is not well countered at all.

    The way this whole issue is framed in public debate is not winning people over – it is doing the opposite, no matter how much explaining is undertaken. And I think that is because there is a difference in law as to what some people are entitled to based on their birth – which is a birthright privilege. Many many many euro-descendant people's families sought to escape birthright privilege in europe.

    I'm not expressing a personal view here, merely pointing out how this issue is seen by so very many. It is a view that the left is on the backfoot on. I don't know the answer

    • Gezza 13.1
      10 September 2021 at 8:14 am

      It's a difficult topic because we descendants of European migrants know something of the now far-off-in-time-&-distance background history of the countries our ancestors came from & perhaps something of the rugged lives many of our forebears in NZ had building this country.

      But in many cases, in those European countries, centuries of history have seen them invaded & change populations & loosen the long lost tribal-based ways of living. It's ancient history. We now have the concept of easily moving cities, buying a house or apartment, & of the individual & the nuclear family, & English law, & private property being the primary kinds of things we base our lives on.

      It's taken me a while to get to the point where I now understand so much more about Te Ao Māori. How completely different the worldview of those who identify as Māori is to the Pākehā one. Their whakapapa's not just a genealogy. Everyone is intricately connected to each other via whanu, hapu & iwi & tikanga (and to their environment which is imbued with its own wairua & mauri [spirituality& life force] ).

      They still operate as vibrantly collective tribal societies. Independent nations like the North American first peoples. And while our long dead & buried ancestors don't really feature in our current lives, theirs do. They are regarded as still present & honoured & even represented in such things as naming of marae buildings. Hurts to our European ancestors are not deeply felt, but for Maori, they are.

      Te Tiriti o Waitangi promised them te rangatiratanga. They didn't get it. They want it. And mana motuhake. Were I Māori, I'd quite possibly want these too. That is difficult to achieve in a democracy where they're currently only 15-16 % of the population.

      We can find people who look & speak English like us (now accented, of course) back in UK & in Canada & the US & all over the world. Māori come from here. Their ancestors arrived sufficiently long enough before ours they evolved their own, unique identity. When they say therefore that they're tangata whenua – that they're special – they are.

      It's a bit of a bugger because as a Pākehā Kiwi of many generations descent I can't call any other place home. So I want to be considered special too. Maybe that's where the rub is?

      • Gezza 13.1.1
        10 September 2021 at 8:44 am

        😮 Oops: tino rangatiratanga.

      • vto 13.1.2
        10 September 2021 at 8:48 am

        Thanks Gezza and yep I see all of that, and as I say don't know the solution.

        The gears aren't fully meshed yet and there is plenty of graunching going on still… and maybe wont stop..

        I think my main point still stands though – many many most people don't like an entitlement lawfully differentiated because of birth. And this very particular point is not well countered, not at all.

        • Gezza 13.1.2.1
          10 September 2021 at 9:21 am

          Yes. And that nervousness & potential hostility is exacerbated among some Pākekā who've actually googled & read He Puapua, because it recommends to Govt that we try & eventually develop (in phases) a 50/50 co-governance arrangement [based on te Tiriti being a partnership promise – as it has been interpreted by the Waitangi Tribunal] that would involve such things as various separate systems for Maori, including separate systems – for health & various even justice systems – based on Kaupapa Maori & tikanga.

          That separate justice system creates questions around who decides which system applies, for example, when there's a dispute, or crime commited by Pakeha against Maori & vice versa. And where they overlap, or how to determine which system takes precedence. Breaking tapu can be an offence in Maoridom. And there are possibly penalties (& associated processes) like muru, as opposed to utu, to be considered.

          • Incognito 13.1.2.1.1
            10 September 2021 at 10:18 am

            I doubt that many who have been suckered by the talking points of the likes of Judith Collins and Don Brash would have actually read He Puapua although the more ‘intellectual’ ones may have read the opinion pieces by Elizabeth Rata, the fake-Māori Professor. And that is not just a Māori vs. Pākehā issue, so painting it like this is unhelpful, IMHO; it goes deeper and further than that, it always has, and it always will. This happens to be a huge political wedge issue AKA red flag to a bull just as the vaccination issue is mostly a distraction to rally the troops and beat the drums, following the drum major (Brash) or drum majorette (Collins). Unfortunately, very few can rise above this and provide a more wholesome perspective.

