Weak

Written By: - Date published: 3:35 pm, September 1st, 2008 - 101 comments
Categories: election 2008, national, spin - Tags: ,

Perhaps I’ve overestimated the National Party’s PR machine. I mean I’ve seen them run their C/T strategy pretty well and, as much as I hate to admit it, Ansell’s billboards were pretty bloody good last time.

But then I opened the PDF with their latest billboard on it. It’s busy, the message is confusing, and the strapline seems completely at odds with the lines they’ve been building up for the past five years.

‘Wave goodbye to higher taxes’? Wave goodbye to a big chunk of your campaign spend for no real reason more like.

If I was the Waitemata Trust I’d be asking for my money back.

 

101 comments on “Weak ”

  1. sweetd 1

    Of course you don’t like it. For nine years labour has tried to outlaw and disband the family unit.

  2. schrodigerscat 2

    Wouldn’t send any of our loved ones to Iraq would they?

    probably can’t remember!

  3. Felix 3

    Looks like B52s. Creepy.

    This should remind a few people what Key thinks our soldiers should be doing…

  4. Tane 4

    Of course you don’t like it. For nine years labour has tried to outlaw and disband the family unit.

    There are usually two responses to comments like this. You either engage with the idiot by going through working for families, paid parental leave, higher wages etc, or you just go “what the fuck?” and move on. I think I’ll go with the latter on this one.

  5. sweetd. please don’t comment when you’re stoned.

    I laughed out loud when i saw that billboard. That’s not to say the others will necessarily do better, but this is pretty poor.

  6. Ha! – It’s trying to be a positive brand building image and then it’s got this hysterical “your loved ones are leaving!” message. And the logo is real small – It’s kinda like a metaphor for John Key – pretty corporate branding, confused message and bland, bland bland…

  7. Lew 7

    Felix: I thought this, too. Reminds me of Capra’s counter-propaganda propaganda in Why We Fight.

    If I were the Nats’ propagandist, they’d be red planes.

    L

  8. Dom 8

    Choose a brighter future? That’s their brilliant sales pitch? Well, take the ‘b’ from brighter and perhaps it makes sense…

  9. Tane 9

    Dom, brilliant. The parodies are going to be fun. If anyone knows what the font is let me know. Hard to tell when it’s in caps.

  10. forgetaboutthelastones 10

    So higher taxes have somehow boarded masses of planes and I get to look up and wave goodbye to them. As for my loved ones – I don’t get to wave goodbye to them because the higher taxes have used up all the planes.

  11. gobsmacked 11

    Note to the Nats: Australia’s the other way.

    Or are we invading Fiji?

  12. Patrick 12

    Tane, the fonts are Unit-LightLF, Unit-RegularLF and Unit-MediumLF.

    And yeah, terrible bill boards. Any idea how many of them are going up?

  13. Quoth the Raven 13

    Certainly reminds me of a WW2 propaganda poster with those planes. All it needs is a glorious soldier looking forward.

  14. Tane 14

    Thanks Patrick.

  15. Dom 15

    Tane, if you replace the NOT with AND – then follow with a National quote on supporting the US in Iraq (English and Mapp from memory?) the whole militaristic imagery could work nicely to highlight the Nat’s support for the US invasion of Iraq…

  16. Tane 16

    I’m thinking something along those lines, just need to figure out how to shop it, then find the bloody time…

  17. randal 17

    weak is not the word…if this is hung in tory hq they will spend all their time going for a leak…blerkkkkkkkk!

  18. dave 18

    No not weak, clever, given that 1,555 people leave the country for good every week. Or 222 people per day. Or one every six and a half minutes.
    At least they haven’t flogged a stock picture from the US.
    [dave. the fact you think where a pic comes from is significant shows the holloowness of your politics. The numbers you are quoting are just emigration, you’ve got to at least count the Kiwis coming back, if not the people immigrating here. The net Kiwi citizens emigration is less than 0.7% per annum and well within the norms of the migration cycle. SP]

  19. Julie 20

    I thought it was an ad for Air NZ. Perhaps that’s one of the things the Nats would send overseas too (i.e. into foreign ownership)?

  20. Tane 21

    Wave goodbye to Air New Zealand
    We’re selling that too

  21. Wave goodbye to higher wages
    Not 90s policies

  22. Dom 23

    LOL Julie, I’ve just be playing with this wording:
    WAVE GOODBYE TO
    YOUR NATIONAL AIRLINE.
    AND OTHER STATE ASSETS.

