What happened in the Maori seats

Written By: - Date published: 10:18 am, November 5th, 2023 - 48 comments
Categories: election 2023, greens, labour, Maori Issues, maori party, Maori seats, national - Tags:

I am not sure that there was anyone, apart from John Tamihere, who were publicly predicting that Te Pāti Māori would pick up six seats.

So what happened?

The final results clearly indicate that there was a great deal of strategic voting taking place.

Labour’s total of the party votes in the Māori electorates dropped from 115,870 to 84,776, a drop of 17.6% points compared to the national total of 23.1%.

Te Pāti Māori’s vote more than doubled from 23,820 to 57,912.

National’s vote barely shifted from 6,464 to 9,737, a shift of 1.6% points compared to its 12.5% points overall.

And overall the share of the Labour + Green + Te Pāti Māori vote increased by 0.9%.  There was no swing to the right in the Māori electorates.

Although Labour still won the party vote in each electorate there was a clear swing against it and to Te Pāti Māori.  Clearly some wanted a more radical offering to that which was on show.

In the constituency vote the swings were dramatically different in different parts of the country.  In Tamaki Makaurau Peeni Henare’s vote was only 0.3% points below his 202o level.   In Hauraki Waikato Nanaia Mahuta’s vote dropped by 25.2% points.

The result suggests some very strategic thinking by Maori seat electors.  And this was no doubt helped by Christopher Luxon ruling out working with Te Pati Māori.  From Radio New Zealand in May of this year:

National leader Christopher Luxon has bluntly ruled out working with his party’s former coalition partner should he lead the next government.

“I can’t see a way in which we would be working with the Māori Party. You know, our values are just not aligned, we believe in very different things, they believe in a separate Parliament, they believe in the co-governance of public services and they have a much more separatist agenda, and that is just something that we don’t, we’re not aligned with,” he told Morning Report.

Presenter Ingrid Hipkiss asked if he was ruling out working with them.

“Yes,” he replied. “I can’t see us working with the Māori Party going forward.”

I suspect Luxon is ruing the day that he said this. Especially given the prospect of a left leaning permanent overhang in Parliament, something that the right through sweetheart deals in Epsom and Ohariu have traditionally enjoyed.

John Tamihere has indicated clearly that Te Pati Maori will not approach National to be part of a confidence and supply agreement.  Luxon must be thinking about eating some humble pie and going back on his earlier statement and picking up the phone.

48 comments on “What happened in the Maori seats ”

  1. Mike the Lefty 1

    But as we have already seen, words and promises made on a political context are not to be taken literally. National would have probably been able to work with the previous Maori Party of a decade ago but TPM is decidedly different and more left.

    • Bearded Git 1.1

      ….and the bitter and twisted Tariana Turia hated Labour with avengance.

      • Tricledrown 1.1.1

        The Alliance party she hated because Jim Anderton was a dictatorial leader remember how he treated Pam Corkery.The Green Party had enough of him as well.

  2. AB 2

    The right will really dislike the overhang produced in the Maori seats. Unlike Labour and their reluctance to do anything in the past about the "Epsom arrangement", the right are confident, conceited and arrogant enough to do try and do something. Expect ACT to spearhead any attack and Winston to support it.

  3. Jack 3

    What happened to the Māori seats?

    If you haven’t worked that out 3 weeks post election, I’m sorry for you. It’s the same thing that happened to the general electorate. Real people want real politicians and real solutions . Career politicians, academic ideeologs and ex union bosses rabbiting ideology won’t cut it. Real people want real politicians with real solutions.

    • Corey 3.1

      Are you saying the public are sick of every major decision being fobbed off to expensive and lengthy working groups with narrow scope whose timid findings Labour always ignore?

      Are you saying people want the leaders they elect to actually make decisions?

      Surely people want good vibes not solutions!

      Labour will need to organize a working group and consult with Neal and Clint on this straight away.

      Lmfao. You're dead right

    • bwaghorn 3.2

      You might be right ,it's a shame national was their only option cause they have never made things better for all of us.

    • observer 3.3

      By your own definition, Winston Peters and David Seymour are not "real". Nor are Nicola Willis, Brooke VV, Chris Bishop … the list goes on.

      But this topic is the Maori electorates, which is obviously a specific set of circumstances, so your comment is just a meaningless crowbar.

    • " Career politicians,"

      Seriously? Aren't they all career politicians? Parliament, in my humble opinion, are more beneficiaries than those that they bash!

      • Belladonna 3.4.1

        Difficult to regard Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, the newly elected MP for Hauraki-Waikato, at 20, as a "career politician"

  4. observer 4

    There was very little reporting on the Maori electorate contests in the usual media (I try not to say "mainstream"). Hence the surprise.

    Look at any of the TV network stories on opinion polls, in Sept/Oct. Sure, the main focus was Labour and National, as you'd expect. But TPM was an afterthought, at best. The presenters simply took the poll percentage, extrapolated from that and ignored the electorates. So for example if TPM were on 1.5%, they assumed 2 seats.

    That made no sense. Reporters on the ground would have pointed that out. But they had much less media time than the sacred polls.

  5. Thinker 5

    Here's a few ideas that I wonder what others think about (I'm not sure whether I agree with myself or not blush):

    1. When it became increasingly likely that National and Act would be the biggest slice of whatever coalition was formed after the election, voters for whom Maori/civil rights are of major interest could have voted for TPM to balance up what many see as policies shifting to a reversal of civil rights gains over the past several years, comparison with Brash's "Orewa Speech" etc.
    2. On the Jack Tame TV special on Friday, I think I heard Kapa-Kingi say, when asked what single thing allowed to her to beat Kelvin Davis, she said "I turned up for things". I'm not sure whether she meant that KD was pulled away from personal appearances by virtue of his leadership role in the Labour Party, to K-K's advantage, or whether she was implying that Labour was a bit complacent about some of its 'safe' seats. Or, maybe there's nothing in that and it had no bearing on TPM outcome.
    3. TPM is one of three confirmed left-leaning parties (as opposed to some like NZF or TOP that, depending on the conditions, could potentially swing either side of the centre). I believe that some of the Green vote is probably a backlash against the perception that Labour had become a bit disconnected with ground-level NZ and so there's no reason why, if Maori/civil issues presses your buttons a bit more than Green issues, you wouldn't give your protest vote to TPM instead.