            • Gezza 13.1.2.1.1.1
              10 September 2021 at 10:38 am

              Yes, I know. Collins is dog-whistling & usually lacks detailed knowledge of what she's stirring up. Rather than just listen to her I just googled & went & found it as a pdf. I might actually still have it book-marked on my lappy or this iPad. I should probably go & have another read.

              I actually found it interesting because a month or two before we even learned of he puapua's existence I was trying to find some prison stats on the Corrections website & by serendipity came across a Maori student's post-grad research paper which had been done for Corrections management on Maori tikanga & traditional justice concepts & practices. It was a fascinating read.

              I haven't read anything by Rata or Brash on the topic. I note your cautions & will bear them in mind.

              • Gezza …
                10 September 2021 at 3:12 pm

                Found it:

                https://www.tpk.govt.nz/docs/undrip/tpk-undrip-he-puapua.pdf

                It's quite an extensive document. There are numerous refernces to incorporating tikanga into legislation where possible.

                I was thinking of the Criminal & Family Justice section in my comments above. The phased development table's not an easy document to read on my little iPad screen. May well be a lot more nuanced than I recalled.

            • swordfish 13.1.2.1.1.2
              10 September 2021 at 8:51 pm

              .

              opinion pieces by Elizabeth Rata, the fake-Māori Professor.

              ad hominem's never a good idea … best critque her core arguments, if you can.

              Incidentally, I don't think she's ever claimed to be Māori … she was, of course, wife of the late Matt Rata & has every right to continue to use her married name without being abused for it.

              In the past, she has argued that this tawdry obsession with her ethnic ancestry as a kind of smearing mechanism is part & parcel of the regressive hyper-racialisation of society that she firmly opposes. Hence, she refuses to play that game.

  14. Ross 14
    10 September 2021 at 7:43 am

    Meanwhile, Associate Health Minister for Maori, Peeni Henare has said:

    “The buck stops with our people to come forward and get vaccinated. We’ve done iwi campaigns, we’ve done health provider campaigns, but ultimately the buck stops with our people,’’ he says.

    Of course, it could be that for many of those (Maori and non-Maori) who haven't had their first shot of the vaccine, they may be reluctant to be vaccinated. Talking to people about why they are reluctant or why they've decided not to be vaccinated might be useful.

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/peeni-henare-the-buck-stops-with-maori-to-get-vaccinated

    • Gezza 14.1
      10 September 2021 at 8:29 am

      Where they have talked to people it's often been about the remoteness of some Maori marae communities, their relative poverty & lack of suitable transport, & the lack of mobile health-based resources able to travel there.

      When they do take their kaumatua & kuia to town or city clinics, they're sometimes expected to just walk in, to a strange place, roll up their sleeves, get asked a couple of questions, get their jab, & go & sit where they're told to for 20 minutes until they're told they can go, like the Pākehās.

      This is alien. It's cold, & remote. Often nobody even asks them if they'd like a cup of tea & a biscuit & a chat. If we went to their marae or papakāinga to deliver vaccines , that's how we'd be received. We'd be welcomed. Made to feel at home. Manaakitanga.

  15. Gosman 15
    10 September 2021 at 8:56 am

    I think most people here underestimate the number of NZers who while comfortable with Maori having greater ability to control their own destiny do not want to see positive discrimination based on ethnicity. There is little risk David Seymour will take a political hit from his position.

    • Robert Guyton 15.1
      10 September 2021 at 9:04 am

      "I think most people here underestimate the number of NZers who while comfortable with Maori having greater ability to control their own destiny do not want to see positive discrimination based on ethnicity. are racist…"

      Fify.

      • vto 15.1.1
        10 September 2021 at 2:03 pm

        Robert, isn't this "discrimination based on ethnicity" also this "racist"?

        This is exactly the issue that people have with this whole area, as in my initial point. Most people just can't equate what you have written there, simply because 'discriminating on the basis of ethnicity' is in fact racist.

        This is how they think.

        Their point is not countered. The left's arguments and narrative on this fail miserably, and I think your post shows exactly this.

        Different lawful entitlements based on birth…. or discrimination based on ethnicity…. both forms of racism they say…

        What is the counter to that? The counter expressed in a short and understandable form? What is it? Where is it? It doesn't exist I think…

        • Robert Guyton 15.1.1.1
          10 September 2021 at 9:08 pm

          No. That's not racism, vto, that's prejudice or bias. Discrimination on the basis of race is … discrimination. Discrimination is not racism. Racism has a specific, particular meaning. That's the rub!

