Wellington mayor-elect flip-flops on sale of Wellington Airport

Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, October 30th, 2019 - 26 comments
Categories: local government, Politics - Tags: , , , , ,

One of the first acts of Wellington mayor-elect, Andy Foster has been to reverse his stance on the council’s 34% holding in Wellington International Airport Ltd (WIAL).

Foster, who has flirted with National, Labour and NZ First in his desire to enter parliament, won the mayoralty in a shock result on his third attempt, with a tiny majority of 62 votes, after getting film magnate Peter Jackson to bankroll a heavily-funded campaign.

It was third time lucky for the former National Party researcher who came a dismal fourth to Mark Blumsky in 2001 and limped into fifth spot in 2016 against Justin Lester, the man he beat this time. Lester has called for a recount.

Foster, who is adamant he isn’t Jackson’s puppet, immediately floated the idea of “recycling” assets, of which WIAL would be the jewel. He has also advocated building a second Mt Victoria tunnel, sending the Let’s Get Wellington Moving project, already stalled for three years, back to the start line.

As well showing more flexibility than Winston Churchill over which party is lucky enough to have him, Foster has a history of equivocating over the council’s holding in WIAL.

He was instrumental in voting against the 1998 sale of the council’s airport stake, an issue that not only ripped the council apart, but split the Jenny Shipley-led National-NZ First coalition.

Then mayor Mark Blumsky and former CEO Garry Poole were certain they had lined Foster up on the sale side despite his many pronouncements against the sale.

But they received almost as nasty a shock as Lester received from this month’s election, when Foster jumped the other way.

Rob Laking conducted a fascinating post-mortem of the council’s proposed sale, titled The family silver: the sale of Wellington Airport. 

In it, Blumsky states: “Andy tends to sit on the fence and … you were never sure at the end of the phone call with Andy: he wouldn’t say he wasn’t going to support you, he would say ‘well he still needed a bit more information but it was probably going to be okay’ and then out of the blue he doesn’t.”

Laking notes there was extensive public consultation which was dominated by opposition to the proposed sale. Councillor Foster, first elected in 1992, remembered it as being “surprisingly vocal”.

“The mayor and myself mainly [attended the public meetings]. The mayor fronted most of it. I can remember the one in the Kilbirnie Community Centre. There were people hanging off the rafters. They were very anti. I don’t think we had a supporter in the room and it was chocker… anything we said, we were talking absolute nonsense as far as they were concerned.”

A council-commissioned poll of Wellington residents conducted by AC Nielsen found 42% had concerns over the sale. Most written submissions opposed selling with many expressing a view that the airport was an investment that generated good income.

Sale proponents argued WCC was only receiving a 2% return on investment but Foster argued that the alternative was worse – selling gold for silver.

In fact, WIAL has been a reasonable earner for WCC and the value of the asset has soared. In the year to March 31, 2019 WCC received a dividend of $12.6 million.

Infratil offered $150 million for the whole company in 1998 so WCC would have received $50 million ($76 million in today’s dollars, adjusting for inflation). Today, the asset would be valued at over $240.5 million, given that Infratil has it 66% stake in its books at $481.5 million.

In a letter to Evening Post on August 22, 1988, Foster said: “I believe most Kiwis don’t want strategic or monopoly assets sold, and the airport sale consultation results, while mixed, reinforced that belief.”

He had a similar track record of flip-flopping on the sale of Wellington lines company Capital Power, now the Chinese-owned Wellington Electricity.

Along with then fellow councillors Jack Reuben and Hazel Armstrong, he was a vociferous critic of that sale. But he managed to absent himself when the vote on the sale was taken and then changed his view. In the letter quoted above, he said selling the second half of Capital Power, “though unpopular, and personally difficult, made financial and customer sense, and subsequent events have proved the sale right”.