    None of the above is to downplay the hard work put in by TPM candidates, but given TPM itself was surprised by the outcome, I'm guessing something external to TPM itself must have played a part.

    What I do think is an outcome of the TPM result is that having 6 or even 5 seats in the house for 3 years will give TPM the impression of being a more credible party, in the way that ACT had to be helped into government over several elections before now being seen as a mainstream party in its own right. Like the ACT of an election or two back, TPM will now have more opportunity to make itself known, both in the house and in the media.

    What I think TPM should do now is use its collective capacity to free itself from being a single-issue party and develop its own perspectives on things that appeal to mainstream voters, like employment, education, health, etc.

    By that I mean change from saying "How does this policy affect Maori?" to say "What would a Maori perspective on this be, given that we want to grow our share of government by appealing to all who inhabit Aotearoa?". It's a subtle change but I think it's one that has to happen. The Greens had to do it and now they've caught up to and passed ACT's share of the vote.

  6. adam 6

    I am not sure that there was anyone, apart from John Tamihere, who were publicly predicting that Te Pāti Māori would pick up six seats

    cough, cough

  7. adam 7

    Thanks Micky by avoiding the obvious, you show why many voted Te Pāti Māori. The Labour party showed NO back bone or spine to stand up to act and the rest of the racist muppets this election. Yes some simpering responses in the usual fuddled manner which so many of us are used too from labour. But basically it was not very strong.

    Te Pāti Māori were strong on this issue. acts shitfuckery needed a strong response.

    A clear message has been sent. Māori and Te Pāti Māori will not put with the racist shit act and others are peddling.

    That said, Willie Jackson was strong on Q&A this morning and his last remarks were right on the money.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1Me_0C1Sqc

    • Louis 7.1

      Not fuddled, nor simpering, pretty clear statement against racism. The 6th Labour government imo has been very Māori focused and has copped a lot of flak from the race-baiting opposition that has fueled the spread of racism.

      "Labour leader Chris Hipkins is continuing to target his political opponents over their rhetoric around Māori, saying it's race-baiting.

      He says political leaders of the past have typically been race-baiters themselves or taken a middle ground – and he will instead call out racism wherever he sees it."

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300979537/chris-hipkins-commits-to-calling-out-racism-and-defending-te-tiriti

      • adam 7.1.1

        Usual simpering I feel your pain BS I expect from labour. Is it so hard for you lot to pull you collective heads out of the clouds for two minutes?

        The reality and those of you who have not be a the sticky end of racism, fail to see over and over again, the words you utter are virtually meaningless without lived experience. That the right words mean nothing, it actions and deeds which count. And here labour were woeful. With Hipkins being, well, just bad.

        And because you have missed the whole picture, which I'm not surprised. I said racist shit – which is not just a token calling out of racism. But the whole systemic problem we have in this country with how Māori are treated day by day. And with elections becoming the focal point of racist fucks and their hangers on getting the support of the media, the state, and the money.

        IF you look at the votes Māori got labour are not into racism. But they did get they the woke speaking points don't cut the mustard against racist fucktards who now make a large portion of our new government.

        • Louis 7.1.1.1

          Disagree with your patronizing opinion. "woke speaking points"? sounds like Martyn Bradbury.

          • adam 7.1.1.1.1

            Have a nice week in lala land.

            • Louis 7.1.1.1.1.1

              Could say the same to you, adam.

              • adam

                I'm not the one who thinks racism can be beaten by words.

                Go back and reread that stuff post, Hipkins is weak. He defends policy and does not attack them for their racist shit. Instead, rabbits on about it being their policy, or interpretation of words that are at fault. Once, just once he calls a spade a spade.

                But what ever, you're on you're own waka.

                • Louis

                  “you’re on your own waka”. As are you.

                  Who said "racism can be beaten by words"?

                  How do you propose to combat racism?

                  Calling out racism is weak?

    • newsense 7.2

      Yep. Nanaia was attacked as brutally as Jacinda and hung out to dry on 3 Waters, then clearly part of the scapegoating when Hipkins team came in.

      We can see the difference in National’s plans: basically the same but cutting out Maori involvement.

      The legislative plan for this uniquely 50% plus parliament was incoherently sold and delivered late, if at all. If this is not front and centre of the review by Labour then a stitch up is happening.

      The right was already wedging hard over perceived separatism and centralisation and the damage was done and the political momentum lost before water reform had even properly got out of the gate.

      Labour’s response, after some tutuing, was to be in the words of Toby Manhire ‘a right wing government’ cutting spending and being responsive to the Orewa speech crowd.

      As Labour said to the poor vote and the green vote, ‘whaddrya going to do, vote National?’ and many decided not to vote or to vote for an alternative.

      In the case of Maori this may be stronger than a protest vote. Te Pati Maori provided a strong voice in parliament and the party seems young and energised, similarly to the Greens. It’s interesting though that only the Greens are accused of being vote splitters. It’s the same or closely related thought process, it’s just the electorate climate is different.

      Actions speak louder than words, Louis. The wedge issue that gave the right momentum alongside COVID was the role and relationship of Maori to our state. Many on the right would like conquest by ballot box and this sells in some communities.