          • vto 15.1.1.1.1
            12 September 2021 at 8:24 am

            Well I completely disagree and you have proved my point Robert. Here is the simple online definition of racism "prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism by an individual, community, or institution against a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized"

            It runs completely counter to your explanation, which is incomprehensible.

            The left has lost this issue.

            Is why Seymour did what he did.

            • Robert Guyton 15.1.1.1.1.1
              12 September 2021 at 8:42 am

              See in your definition, vto, where it says, "typically one that is a minority or marginalised"? Racism is, in my understanding, not something that "flows up", that is, the minority race can't be racist toward the majority race, the colonised can't be racist toward the colonisers. What they can be is prejudiced or discriminatory, but not racist. This is my sincere understanding. On what point do you not agree?

              • vto …
                12 September 2021 at 8:47 am

                "typically"

                That a minority cannot be racist is laughable.

                This is another area within this issue that the left gets nowhere on, nowhere at all, and imo the left will continue to fail here until its approach and argument is changed.

                Perhaps… rather than try and change the definition of racism, maybe come up with another term for that particular type of racism… and maybe acknowledge that maori can be racist just like pakeha can be racist.

                Keep in mind my point is about the left failing on this issue, not my own particular views on it.

                Do you think the left is winning here?

                • Robert Guyton …
                  12 September 2021 at 8:57 am

                  Again, I think the definition of the word "racism" is important. If the definition is that racism works from the top down; that it's a feature of domination, and that different words (prejudice, discrimination) describe similar behaviours in the dominated race group, then it's no good railing against the subtlety of language. Have you really looked at the issue this way, vto?

                  Edit: wikipedia offers: ” Thus, racism can be broadly defined to encompass individual and group prejudices and acts of discrimination that result in material and cultural advantages conferred on a majority or a dominant social group.[34] So-called “white racism” focuses on societies in which white populations are the majority or the dominant social group. In studies of these majority white societies, the aggregate of material and cultural advantages is usually termed “white privilege”.

                  This is a difficult shift to make but I'm pretty confident that it's the case, awkward though it seems.

                  • vto …
                    12 September 2021 at 9:07 am

                    When a 'majority' person is subjected to racist abuse, for example, from a 'minority' person they aren't concerned about dominance or such, they are simply upset that somebody abused them because of their race. They see that as racism because that abuse was based on race. And it fits within definitions.

                    The left has no answer to this, as your responses are amply showing.

                    To run a narrative in politics it needs to be simple and clear. The lefts position (as in your comments above) are neither simple nor clear. And so the left loses this debate.

                    The left has lost this debate.

                    The vast majority of the country sees lawful entitlements based on race as racism.

                    Good luck trying this issue on as you outline in the next election

                    • Robert Guyton …
                      12 September 2021 at 9:36 pm

                      12 September 2021 at 9:07 am

                      "When a 'majority' person is subjected to racist abuse, for example, from a 'minority' person…" it's called discrimination. I agree with you, when you say the person being subjected to the abuse won't bother with the definitions, but we are discussing terms and meanings here, so we can rein-in our emotional reactions and pin-down the truth of the matter. As to "trying this issue …in the next election", I'll not be trying anything at all, being less-than a bit-player in national politics 🙂

    • mac1 15.2
      10 September 2021 at 9:11 am

      What an indictment of a number of NZers. Now, Gosman, what is your position in this issue of a country that takes stock of where its citizens are being under-serviced and accordingly takes action?

      Are you going to advocate against the positive discrimination involved in ensuring first the medically needy, then the elderly, got first dibs on the vaccine?

      If you disagreed with Seymour, are you going to say that, or excuse him by offering the wisdom that there are always going to be the bigots and the foolish?

      Is there an acceptable practice of positive discrimination based on other than ethnicity? Who would those recipients be?

      Has the leader of the ACT party and his supporters ever addressed the racism within the NZ Health system? I received that wisdom from a senior oncologist who knew the figures.

      Māori are less well served by our health system and positive discrimination addresses that. “To each according to their need.”

      As an older person I appreciate that. I even appreciate people standing up for me on a bus….

    • woodart 15.3
      10 September 2021 at 9:27 am

      sources gosman? give us these numbers you speak of. dont make claims without proof.

    • Ad 15.4
      10 September 2021 at 9:47 am

      Seymour's move was timid compared to Don Brash's Orewa speech 13 years ago.