An interesting aspect of the WIAL ownership structure is that Infratil gets proportionally more dividends from its 66% stake because of a contentious tax mechanism called “subvention payments”. Infratil is allowed to group tax losses from interest costs in the parent company to offset WIAL’s tax liabilities so it receives disproportionately large returns – $40.5 million this year versus $12.6 million for the council. It’s all pretty legal, but not unlike what the likes of Facebook and Google do on an international scale.

The Infratil directors receive high fees – Chair Tim Brown receives $165,000 which goes back to Infratil. Foster is actually one of WCC’s two directors on the WIAL board but his $87,000 fee goes back to the council. However, WCC’s other board member, Wayne Eagleson, former chief of staff for John Key and now working for controversial lobbying company Thompson Lewis, keeps his $102,000 fee. How the council managed make such a tainted appointment is an interesting question that new the council’s three Labour and three Green members might wish to review.

Brown told me that the directors’ fees are in line with similar companies and based on Institute of Directors’ recommendations. They are set after a rigorous assessment process, he said.

Given the strong opposition to the sale of the WCC stake in 1998, including his own, it seems odd Foster didn’t raise the issue more prominently during the election campaign. In an email response to my query on this, he said he raised it at several meetings, and the main issue is price and risk.

Coincidently, WIAL , last week announced big new spending plans over the next 20 years. It also announced it is buying half of the Miramar Golf Course for $31 million, something it expressly states in its current 30-year plan it would never have to do even if the planned runway extension proceeded. The club has agreed to sell voluntarily under threat of forced acquisition via the Public Works Act.

Many people have questioned how WIAL’s expansion plans that involve a huge increase in flights, dovetail with the council declaring a climate and ecological emergency is anyone’s guess.

WIAL’s grandiose plans for the runway extension are bogged down and unlikely to proceed under the current government. Only subsidies by local, regional and central government would make the $350 million project viable. The subsidies assume benefits to the region beyond the airport and Brown says the extension “couldn’t be justified it on a purely commercial basis”.

The project has been stymied by a pilots’ union legal challenge to safety margins on the runway and all is on hold until the Civil Aviation Authority completes a review.

Neither Brown nor CEO Steve Sanderson are confident the runway plan will proceed while Foster has publicly expressed doubts.

Whether he can get his plan to sell the airport stake past a once hostile public or a leftist-dominated council also seems about as likely as his desire to bulldoze through another tunnel through Mt Vic.

Even before he has been officially confirmed as mayor, ructions in the council emerged in the stoush over the appointment of his deputy. One former councillor told me the two stand-out attributes she remembered of her time on the council with Foster, were that he would often vote on issues opposite to what he promised, and he was never a team player.

We will watch this space.

(Simon Louisson reported for The Wall Street Journal, AP Dow Jones Newswires, New Zealand Press Association and Reuters and later was an adviser to the Green Party. Disclosure: he is a member of Miramar Golf Club and voted against the sale of the course.)

26 comments on “Wellington mayor-elect flip-flops on sale of Wellington Airport ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. lprent 1
    30 October 2019 at 8:34 am

    Speaking from afar and remembering ancient history, wasn't Winston Peters also pretty damn adamant about about the sale of Wellington Airport.. ummm yep.

    Later, however, tensions began to develop between Peters and the National Party, which only worsened after Jenny Shipley staged a party room coup and became prime minister. After a dispute over the privatisation of Wellington International Airport, Peters was sacked from Cabinet again on 14 August 1998.

    I know that I really shouldn't ignore Wellington (I tend to focus on Auckland a lot these days). But this does appear to be a pretty contentious issue down there. I must read up some more on it.

    This is a good a post to start from.

    Makes it likely that any such proposal will face opposition at the government level as well.

    As a side issue. I also understand that Lester is launching a electoral challenge. With 62 votes in it on a STV election and a lot of disallowed votes, he has a good chance. Both with the appeal, and with the vote.

    The precedent on which Lester’s case hinges is based on Winston Peters’ election to the Hunua ward in 1978.

    On that occasion, Peters won on a recount after it was ruled voting papers not filled out correctly should be excluded, even if those voters’ intentions were clear.

