What happened to Hisco?

Written By: - Date published: 9:18 am, June 23rd, 2019 - 75 comments
Categories: capitalism, class war, Economy, equality, Financial markets, john key, Living Wage, wages, workers' rights - Tags: , ,

This week’s news about ANZ is beginning to resemble a Game of Thrones episode.  But with more blood.

The guy who used to be ANZ’s chief executive and the purchaser of John Key’s batch suddenly found the world around him changing dramatically.  One day he was chief executive on a salary of over $3 million and also with benefits like the supply of limousines and the safe storage of his wine collection and the next day he was outski.

And he had suddenly lost $6.4 million worth of share options.

But wait there’s more.

Late Friday there was this hit piece from Stuff:

The wife of former ANZ New Zealand boss David Hisco bought the couple’s Auckland family home from her husband’s employer for substantially less than its capital valuation in 2017.

Deborah Walsh paid $6.9 million in July of that year for the lavish St Heliers property, less than the $7.55m ANZ paid when it bought the house in early 2011.

The luxurious 700 square metre ocean-view home, reached by a private driveway that runs off the main St Heliers Bay road, includes a heated swimming pool, tennis court and six bedrooms.

Valuations service QV put the property’s 2017 capital value (including an estimated $7.2m land value for the 2454 sqm parcel) at $10.75m.

The revelation is likely to raise more questions about Hisco’s employment package with ANZ as disclosed by chairman Sir John Key.

Maybe the cheap price was part of the salary package?  But it appears not:

On Friday evening ANZ’s spokesman said the bank bought the house when Hisco arrived in New Zealand.

“The housing allowance that David received as part of his expat arrangements — which was disclosed annually — was offset by the market rent David was required to pay ANZ for the house.”

The house was eventually sold by the bank to his wife based on market valuations done at the time, he said.

So there was no sweetheart deal or a long term agreement for sale and purchase.  Whoever was ANZ’s valuer should check their professional indemnity insurance.

And fuck it but this affects ordinary kiwis.  Again from Stuff:

Sam Stubbs is breaking the silence of the KiwiSaver schemes over the ANZ expenses furore.

Stubbs, who has repeatedly called for a New Zealand Royal Commission on banking, has sent a “please explain” letter to ANZ chairman Sir John Key asking for details of the expenses claims of ANZ’s former chief executive David Hisco.

In Europe and the United States, activist investors, including pension funds, would have been seeking more information, Stubbs said.

But in New Zealand the pension fund market was dominated by KiwiSaver, and KiwiSaver was dominated by the big banks.

It will be interesting to see what response Stubbs gets from Key.

Stubbs’ letter to Sir John began: “We have become aware of the expenses incurred recently by the recently departed CEO, David Hisco, reported as an average of over $418,000 per annum, for the last eight years.”

It went on to request “as a shareholder” that Simplicity be provided with the following:

1) Detail of the expenses policy that allowed this spending to occur, and detail on how often this was reviewed by the Board.

2) Any documented policies and procedures describing the internal controls in place to ensure spending was within policy guidelines.

3) A line by line description of, and the amount of, each of Mr Hisco’s expenses paid for by the company, for every year Mr Hisco was CEO of ANZ New Zealand.

4) Any further explanations as to why you consider Mr Hisco’s expenses reasonable in the context of his role and responsibilities.

“We request answers to the above questions as a matter of urgency, and under no circumstances later than the 5th of July, 2019,” the letter concludes.

Key had the Wall Street nickname the smiling assassin.  Just think of his time as leader of National and wonder what happened to Richard Worth, Pansy Wong, Phil Heatley, Colin King, John Hayes, Mike Sabin, Claudette Haiti amongst others.  They all disappeared without a trace after getting into various sorts of trouble.

So this latest bit of bad news for Hisco may be the result of really good journalism or the result of a strategic leak.

We may never know.

I almost feel sorry for Hisco.  I am sure he never saw it coming.

75 comments on “What happened to Hisco? ”

  1. Key was always a slippery, slimey prick.

    What he gets away with is beyond belief.

    • peterlepaysan 1.1

      Very early on he was known as "slippery john". The Labour party pollies decided to stop using the term, to my surprise.

  2. ankerawshark 2

    Nope don't feel sorry for Hisco at all Mickey. You must be a very compassionate person.

