We need more than capital gains tax to address inequality

Written By: - Date published: 2:41 pm, March 25th, 2019 - 46 comments
Categories: Amy Adams, capital gains, equality, greens, labour, national, tax, uncategorized - Tags: , ,

Since publication last month of the Tax Working Group’s final report, there has rightly been considerable comment on the unfairness of a tax system that lacks even a capital gains tax (CGT).

However, to me, the most significant comment of the 130-page report is that the expert group considers the introduction of a CGT as “likely to have (only) a minor impact on income inequality”.

“A material reduction in income inequality through the personal tax system would require broader income tax changes, including an increase in the top marginal tax rate,” the report states, adding that this was outside the group’s Terms of Reference – though quite why remains a mystery.

This in no way suggests that the introduction of CGT should not proceed – all 11 members unanimously agreed that such a tax should be introduced in some shape or form (the three minority members accepting that CGT should be introduced, but had qualms about complexity issues).

The report made a cogent and virtually unarguable case that it is absurdly unfair that income from capital gains is untaxed while all salary and wage income is taxed.

A tax system without a CGT “reduces the fairness of the system” as well as making it regressive because it benefits the wealthy who own the vast proportion of capital assets. This has the effect of “reducing the proportion of tax paid by the wealthiest members of our society”.

The absence of a CGT increased perceptions of unfairness in the tax system as well as reducing its integrity by creating opportunities for “tax minimisation” and avoidance.

The report’s analysis of our tax system highlights two important facts, which are not new, but are unequivocally laid out – that Aotearoa has one of the least progressive tax systems in the OECD and, partly as a result of that, we have one of the least equal societies among that club of wealthy nations.

An OECD 2014/15 graph in the report (Fig 3.3, pg 32) shows Aotearoa ranked eighth lowest among the 35 members in terms of reducing inequality via both taxes and transfers.

The report also notes Aotearoa has one of the lowest top marginal tax rates in the OECD and that high income earners pay only 31% of their total income in tax (and that excludes their tax-free capital gains), while the lowest quartile pay 23% of their income. That means someone on $200,000 would get $138,000 in the hand while someone on $40,000 would get $30,800.

However, suggesting higher taxes rates has become anathema to modern democracies because Right Wing, neoliberal lobby groups have been hugely successful, through the use of clever, emotional catch-cries like “nanny state” and “tax relief”, in arguing tax cuts are good for society.

If going to the electorate on a platform of introducing a CGT is assessed as fraught with risk, suggesting that there should be a higher marginal income tax rate might be deemed a death wish, despite it being clearly in the best interest of the vast majority of voters who would get better education, healthcare and welfare.

Similarly, if higher marginal rates are anathema, imagine what would happen to a government that re-introduced gift or estate duties. Yet these were the tools that in the past allowed us to have a more equal society that gave all a better, if not equal, opportunity. That equalising of opportunity allowed more people to achieve their potential and that, in turn, helped underpin Aotearoa’s economic strength.

I can already hear Amy-I-have-only-got-six-properties-not-eight-Adams screaming she has worked hard for her wealth. Still the question has to be asked: why should some people be given a huge advantage by having a wealthy parent?

Even with the modest proposals of the TWG, National and the Right have painted the TWG’s recommendations as a “monster” and “an attack on the Kiwi way of life”. This despite the report clearly stating that whichever package is adopted, it should aim to be essentially tax-neural – ie tax collected will be offset by personal income tax cuts for all.

In terms of reducing inequality, the report says that the best way to improve the lot of very low-income households is via welfare transfers – ie increasing benefits or family tax credits. To improve incomes for selected low and middle income groups, then changing tax rates is the better option.

The best way to increase the progressivity of personal income tax is to lift the tax-free threshold. Even without raising the top marginal rate, progressivity could be increased by increasing the second marginal rate paired with increases in the tax-free threshold, the report said. That would mean no increase in average tax rates for higher income earners.

That would seem a political non-starter because it would sock it to lower-middle income earners, the group that both Labour and National profess to appeal to.

In Australia, people pay a similar rate of tax as here until they earn $90,000. From $90,001 to $180,000 they pay 37% and on anything above that they pay 45%.

In the UK you pay 40% marginal tax from £46,351 to £150,000 and 45% on anything above that.

At the 2017 election the only party advocating a lift in marginal tax rates was the Green Party (disclosure: I worked for the Green’s last year and in 2014).  Their proposal was a 40% rate on income over $150,000 – quite modest compared with the UK and Australia.

The evidence from TWG report is clear – we have an unfair, regressive tax system that doesn’t address inequality or equal opportunity issues.

It would be great if Labour went to the electorate in 2020 with something akin to the Green’s 2017 proposal. But in light of the howls of outrage at even the proposed CGT, and Labour’s apparent reluctance to go hard on this, I’m not holding my breath.

(Simon Louisson reported for The Wall Street Journal, AP Dow Jones Newswires, New Zealand Press Association and Reuters and briefly was a political and media adviser to the Green Party.)

 

46 comments on “We need more than capital gains tax to address inequality ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. soddenleaf 1
    25 March 2019 at 4:16 pm

    This is a battle between the1% and the 4%, the top and the bottom. Well that’s according to a farmer on Nat.radio. That he did want to pay for a few cents an hour increase to the 4%, given how he is not the 1% as he works a hard for ever 0% of not paying CAT. It’s real hard work watching capital appreciate.

    Where was he when Key increased GST raising taxes on 4% whose entire income goes buying things with GST, no room to appreciate the hard working capital gain of others.

  2. soddenleaf 2
    25 March 2019 at 4:26 pm

    A CGT set at Zero incentivizes paying employees less, as shareholders maximize capital gain. Those employees leave for higher paying Australia where there is no such incentive. Then your farmers and others have a skill shortage. yeah, people telling them how unskilled they are at setting up themselves to have employee problems.

  3. vto 3
    25 March 2019 at 4:31 pm

    Doesn’t addressing inequality need far more than tweaking the tax system??

    It needs to tweak minimum wage rates – up.

    It needs to abandon measures that impact the poor more – like cigarettes prices.

    It needs to address employment issues, so that working people have stronger rights and more pleasant lives e.g. proper holiday and break rules

    It needs to discourage the constant increase in capital values, which is encouraged by the banks to lend against of course.. duh. There is no benefit to high capital values. Lower capital values reduce the “rent” cost of everything, which positively impacts those on lower incomes.

    It needs to re-balance the chasing of cheats – $30 million by beneficiary cheats; yet $3,000 million by white collar tax cheats.

    All economic and other settings need adjusting so that more of the country’s wealth gets pushed down, rather than up. My own business, and I would suggest everyone else’s business, would do better if more wealth was pushed down rather than up. It simply = more buyers.