    That ruling was subsequently challenged through the Court of Appeal, and a precedent set that any voting paper which clearly signalled a voter’s intention should be considered.

    Winston – pops up everywhere 🙂

    • Dukeofurl 1.1
      30 October 2019 at 9:07 am

      "He was instrumental in voting against the 1998 sale of the council’s airport stake, an issue that not only ripped the council apart, but split the Jenny Shipley-led National-NZ First coalition."

      The issue back then(1998) wasnt the Councils stake , it was the Governments 66% share That why the government doesnt have any shares now in the Airport but the Council does.

      Was there another time when The Council was ripped part over selling its share ?

    • greywarshark 1.2
      30 October 2019 at 9:49 am

      Winston is the gift that goes on giving, the doughty warrior that plans his campaigns well, and knows which way the wind is blowing. And can't be ignored; he is the pop-up politician for all conditions.

      • Dukeofurl 1.2.1
        30 October 2019 at 10:51 am

        The last electorate seat Court recount in NZ was for Waitakere in 2011.

        Paula Bennett overturned the final result and re-gained the seat.

        Ms Bennett was in the lead by 349 votes on election night but the result was overturned after special votes put Labour MP Carmel Sepuloni ahead by 11 votes. After Ms Bennett filed an application for a recount the Electoral Commission announced that she had won by nine votes.

        Of course it would have gains and losses on both sides ( and other candidates too) but would be interesting to see the quantum of votes changed by the court. Perhaps Mickey would know ?

  2. Hooch 2
    30 October 2019 at 8:57 am

    I wouldn’t want to presume what Andy Fosters stance is on the sale of the airport but I refer to an article on stuff when it was mentioned.

    Foster said the idea of the council sellings its stake in the airport was nothing more than an "early conversation" after council management asked him to address the issue of "asset recycling".

    So the council management asked him to sound it out rather than his own personal idea. From memory (and I could be wrong) Andy mentioned during the election campaign, on the wellington scoop page, that he preferred to keep the dividend income stream from owning the airport shares.

    LGWM actually called for an additional tunnel through Mt Victoria so it’s hardly sending it backward. It’s a bit hard to run a mass transit route when it has nowhere to go so it would be logical to build the tunnel first with dedicated mass transit lanes?

  3. Jimmy 3
    30 October 2019 at 9:14 am

    Surely with only a 62 vote majority and a re-count in progress, are the council able to make any major decisions until re-count done and dusted?

    • Dukeofurl 3.1
      30 October 2019 at 10:42 am

      Yes they are. The Mayor is only one vote around the council table. The process is the mayor (or any councillor) continues in their position until a court decision is announced either way.

      It wasnt NZ, but in Western Australia where they have STV type elections for Australian Senate, a candidate who missed out by a tiny amount requested a court recount, but for some reason not all the ballot papers were available anymore . in that instance the senate election had to be re run.

      Recounts bring up all sorts of gremlins in the vote counting process, its not totally accurate and done by clockwork as people might think

      • lprent 3.1.1
        30 October 2019 at 10:58 am

        In this case, my understanding is that the council are also using software / machine for the count.

        Speaking as someone who has spent the last 30 odd years as computer programmer, I simply don't trust software or hardware that much. The system engineering tends to have built in presumptions that are always worth reviewing. I seem to spend an excessive amount of time finding those (and my own biases) and fixing them.

        I'd regard this as an excellent opportunity for the court to review the actual process in an actual election, and to do it in depth.

        • Dukeofurl 3.1.1.1
          30 October 2019 at 12:22 pm

          The Council uses a contractor , like most other councils, for the whole election process.

          My understanding is the ballot papers are scanned to digital images when they arrive in the post and that first run is to detect those vote images that are unreadable by the software, for later manual counting. Likely other issues are paper jams during the scanning and that the numbers tally up for the barcodes read on the unopened envelope windows with the digital images barcoding to see that every vote receieved by post is accounted for.

          Plus the big issue, what the computer decides between competing digital image of numbers.