      If he wants more, Seymour needs to show he's ready to reach for the 20% bar.

      Next poll I'm predicting:

      Labour 36

      National 24

      Act 16

      Greens 11

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_next_New_Zealand_general_election

    • Tricledrown 15.5
      10 September 2021 at 10:00 am

      Gosman Seymour is a fringe politician who has moderated his parties fanatical adherence to extreme policy.

      His latest outbursts have been lambasted by most people including mainstream media.Tova Obrien included who takes no prisoners in her interviews Labour /National ..Has called Seymour a Cockwomble.The days of Maori bashing are coming to an end look around our country Maori language is being used more widely and adopted to main stream.

      People like it ie Waka Kotahi sounds better than the long winded NZTA. Most broadcasters are using Maori language introductions etc.Maori language is being pronounced properly these days.

      We have our only living hero a VC recipient many TV presenters are Maori who speak more clearly and articulate better.The dinosaurs of Brashes era are disappearing.

      Collins Orewa moment at the Queenstown National party restart was a complete disaster.

      MMP means the harder right Seymour goes makes it more difficult for National to pick up the moderate swing vote.

      His nasty stance on Maori health will be looked at by our polynesian voters and they will turn out to vote in large numbers against this cheap nasty idiot .

      • Gezza 15.5.1
        10 September 2021 at 12:40 pm

        Good comment. I agree with that. And teachers are going to be required to get even more au fait with Maori culture & possibly the language as a requirement from next year, aren't they? Is it next year?

        I watch quite a bit of Maori tv (they have some very interesting documentaries & good choices of movies) … & sometimes Te Karere. Most of it doesn't have English subtitles, but some items do, including interviews with nga koro & nga kuia talking about their nga rohe & just chatting about life in their marae – & I think Te Karere replayed late at night does.

        To listen to Maori reporters, interviews, guests, all speaking fluent te reo makes me realise how dumb I am. I do try to teach myself a bit at home, but I'm never going to develop sufficient fluency to be able to hold even a basic conversation with a fluent speaker. The syntax & "grammar" is so utterly & completely different from any European languages it's a major challenge to get your head around full sentences.

        • Robert Guyton 15.5.1.1
          10 September 2021 at 9:12 pm

          " au fait with Maori culture" that's pretty funny!

          • Gezza 15.5.1.1.1
            10 September 2021 at 9:40 pm

            I suppose it is. For some reason I had a sudden mental blank for the right English word so just chucked that in and moved on. indecision

            • Robert Guyton 15.5.1.1.1.1
              10 September 2021 at 9:49 pm

              Gezza, if you have any desire at all to enter the reo learning stream, my advice to you is; learn to pronounce well. Don't concern yourself with conversational Maori language, learning lots and lots of kupu Maori, or constructing a mihi, pepeha or karakia mo te kai, just learn to pronounce a few important words. That's the key. Practice with street names. Move up to place names, then the names of well-known Maori people. Get the pronunciation right and you will reap rewards you aren't yet aware are on offer 🙂

              • Gezza …
                10 September 2021 at 10:11 pm

                I've been working my way through these, Robert. They cover lots of kupu hou, and place names, & simple conversations, common phrases, greetings, pronouns etc.

                http://www.tokureo.maori.nz/index.cfm/1,265,0,43,html/Series5.html

                Fascinating to learn that personal pronouns like ia mean he or she. They're not gender specific. I go through the tests and exercises.

                They show this series on Maori tv in the late mornings. I was searching for any online material & recognised Toku Reo from the telly.

                Your other suggestions also look good to me, thanks.

                Pronunciation has never been a problem. I've a good ear for audio lingual learning and I learned Latin for a couple of years before dropping it for History. Same vowel sounds.

                • Robert Guyton …
                  12 September 2021 at 8:51 am

                  Nice and I agree with regards ia – fits very well into the present discussions around gender/sex-sensitive titles. Another indicator of the languages elegance is wā &wāhi for "time" and "space/place. Our equivalents are words with an unclear linguistic connection where the kupu are clearly from the same source. Elegant. This however, is my own thinking; I've not read confirmation of the idea, so could be wrong 🙂

                  • Gezza …
                    12 September 2021 at 9:44 am

                    Yep. Te Reo Māori seems chock full of concept-words that have either no exact equivalent in English, or multiple different equivalents, depending on exact context & position in sentences,

                    And many kupu that have no corresponding English language function. Like ko, or haere mai, for example. I thought haere mai meant come here or come to me. But haere actually means to go, or to move. Mai means towards me, in my direction.