    Why can’t people see that a more equal society, with a very strong foundation of prosperous working people, makes for the best type of society and nation?

    I dont understand why people don’t see this – I think they imagine that with some large capital it is easy enough to escape to some place away from the working poor, but such a sentiment is so shallow and unworthy, and plain false, that I think it dried up before the first tide came in long ago.

  4. Ad 4
    25 March 2019 at 4:46 pm

    The sharper political question is :

    “Is it still worth the government pursuing a Capital Gains Tax when better social equity and mobility gains are achieved by other policy means which also burn through less political capital?”

    I find it hard to be convinced of the “fairness” of a full new tax when we were promised the earth about GST two decades ago, and it just turned into a total government rort for themselves.

    • soddenleaf 4.1
      26 March 2019 at 1:16 pm

      Fairness. Companies are worth more, so shares cost more, and owners sell out earlier. NZ has many problems, one being fewer smaller companies grow to become big ones. Farm families have to work far harder to buy the farm, as they cost more. Workers are carrying those who would have paid CGT, and so are enticed to oz where there is no incentive. Housing is oz is falling in price, it’ll take longer to happen here, and that means cost of housing is higher for longer. And then there is the fairness argument, is it fair the tax system advantages those with wealth with more wealth.
      How about the overseas experience? Would young NZ stay and build the nz economy rather than give their best to overseas companies, who are paying capital gains taxes?

      It’s absurd we have a 0% CGT.

      • Ad 4.1.1
        26 March 2019 at 1:22 pm

        So now you can define “fairness”.
        The Tax Working Group failed to.
        The faster way to rebalance the tax system is through massive tax cuts to the poorer tax brackets. That is what the Greens have advocated, and I’d be pretty keen on it myself.

        This is more and more looking like another tax grab by the state, using undefined emotive words like “fairness” as a smokescreen for the IRD to establish another beach-head.

        • soddenleaf 4.1.1.1
          28 March 2019 at 11:09 am

          Tax grab you say, though it’s only impacts those with massive wealth who have been clipping unproductive capital gains growth because their private tax grab underwritten by massive political support to anti CGT politicians. Your tax grab is somebodies incentive to privately tax the other 99% from capital value inflation. My house costs more, my living costs cost more as the owners need to pay more for their homes, the spiral effects of private taxes are exactly the same as higher govt taxes, well worse we look richer but are mostly all poorer while wealth gets wealth from wealth without any productive growth. In fact depressed productivity as skilled workers are forced overseas to earn enough to buy into your ponsi tax grab for the few, a 0% CGT. It’s a rort and everyone who doesn’t think so is deluded.

  5. cleangreen 5
    25 March 2019 at 5:22 pm

    Ad.

    Some tax money needs to be funneled into better lives for residential communities also as everyone pays taxes and deserves some relief and equality.

    The Labour lead Government needs to make all our lives better’ but we see now that in Cities in NZ urban areas, where ‘heavy traffic’ noise, vibrations, and air pollution are presently destroying the lives of residents alongside those ‘roads to hell, all we see is that is where low income people are being housed and the more affluent communities are saved from 24/7 traffic noise,vibrations, and air pollution,.

    So we are getting like we saw in America, now, with slums appearing in “undesirable” areas of our cities where high traffic flows are and heavy noise and pollution exist.

    But Europe has done very well to make their residential areas safe, healthier areas with a much higher amenity valued comfortable places to live.

    These are some of their mitigation measures;

    * ban diesel engines from any city residential areas now.
    * have strict testing of exhaust systems and exhaust air quality emissions..
    *provide noise barriers and vegetation to soak up any remaining air pollution.
    *Lower the road speeds through residential areas.
    *Place quiet residential signs on those roads.

    • Ad 5.1
      25 March 2019 at 8:12 pm

      Seriously this is a tax discussion.
      At least try.

    • timeforacupoftea 5.2
      25 March 2019 at 10:11 pm

      *from next week under 25 year olds can only buy and drive electric cars and trucks.

      Saves under 25 year olds paying tax on fuel and they can save the planet for the wee buzzy bee’s they breed etc.

      I am really keen on a transaction tax of around 2% = No GST, No Income Tax, virtually no IRD, no accountants, no cash – only card transactions,

  6. Sabine 6
    25 March 2019 at 5:32 pm

    on thing we could discuss and maybe should,

    is helping people to work for themselves.
    Why do we not have more business creation, and not big business, but true small mom and pop businesses?

    Maybe it has to do with the commercial leases that are just way way out of reach for anyone. Maybe it has to do with the compliance costs that are easier absorbed by a multi nationals rather then a small local shop. maybe it has to do with how we collect taxes on businesses. Maybe it has to do with the fact that government offers absolutely no help to anyone who wants to create a business if it is below a certain size and involves more then just some payment from winz to buy a van if one can even get that help.

    Maybe we should just all admit that we don’t actually want to pay our way. We just want to use the roads, the schools, the hospitals but don’t want to pay for the upkeep of any of it. Maybe we should just admit that we like voluntary firefighters, voluntary ambulance drivers, voluntary this and voluntary that, bakes sales here and there – but only in a commercial kitchen at a cost – so that we , us hard done by individuals, don’t have to lift a finger or the purse and pay our way.

    maybe a CGT is exactly the thing to do to start taxing those that would rather free load on the back of the minimum wage earner who has no lobby to lobby for him/her.

    • beautox 6.1
      26 March 2019 at 11:11 am

      The lack of a CGT is an incentive to business creation. Putting one in place is really not going to help this..

      Also many Mom and Pop businesses use the family home to run their business, and can thus claim some (quite legitimate) tax expenses. However the proposed CGT appears to affect this arrangement, which will also act as disincentive to business creation, especially the small kind. It should be noted that virtually all businesses start small.

      On a related matter, shouldn’t we be applying CGT to lotto wins? One moment this ticket is worth a couple bucks, next minute it’s worth hundreds of thousands, with no labour requited. That sounds exactly like the kind of capital gains folks hate…

      • soddenleaf 6.1.1
        26 March 2019 at 1:19 pm

        Nz companies may start quickly yet they don’t grow big, as a CGT helps owners sell up earlier, and forces many overseas to earn as Cgt incentivizes low wages.

  7. David Mac 7
    25 March 2019 at 8:23 pm

    Lasting and bipartisan equality will come via refining our talents and fine tuning opportunity.

    The opportunity to go from shop floor to boardroom. The opportunity for gifted lads from the provinces to attend prestigious schools. Shane Jones has the right theme…but geee….the prospect of leaping out of bed to plant 800 seedlings on a mountain-side is not pushing my hot buttons. It needs some opportunity, a future embroidered in. Plant for 2 weeks and then study for 2 weeks in the field or get work experience with a forestry processing gang., driving with an owner/driver log hauler. A future, some opportunity, a worthwhile reason to show up and apply ourselves.