      If you stand by people under attack, but they go down, then either your defense was weak or of little value. Labour, from my point of view, was desperately throwing people overboard to maintain poll ballast, but it was illusory. All they were doing was establishing their weakness.

      • Louis 7.2.1

        Disagree with your opinion, newsense.

        • newsense 7.2.1.1

          Please be clearer? What do you disagree with and why?

          Hipkins lead Labour has been more right wing than previous leaders. Do you not agree that he backed away from the Maori caucus and cogovernance in an attempt to appease the right wing noise?

          Overall the government was pro-Maori. But having a mana wahine with a moko as our foreign minister lead to a backlash and Labour was part of that backlash because of the polls or because of internal factions imo. The Hipkins lead government was clearly more right wing than the Ardern government.

          • Louis 7.2.1.1.1

            Disagree with your opinion, all of it. No to your question and what internal factions? Are you implying New Zealand shouldn't have a "wahine with a moko as our foreign minister" because it will upset the racists?

            • newsense 7.2.1.1.1.1

              No, not at all.

              I’m angry that Labour didn’t support Nanaia more, both in launching a signature policy and as she came under fire for who she was.

              • Louis

                In your previous post @ 7.2.1.1, you specifically referred to Nanaia's role as Foreign Affairs Minister. In what way do you think Labour didn't support her in that role?

                "signature policy"? Are you implying that Labour should not have important policies to address issues fronted by Wāhine Māori? that Nanaia shouldn't have held ministerial roles because she is a Wāhine Māori? and that it is Labour's fault that there are racists?

                Regarding Three Waters and co-governance, (interestingly, the latter was supported and implemented during the time of the previous Key National government), Chris Hipkins would agree with you, and in the link provided, he also defended Marama Davidson. I don't think Chris Hipkins is the outright heinous right-winger you think he is.

                "I think if I reflect critically on that period, we probably left Nanaia Mahuta out on her own defending the Three Waters reform program and the co-governance debate by herself for longer than we should have," Hipkins said.

                "I actually think Nanaia bore the brunt of that [debate]. It was very unfair. It became very personalised to her."

                Hipkins said it was one of the reasons he took the Local Government portfolio off Mahuta in his first Cabinet reshuffle.

                "I wasn't willing to allow that to continue… I think she deserved better than that."

                He added many people who oppose Three Waters don't understand the water infrastructure changes.

                Instead, the Prime Minister said they've "just heard the dog whistle racism that's associated with it".

                https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/04/nanaia-mahuta-left-to-defend-three-waters-alone-for-too-long-chris-hipkins.html

                • newsense

                  I feel we are very close in our loyalties- but you are much kinder to Chris Hipkins than I am!

                  I freakn loved being represented on the international stage by mana wahine and having a Polynesian voice (Maori being that) speaking about the Pacific, including climate change.

                  I think there are plenty of racists in Labour or at the least plenty happy with appeasement of racists. I don’t think Nanaia was supported by Labour as she came under attack, whether by incompetence or by the political self interest of avoiding a controversial issue.

                  Do you not think that Hipkins took the party to the right?
                  And part of this was appeasing the clamour around cogovernance and strong biculturalism?

                  Hipkins also said a wealth tax and stronger redistribution of wealth (after the opposite happening during COVID) couldn’t happen because people were in a cost of living crisis. Some of his arguments may be bullshit. The words and message through deeds may be different.

                  Thank you for engaging! I do like Chippy, but less so as PM.

  8. Tricledrown 8

    Maori are saying and have said in the past don't take these seats for granted that's how NZfirst and Tau Henare took all the Maori seats.Maori are smart voters by splitting their vote creates an overhang 2 MPs for the price of one.Homelessness poverty the cost of living has been tougher on Maori than most. Then the quality and passion of TPM MPs are better than Labour hierarchy appointed MPs.

  9. Tiger Mountain 9

    Some voters adopted lunkhead mode and supported the Natzos, whether out of despair at Labour’s election losing “Cap’n’s calls” or some twisted revenge on Jacinda for helping save 20,000 NZers from a gruesome COVID death by suffocation

    However, many Māori voters positively supported TPM. Debbie Ngarewa Packer has long welcomed “Ngati Tiriti”–non Māori whether they be pākehā or other Tauiwi that support their current agenda and the thesis that when Māori do well, we all benefit. The Greens and Te Pāti Māori attract support for their policies rather than some lesser evil basis like NZ Labour.

    Labour needs to democratise its affairs asap and transfer power from Fraser House and Caucus to ordinary members or it will be further diminished in 2026. When a neo Blairite such as Mr Hipkins can alienate David Parker and Robbo you know there is big trouble in the organisation.

  10. Ad 10

    It is weird how Labour pushed the strongest pro-Maori policies in NZ history and got wrinsed by Maori seat Maori.

    That set of pro -Maori policies will never, ever happen again.

    The Maori that prefer colour-blind policies remain in power.

    • Incognito 10.1

      Nope, not weird. Labour, and the Greens, created the wave and TPM rode it better. It’s poor political management creating the impetus and then severing losing the connection with it.

      • Ad 10.1.1

        The presumption that Maori generally vote left is obviously wrong.

        It's Maori enrolled on the Maori roll that tend to vote left.

        Whatever TPM 'rode' was a ride to nowhere near power. To re-quote U2, Labour gave them everything they ever wanted. It wasn't what they wanted.

        With all Maori seats nowhere near power, the representation of Maori we should focus on isn't the Maori seats.

        What we need to focus on is the Maori who are now in or being negotiated into power.

        • Incognito 10.1.1.1

          The presumption that Maori generally vote left is obviously wrong.

          It's Maori enrolled on the Maori roll that tend to vote left.

          I don’t follow your argument. We’re talking about the Māori seats, obviously (as per the OP), where TPM gave Labour a real hiding.