  23. Dom 24

    LOL Tane – that’s great!

  24. Tim Ellis 25

    I’m a national party supporter, and I think it’s a good message. Maybe I’m getting old though, because it does seem quite difficult for me to read. It might look a bit different if I was driving past it, but not being a technical guy I’d give it 8/10 for message, 3/10 for visual impact. I assume that there is going to be a series of messages going up; they won’t all be about emigration to australia, and to have drastically different billboard designs sounds to me like it would dilute the brand.

    Still, I suppose it will get noticed a lot for no other reason than it’s the first shot fired in the battle.

  25. outofbed 26

    To add to the military theme, the arrows look not unlike US military stripes (rank of corporal perhaps?) :-}

  26. Tane 27

    Wave goodbye to your loved ones
    We’re sending them to Iraq

  27. Bill 28

    Wave goodbye to higher taxes, not your loved ones ’cause they’re on board too thanks to massive borrowing to fund these squadrons of lear jets for John’s mates and their families.

    Next stop Andora.

  28. r0b 29

    The first time I saw Iwi/Kiwi (2005) I thought shit, we could lose this election. Seeing this billboard I’m thinking shit, we could win this one!

    “Not your loved ones” is a great tag line to keep.

    Who went to bomb Iraq
    Not your loved ones

    Who benefits from increased borrowing
    Not your loved ones

    Who wants to sell our schools
    Not your loved ones

    Who wants to pay road tolls
    Not your loved ones

    Don’t go back to the Righter future

    and so on…

  29. Tane 30

    It’s such an appallingly bad ad campaign I’m actually worried that parodying it will give it a cultural currency it doesn’t deserve.

  30. Rob 31

    Good message I believe some one has to stop the brain drain of the intelligent ones that have departed from this Labour Led Helen Clark Government.

    All we do is fill our Country up with People who more than likely vote Labour in the future. I’m sure that must be a question on the immigration papers now “Will you vote Labour OK you can come to New Zealand”

    I just believe that you guys at the Standard are a little bit Anal Retentive about Bill Boards given Nationals last campaign last time. I’m sure there will be some Crosby Textor Specials to come out yet.

    I promise you open and Honest Government yea right

    I have some very big ideas for New Zealand yea right

    I would never ban a smack because parent dont want that yea right

    I never knew about the $100000 promise yea right

    I believe Owen Glenn might give Labour another loan yea right

  31. r0b 32

    Rob, those are so bad that I believe you wrote them yourself. Maybe you should go back to plagiarising, so you get better material?

  32. randal 33

    wave goodbye to john keys…he’s on the road to nowhere. bye bye johnny.

  33. dave 34

    you’ve got to at least count the Kiwis coming back
    Problem is that they’re not staying here and I’m only counting permanent departures not OE’rs. Ther are so many Maori leaving NZ flying out for Aussie for good that if it keeps up Aussie will soon be called Outeroa.

  34. lprent 35

    That billboard is pretty pathetic.

    It looks like something for selling tampon’s. Trying to wrap something vaguely offensive in a non-intrusive, low-key, and designed not to cause divisiveness package. Well it does fit the type of message National has been trying to sell. I’m not sure if it suits how this election campaign is going.

    Anyway, I vote for referring to them as Nationals Tampon billboards. Something designed to staunch the leakage of blood.

    Damn it does remind me of tampon packaging……

  35. outofbed 36

    Choose a frightning future, Party vote National

  36. Lew 37

    r0b: A mate of mine has come up with the following, which has a zen simplicity:

    NATIONAL: NOT YOUR LOVED ONES

    L

  37. coge 38

    How are Labours billboards coming along? Is Owens’ cheque still in the mail?

    All this talk about Iraq, is far leftist speak. Most Kiwis know that idea is a complete fallacy i.e it ain’t happening. Your suggestion Tane, will have no currency with the masses.

  38. Quoth the Raven 39

    Rob – Your are the biggest sycophant out there. I’ve never once heard you criticise your party and you seem to be the only person who defends your party’s use of C/T. Not even your party’s leaders like to acknowledge it. And Rob the brain drain is a myth.

  39. r0b 40

    NATIONAL: NOT YOUR LOVED ONES

    Love it!

  40. Tara 41

    Bring Back The Lash !

    Bring Back Muldoon !

  41. higherstandard 42

    Not sure what’s stranger ?