          With STV there are issues with not enough candidates numbered ( not really an issue with Mayor) or numbers repeated which make for an invalid vote. This could be fertile territory for 'what did the voter intend' , which I dont think has been tested by court for STV votes.

          • lprent 3.1.1.1.1
            31 October 2019 at 7:46 am

            Lots of scope for systematic errors in there.

            And I don't think that any of this has been tested by the courts here.

            In aussie, they’re still having STV count issues run through the courts.

        • Agora 3.1.1.2
          30 October 2019 at 8:52 pm

          I agree with the need for a thorough independent review of the election.

  4. Dukeofurl 4
    30 October 2019 at 9:20 am

    Its the Traffic that has no where to go. An extra tunnel for cars just means the streets in the CBD become grid locked.

    At the moment the tunnel is a choke point which allows some free movement in the CBD, removing the choke point doesnt mean you get to the destination quicker, just you spend less of the time in a tunnel.

  5. mpledger 5
    30 October 2019 at 11:08 am

    Wellington Airport is a private company (I believe) so I don't know that they can take the golf land via the Public Works Act – just like McDonalds can't force a sale of someone else's land to build a new restaurant via the Public Works Act. (OK – just checked on wikipedia – it's 2/3 private owned by infratil, the rest owned by WCC – so what does that mean for the Public Works Act?)

    The other thing is that the sewage works has lakes on the golf course which they use to clean the water before it goes into the sea. I don't know if they'll have the room to do that on a 9 hole golf course.

    They should move all the stuff on Freight Drive on to the Western side of the airport – they have a ton of unused land along Titirangi Road – and then they won't need to take golf land for a plane parking lot.

    • Alice Tectonite 5.1
      30 October 2019 at 11:29 am

      Public Works Act: Wellington Airport is classified as a network utility operator, same as electricity lines, telecoms, etc.

      Network utility operators are defined in section 166 of the RMA and distribute gas, petroleum, geothermal energy, telecommunications, electricity, water and wastewater, or construct or operate roads, railway lines and airports.

      [source]

      The golf course is zoned as 'Airport' in the District Plan. I have seen plans (not online) going back decades showing the golf course as future airport expansion. It been an option for along time.

      edit: corrected ‘designated’ to ‘zoned’

      • Dukeofurl 5.1.1
        30 October 2019 at 12:10 pm

        Yes. The sale of large block of Auckland airport shares to an overseas pension fund was blocked in 2008 by labour government.

        I think it was because the shares would provide 'control' to an overseas entity that was the problem rather than just the shares themselves

        • mpledger 5.1.1.1
          30 October 2019 at 12:17 pm

          (In a round-about way of getting there) It would mean that Wellington Airport couldn't be sold for the same reason.

    • Dukeofurl 5.2
      30 October 2019 at 3:35 pm

      Airport has offered $31 mill for half the Miramar course and I think the Club has accepted.

      Over the years the airport has encroached on the course

      " In the 1950s the government took 5.25 hectares of land from the club, and another 8.2 hectares in the 1970s. Further change was threatened in the 1990s, which led to a redesign of the layout by Graham Marsh design. The 18-hole layout that the 450 club members currently enjoy is a quasi-links with pot bunkers and rumpled fairways."

      Golf is a declining sport and Wellington City has other courses at Mornington and Berhampore and a few others a bit further out from the central city.

  6. Sigurd Magnusson 6
    30 October 2019 at 12:18 pm

    Am curious what the trend is relating to the future runway requirements of planes. Are plane-makers creating passenger aircraft with much shorter stopping and take-off requirements? I was thoroughly impressed in some of large US airforce transporters with incredibly short distances at Ohakea. (Boeing C-17 Globemaster needs only a 1km runway; our airport is 2km long) Furthermore, domestic planes will likely go electric (otherwise there will be a revolt against plane travel given climate change) and I am curious about their impact on take-off distances also. That's all to say: the future would seem quite uncertain on whether a longer runway is needed given imminent changes to technology.