          So back to the 2023 Parliament. We have 33 MPs who represent Māori from all walks of life, level of engagement with, and knowledge of, te ao Māori (the Māori world) and desire to be involved in it. Their spread across the political spectrum is as broad as I’ve ever seen.

          […]

          It is noteworthy that National’s five Maori MPs all won general electorates.

          https://www.newsroom.co.nz/pro/the-most-maori-in-parliament-ever-significant-or-so-what [currently behind subscription wall]

          TPM + LAB + GP have 21 Māori MPs and NAT + ACT + NZF have 12 Māori MPs. I’ll leave it to you to project this onto the Left-Right political axis if you think that’s useful for the analysis & discussion. IMO, NZ politics is much more complex than this.

          To re-quote U2, Labour gave them everything they ever wanted.

          Your narrative is overselling it. Labour ‘promised’ a lot, and possibly chewed off more than could handle, but delivered little. When Hipkins took the reins, they walked back much of the proposals and associated narratives.

          With all Maori seats nowhere near power, the representation of Maori we should focus on isn't the Maori seats.

          What we need to focus on is the Maori who are now in or being negotiated into power.

          That’s an interesting point, which is addressed indirectly in the link above.

          Both TPM and GP have strong policy platforms that they have stuck with throughout, unlike Labour, which threw things out of the basket to get more lift in the polls (and went up like a lead balloon, especially in the Māori seats). TPM and GP also play a long-term game, relatively speaking, with much more emphasis on relationships. Labour seems to have lost [sight of] these things.

          Both TPM and GP need strong advocacy from their MPs – people and policies go hand-in-hand.

          • gsays 10.1.1.1.1

            "TPM and GP also play a long-term game, relatively speaking, with much more emphasis on relationships. Labour seems to have lost [sight of] these things."

            I agree and folk don't place enough weight on this point.

            Tamhere, in the run up to the election said on The Working Group, 'we are less interested in polls etc, we are building a movement'. They are taking a multi-generational view of politics.

            As contrasted by Labour's seemingly constant polling and adherence to the results. Labour's focus is too short term therefore making Captain's Calls and backing away from policy planks easy. Giving the appearance of bobbing around, adrift in choppy political waters.

            (Sorry about the mangled nautical metaphor).

    • Tiger Mountain 10.2

      Ah, yes–ethnicity and post colonial fallout realities are not all–class left policies challenging capital are also needed to fix and fund things effectively. Te Pāti Māori did support a wealth tax and much of the long list of ‘for the many not the few’ type moves we all know, so they got the votes rather than “not on my watch” Labour candidates.

      • Ad 10.2.1

        TPM doesn't matter for the next 3 years. They have consigned themselves to policy fringes that are already silenced.

        What we need to get our head around is conservative Maori making a very big impact in this election, inside National and NZFirst.

        – Dr Shane Reti (Whāngarei), National

        – Tama Potaka (Hamilton West), National

        – Northcote MP Dan Bidois (Ngāpuhi/Ngāti Maniapoto), National, is bone cancer survivor, trained as a butcher, then went on to become an economist, here and overseas, graduating with a masters in public policy from Harvard University.

        – Rangitata MP James Meager (Ngai Tahu), National, is a solicitor. A former press secretary to Paula Bennett, he was born and raised in Timaru.

        – New Plymouth MP, David MacLeod (Ngāti Mutunga/Ngāti Porou), Naotinal. He grew up on a Manaia dairy farm and is a former director of Fonterra, Port of Taranaki and the Parininihi Ki Waitōtara Trust.

        – David Seymour (Ngapuhi), ACT. I mean who knows he may just be outplayed by Peters who will get Cabinet seats, get too pissed off and go to the crossbenches.

        – Nicole McKee o the list from ACT is Ngapuhi

        – Then of course Winston Peters NZFirst. (Nati Wai, Ngapuhi, Ngati Hine)

        – Shane Jones (Te Aopouri, Ngati Tekoto), NZFirst.

        – Casey Castello (her grandfathers' land is Whakapara), NZFirst.

        https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northland-age/news/casey-costello-first-i-am-a-new-zealander/SLZ7KBXLV7TLPQPKRAJE4UK7PA/

        – Jenny Marcroft (Ngapuhi), NZFirst.

        I am sure I have missed other Maori in National now but I'm really highlighting how close conservative Maori are to power now, and how large a part they had to play in the election.

        We need to forget TPM this term. They are simply not where Maori are going to be at the table.

        • Dennis Frank 10.2.1.1

          Yeah, point well-made. Yet all these folks will not caucus together, right? Well, they could, if contractual binding doesn't stop them, but they'll be a handbrake on any radical framing tendencies. That's good for consensus politics.

        • Tiger Mountain 10.2.1.2

          What an outrageous statement–“TPM doesn’t matter for the next three years” well the news is they matter a lot because younger voters are starting to be engaged politically, and Parliament is just one part of that. Nanaia Mahuta and other losing Labour MPs might think differently from Ad at this time.

          And what a pathetic, mostly, roll of dishonour. The majority are potatoes–brown outside and pro capitalist inside. Māori have long had a hierarchy and been entrepreneurs and traders. A pro capitalist tendency and tory support streak has existed in Māoridom since colonisation.

          “The table?”–the new gens will cut the legs off it!

          • Ad 10.2.1.2.1

            Welcome to the shift in power. Get your head around it before it explodes.

            The Maori form of capitalism may take some getting used to, but again, get used to it.

            • Tiger Mountain 10.2.1.2.1.1

              Feel free to not suggest I do anything!

              Your comment does not address my point that young Māori are becoming politically aware, and more importantly–active. There have always been establishment Māori but only a minority, just like Tauiwi of all stripes.