  8. Pat 8
    25 March 2019 at 8:32 pm

    Sadly in a global economy our tax rates are determined offshore…we are so tied to globalisation (and we are not alone) that to move on wealth/inheritance tax ( crucial to redressing inequality) would create capital flight….some may say so what, but depending on how intense it is it may be an issue.

    • soddenleaf 8.1
      26 March 2019 at 1:23 pm

      Capital flight. But what about bigger companies that will result as owners can’t sellout so early. How about less young flying overseas coz the tax system favors the already wealthy, so they need to get rich growing another countries GDP. How about the productivity crisis that caused by lower wages as owners concentrate on cracking down on wages, or the skill shortage as staff work for leaner companies in oz where they have to pay for more productivity to stay viable.

      • Pat 8.1.1
        26 March 2019 at 5:18 pm

        There are potential positive and negative outcomes to the implementation of wealth taxes, or even highly progressive taxation but it must be accepted that the short term impact is highly likely to be very negative, especially in the absence of capital controls….it would be a very brave politician (and probably short lived) that made the attempt.

        It is difficult to be contrarian from a position of weakness.

        • soddenleaf 8.1.1.1
          28 March 2019 at 10:59 am

          It’s weak to backup claims of negative impacts since doing so would inevitably fall flat. A CGT will not impact for years as assets are assessed at inception and so any conservative economist knows no profit no capital gain. So if their were negatives like masses extra tax bills from say house prices appreciation in the immediate after mouth the extra wealth… …yeah like our homes are set for windfall house price growth. And, you’ll note how I argue existing companies are over value due to the artificial incentuve of a 0% CGT that out competitor aren’t paying and invite owners to target CGs. Seriously are you suggesting that high wages general would hurt your business model?

          • Pat 8.1.1.1.1
            28 March 2019 at 5:22 pm

            Read what I wrote and perhaps you will understand your reply is completely off topic

            • soddenleaf 8.1.1.1.1.1
              29 March 2019 at 12:35 pm

              We will be almost the last nation to introduce a CGT. We are supposed to trust you that it would be so adverse. Your position is naive at best.

              • Pat …
                29 March 2019 at 7:21 pm

                Oh dear…i never mentioned CGT…CGT is at the margins,,,you work yourself up for little…and even with opportunity miss the point.

                • soddenleaf …
                  4 April 2019 at 4:42 pm

                  So your point is that a CGT has nothing to do with the current debate over “wealth/inheritance taxes”, are you serious? Capital flight is likely? didn’t happen when a CGT was introduced elsewhere, and as our tax rates carry a risk premium due to the 0% CGT, as asset values are higher, the statement that our tax rates are set overseas is ludicrous.

  9. arkie 9
    25 March 2019 at 8:45 pm

    How about lifting the tax threshold to the minimum wage; ramp up the tax rates to compensate; index them all to inflation; the question would be how and to what level a negative tax/UBI is paid.

    • SPC 9.1
      25 March 2019 at 9:48 pm

      If the intent is to help those on lower incomes, one brings in a low income earner rebate (which is why one should retain a lowish c10 cent rate)

      Sure take the lower threshold (10.5 to 10 cents cents) “towards” the MW ($20 an hour/$40,000) as CGT revenue grows – this allows workers to share in the tax cut equally.

      Rather than inflation adjust the current thresholds, I think we can improve on current settings.

      1. 10 cents to $24,000*/30,000**
      2. 20 cents to $48,000 ($220* to $820** less tax per annum on $48,000)
      3. Declare an intent to reduce the over $48,000 (c$24 an hour and will one day be MW) tax rate down to the company tax rate of 28 cents (currently 30cents to $70,000).
      4. Apply the 30 cents rate $70,000 to $100,000.
      5. Lift the top rate from 33 to 35 cents and apply over $100,000 (might make the lift in top threshold from $70,000 tax nuetral).

      • arkie 9.1.1
        26 March 2019 at 8:18 am

        People on low incomes pay consumption tax at a higher proportion, unless we get rid of GST removing other tax burdens on everyone up to the minimum wage. This is better than using a CGT to try and redistribute.

  10. David Mac 10
    25 March 2019 at 9:11 pm

    Apparently, when you’re rich enough to buy anything you want the numbers just become a scoreboard.

    Lets create a transparent scoreboard for them, a no BS measure of the good they do for our society in return for their lavish nourishment.

    Publish the personal tax liability of wealthy people. Rather than sliding envelopes under the table to Simon they can contribute to our country in a public holistic manner. Let them outdo each other and foster gossip with their media quoted IRD chits.

    The Aston guy that paid $10 tax last year…he deserves all he has coming.

    Make paying tax a sign of success, the done thing amongst those that really care.

    I wish I was paying a million in tax a year…

    • bwaghorn 10.1
      25 March 2019 at 9:23 pm

      Fuck yes I would love to be in the top tax bracket

    • Ian 10.2
      25 March 2019 at 9:36 pm

      political donations are not tax deductable .. Paying tax is a sign of success.Get off your arse and rather than making a wish,lets Do It .

      • tc 10.2.1
        26 March 2019 at 6:48 am

        If paying taxes is a sign of success then why do the wealthy avoid it like the plague ?

      • left_forward 10.2.2
        26 March 2019 at 8:11 am

        Some people are genuinely disdvantaged Ian… ‘getting off one’s arse’ is always a pre-requisite (with the exception of property traders!), but for many people this in itself does not guarantee success in our currently inequitable economic environment.

        Success for all depends on the way we as a collective society set social policy and arrange incentives and taxes. Hence why CBT is an important first step, so those rich pricks who don’t get off their arses, make tons of money out of property trading and don’t pay taxes, are finally made to contribute, alongside the lowly waged who are contributing so much more tax (proportionally to their income) in sharp contrast.

        After CBT must come significantly higher tax contributions in the higher wage brackets (I am included in this group and will be happy to contribute more).

  11. prometheus 11
    25 March 2019 at 11:14 pm

    The Capital gains tax proposals as they are exempting family homes will have an interesting effect : the provincial new zealand will wind up subsidising Auckland house owners.
    The retirement commissioner wants us to save for our retirement, suggesting a couple have assets of $1 million when retiring.
    Consider two very similar houses say an older villa, one in Invercargill you can buy for around $200,000 bought by a tradesman with a small morgage to pay off.
    the near identical house in Auckland will cost you $800,000. a similar tradesman buys it with a huge mortgage to pay off. Assuming they both had similar savings to start with. Both work and pay off their mortgage aiming to retire with that million dollar goal.
    The Invercargill owner will pay off the mortgage quickly and put further savings into shares, property, investment trusts etc. to achieve his million.
    The Aucklander only has to pay off the morgage. He can sell and take his million and retire to a lower cost area.
    The Invercargill owner might move to a warmer climate but he will have to pay capital gains tax of 30% on any gain on his investments , if he liquidates his holdings.
    We should either include all property or have an exemption for say the first million for a couple or half that for an individual.