    • Dukeofurl 6.1
      30 October 2019 at 5:52 pm

      Airliners need long runways for lift off to carry lots of fuel for long range.

      The long thin wings are best for that , military airlifters have bigger wing area so they can use shorter runways.

      Domestic planes arent going electric any time soon, unless they stay under 12 seats. Batteries that can currently be used in planes and at cold high altitudes are 1/100 of the energy density of kerosene.

      The big killer for batteries is that drag increases substantially with weight if the plane is otherwise the same. Added to that fuel is burnt during flight reducing weight, while batteries stay the same weight throughout.

      Cant compare with road vehicles as they work because weight doesnt matter so much, can recharge often and electric motors in vehicles are so much more efficient than petrol/diesel engines. Much less jump in efficency compared to modern gas turbines in flight profiles

    • Sacha 6.2
      30 October 2019 at 8:48 pm

      The future amount of flying people can do seems uncertain. Tourism industry has a big reckoning coming.

  7. Simon Louisson 7
    30 October 2019 at 1:01 pm

    Just to clarify – WIAL is what as known as a requiring authority and local authority under the designation and compulsory acquisition processes of the Public Works Act. The golf club was counselled that "assuming that WIAL is able to produce compelling evidence as to the need to acquire and use the land, it is unlikely that WIAL will be unsuccessful in compulsorily acquiring the Club’s land if it wishes to do so".
    ie the club decided it had to negotiate a sale which now has all but being signed off. The alternative was to fight it via the courts but the club argued it had no financial resources for such a fight and it would get the same result but be worse off. I unsuccessfully argued that WIAL would not wish for such a public battle where all the reasons against the extension would be publicly aired- climate change issues; noise issues for Strathmore residents; WIAL already having sufficient land for plane parking; that actually this is just a land grab in the same way that it was on the eastern side where WIAL now leases land to the big box retailers that are helping kill the CBD; destroying a Wellington green space, destroying Wellington's only proper 18 hole golf course and generally going against WCC's stated aim of making the city the most livable in the southern hemisphere.

  8. greywarshark 8
    30 October 2019 at 3:07 pm

    Who owns NZ and its infrastructure? This list of owners of country areas is interesting. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth/401186/nz-s-top-50-private-landowners-revealed

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #39
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 24, 2023 thru Sat, Sep 30, 2023. Story of the Week We’re not doomed yet’: climate scientist Michael Mann on our last chance to save human civilisation The renowned US ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 hours ago

  • Clusterf**ck of Chaos.
    On the 11th of April 1945 advancing US forces liberated the Nazi concentration camp of Buchenwald near Weimar in Germany. In the coming days, under the order of General Patton, a thousand nearby residents were forced to march to the camp to see the atrocities that had been committed in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    8 hours ago

  • The party of business deals with the future by pretending it isn’t coming
    Years and years ago, when Helen Clark was Prime Minister and John Key was gunning for her job, I had a conversation with a mate, a trader who knew John Key well enough to paint a helpful picture.It was many drinks ago so it’s not a complete one. But there’s ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    9 hours ago

  • 2023 More Reading: September (+ Old Phuul update)
    Completed reads for September: The Lost Continent, by C.J. Cutcliffe Hyne Flatland, by Edwin Abbott All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque The Country of the Blind, by H.G. Wells The Day of the Triffids, by John Wyndham A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    22 hours ago

  • Losing The Left.
    Descending Into The Dark: The ideological cadres currently controlling both Labour and the Greens are forcing “justice”, “participation” and “democracy” to make way for what is “appropriate” and “responsible”. But, where does that leave the people who, for most of their adult lives, have voted for left-wing parties, precisely to ...
    Bowalley Road
    23 hours ago

  • The New “Emperor’s New Clothes”.
    “‘BUT HE HASN’T GOT ANYTHING ON,’ a little boy said ….. ‘But he hasn’t got anything on!’ the whole town cried out at last.”On this optimistic note, Hans Christian Andersen brings his cautionary tale of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” to an end.Andersen’s children’s story was written nearly two centuries ago, ...
    Bowalley Road
    23 hours ago