          • newsense 10.2.1.2.2

            Ad hath spoken. Please ignore all the voters in Maori seats. Remember democracy is a winner take all game of autocracy. Right wingers were entirely invisible and silent for the last 6 years for this reason.

            Beginning to think Ad might be Peter Costello…because one of the dials seems to be smug prick.

            In the same way Pasifika will be completely ignored as well? The only MPs that matter are in government? Did they suddenly look to Alfred Ngaro as their leader simply because he was a member of the government? Did he usher in a special Pasifika capitalism because he was a National MP? Get used to the Ngaro Pasifika power economy, as you used to say?

            So TPM voters haven’t been involved in capitalism? There hasn’t been a two hundred plus year history of Maori capitalism, post European contact? The idea that the Tories own Maori capitalism…

            Policy that fails to be implemented don’t mean much, irrespective of intent. Labour failed Maori because they cut and ran at the sign of trouble. And were incompetent in introducing their legislation and coalition building.

            And because there is a large vocal racist electorate in NZ.

            David ‘Dancing With the Stars and Epsom coffee’ Seymour represents Maori capitalism? All of it supposedly? Keep up the good work mate.

            F- me.

        • Ghostwhowalks 10.2.1.3

          Seymour is Ngapuhi only if you play the distant ancestry game, which makes me a Norwegian. But its not for me to ask, but others who can are