  12. Macro 12
    26 March 2019 at 7:15 am

    It would be great if Labour went to the electorate in 2020 with something akin to the Green’s 2017 proposal. But in light of the howls of outrage at even the proposed CGT, and Labour’s apparent reluctance to go hard on this, I’m not holding my breath.

    My hope as well, but I’m not holding my breath either.

  13. chruskl 13
    26 March 2019 at 7:53 am

    According to wikipedia, big earners in NZ pay lower income tax rates than in any other OECD country except Singapore:

    NZ 33%
    Australia 47%
    Austria 55%
    Belgium 50%
    Canadia 59%
    Denmark 56%
    Finland 54%
    France 49%
    Germany 48%
    Iceland 46%
    Ireland 52%
    Israel 50%
    Japan 56%
    Netherlands 52%
    Norway 39%
    Singapore 22%
    Slovenia 50%
    South Korea 42%
    Spain 45%
    Sweden 57%
    Taiwan 40%
    UK 47%
    US 50%

    Please explain, Jacinda.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_tax_rates

    • Wayne 13.1
      26 March 2019 at 9:44 am

      The nominal top marginal rates only tell a portion of the story, in fact not even the major part.

      A better measure is the percentage of the economy that is paid in tax. In NZ that is about 30%, but in the US it is around 20%. The reason for the difference is the enormous number of deductions available in the US, so almost no-one actually pays 50%. Whereas in NZ most people on higher incomes do pay 33% marginal rate.

      The NZ tax system is internationally notable for its overall simplicity and the tight controls on the amount of deductions available.

      • chruskl 13.1.1
        26 March 2019 at 10:04 am

        Is that so? You seem keen to focus on comparisons with the US, but why don’t you tell us about Germany, Sweden and other high-performance European countries with lower levels of inequality than NZ? Are high earners able to get out of paying tax so easily in those countries?

        • tc 13.1.1.1
          26 March 2019 at 10:15 am

          Note Wayne leaves out Aus…..y’know the one his govt was sooo keen to catch up with.

          The country with a cgt and restrictions on foreigners ownership of residential property to name just 2. Distraction and diversion .

          • Wayne 13.1.1.1.1
            26 March 2019 at 4:47 pm

            tc

            Australia gets less tax than NZ as a percentage of GDP. There are more exemptions in their tax system than in NZ. Also they are slightly worse on inequality than NZ, so their tax system is not the answer.

            Chruski,

            The Scandinavians do tax more than NZ and have lower inequality. It is entirely up to the government (actually Labour) whether it wants to campaign on that basis.

            • chruskl 13.1.1.1.1.1
              26 March 2019 at 6:27 pm

              Australia is worse on inequality than NZ? What’s your evidence for that, Wayne?

              Here’s the GINI coefficient for the two countries, according to the CIA: (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2172rank.html)

              NZ 36.0 (putting us in between El Salvador and Benin)
              Australia 30.3 (same as the Netherlands)

              So you were saying …?

              • Wayne …
                26 March 2019 at 6:46 pm

                Pretty old data there.

                The OECD (2016) has NZ at 0.35 (measured in 2014), and Australia at 0.33 (measured in 2016). I don’t tend to link, but I got the data from a 2016 OECD report, which will be way more accurate than the CIA fact book. As soon as you see a figure of 0.36 and 0.30 you know it is not accurate. The two countries are simply not that different.

                Admittedly it does show NZ more unequal than Australia, but basically the two countries seem to have a similar spread of wealth and income when you visit, which I do regularly. Though overall NZ is clearly less well off than Aus, which is evident at every single level. About 25 to 30% less.

                • chruskl …
                  27 March 2019 at 11:33 pm

                  Ah, so irrespective of which data we look at, we’re faced with the evidence that Australia does NOT have higher inequality than NZ – both sources show the opposite, in fact.

                  Thanks for pointing out how old the CIA data were (didn’t notice that!).

      • Sabine 13.1.2
        27 March 2019 at 11:16 pm

        its not simple our tax system – well that is a way of putting it. It is lacking in transparency and ordinary workers can’t even write of their cost of transport to and from work. but you and Gareth Morgan surely have quite a few things to deduct. 🙂

        I would very much like to see how the tax costs for the individual items are

        unemployment tax
        sickness benefit
        retirement tax
        acc levy
        income tax

        right now all of that is hidden under ‘income tax’ – very convenient for men like yourself and those that don’t want people to understand that literally all and any benefits are prepaid services. I.e. anyone who works and pays taxes has a right to certain benefits should they come into need. And if people were to understand that they pay for their unemployment benefits and their sickness benefits then the goons in your party might have to shut up about the ‘useless beneficiaries’ that are bludging off the government as the ‘bludger’ would know that they only receive what they have prepaid. But then what would your conservative posse have left in order to gain traction? Nothing really.

  14. UncookedSelachimorpha 14
    26 March 2019 at 4:28 pm

    I think a Minister for Egalitarianism (or similar, better name) would be a great idea. This ministry could regularly research and publicise statistics on inequality, social mobility etc, and assist developing policy. Plus, reducing inequality should be a stated goal of government.

    Making ‘reducing inequality’ an actual goal is the first step to getting somewhere.

    • Dennis Frank 14.1
      27 March 2019 at 4:04 pm

      Yes, I agree that reducing inequality ought to be a strategic goal for government. Labour is unconvincing around this, but to be fair they aren’t in control.

      I also agree with financial transactions taxation. Add in the long-term Green prioritisation of pollution taxes. We just need total reform. Reduced income taxation of employees, taxation design based on appropriate behavioural incentivisation…

  15. Pat 15
    29 March 2019 at 7:40 pm

    Oh dear…i never mentioned CGT..and CGT was specifically excluded from this thread..