  • BRYCE EDWARDS: The vested interests shaping National Party policies
      Bryce Edwards writes – As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: A conundrum for those pushing racist dogma
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – The heavily promoted narrative, which has ramped up over the last six years, is that Maori somehow have special vulnerabilities which arise from outside forces they cannot control; that contemporary society fails to meet their needs. They are not receptive to messages and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • CHRIS TROTTER:  The greater of two evils
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.   Chris Trotter writes – THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 30
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Labour presented a climate manifesto that aimed to claim the high ground on climate action vs National, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago

  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    1 day ago

  • The ‘Recession’ Has Been Called Off, But Some Households Are Still Struggling
    While the economy is not doing too badly in output terms, external circumstances are not favourable, and there is probably a sizeable group of households struggling because of rising interest rates.Last week’s announcement of a 0.9 percent increase in volume GDP for the June quarter had the commentariat backing down ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    2 days ago

  • Climate Change: The wrong direction
    This week the International Energy Association released its Net Zero Roadmap, intended to guide us towards a liveable climate. The report demanded huge increases in renewable generation, no new gas or oil, and massive cuts to methane emissions. It was positive about our current path, but recommended that countries with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • “Racism” becomes a buzz word on the campaign trail – but our media watchdogs stay muzzled when...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Oh, dear.  We have nothing to report from the Beehive. At least, we have nothing to report from the government’s official website. But the drones have not gone silent.  They are out on the election campaign trail, busy buzzing about this and that in the hope ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Play it, Elvis
    Election Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t have time for. You’re welcome, etc. Let us press on, etc. 1.  What did Christopher Luxon use to his advantage in ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Pure class warfare
    National unveiled its fiscal policy today, announcing all the usual things which business cares about and I don't. But it did finally tell us how National plans to pay for its handouts to landlords: by effectively cutting benefits: The biggest saving announced on Friday was $2b cut from the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • Ask Me Anything about the week to Sept 29
    Photo by Anna Ogiienko on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for an hour, including:duelling fiscal plans from National and Labour;Labour cutting cycling spending while accusing National of being weak on climate;Research showing the need for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Weekly Roundup 29-September-2023
    Welcome to Friday and the last one for September. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted at the latest with the City Rail Link. On Tuesday, Matt covered the interesting items from Auckland Transport’s latest board meeting agendas. On Thursday, a guest post from Darren Davis ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago

  • Protest at Parliament: The Reunion.
    Brian’s god spoke to him. He, for of course the Lord in Tamaki’s mind was a male god, with a mighty rod, and probably some black leathers. He, told Brian - “you must put a stop to all this love, hope, and kindness”. And it did please the Brian.He said ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Labour cuts $50m from cycleway spending
    Labour is cutting spending on cycling infrastructure while still trying to claim the higher ground on climate. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Labour Government released a climate manifesto this week to try to claim the high ground against National, despite having ignored the Climate Commission’s advice to toughen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • The Greater Of Two Evils.
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very rarely is an opposition party elected ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #39 2023
    Open access notables "Net zero is only a distraction— we just have to end fossil fuel emissions." The latter is true but the former isn't, or  not in the real world as it's likely to be in the immediate future. And "just" just doesn't enter into it; we don't have ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Chris Trotter: Losing the Left
    IN THE CURRENT MIX of electoral alternatives, there is no longer a credible left-wing party. Not when “a credible left-wing party” is defined as: a class-oriented, mass-based, democratically-structured political organisation; dedicated to promoting ideas sharply critical of laissez-faire capitalism; and committed to advancing democratic, egalitarian and emancipatory ideals across the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Old habits
    Media awareness about global warming and climate change has grown fairly steadily since 2004. My impression is that journalists today tend to possess a higher climate literacy than before. This increasing awareness and improved knowledge is encouraging, but there are also some common interpretations which could be more nuanced. ...
    Real ClimateBy rasmus
    4 days ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • STEPHEN FRANKS: Press seek to publicly shame doctor – we must push back
    The following is a message sent yesterday from lawyer Stephen Franks on behalf of the Free Speech Union. I don’t like to interrupt first thing Monday morning, but we’ve just become aware of a case where we think immediate and overwhelming attention could help turn the tide. It involves someone ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Competing on cruelty
    The right-wing message calendar is clearly reading "cruelty" today, because both National and NZ First have released beneficiary-bashing policies. National is promising a "traffic light" system to police and kick beneficiaries, which will no doubt be accompanied by arbitrary internal targets to classify people as "orange" or "red" to keep ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • Further funding for Pharmac (forgotten in the Budget?) looks like a $1bn appeal from a PM in need of...
    Buzz from the Beehive One Labour plan  – for 3000 more public homes by 2025 – is the most recent to be posted on the government’s official website. Another – a prime ministerial promise of more funding for Pharmac – has been released as a Labour Party press statement. Who ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies
    As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago

  • Labour may be on way out of power and NZ First back in – but will Peters go into coalition with Na...
    Voters  are deserting Labour in droves, despite Chris  Hipkins’  valiant  rearguard  action.  So  where  are they  heading?  Clearly  not all of them are going to vote National, which concedes that  the  outcome  will be “close”. To the Right of National, the ACT party just a  few weeks  ago  was ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    5 days ago

  • GRAHAM ADAMS: Will the racists please stand up?
    Accusations of racism by journalists and MPs are being called out. Graham Adams writes –    With the election less than three weeks away, what co-governance means in practice — including in water management, education, planning law and local government — remains largely obscure. Which is hardly ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence
    As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about the wisdom of giving National and ACT the power to govern alone. That’s why yesterday’s Newshub/Reid Research poll had the National/ACT combo dropping to 60 ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    5 days ago

  • Tuesday’s Chorus: RBNZ set to rain on National's victory parade
    ANZ has increased its forecast for house inflation later this year on signs of growing momentum in the market ahead of the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: National has campaigned against the Labour Government’s record on inflation and mortgage rates, but there’s now a growing chance the Reserve ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • After a Pittsburgh coal processing plant closed, ER visits plummeted
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Katie Myers. This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Pittsburgh, in its founding, was blessed and cursed with two abundant natural resources: free-flowing rivers and a nearby coal seam. ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • September-23 AT Board Meeting
    Today the AT board meet again and once again I’ve taken a look at what’s on the agenda to find the most interesting items. Closed Agenda Interestingly when I first looked at the agendas this paper was there but at the time of writing this post it had been ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 days ago

  • Electorate Watch: West Coast-Tasman
    Continuing my series on interesting electorates, today it’s West Coast-Tasman.A long thin electorate running down the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. Think sand flies, beautiful landscapes, lots of rain, Pike River, alternative lifestylers, whitebaiting, and the spiritual home of the Labour Party. A brief word ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Big money brings Winston back
    National leader Christopher Luxon yesterday morning conceded it and last night’s Newshub poll confirmed it; Winston Peters and NZ First are not only back but highly likely to be part of the next government. It is a remarkable comeback for a party that was tossed out of Parliament in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • 20 days until Election Day, 7 until early voting begins… but what changes will we really see here?
    As this blogger, alongside many others, has already posited in another forum: we all know the National Party’s “budget” (meaning this concept of even adding up numbers properly is doing a lot of heavy, heavy lifting right now) is utter and complete bunk (read hung, drawn and quartered and ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    6 days ago