    That one of the major political parties can’t come up with something better with all the talented marketeers about in NZ or that Lynn seems to have a good knowledge of feminine hygiene products.

  42. dave 43

    Lynn, what do you know abut tampon packaging. Anyway it is definately trying to minimise leakage of blood – between Winston and Helen no doubt. Perhaps thats the problem, Helen doesnt have any

  43. Daveski 44

    I don’t know why they bothered – it’s a little clumsy but has a message that has some relevance.

    It would have been a lot easier to put a billboard up and say “Vote for Helen and get Winston for free”.

    Strange that while the rest of the country is trying to work out why Helen is happy to continue to work with Winston, the big topic at the Standard is a billboard. Not to mention why Helen never acknowledged that her Minister was being charitable with the truth.

    Isn’t that a bit weak, too?

  44. schrodigerscat 45

    So John Key left to go overseas, why did he do that?

    People have been coming and going from here for quite a while now.

    I have been away and come back a couple of years later 3 times so far. I have always bought back more than I left with too, knowledge, experience, wealth….

    I personally don’t know anyone that left because the taxes were too high here.

  45. sean 46

    The amusing and absolutely f**king ironic thing is, that the meaning of this billboard flies so far over the top of your heads. The airplane flying to the right is so apt.

    Lads, you’ve been done brilliantly. ROFL.

  46. randal 47

    doh. yeah right. excuse me while I go to the lavatory. it seems to have affected my bladder.

  47. Mike 48

    Wave goodbye to competence.

    I don’t think using images of airplanes on a billboard with the words “Wave goodbye … not your loved ones” is a good idea, particularly in 10 days time. Let’s just hope it’s not erected anywhere near the US consulate or embassy.

  48. Julie 49

    Some great ideas in this thread, I look forward to seeing some of them mocked up!

    lprent, not sure what’s vaguely offensive about tampons? I’m prepared to concede many people seem them as icky (and I tend to that view despite my best intentions) but it’s more because of our silly ideas about bodies imho. anyway, that’s a rant for another time and place.

    It’ll be interesting to see if the rest of National’s campaign is along the lines of this billboard, focusing on something they perceive NZers don’t like about the current govt (in this case higher taxes which is weird because Labour has cut taxes – higher than what exactly?). I wonder what they’ll pick in future? Perhaps wave goodbye to telling you how to parent (s59), wave goodbye to underfunded schools (return to bulk-funding, oops, sorry I mean “the fully funded option”)?

    It’s kind of weird to have to think about these sort of double negative thingies.

  49. dave 50

    what about Labour – hanging by a thread…

  50. jaymam 51

    Here’s a blank billboard for you guys to add your comments to!

    http://i33.tinypic.com/34oo4co.jpg

  51. lprent 52

    I just consider them to be a normal part of living. Anyone who spends any time around farms or medics (as I have done) loses any squeamishness pretty fast.

    However I’ve noticed a certain degree of squeamishness about almost any body process, sexual preference, or even that they have a body around KB’s comments section. I suspect that there are an awful lot of prudish urbanites amongst them. Always useful to use a lever at a level below the conscious level.

    However I’m sure someone can come up with something more effective than that.

    hs: Comes of having women around your life. In particular adolescent female relatives getting tutoring for exams. You stash a supply in the bathroom cupboard.

    The billboard does look like some kind of box packaging…

  52. Quoth the Raven 53

    Daveski – How about “Vote for Key get Douglas for free.” That one rhymes too.

  53. jaymam 54

    Here you go. Sorry I don’t have the correct font:
    http://i33.tinypic.com/2ebe51u.jpg

  54. John Dalley 55

    Was looking at your PDF link and act funds in particular.

    2006. Association of Consumers and Taxpayer $37 413.00
    2005. G Mallet $20 200.00
    Sky City $12 000.00

    Like Winnie maybe Rodney Should be investigated for undeclared funds
    $37 Thou to run act? and $32 the year before? got to worth the examination iwould have thought.

  55. randal 56

    when national would not run a candidate against wodney then how come it even cost that much?

    capcha: j. rolly….?

  56. Draco TB 57

    Now, where have I seen that imagery before?

  57. Dan 58

    Those planes are definitely coming home. Very few of our travellers head off to Chile or Argentina.
    Those fast forward arrows point into a vague future under National. Pretty honest there when we have few policies, or at least policies that are contradicted the moment they are released.
    The irony is that last time it was the billbooards that allowed the Nats to have a chance. If this is the best they can do, then I can understand why many on the left are so confident.
    By the way, who is the English Tory who subsidised the Howard campaign in Australia who was at Key’s place over the weekend? I guess the Nats and Conservatives could be considered brethren of sorts, but how exclusive?