    “We need more than capital gains tax to address inequality”

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    I am painting in oil, a portrait of a manWho has taken all the heart aches,And all the pain he can stand.I am using all the colors of blue,I have here on my stand.I am painting in oil, a portrait of a man.This has been an interesting week for me. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 hours ago

  • The Hoon around the week to May 17
    Helen Clark joins the Hoon as a special guest talking whether Aotearoa should join Aukus II, and her views on the fast track legislation and how Luxon and the new Government are performing. File Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 hours ago

  • Weekly Roundup 17-May-2024
    We’re at the end of another week. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked if the Herald’s poor journalism will cost lives On Tuesday Matt covered Wayne Brown’s proposal for public transport in the Long ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    6 hours ago

  • Rishi’s relaunch
    With an election due in less than nine months, Britain’s embattled PM, Rishi Sunak, gave a useful speech earlier this week. He made a substantial case for his government, perhaps as compelling as is possible in the current environment. Quite an achievement. His overall theme was security, first pulling ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    14 hours ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #20 2024
    Open access notables Publicly expressed climate scepticism is greatest in regions with high CO2 emissions, Pearson et al., Climatic Change: We analysed a recently released corpus of climate-related tweets to examine the macro-level factors associated with public declarations of climate change scepticism. Analyses of over 2 million geo-located tweets in the U.S. showed that climate ...
    Skeptical Science
    17 hours ago

  • The thrilling possibilities of charter schools
    You can be all negative about these charter schools if you want, but I’m here to accentuate the positive. You can get all worked up, if you want to, by the contradiction of Luxon saying We’re going to make sure that every school in the country is teaching exactly the same ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    21 hours ago

  • This Unreasonable Government.
    Losing The Room: One can only speculate about what has persuaded the Coalition Government that it will pay no electoral price for unreasonably pushing ahead with policies that are so clearly against the national interest. They seem quite oblivious to the risk that by doing so they will convince an increasing ...
    Bowalley Road
    21 hours ago

  • Supreme Court weighs in on name suppression
    Name suppression decisions can be tough sometimes. No matter your views on free speech, you have to be hard-hearted not to be torn by the tug of the competing arguments. I think you can feel the Supreme Court wrestling with that in M v The King. The case for ...
    Media Law JournalBy Steven
    21 hours ago

  • Is This A “Merchants” Government?
    The Merchants of Menace: The Coalition Government has convinced itself that the “Brahmins’” emollient functions have become much too irksome and expensive. Those who see themselves as the best hope of rebuilding New Zealand’s ailing capitalist system, appear to have convinced themselves that a little bit of blunt trauma is what their mollycoddled ...
    Bowalley Road
    21 hours ago

  • This is what corruption looks like
    When National first proposed its Muldoonist "fast-track" law, they were warned that it would inevitably lead to corruption. And that is exactly what has happened, with Resources Minister Shane Jones taking secret meetings with potential applicants: On Tuesday, in a Newsroom story, questions were raised about a dinner Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    22 hours ago

  • Take that, Vladimir – and be warned: we have plenty more sanctions (at least, we hope so) in our ...
    Buzz from the Beehive One day – hopefully – we will push that Russian rascal, Vladimir Putin, beyond breaking point.  Perhaps it will happen today, when he learns that Foreign Minister Winston Peters is again tightening the thumbscrews. Peters announced further sanctions, this time on 28 individuals and 14 entities ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    22 hours ago

  • More Harm Than Good.
    How Labour’s and National’s failure to move beyond neoliberalism has brought New Zealand to the brink of economic and cultural chaos.TO START LOSING, so soon after you won, requires a special kind of political incompetence. At the heart of this Coalition Government’s failure to retain, and build upon, the public ...
    Bowalley Road
    22 hours ago

  • The Ombudsman fails again
    In 2020, the Operation Burnham inquiry reported back, finding that NZDF had lied to Ministers and the New Zealand public about its actions in Afghanistan. The inquiry saw a large number of documents declassified and released, which raised another problem: whether they had also lied to the Ombudsman in his ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    22 hours ago

  • No Time To Think: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    “Members of Parliament don’t work for us, they represent us, an entirely different thing. As with so much that has turned out badly, the re-organising of MPs’ responsibilities began with the Fourth Labour Government. That’s when they began to be treated like employees – public servants – whose diaries had ...
    Bowalley Road
    22 hours ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Lobbying for Waikato’s Medical School causing problems for the Govt
    It’s becoming a classic case study for why lobbying deals with politicians need greater scrutiny. Former National Minister Steven Joyce runs a lobbying company with a major client – the University of Waikato. The University desperately wants $300m+ of taxpayer funding to establish a third medical school in New Zealand, ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    23 hours ago

  • Picking Sides.
    Time To Choose: Like it or not, the Kiwis are either going into AUKUS’s  “Pillar 2” – or they are going to China.HAD ZHENG HE’S FLEET sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks ...
    Bowalley Road
    23 hours ago

  • Universities offer course in self-serving cowardice
    Henry Ergas writes –  When in Randall Jarrell’s Pictures from an Institution, a college president is accused of being a hypocrite, the novel’s narrator retorts that the description is grossly unfair. After all, the man is still far from the stage of moral development at which the charge ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    23 hours ago

  • The teacher trainee challenge
    David Farrar writes –  Radio NZ reports: The Education Review Office says too many new teachers feel poorly prepared for their jobs. In a report published on Monday, the review office said 60 percent of the principals it interviewed said their new teachers were not ready. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Words and (in)actions
    New Zealand’s economic performance and the PM’s vision   Michael Reddell writes –  When I wrote yesterday morning’s post, highlighting how poorly both New Zealand and its Anglo peer countries have been doing in respect of productivity in recent times (ie, in the case of New ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • What do you hope for/fear from the budget?
    Hi all,Firstly - thank you! You guys are awesome. The response I’ve received to last night’s mail has been quite overwhelming. It’s a ghastly day outside, but there are no clouds in here.In case you didn’t read my email and are wondering what on earth I’m talking about you can ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago

  • Gordon Campbell on ACT’s charter schools experiment
    If there was still any doubt as to who is actually running this government – and it isn’t the buffoon from Botany – then this week’s announcement of a huge spend up on charter schools has settled the matter. While jobs and public services continue to be cut in the ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    1 day ago

  • Drought fuels wildfire concerns as Canada braces for another intense summer
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Gaye Taylor As widespread drought raises expectations for a repeat of last year’s ferocious wildfire season, response teams across Canada are grappling with the rapidly changing face of fire in a warming climate. No longer quenched by winter, nor quelled by the ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus and pick ‘n’ mix for Thursday, May 16
    Half of Christchurch City Holdings Ltd’s directors and its chair resigned en masse last night in protest at Christchurch City Council’s demand to front-load dividends File Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The chair of Christchurch City Council’s investment company and four of its independent directors resigned in protest last ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Controversial proposal could threaten coalition
    The University of Waikato has reworded an advertisement that begins the tender process for its new $300 million-plus medical school even though the Government still needs to approve it. However, even the reworded ad contains an architect’s visualisations of what the school might look like. ACT leader David Seymour told ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago

  • Of Rings of Power Annatar, Dramatic Irony, and Disguises
    As a follow-up to the Rings of Power trailer discussion, I thought I needed to add something. There has been some online mockery about the use of the same actor for both the Halbrand and Annatar incarnations of Sauron. The reasoning is that Halbrand with a shave and a new ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    2 days ago

  • The future of Nick's Kōrero.
    This isn’t quite as dramatic as the title might suggest. I’m not going anywhere, but there is something I wanted to talk to you about.Let’s start with a typical day.Most days I send out a newsletter in the morning. If I’ve written a lot the previous evening it might be ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • The PM promises tax relief in the Budget – but will it be enough to satisfy the Taxpayers’ Union...
    Buzz from the Beehive The promise of tax relief loomed large in his considerations when  the PM delivered a pre-Budget speech to the Auckland Business Chamber. The job back in Wellington is getting government spending back under control, he said, bandying figures which show that in per capita terms, the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Fucking useless
    Yesterday de facto Prime Minister David Seymour announced that his glove puppet government would be re-introducing charter schools, throwing $150 million at his pet quacks, donors and cronies and introducing an entire new government agency to oversee them (the existing Education Review Office, which actually knows how to review schools, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • Setting things straight.
    Seeing that, in order to discredit the figures and achieve moral superiority while attempting to deflect attention away from the military assault on Rafa, Israel supporters in NZ have seized on reports that casualty numbers in Gaza may be inflated … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago

  • Far too light a sentence
    David Farrar writes – Newstalk ZB report: The man responsible for a horror hit and run in central Wellington last year was on a suspended licence and was so drunk he later asked police, “Did I kill someone?” Jason Tuitama injured two women when he ran a red ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Unwinding Labour’s Agenda
    Muriel Newman writes –  Former US President Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation.” The fight for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Sequel to “Real reason Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Chhour”
    Why Courts should have said Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Karen Chhour Gary Judd writes – In the High Court, Justice Isacs declined to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal to compel Minister for Children, Karen Chhour, to appear before it to be ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • The Govt’s Fast-Track is being demolished by submissions to Parliament
    Bryce Edwards writes –  The number of voices raising concerns about the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill is rapidly growing. This is especially apparent now that Parliament’s select committee is listening to submissions from the public to evaluate the proposed legislation. Twenty-seven thousand submissions have been made to Parliament ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • A generation is leaving at a rate of one A320-load per day
    An average of 166 New Zealand citizens left the country every day during the March quarter, up 54% from a year ago.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The economy and housing market is sinking into a longer recession through the winter after a slump in business and consumer confidence in ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • NZUP RORS back to life
    The government has made it abundantly clear they’re addicted to the smell of new asphalt. On Tuesday they introduced a new term to the country’s roading lexicon, the Roads of Regional Significance (RoRS), a little brother for the Roads of National (Party) Significance (RoNS). Driving ahead with Roads of Regional ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    2 days ago

  • School Is Out.
    School is outAnd I walk the empty hallwaysI walk aloneAlone as alwaysThere's so many lucky penniesLying on the floorBut where the hell are all the lucky peopleI can't see them any moreYesterday morning, I’d just sent out my newsletter on Tama Potaka, and I was struggling to make the coffee. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • How Are You Doing?
    Hi,I wanted to check in and ask how you’re doing.This is perhaps a selfish act, of attempting to find others feeling a similar way to me — that is to say, a little hopeless at the moment.Misery loves company, that sort of deal.Some context.I wish I could say I got ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • The Rings of Power: Season Two Teaser Trailer
    I have hitherto been fairly quiet on the new season of Rings of Power, on the basis that the underwhelming first season did not exactly build excitement – and the rumours were fairly daft. The only real thing of substance to come out has been that they have re-cast Adar ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    2 days ago

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

  • Talking Reo with the PM
    “The thing is,” Chris Luxon says, leaning forward to make his point, “this has always been my thing.”“This goes all the way back to the first multinational I worked for. I was saying exactly the same thing back then. The name of our business needs to be more clear; people ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Waitangi Tribunal’s authority in Chhour case is upheld – but bill’s introduction to Parliament...
    Buzz from the Beehive It’s been a momentous few days for Children’s Minister Karen Chhour.  The Court of Appeal has overturned a High Court decision which blocked a summons order from the Waitangi Tribunal for her. And today she has announced the Government is putting children first by introducing to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Australia jails another whistleblower
    In 2014 former Australian army lawyer David McBride leaked classified military documents about Australian war crimes to the ABC. Dubbed "The Afghan Files", the documents led to an explosive report on Australian war crimes, the disbanding of an entire SAS unit, and multiple ongoing prosecutions. The journalist who wrote the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Some “scrutiny”!
    Back in February I blogged about another secret OIA "consultation" by the Ministry of Justice. This one was on Aotearoa's commitment in its Open Government Partnership Action Plan to "strengthen scrutiny of Official Information Act exemption clauses in legislation" (AKA secrecy clauses). Their consultation paper on the issue focused on ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • TVNZ is loss-making, serves no public service due to bias, and should be liquidated
    Rob MacCulloch writes –  According to the respected Pew Research Centre, “In seven of eight [European] countries surveyed, the most trusted news outlet asked about is the public news organization in each country”. For example, “in Sweden, an overwhelming majority (90%) say they trust the public broadcaster SVT”. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • The conflicted Covid Chair
    David Farrar writes –  Kata MacNamara reports:    Details of Tony Blakely’s involvement in the New Zealand Government’s response to the pandemic raise serious questions about the work of the Covid-19 Royal Commission of Inquiry over which he presides. It has long been clear that Blakely, a ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Attacking the smartest and most resilient people in the room is never a good idea
    Chris Trotter writes – Are you a Brahmin or a Merchant? Or, are you merely one of those whose lives are profoundly influenced by the decisions of Brahmins and Merchants? Those are the questions that are currently shaping the politics of New Zealand and the entire West. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • A fortune-telling failure, surely, if the tarot cards can’t see a bulldozer coming
    RNZ reports –  It’s supposed to be a haven of healing and spiritual awakening but residents of the Kawai Purapura community say they’ve been hurt and deceived. It’s the successor to the former Centrepoint commune, and has been on the bush block opposite Albany shopping centre since 2008. It ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • The climate battleground heats up
    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. Usually we have a video chat to go with this wrap, but were unable to do one this week. We’ll be back next week.Several reports ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Tuesday, May 14
    The Transport Minister has set a hard 'fiscal envelope' of $6.54 billion for transport capital spending. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The economy is settling into a state of suspended animation as the Government’s funding freezes and job cuts chill confidence and combine with stubbornly high interest rates to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on why anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitic
    To be precise, the term “anti- Zionism” refers to (a) criticism of the political movement that created a modern Jewish state on the historical land of Israel, and to (b)the subjugation of Palestinians by the Israeli state. By contrast, the term “anti-Semitism” means bigotry and racism directed at Jewish people, ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    3 days ago