  • A night out
    Everyone was asking, Are you nervous? and my response was various forms of God, yes.I've written more speeches than I can count; not much surprises me when the speaker gets to their feet and the room goes quiet.But a play? Never.YOU CAME! THANK YOU! Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • A pallid shade of Green III
    Clearly Labour's focus groups are telling it that it needs to pay more attention to climate change - because hot on the heels of their weaksauce energy efficiency pilot programme and not-great-but-better-than-nothing solar grants, they've released a full climate manifesto. Unfortunately, the core policies in it - a second Emissions ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • A coalition of racism, cruelty, and chaos
    Today's big political news is that after months of wibbling, National's Chris Luxon has finally confirmed that he is willing to work with Winston Peters to become Prime Minister. Which is expected, but I guess it tells us something about which way the polls are going. Which raises the question: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • More migrant workers should help generate the tax income needed to provide benefits for job seekers
    Buzz from the Beehive Under something described as a “rebalance” of its immigration rules, the Government has adopted four of five recommendations made in an independent review released in July, The fifth, which called on the government to specify criteria for out-of-hours compliance visits similar to those used during ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Letter To Luxon.
    Some of you might know Gerard Otto (G), and his G News platform. This morning he wrote a letter to Christopher Luxon which I particularly enjoyed, and with his agreement I’m sharing it with you in this guest newsletter.If you’d like to make a contribution to support Gerard’s work you ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Alarming trend in benefit numbers
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  While there will not be another quarterly release of benefit numbers prior to the election, limited weekly reporting continues and is showing an alarming trend. Because there is a seasonal component to benefit number fluctuations it is crucial to compare like with like. In ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • BRIAN EASTON: Has there been external structural change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase.   Brian Easton writes –  Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • CRL Progress – Sep-23
    It’s been a while since we looked at the latest with the City Rail Link and there’s been some fantastic milestones recently. To start with, and most recently, CRL have released an awesome video showing a full fly-through of one of the tunnels. Come fly with us! You asked for ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    6 days ago

  • Monday’s Chorus: Not building nearly enough
    We are heading into another period of fast population growth without matching increased home building or infrastructure investment.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Labour and National detailed their house building and migration approaches over the weekend, with both pledging fast population growth policies without enough house building or infrastructure investment ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Game on; Hipkins comes out punching
    Labour leader Chris Hipkins yesterday took the gloves off and laid into National and its leader Christopher Luxon. For many in Labour – and particularly for some at the top of the caucus and the party — it would not have been a moment too soon. POLITIK is aware ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • Tax Cut Austerity Blues.
    The leaders have had their go, they’ve told us the “what?” and the “why?” of their promises. Now it’s the turn of the would be Finance Ministers to tell us the “how?”, the “how much?”, and the “when?”A chance for those competing for the second most powerful job in the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • MIKE GRIMSHAW:  It’s the economy – and the spirit – Stupid…
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Over the past 30-odd years it’s become almost an orthodoxy to blame or invoke neoliberalism for the failures of New Zealand society. On the left the usual response goes something like, neoliberalism is the cause of everything that’s gone wrong and the answer ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Government invests in Greymouth’s future
    The Government has today confirmed a $2 million grant towards the regeneration of Greymouth’s CBD with construction of a new two-level commercial and public facility. “It will include a visitor facility centred around a new library. Additionally, it will include retail outlets on the ground floor, and both outdoor and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

  • Nanaia Mahuta to attend PIF Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, in Suva, Fiji alongside New Zealand’s regional counterparts. “Aotearoa New Zealand is deeply committed to working with our pacific whanau to strengthen our cooperation, and share ways to combat the challenges facing the Blue Pacific Continent,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

  • PREFU shows no recession, growing economy, more jobs and wages ahead of inflation
    Economy to grow 2.6 percent on average over forecast period Treasury not forecasting a recession Inflation to return to the 1-3 percent target band next year Wages set to grow 4.8 percent a year over forecast period Unemployment to peak below the long-term average Fiscal Rules met - Net debt ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

  • New cancer centre opens in Christchurch
    Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall proudly opened the Canterbury Cancer Centre in Christchurch today. The new facility is the first of its kind and was built with $6.5 million of funding from the Government’s Infrastructure Reference Group scheme for shovel-ready projects allocated in 2020. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2023-10-01T01:49:01+00:00