  58. QoT 59

    My partner and I are fairly smart people. My first thought on reading this? “Holy fuck, are they actually saying people will die if I don’t vote National?” His first thought? “Holy shit, death camps?” Not exactly on-message, there.

    @Mike: really good point there. Not well-played, National.

  59. Which one is Biggles flying? Red fox to blue bomber command. Over.
    Red Barron 3 O’Clock over.

  60. gobsmacked 61

    Hang on, they’re not planes, they’re tyre marks.

    “Nice family you got. Loved ones, ain’t they great. Be a shame if sumfing happened to ’em, know what I mean guv?”

  61. There is no way we could muster enough pilots to fly such a squadron, just look at the Sky Hawks rotting away at great expense to the tax payer.They are now used to house rats. Oh well, we can throw stones at the Russian Bombers. Go comrades.

  62. How is that confusing? I know your a liberal, but think about it for a second and you might understand.

    I swear, and I have said it before, you guys are just like Fox News, if someone from the other side releases something, you act all confuse and try to play dumb.

    I would say 100% of people would get that.

  63. Brett, the loony Liberals’ like playing dumb and always throw a Conservative who dares to challenge them the wet pc victimhood card.They are pathetic wimps.

    Edit – Labour Blame the exclusive brethren for everything bad in kiwiland.

  64. mike 65

    Well its got you guys pretty excited – talking about tampons and war planes so can’t be that ineffective.

    The ‘weak’ story of the day SP is helen trying to smear the SFO and NZ Police for giving JK the heads up.

    The poor old girl has gone paranoid now – call an early election Labour First to put her out of her misery.

  65. Anita 66

    lprent,

    It looks like something for selling tampon?s. Trying to wrap something vaguely offensive in a non-intrusive, low-key, and designed not to cause divisiveness package.

    The most noticeable thing about tampon packages it that they do everything in their power to not look like tampon packages. For a start, why blue?!

    Strangely the most noticeable thing about the National campaign is how hard they try not to look like what’s inside.

  66. Dan 67

    Brett, get what?
    Our net emigration rate is not huge. We get lots of new, motivated migrants who replace the sad sacks who migrate to Australia thinking it is all goodness and light. We get lots of young people returning after their OE.
    The use of war-time allusions to exaggerate the loss overseas will not wash with many NZers who have all loved their experience overseas. And the things that most NZ travellers cling to when shouting NZ’s accomplishments to others are matters such as nuclear free, staying away from Iraq and clean and green, all of which are far stronger under Labour than would ever be possible under Brash or the new fellow.

  67. mike it is way past time the NEW ZEALAND POLICE stood up for the honour and oath.

  68. bomber 69

    Hey why aren’t you guys all over the latest issue regarding John Key?

    http://www.tumeke.blogspot.com

    Lord Ashcroft I presume?

  69. The Nats have hit the spot again. Check out their other billboards at http://rodneygrub.blogspot.com

  70. Dean 71

    SP:

    “I laughed out loud when i saw that billboard. That’s not to say the others will necessarily do better, but this is pretty poor.”

    Did you also laugh out loud when Clark talked about the SFO?

    Somehow I think your sense of humour is entirely manufactured.

    It’s alright though, you don’t have to answer this one. Just like when you are called out on all matters pertaining to your own good sense, you just ignore it and pretend it didn’t happen.

  71. Patrick 72

    Love your work Rodney! (Wow, never thought I’d say that)

    Captcha: Richman great – their next billboard?

  72. randal 73

    the sfo is like everything else in this sandpit of the pacific. it has been infantilised beyond repair and its bye bye sfo straight after the election. and whats more I dont ever recall them ever having detected a serious fraud. just another waste of time from typical kiwi bignoters looking for an office or more like a sinecure where they can have drinky poos with the rich folks on friday nights and go home pretending they are somebodies.

  73. Tane 74

    Bomber bro, I’m sure someone will get round to it tomorrow. I only heard about it half an hour ago over a beer with a mate who still watches the TV news.

  74. Dean 75

    bomber:

    “Hey why aren’t you guys all over the latest issue regarding John Key?

    http://www.tumeke.blogspot.com

    Lord Ashcroft I presume?”