  • Climate change is making hurricanes more destructive
    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Because hurricanes are one of the big-ticket weather disasters that humanity has to face, climate misinformers spend a lot of effort muddying the waters on whether climate change is making hurricanes more damaging. With the official start to the hurricane ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Wayne Brown’s PT Plan
    Yesterday the Mayor released what he calls his “plan to save public transport” which is part of his final proposal for the Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP). This comes following consultation on the draft version that occurred in March which showed, once again, that people want more done on transport, especially ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Potaka's Private Universe.
    And it's a pleasure that I have knownAnd it's a treasure that I have gainedAotearoa’s coalition government is fragile. It’s held together by the obsequious sycophancy of Christopher Luxon, who willingly contorts his party into the fringe positions of his junior coalition partners and is unwilling to contradict them. The ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Our slow regional councils
    The Select Committee hearing submissions on the fast-track consenting legislation is starting to become a beat-up of regional councils. The inflexibility and slow workings of the Councils were prominent in two submissions yesterday. One, from the Coromandel Marine Farmers Association, simply said that the Waikato Regional Council’s planning decisions were ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law after all
    Back in April, the High Court surprised everyone by ruling that Ministers are above the law, at least as far as the Waitangi Tribunal is concerned. The reason for this ruling was "comity" - the idea that the different branches of government shouldn't interfere with each other's functions. Which makes ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • NZTA takes the wheel after govt gives it the road map for regional roads (and puts a speed governor ...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Tolling was mentioned when Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced the government was re-introducing the Roads of National Significance (RoNS) programme, with 15 “crucial” projects to support economic growth and regional development across New Zealand. All RoNS would be four-laned, grade-separated highways, and all funding, financing, and ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Change in Catalonia?
    or the past 14 years, ever since the Spanish government cheated on an autonomy deal, Catalonia has reliably given pro-independence parties a majority of seats in their regional parliament. But now that seems to be over. Catalans went to the polls yesterday, and stripped the Catalan parties of their majority. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Having an enrolment date is not depriving anyone of a vote
    David Farrar writes –  Radio NZ report: Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins said the Electoral Commission should make sure the system ran smoothly and “taking away the right of thousands of people to vote” was not the answer. “Thousands of people enroled and voted on the day. If ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Perhaps house prices don’t always go up
    Don Brash writes –  There was a rather revealing headline in the Herald on Sunday today (12 May). It read “One in 8 Auckland homes on market were bought during boom, may now sell for loss”. The first line of text noted that “New data shows one in ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Can’t read, can’t write, can’t comprehend – and won’t think…?
    Mike Grimshaw writes –  At a time when universities are understandably nervous regarding the establishment of the University Advisory Group (UAG) and the Science System Advisory Group (SSAG) it may seem strange – or even fool-hardy – to state that there are long-standing issues in the tertiary sector ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Time for some perspective
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  A lack of perspective can make something quite large or important seem small or irrelevant. Against a backdrop of high-profile, negative statistics it is easy to overlook the positive. For instance, the fact that 64 percent of Maori are employed is rarely reported. For ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Will NZ Herald’s ‘poor journalism’ cost lives?
    Earlier this year, the Herald ran a series of articles amounting to a sustained campaign against raised pedestrian crossings, by reporter Bernard Orsman. A key part of that campaign concerned the raised crossings being installed as part of the Pt Chevalier to Westmere project, with at least 10 articles over ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to May 19 and beyond
    TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 19 include:PM Christopher Luxon is expected to hold his weekly post-cabinet news conference at 4:00pm on Monday.Parliament is not sitting this week. It resumes next week for a two-week sitting session up to and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Webworm Popup Photos!
    Hi,Thanks to all the beautiful Worms who came to the LA Webworm popup on Saturday.It was a way to celebrate the online store we launched last week — and it was super special.As I talk about a lot, I really value our community here — and it was a BLAST ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #19
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, May 5, 2024 thru Sat, May 11, 2024. (Unfortunate) Story of the week "Grief that stops at despair is an ending that I and many others, most notably ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • The Gods Must Be Woke.
    Last night the largest solar storm in decades resulted in Aurorae being seen across Aotearoa, causing many to ask why?Why was the sky pink? What was all this stuff about the power grid? Have we, as so many have wondered since the election, reached the end of days?I had a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • More road
    We have been on the road in England, squeezing down narrow lanes, flying up the M6, loving hedgerows and villages and cathedrals, liking the 21st century less.There have been moments when it’s felt like a movie trope. The pub in Exford, lovely seventeenth century bar, almost more dogs than people, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Seeing the Aurora Australis
    There’s a solar-storm on at the moment, and since the South Island is having a day and night with clear skies, that means Aurorae. I have just got back from a midnight visit to Tunnel Beach – southwards-looking over the Sea, and without the light pollution. Quite a few others ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    6 days ago

  • Welcome to the current welfare mess
    Michael Bassett writes – I’m not sure that it’s much comfort to anyone to know that the post-Covid surge in violent crimes, gang activity, ram raids, random shootings, thuggery and stabbings is occurring in other countries as well as New Zealand. These days, wagging school, out-of-control welfare and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • District Court Judges appointed
    Attorney-General Judith Collins has announced the appointment of three new District Court Judges, to replace Judges who have recently retired. Peter James Davey of Auckland has been appointed a District Court Judge with a jury jurisdiction to be based at Whangarei. Mr Davey initially started work as a law clerk/solicitor with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 hour ago

  • Unions should put learning ahead of ideology
    Associate Education Minister David Seymour is calling on the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) to put ideology to the side and focus on students’ learning, in reaction to the union holding paid teacher meetings across New Zealand about charter schools.     “The PPTA is disrupting schools up and down the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago

  • Craig Stobo appointed as chair of FMA
    Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly today announced the appointment of Craig Stobo as the new chair of the Financial Markets Authority (FMA). Mr Stobo takes over from Mark Todd, whose term expired at the end of April. Mr Stobo’s appointment is for a five-year term. “The FMA plays ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago

  • Budget 2024 invests in lifeguards and coastguard
    Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Coastguard New Zealand will continue to be able to keep people safe in, on, and around the water following a funding boost of $63.644 million over four years, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “Heading to the beach for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago

  • New Zealand and Tuvalu reaffirm close relationship
    New Zealand and Tuvalu have reaffirmed their close relationship, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says.  “New Zealand is committed to working with Tuvalu on a shared vision of resilience, prosperity and security, in close concert with Australia,” says Mr Peters, who last visited Tuvalu in 2019.  “It is my pleasure ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago

  • New Zealand calls for calm, constructive dialogue in New Caledonia
    New Zealand is gravely concerned about the situation in New Caledonia, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.  “The escalating situation and violent protests in Nouméa are of serious concern across the Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.  “The immediate priority must be for all sides to take steps to de-escalate the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago

  • New Zealand welcomes Samoa Head of State
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met today with Samoa’s O le Ao o le Malo, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, who is making a State Visit to New Zealand. “His Highness and I reflected on our two countries’ extensive community links, with Samoan–New Zealanders contributing to all areas of our national ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago

  • Island Direct eligible for SuperGold Card funding
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has announced that he has approved Waiheke Island ferry operator Island Direct to be eligible for SuperGold Card funding, paving the way for a commercial agreement to bring the operator into the scheme. “Island Direct started operating in November 2023, offering an additional option for people ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago

  • Further sanctions against Russia
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters today announced further sanctions on 28 individuals and 14 entities providing military and strategic support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  “Russia is directly supported by its military-industrial complex in its illegal aggression against Ukraine, attacking its sovereignty and territorial integrity. New Zealand condemns all entities and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • One year on from Loafers Lodge
    A year on from the tragedy at Loafers Lodge, the Government is working hard to improve building fire safety, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I want to share my sincere condolences with the families and friends of the victims on the anniversary of the tragic fire at Loafers ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Pre-Budget speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much for having me here in the lead up to my Government’s first Budget. Before I get started can I acknowledge: Simon Bridges – Auckland Business Chamber CEO. Steve Jurkovich – Kiwibank CEO. Kids born ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • New Zealand and Vanuatu to deepen collaboration
    New Zealand and Vanuatu will enhance collaboration on issues of mutual interest, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “It is important to return to Port Vila this week with a broad, high-level political delegation which demonstrates our deep commitment to New Zealand’s relationship with Vanuatu,” Mr Peters says.    “This ...
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    2 days ago

  • Penk travels to Peru for trade meetings
    Minister for Land Information, Chris Penk will travel to Peru this week to represent New Zealand at a meeting of trade ministers from the Asia-Pacific region on behalf of Trade Minister Todd McClay. The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting will be held on 17-18 May ...
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    2 days ago

  • Minister attends global education conferences
    Minister of Education Erica Stanford will head to the United Kingdom this week to participate in the 22nd Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) and the 2024 Education World Forum (EWF). “I am looking forward to sharing this Government’s education priorities, such as introducing a knowledge-rich curriculum, implementing an evidence-based ...
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    2 days ago

  • Education Minister thanks outgoing NZQA Chair
    Minister of Education Erica Stanford has today thanked outgoing New Zealand Qualifications Authority Chair, Hon Tracey Martin. “Tracey Martin tendered her resignation late last month in order to take up a new role,” Ms Stanford says. Ms Martin will relinquish the role of Chair on 10 May and current Deputy ...
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    2 days ago

  • Joint statement of Christopher Luxon and Emmanuel Macron: Launch of the Christchurch Call Foundation
    New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and President Emmanuel Macron of France today announced a new non-governmental organisation, the Christchurch Call Foundation, to coordinate the Christchurch Call’s work to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online.   This change gives effect to the outcomes of the November 2023 Call Leaders’ Summit, ...
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    3 days ago

  • Panel announced for review into disability services
    Distinguished public servant and former diplomat Sir Maarten Wevers will lead the independent review into the disability support services administered by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. The review was announced by Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston a fortnight ago to examine what could be done to strengthen the ...
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    3 days ago

  • Minister welcomes Police gang unit
    Today’s announcement by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster of a National Gang Unit and district Gang Disruption Units will help deliver on the coalition Government’s pledge to restore law and order and crack down on criminal gangs, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. “The National Gang Unit and Gang Disruption Units will ...
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    3 days ago

  • New Zealand expresses regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today expressed regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric towards New Zealand and its international partners.  “New Zealand proudly stands with the international community in upholding the rules-based order through its monitoring and surveillance deployments, which it has been regularly doing alongside partners since 2018,” Mr ...
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    3 days ago

  • New Chief of Defence Force appointed
    Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies MNZM is the new Chief of Defence Force, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. The Chief of Defence Force commands the Navy, Army and Air Force and is the principal military advisor to the Defence Minister and other Ministers with relevant portfolio responsibilities in the defence ...
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    3 days ago

  • Government puts children first by repealing 7AA
    Legislation to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has been introduced to Parliament. The Bill’s introduction reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the safety of children in care, says Minister for Children, Karen Chhour. “While section 7AA was introduced with good intentions, it creates a conflict for Oranga ...
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    3 days ago

  • Defence Minister to meet counterparts in UK, Italy
    Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week travel to the UK and Italy to meet with her defence counterparts, and to attend Battles of Cassino commemorations. “I am humbled to be able to represent the New Zealand Government in Italy at the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of what was ...
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    3 days ago

  • Charter schools to lift educational outcomes
    The upcoming Budget will include funding for up to 50 charter schools to help lift declining educational performance, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. $153 million in new funding will be provided over four years to establish and operate up to 15 new charter schools and convert 35 state ...
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    3 days ago

  • COVID-19 Inquiry terms of reference consultation results received
    “The results of the public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has now been received, with results indicating over 13,000 submissions were made from members of the public,” Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “We heard feedback about the extended lockdowns in ...
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    4 days ago

  • The Pacific family of nations – the changing security outlook
    Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests  Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues  Ladies and Gentlemen,  Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru    It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...
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    4 days ago

  • NZ and Papua New Guinea to work more closely together
    Health, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...
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    4 days ago

  • Driving ahead with Roads of Regional Significance
    The coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...
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    4 days ago

  • New Zealand congratulates new Solomon Islands government
    A high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office.    “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...
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    5 days ago

  • New Zealand supports UN Palestine resolution
    New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
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    6 days ago

  • Speech to the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium
    Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
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    7 days ago

  • $571 million for Defence pay and projects
    Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
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    1 week ago

  • Climate change – mitigating the risks and costs
    New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
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    1 week ago

  • Getting new job seekers on the pathway to work
    Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
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    1 week ago

  • Accelerating Social Investment
    A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says.  “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
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    1 week ago

  • Getting Back on Track
    Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with  your Board and team, for hosting me.   I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
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    1 week ago

  • NZ – European Union ties more critical than ever
    Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith,   Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States,   Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us.   Ladies and gentlemen -    In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations.   ...
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    1 week ago

  • Therapeutic Products Act to be repealed
    The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
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    1 week ago

  • Decisions on Wellington City Council’s District Plan
    The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
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    1 week ago

  • Rape Awareness Week: Government committed to action on sexual violence
    Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston.  “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
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    1 week ago

  • Smarter lunch programme feeds more, costs less
    Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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