          Dont think hes even described in detail his whakapapa

          https://waateanews.com/2022/05/23/ngapuhi-needs-to-fix-seymour-problem/

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  • “Your Circus, Your Clowns.”
    It must have been a hard first couple of weeks for National voters, since the coalition was announced. Seeing their party make so many concessions to New Zealand First and ACT that there seems little remains of their own policies, other than the dwindling dream of tax cuts and the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 8-December-2023
    It’s Friday again and Christmas is fast approaching. Here’s some of the stories that caught our attention. This week in Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered some of the recent talk around the costs, benefits and challenges with the City Rail Link. On Thursday Matt looked at how ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • End-of-week escapism
    Amsterdam to Hong Kong William McCartney16,000 kilometres41 days18 trains13 countries11 currencies6 long-distance taxis4 taxi apps4 buses3 sim cards2 ferries1 tram0 medical events (surprisingly)Episode 4Whether the Sofia-Istanbul Express really qualifies to be called an express is debatable, but it’s another one of those likeably old and slow trains tha… ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Dec 8
    Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro arrives for the State Opening of Parliament (Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)TL;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:New Finance Minister Nicola Willis set herself a ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • New Zealand’s Witchcraft Laws: 1840/1858-1961/1962
    Sometimes one gets morbidly curious about the oddities of one’s own legal system. Sometimes one writes entire essays on New Zealand’s experience with Blasphemous Libel: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2017/05/09/blasphemous-libel-new-zealand-politics/ And sometimes one follows up the exact historical status of witchcraft law in New Zealand. As one does, of course. ...
    2 days ago
  • No surprises
    Don’t expect any fiscal shocks or surprises when the books are opened on December 20 with the unveiling of the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU). That was the message yesterday from Westpac in an economic commentary. But the bank’s analysis did not include any changes to capital ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #49 2023
    113 articles in 48 journals by 674 contributing authors Physical science of climate change, effects Diversity of Lagged Relationships in Global Means of Surface Temperatures and Radiative Budgets for CMIP6 piControl Simulations, Tsuchida et al., Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-23-0045.1 Do abrupt cryosphere events in High Mountain Asia indicate earlier tipping ...
    2 days ago
  • Phone calls at Kia Kaha primary
    It is quiet reading time in Room 13! It is so quiet you can hear the Tui outside. It is so quiet you can hear the Fulton Hogan crew.It is so quiet you can hear old Mr Grant and old Mr Bradbury standing by the roadworks and counting the conesand going on ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • A question of confidence is raised by the Minister of Police, but he had to be questioned by RNZ to ...
    It looks like the new ministerial press secretaries have quickly learned the art of camouflaging exactly what their ministers are saying – or, at least, of keeping the hard news  out of the headlines and/or the opening sentences of the statements they post on the home page of the governments ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Xmas  good  cheer  for the dairy industry  as Fonterra lifts its forecast
    The big dairy co-op Fonterra  had  some Christmas  cheer to offer  its farmers this week, increasing its forecast farmgate milk price and earnings guidance for  the year after what it calls a strong start to the year. The forecast  midpoint for the 2023/24 season is up 25cs to $7.50 per ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • MICHAEL BASSETT: Modern Maori myths
    Michael Bassett writes – Many of the comments about the Coalition’s determination to wind back the dramatic Maorification of New Zealand of the last three years would have you believe the new government is engaged in a full-scale attack on Maori. In reality, all that is happening ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Dreams of eternal sunshine at a spotless COP28
    Mary Robinson asked Al Jaber a series of very simple, direct and highly pertinent questions and he responded with a high-octane public meltdown. Photos: Getty Images / montage: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR The hygiene effects of direct sunshine are making some inroads, perhaps for the very first time, on the normalised ‘deficit ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Oh, the irony
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Appointed by new Labour PM Jacinda Ardern in 2018, Cindy Kiro headed the Welfare Expert Advisory Group (WEAG) tasked with reviewing and recommending reforms to the welfare system. Kiro had been Children’s Commissioner during Helen Clark’s Labour government but returned to academia subsequently. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Transport Agencies don’t want Harbour Tunnels
    It seems even our transport agencies don’t want Labour’s harbour crossing plans. In August the previous government and Waka Kotahi announced their absurd preferred option the new harbour crossing that at the time was estimated to cost $35-45 billion. It included both road tunnels and a wiggly light rail tunnel ...
    3 days ago
  • Webworm Presents: Jurassic Park on 35mm
    Hi,Paying Webworm members such as yourself keep this thing running, so as 2023 draws to close, I wanted to do two things to say a giant, loud “THANKS”. Firstly — I’m giving away 10 Mister Organ blu-rays in New Zealand, and another 10 in America. More details down below.Secondly — ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago
  • The Prime Minister's Dream.
    Yesterday saw the State Opening of Parliament, the Speech from the Throne, and then Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s dream for Aotearoa in his first address. But first the pomp and ceremony, the arrival of the Governor General.Dame Cindy Kiro arrived on the forecourt outside of parliament to a Māori welcome. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • National’s new MP; the proud part-Maori boy raised in a state house
    Probably not since 1975 have we seen a government take office up against such a wall of protest and complaint. That was highlighted yesterday, the day that the new Parliament was sworn in, with news that King Tuheitia has called a national hui for late January to develop a ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • Climate Adam: Battlefield Earth – How War Fuels Climate Catastrophe
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). War, conflict and climate change are tearing apart lives across the world. But these aren't separate harms - they're intricately connected. ...
    3 days ago
  • They do not speak for us, and they do not speak for the future
    These dire woeful and intolerant people have been so determinedly going about their small and petulant business, it’s hard to keep up. At the end of the new government’s first woeful week, Audrey Young took the time to count off its various acts of denigration of Te Ao Māori:Review the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Another attack on te reo
    The new white supremacist government made attacking te reo a key part of its platform, promising to rename government agencies and force them to "communicate primarily in English" (which they already do). But today they've gone further, by trying to cut the pay of public servants who speak te reo: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • For the record, the Beehive buzz can now be regarded as “official”
    Buzz from the Beehive The biggest buzz we bring you from the Beehive today is that the government’s official website is up and going after being out of action for more than a week. The latest press statement came  from  Education Minister  Eric Stanford, who seized on the 2022 PISA ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Climate Change: Failed again
    There was another ETS auction this morning. and like all the other ones this year, it failed to clear - meaning that 23 million tons of carbon (15 million ordinary units plus 8 million in the cost containment reserve) went up in smoke. Or rather, they didn't. Being unsold at ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Government’s Assault On Maori
    This isn’t news, but the National-led coalition is mounting a sustained assault on Treaty rights and obligations. Even so, Christopher Luxon has described yesterday’s nationwide protests by Maori as “pretty unfair.” Poor thing. In the NZ Herald, Audrey Young has compiled a useful list of the many, many ways that ...
    3 days ago
  • Rising costs hit farmers hard, but  there’s more  positive news  for  them this  week 
    New Zealand’s dairy industry, the mainstay of the country’s export trade, has  been under  pressure  from rising  costs. Down on the  farm, this  has  been  hitting  hard. But there  was more positive news this week,  first   from the latest Fonterra GDT auction where  prices  rose,  and  then from  a  report ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    3 days ago
  • ROB MacCULLOCH:  Newshub and NZ Herald report misleading garbage about ACT’s van Veldon not follo...
    Rob MacCulloch writes –  In their rush to discredit the new government (which our MainStream Media regard as illegitimate and having no right to enact the democratic will of voters) the NZ Herald and Newshub are arguing ACT’s Deputy Leader Brooke van Veldon is not following Treasury advice ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Top 10 for Wednesday, December 6
    Even many young people who smoke support smokefree policies, fitting in with previous research showing the large majority of people who smoke regret starting and most want to quit. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Wednesday, December ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Eleven years of work.