    Because it’s a non-event, perhaps?

    And in shocking news, Peters meets with potential foreign, nuke-loving lots of money bag-woman Rice.

    Bomber, it’s time to get a new tack mate.

    captcha: calamari heads. Somehow fitting, don’t you think?

  75. Bomber is as boring and predicable as Lickspittle Radio NZ and TVNZ.Yawn,yawn, change the record boring bomber.

  76. Roger 77

    Is someone proposing higher taxes? Didn’t the government just announce lower taxes? Did I miss National’s tax policy announcement? Or will they be raising taxes via user pays? All very confusing.

  77. deemac 78

    wave goodbye to your job? this is just begging for parodies…

  78. jbc 79

    while I agree it is not a strong billboard when compared with the iwi/kiwi ones: it still carries a message.

    makes sense to me: I left NZ shortly after the 39c rate came in to force. I’d love to be back in NZ too – if it were a little less costly.

    it will probably hit the spot with my parents too: all their grandkids born and growing up overseas.

  79. Tane 80

    jbc. NZ’s tax wedge is among the lowest in the OECD. But if you’re going to find a corner and have a wee cry over a few cents in the dollar over $60k then all power to you.

    In terms of it being too ‘costly’ to live in New Zealand the real issue is wages, which fell or stagnated for most NZers under National’s policies in the 1990s and opened the wage gap with Australia by 50%.

  80. jbc 81

    tane: my current average tax rate is 12%. Last time I ran the numbers it would cost me about $55k in additional personal tax. No, I’m not crying about it.

    That’s not counting all of the additional tax that IRD would then want to assess via the CFC rules.

    I can still come back for holidays and it doesn’t cost me anywhere that much.

  81. Tane 82

    Ah, so you’re one of the insanely wealthy elite in the top 1 or 2% of income earners. I agree mate, you’ve got it hard. Who wants to pay tax?

  82. deemac 83

    plus of course if all you want is more for yourself you just go wherever tax is lowest and build a big fence to keep out the nasty poor people – don’t think many Kiwis would be happy in those countries for long.
    And in any case international labour mobility is now a fact of life all round the world – it has its positives and its negatives but the idea that people should never work abroad is unrealistic.

  83. jbc 84

    Tane, if being on a decent salary for a self-employed IT contractor makes me insanely wealthy then I’m guilty as charged. Feel free to hold that against me. As far as the industry goes then it’s nothing special. Used car salesman and plumbers probably earn more.

    I would be happy to pay more tax to enjoy living in NZ – a lot more tax – but I feel that at present that I’m actively discouraged from doing so.

  84. johndoe 85

    oh, god. “insanely wealthy” at that rate does not compute. wtf are you guys smoking? Should we all be making the crap money you do?

  85. T-Rex 86

    Wave goodbye to empty slogans.

    Please.

  86. burt 87

    Tane

    You link to the Waitemata Trust, good on you.

    Could you please link to the trusts that funded Winston and the New Zealand First party. I’m sure their names and the amount they donated are on the NZ1 party returns – Doooh.

    We don’t know who that are but we are learning day to day. Winston voted for the EFA ? Along with Labour?

    You do look silly when you name trusts that a party returns shows their name and the amount of money they donated. In todays political landscape of unknown trusts propping up the Labour-led govt such denigration is so 2005.

  87. jbc 88

    deemac:

    plus of course if all you want is more for yourself you just go wherever tax is lowest and build a big fence to keep out the nasty poor people – don’t think many Kiwis would be happy in those countries for long.

    Nasty poor people? Are they nasty rich people gone bankrupt?

    If anything, deemac, spending time in countries with real poverty will strengthen any thinking, decent New Zealander’s concern for the poor. It will also give them great respect for some of the positive aspects of NZ’s employment law (holidays, minimum wage, etc).

    And in any case international labour mobility is now a fact of life […]

    Of course it is. I left for a change of scenery (good), but I stayed for the tax differential (not so good). It’s the long term drift that is important. Ireland reversed theirs. Can NZ?

    Back to the topic of the billboard: I’m under no delusion that National will be making any significant changes in the area of tax, but at least they give a hat tip in this direction (rather than the poke in the eye that Labour delivered in 2000).

  88. jbc. if you pay 12% tax and returning to nz would cost you $55K in tax, you have an income of $237K a year. 1.5% of people have an income over 150K. 50% of kiwis have an income less than 27K. I’m more concerned with those people than whether your net income is $210K or $165K, or cutting the 39% rate would put about 10K in your pocket but do nothing for most people.