                    The Verb Subject Object sentence structure is awkward to learn when there are so many other kupu that must be used as parts of sentences that are juxtaposed between them.

                    As with many languages it has many kupu that are essential to understand to begin to grasp the different way Māori perceive our relationship to people & the world, and the universe.

      • Forget now 15.5.2
        10 September 2021 at 1:00 pm

        If anything, I think that it'll be the Māori Party that has a rise in the polls, and they won't be at all keen to work with; ACT, or National, in any future government. There'll probably be a Roy Morgan poll in a fortnight if none others published before then (knowing the polling agency helps guesstimating the results), so I predict:

        • 6 (+/-1)% undecided (excluding which)
        • 40 (+/-3)% Labour
        • 27 National
        • 12 (+/-1)% Green
        • 12 ACT
        • 4 Māori
        • 5 Other

        http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/8789-nz-national-voting-intention-august-2021-202108270635

        Also, it's Māori Language Week from 13-19th during that polling period.

  16. Adrian 16
    10 September 2021 at 11:43 am

    Interestingly even some hardline attitudes may be changing a little. A neighbouring couple, ACT voters, one for sure, but Arden admirers for the Covid response used to complain about any use of Te Reo, my reply was for them to consider that maybe a language that had been used here for 1000 years may well deserve to be recognised and treated as such. I’m sure my gentle exhortations would have had little effect but the attitude has recently subtly changed along the lines of not minding the greetings and salutations but that some of the introductions go on for too long. It’s progress I suppose, but I too have noticed this trend and it does seem to possibly be more likely to come from presenters who are new to Te Reo and may be a bit of showing off, but then one would not expect a TV presenter to be a show off surely!

  17. Policy Parrot 17
    10 September 2021 at 7:15 pm

    I seriously doubt whether Seymour is actually racist – remembering that libertarians worship at the altar of extreme individualism – and I posit that he probably personally agrees with the concept of priority access for Maori (especially considering the fact that is a Maori-led initiative intended for Maori but not exclusively so).

    But this in is fact a stunt intended to get media attention. And it has worked for him. Even though appalling, the best response is to ignore or not comment on it because doing so simply gives it more life.

    • Tricledrown 17.1
      11 September 2021 at 10:25 am

      Seymour has been quietly dog whistling the far right for some time.I doubt if he would have any over for tea any time soon.

      Given most don't do personal hygiene are involved in nasty gangs and don't want gun control so they can steal guns even if they have a serial no.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
    Tangi ngunguru ana ngā tai ki te wahapū o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. Tārehu ana ngā pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngā manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o Tāne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tū ana ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Renewable energy fund to support community resilience
    40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • COVID-19 funding returned to Government
    The lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Appointment of District Court Judge
    Susie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today.  Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
    The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-up
    Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Taupō Supercars revs up with Government support
    The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarter
    The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs
    The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today.   “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • More support for victims of migrant exploitation
    Temporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Strong export boost as NZ economy turns corner
    An export boost is supporting New Zealand’s economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The economy is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Funding approved for flood resilience work in Te Karaka
    The Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the Tairāwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. “Te Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the Waipāoa River ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Further business support for cyclone-affected regions
    The Government is helping businesses recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and attract more people back into their regions. “Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,” Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Building on our earlier business support, this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • New maintenance facility at Burnham Military Camp underway
    Defence Minister Andrew Little has turned the first sod to start construction of a new Maintenance Support Facility (MSF) at Burnham Military Camp today. “This new state-of-art facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and will enable our Defence Force to better maintain and repair equipment,” Andrew Little said. “This Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Foreign Minister to attend United Nations General Assembly
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will represent New Zealand at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, before visiting Washington DC for further Pacific focussed meetings. Nanaia Mahuta will be in New York from Wednesday 20 September, and will participate in UNGA leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Midwives’ pay equity offer reached
    Around 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “Addressing historical pay ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

  • New Zealand provides support to Morocco
    Aotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “We are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,” Nanaia Mahuta said. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

  • Government invests in West Coast’s roading resilience
    The Government is investing over $22 million across 18 projects to improve the resilience of roads in the West Coast that have been affected by recent extreme weather, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today.  A dedicated Transport Resilience Fund has been established for early preventative works to protect the state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

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