    Well it didn’t take six months, but the leaks have begun. Yes the good ship Coalition has inadvertently released a confidential cabinet paper into the public domain, discussing their axing of Fair Pay Agreements (FPAs).Oops.Just when you were admiring how smoothly things were going for the new government, they’ve had ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Why we're missing out on sharply lower inflation
    A wave of new and higher fees, rates and charges will ripple out over the economy in the next 18 months as mayors, councillors, heads of department and price-setters for utilities such as gas, electricity, water and parking ramp up charges. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Just when most ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did We Get Here?
    Hi,Kiwis — keep the evening of December 22nd free. I have a meetup planned, and will send out an invite over the next day or so. This sounds sort of crazy to write, but today will be Tony Stamp’s final Totally Normal column of 2023. Somehow we’ve made it to ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago
  • At a glance – Has the greenhouse effect been falsified?
    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
  • New Zealaders  have  high expectations of  new  government:  now let’s see if it can deliver?
    The electorate has high expectations of the  new  government.  The question is: can  it  deliver?    Some  might  say  the  signs are not  promising. Protestors   are  already marching in the streets. The  new  Prime Minister has had  little experience of managing  very diverse politicians  in coalition. The economy he  ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    4 days ago
  • You won't believe some of the numbers you have to pull when you're a Finance Minister
    Nicola of Marsden:Yo, normies! We will fix your cost of living worries by giving you a tax cut of 150 dollars. 150! Cash money! Vote National.Various people who can read and count:Actually that's 150 over a fortnight. Not a week, which is how you usually express these things.And actually, it looks ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Pushback
    When this government came to power, it did so on an explicitly white supremacist platform. Undermining the Waitangi Tribunal, removing Māori representation in local government, over-riding the courts which had tried to make their foreshore and seabed legislation work, eradicating te reo from public life, and ultimately trying to repudiate ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Defence ministerial meeting meant Collins missed the Maori Party’s mischief-making capers in Parli...
    Buzz from the Beehive Maybe this is not the best time for our Minister of Defence to have gone overseas. Not when the Maori Party is inviting (or should that be inciting?) its followers to join a revolution in a post which promoted its protest plans with a picture of ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Threats of war have been followed by an invitation to join the revolution – now let’s see how th...
     A Maori Party post on Instagram invited party followers to ….  Tangata Whenua, Tangata Tiriti, Join the REVOLUTION! & make a stand!  Nationwide Action Day, All details in tiles swipe to see locations.  • This is our 1st hit out and tomorrow Tuesday the 5th is the opening ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Top 10 for Tuesday, December 4
    The RBNZ governor is citing high net migration and profit-led inflation as factors in the bank’s hawkish stance. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Tuesday, December 5, including:Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr says high net migration and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Nicola Willis' 'show me the money' moment
    Willis has accused labour of “economic vandalism’, while Robertson described her comments as a “desperate diversion from somebody who can't make their tax package add up”. There will now be an intense focus on December 20 to see whether her hyperbole is backed up by true surprises. Photo montage: Lynn ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • CRL costs money but also provides huge benefits
    The City Rail Link has been in the headlines a bit recently so I thought I’d look at some of them. First up, yesterday the NZ Herald ran this piece about the ongoing costs of the CRL. Auckland ratepayers will be saddled with an estimated bill of $220 million each ...
    5 days ago
  • And I don't want the world to see us.
    Is this the most shambolic government in the history of New Zealand? Given that parliament hasn’t even opened they’ve managed quite a list of achievements to date.The Smokefree debacle trading lives for tax cuts, the Trumpian claims of bribery in the Media, an International award for indifference, and today the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Cooking the books
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis late yesterday stopped only slightly short of accusing her predecessor Grant Robertson of cooking the books. She complained that the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU), due to be made public on December 20, would show “fiscal cliffs” that would amount to “billions of ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Most people don’t realize how much progress we’ve made on climate change
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The year was 2015. ‘Uptown Funk’ with Bruno Mars was at the top of the music charts. Jurassic World was the most popular new movie in theaters. And decades of futility in international climate negotiations was about to come to an end in ...
    5 days ago
  • Of Parliamentary Oaths and Clive Boonham
    As a heads-up, I am not one of those people who stay awake at night thinking about weird Culture War nonsense. At least so far as the current Maori/Constitutional arrangements go. In fact, I actually consider it the least important issue facing the day to day lives of New ...
    5 days ago
  • Bearing True Allegiance?
    Strong Words: “We do not consent, we do not surrender, we do not cede, we do not submit; we, the indigenous, are rising. We do not buy into the colonial fictions this House is built upon. Te Pāti Māori pledges allegiance to our mokopuna, our whenua, and Te Tiriti o ...
    5 days ago
  • You cannot be serious
    Some days it feels like the only thing to say is: Seriously? No, really. Seriously?OneSomeone has used their health department access to share data about vaccinations and patients, and inform the world that New Zealanders have been dying in their hundreds of thousands from the evil vaccine. This of course is pure ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • A promise kept: govt pulls the plug on Lake Onslow scheme – but this saving of $16bn is denounced...
    Buzz from the Beehive After $21.8 million was spent on investigations, the plug has been pulled on the Lake Onslow pumped-hydro electricity scheme, The scheme –  that technically could have solved New Zealand’s looming energy shortage, according to its champions – was a key part of the defeated Labour government’s ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • CHRIS TROTTER: The Maori Party and Oath of Allegiance
    If those elected to the Māori Seats refuse to take them, then what possible reason could the country have for retaining them?   Chris Trotter writes – Christmas is fast approaching, which, as it does every year, means gearing up for an abstruse general knowledge question. “Who was ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • BRIAN EASTON:  Forward to 2017
    The coalition party agreements are mainly about returning to 2017 when National lost power. They show commonalities but also some serious divergencies. Brian Easton writes The two coalition agreements – one National and ACT, the other National and New Zealand First – are more than policy documents. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change: Fossils
    When the new government promised to allow new offshore oil and gas exploration, they were warned that there would be international criticism and reputational damage. Naturally, they arrogantly denied any possibility that that would happen. And then they finally turned up at COP, to criticism from Palau, and a "fossil ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • GEOFFREY MILLER:  NZ’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and Ukraine
    Geoffrey Miller writes – New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the government’s smokefree laws debacle
    The most charitable explanation for National’s behaviour over the smokefree legislation is that they have dutifully fulfilled the wishes of the Big Tobacco lobby and then cast around – incompetently, as it turns out – for excuses that might sell this health policy U-turn to the public. The less charitable ...
    6 days ago
  • Top 10 links at 10 am for Monday, December 4
    As Deb Te Kawa writes in an op-ed, the new Government seems to have immediately bought itself fights with just about everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere as of 10 am on Monday December 4, including:Palau’s President ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Be Honest.
    Let’s begin today by thinking about job interviews.During my career in Software Development I must have interviewed hundreds of people, hired at least a hundred, but few stick in the memory.I remember one guy who was so laid back he was practically horizontal, leaning back in his chair until his ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: New Zealand’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and Ukraine
    New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he left off. Peters sought to align ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    6 days ago
  • Auckland rail tunnel the world’s most expensive
    Auckland’s city rail link is the most expensive rail project in the world per km, and the CRL boss has described the cost of infrastructure construction in Aotearoa as a crisis. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The 3.5 km City Rail Link (CRL) tunnel under Auckland’s CBD has cost ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • First big test coming