    Now, I don’t earn anything like as much as you but I do earn within the top 10% of income earners, and I don’t begrudge any of the tax I pay. It is the cost of running a society that treats me very well. It treats you even better, maybe you should acknowledge how fortunate you are and realise that without tax that good fortune would not be possible.

  89. jbc 90

    Steve, I’m also more concerned for those on the bottom (a fact which causes great arguments in my household). I have no argument with the essence of your post, however I don’t think you can extrapolate my nag with NZ tax to a disregard of the poor. Those things are not exclusively joined.

    I toyed with (and scratched) some long replies here but can’t avoid drifting OT significantly. Another day, another thread.

    I’ll just leave it at this: the billboard, dull as it is, does present a message that I can relate to.

  90. Paul Campbell 91

    Fish in a barrel: “Wave goodbye to higher taxes, not your loved ones, they can’t afford the tolls”

  91. Paul Campbell 92

    (I’m glad they left that space at the bottom)

  92. Dom 93

    Wave goodbye to your new job.
    We’ll give employers the power to fire you after your first ninety days.

  93. Crank 94

    This thread resembles something from Kiwiblog.

    Lots of petty people trying to be as spitefull as possible with failed attempts at wit.

    The bill board is ho hum at best but this reflects the Nats tactics well. Labour are doing a fantastic job of losing the election so they have to try not to scare any potential voters off with messages that may be too devisive.

    I am certain that if a change in tact is required they will start thumping out the “a vote for labour is a vote for Winston” line.

  94. randal 95

    crank…of course lots of people are being spiteful…thats the nature of the game. read Seutonius on Julius Ceasar. nothing has changed. the only thing is people in New Zealand realise that Labour gives them a fair deal while National is about tossing everybody who does not come up to their standards to the dogs. cyber space is not real while Labour will win the election no matter how many spiteful tories clog up the cyber channels

  95. Dom 96

    Actually Crank there have been some very successful witty lines espoused in this thread – Tane’s is my favourite :
    Wave goodbye to Air New Zealand
    We’re selling that too

  96. Bill 97

    First billboard = unspeakably bad. Deliberately so. Their other ones will be very slick and by the time they are out and about, everyone will be focussed on them thanks to the hook that most of us are taking.

    Well done us. Hook, line and sunk.

  97. Felix 98

    Brett that number, 100%…

    I do not think it means what you think it means.

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    5 hours ago
  • Can You Jump a Car in the Rain? Safety Precautions and Essential Steps
    Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
    5 hours ago
  • Can taxpayers be confident PIJF cash was spent wisely?
    Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    11 hours ago
  • EGU2024 – An intense week of joining sessions virtually
    Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
    13 hours ago
  • Submission on “Fast Track Approvals Bill”
    The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    14 hours ago
  • The Case for a Universal Family Benefit
    One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    15 hours ago
  • A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
    Submissions on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law are due today (have you submitted?), and just hours before they close, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has been forced to release the list of companies he invited to apply. I've spent the last hour going through it in an epic thread of bleats, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    17 hours ago
  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
    Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    18 hours ago
  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
    1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    19 hours ago
  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    22 hours ago
  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
    Chris Trotter writes –  MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    23 hours ago
  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    23 hours ago
  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    24 hours ago
  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    1 day ago
  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    1 day ago
  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A StepbyStep Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and thirdparty applications. So, lets dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. Thats why they introduced the Recently Deleted folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Heres how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the Recents tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on Edit. Select Show Recently Deleted. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose Recover to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Heres how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose Erase All Content and Settings. Follow the onscreen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose Restore from iCloud Backup during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore ThirdParty Apps (with Caution): ...
    1 day ago
  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    2 days ago
  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    2 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    2 days ago
  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    2 days ago
  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    2 days ago
  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    2 days ago
  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    2 days ago
  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    2 days ago
  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    2 days ago
  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    2 days ago
  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    2 days ago
  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    2 days ago
  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago
  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    2 days ago
  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    2 days ago
  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    2 days ago
  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    4 days ago
  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    4 days ago
  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    4 days ago

  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 hour ago
  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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    2 days ago
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  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
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    3 days ago
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    3 days ago
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    4 days ago
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    4 days ago
  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
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  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
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    5 days ago
  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
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  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
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  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
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  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
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  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
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  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
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  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
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  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
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