    The first big test of the new Government’s approach to Treaty matters is likely to be seen in the return of the Resource Management Act. RMA Minister Chris Bishop has confirmed that he intends to introduce legislation to repeal Labour’s recently passed Natural and Built Environments Act and its ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • The Song of Saqua: Volume III
    Time to revisit something I haven’t covered in a while: the D&D campaign, with Saqua the aquatic half-vampire. Last seen in July: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2023/07/27/the-song-of-saqua-volume-ii/ The delay is understandable, once one realises that the interim saw our DM come down with a life-threatening medical situation. They have since survived to make ...
    6 days ago
  • Chris Bishop: Smokin’
    Yes. Correct. It was an election result. And now we are the elected government. ...
    My ThinksBy boonman
    6 days ago
  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #48
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science  Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 26, 2023 thru Dec 2, 2023. Story of the Week CO2 readings from Mauna Loa show failure to combat climate change Daily atmospheric carbon dioxide data from Hawaiian volcano more ...
    6 days ago
  • Affirmative Action.
    Affirmative Action was a key theme at this election, although I don’t recall anyone using those particular words during the campaign.They’re positive words, and the way the topic was talked about was anything but. It certainly wasn’t a campaign of saying that Affirmative Action was a good thing, but that, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago
  • 100 days of something
    It was at the end of the Foxton straights, at the end of 1978, at 100km/h, that someone tried to grab me from behind on my Yamaha.They seemed to be yanking my backpack. My first thought was outrage. My second was: but how? Where have they come from? And my ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago
  • Look who’s stepped up to champion Winston
    There’s no news to be gleaned from the government’s official website today  – it contains nothing more than the message about the site being under maintenance. The time this maintenance job is taking and the costs being incurred have us musing on the government’s commitment to an assault on inflation. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago
  • What's The Story?
    Don’t you sometimes wish they’d just tell the truth? No matter how abhorrent or ugly, just straight up tell us the truth?C’mon guys, what you’re doing is bad enough anyway, pretending you’re not is only adding insult to injury.Instead of all this bollocks about the Smokefree changes being to do ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • The longest of weeks
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Friday Under New Management Week in review, quiz style1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • Suggested sessions of EGU24 to submit abstracts to
    Like earlier this year, members from our team will be involved with next year's General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU). The conference will take place on premise in Vienna as well as online from April 14 to 19, 2024. The session catalog has been available since November 1 ...
    1 week ago
  • Under New Management
    1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. Under New Management 2. Which of these best describes the 100 days of action announced this week by the new government?a. Petulantb. Simplistic and wrongheaded c. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • While we wait patiently, our new Minister of Education is up and going with a 100-day action plan
    Sorry to say, the government’s official website is still out of action. When Point of Order paid its daily visit, the message was the same as it has been for the past week: Site under maintenance Beehive.govt.nz is currently under maintenance. We will be back shortly. Thank you for your ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • Ministers visit Hawke’s Bay to grasp recovery needs
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joined Cyclone Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell and Transport and Local Government Minister Simeon Brown, to meet leaders of cyclone and flood-affected regions in the Hawke’s Bay. The visit reinforced the coalition Government’s commitment to support the region and better understand its ongoing requirements, Mr Mitchell says.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • New Zealand condemns malicious cyber activity
    New Zealand has joined the UK and other partners in condemning malicious cyber activity conducted by the Russian Government, Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau Judith Collins says. The statement follows the UK’s attribution today of malicious cyber activity impacting its domestic democratic institutions and processes, as well ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Disestablishment of Te Pūkenga begins
    The Government has begun the process of disestablishing Te Pūkenga as part of its 100-day plan, Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds says.  “I have started putting that plan into action and have met with the chair and chief Executive of Te Pūkenga to advise them of my ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend COP28 in Dubai
    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will be leaving for Dubai today to attend COP28, the 28th annual UN climate summit, this week. Simon Watts says he will push for accelerated action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement, deliver New Zealand’s national statement and connect with partner countries, private sector leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New Zealand to host 2024 Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins yesterday announced New Zealand will host next year’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM). “Having just returned from this year’s meeting in Nouméa, I witnessed first-hand the value of meeting with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security and defence matters. I welcome the opportunity to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Study shows need to remove distractions in class
    The Government is committed to lifting school achievement in the basics and that starts with removing distractions so young people can focus on their learning, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.   The 2022 PISA results released this week found that Kiwi kids ranked 5th in the world for being distracted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Minister sets expectations of Commissioner
    Today I met with Police Commissioner Andrew Coster to set out my expectations, which he has agreed to, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. Under section 16(1) of the Policing Act 2008, the Minister can expect the Police Commissioner to deliver on the Government’s direction and priorities, as now outlined in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • New Zealand needs a strong and stable ETS
    New Zealand needs a strong and stable Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) that is well placed for the future, after emission units failed to sell for the fourth and final auction of the year, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  At today’s auction, 15 million New Zealand units (NZUs) – each ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PISA results show urgent need to teach the basics
    With 2022 PISA results showing a decline in achievement, Education Minister Erica Stanford is confident that the Coalition Government’s 100-day plan for education will improve outcomes for Kiwi kids.  The 2022 PISA results show a significant decline in the performance of 15-year-old students in maths compared to 2018 and confirms ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Collins leaves for Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins today departed for New Caledonia to attend the 8th annual South Pacific Defence Ministers’ meeting (SPDMM). “This meeting is an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security matters and to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the Pacific,” Judith Collins says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Working for Families gets cost of living boost
    Putting more money in the pockets of hard-working families is a priority of this Coalition Government, starting with an increase to Working for Families, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “We are starting our 100-day plan with a laser focus on bringing down the cost of living, because that is what ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Post-Cabinet press conference
    Most weeks, following Cabinet, the Prime Minister holds a press conference for members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery. This page contains the transcripts from those press conferences, which are supplied by Hansard to the Office of the Prime Minister. It is important to note that the transcripts have not been edited ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme scrapped
    The Government has axed the $16 billion Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme championed by the previous government, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says. “This hugely wasteful project was pouring money down the drain at a time when we need to be reining in spending and focussing on rebuilding the economy and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • NZ welcomes further pause in fighting in Gaza
    New Zealand welcomes the further one-day extension of the pause in fighting, which will allow the delivery of more urgently-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza and the release of more hostages, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said. “The human cost of the conflict is horrific, and New Zealand wants to see the violence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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