    I struggle to understand how another human being can feel such a sense of entitlement.

  3. JustMe 3

    I doubt Sam Stubbs will get a proper or rather direct reply from John Key.

    Looking at Key's cavalier attitude and the cavalier attitude of his parliamentary staff whilst he was prime minister of New Zilland(as he called the country)when it came to OIA requests I doubt Stubbs will get a proper response.

    And if he does it will most likely be a from junior staffer. Just lets hope that junior staff isn't of the emotional type. And at the first instance of a mistake Key will beato the usual "blame everyone else but himself" mantra.

    I was of the opinion that until recently Key and Hisco were bosum buddies but had a major fall out. And Key resorted to what he gets away with time and again and gets anyone he doesn't like removed.

    He(Key) probably told Hisco at morning tea that his job is safe but by lunch-time Hisco was tossed out.

    It's amazing what Key seems to get away with. It's like he deems himself as a Godlike figure and he can say and do and get away with anything and everything.

    I am so hoping Karmic Payback hits Key very soon because he is as slippery as an eel.

    • Wensleydale 3.1

      He'll get the 'John Key Special' – "Actually, I think you'll find most New Zealanders aren't terribly interested in the tedious workings of the finance sector. They'd rather have a beer and a sausage and watch the rugby. And who can blame them? Go the All Blacks!"

      And then we'll all go back to pretending nothing untoward happened.

  4. patricia bremner 4

    Ankerwarshark, Bankers reward themselves for finding ways to gain money at the public's expense.

    Bit by bit they reinforce that entitled belief through share packages and parachute clauses.

    Swimming with sharks, or in this case running with wolves is always dangerous.

    The most memorable cartoon was JK dressed as a lamb, but clearly a wolf.

  5. Blazer 5

    How the hell Hisco could spend $8000 a week ..on expenses for years unchallenged is remarkable.

    Those junior staffers have a lot to answer for.

    • dv 5.1

      My reaction is How the hell Hisco could spend $8000 a week ..on expenses !!!!

    • Pat 5.2

      wheres the 8K p/w figure come from?

    • Graeme 5.3

      Every board chair worth their salt cultivates the ability to terminate their CEO forthwith, and without recourse, should the need ever arise….

      • RedLogix 5.3.1

        And that's the truth. My reading is that for some reason we will never find out, Hisco's face suddenly didn't fit, and the assassin did his thing.

        He's older than Key, it's my speculation he knows something from the 80's.

        • Phil 5.3.1.1

          Hisco graduated from university in '94 (see his LinkedIn page) so it's highly improbable he was pal-ing around Wall Street in the 80's.

          • RedLogix 5.3.1.1.1

            Well my bad. From the pics I assumed he was well into his 60's.

          • Andre 5.3.1.1.2

            Bloomberg says he's 54 and joined ANZ in July 1980. That suggests he finished high school awfully early.

            • Phil 5.3.1.1.2.1

              That would mean he left school at 16? Not 'awfully early' by the standards of 1980 at all.

              I recall some media articles talking about Hisco coming up through the company from the bottom rung. Starting out as a bank teller in 1980 then going back to Uni later, to get a foot in the door of management promotions, some years later is a not uncommon story.

            • Psycho Milt 5.3.1.1.2.2

              54? Seriously, that dude is younger than me?! He must have led one motherfucker of a dissolute lifestyle.

        • Gabby 5.3.1.2

          Or he didn't look the other way the one time the boss really wanted him to.

      • Blazer 5.3.2

        Would love to see a list of those 'worth their salt'!

        I look at all these Chairpersons like Key,and Sir Ralph Norris is another that preside over all sorts of chicanery and excess and waste.

    • Herodotus 5.4

      For a CEO/GM his expenses would have been signed off by either for under a certain limit perhaps the CFO but normally by the board/Chairman/Audit Committee designate.

      In many cases I have been involved in – once an expense has been signed off (e.g. housing allowance) then it is "accepted" that the same claimed $ is signed off monthly, BUT there would be authorisation from the top for the initial claim.

      The more that is released from this story the less that "Makes Sense"

      I am reminded by this "If a man is sufficiently unimaginative to produce evidence in support of a lie, he might just as well speak the truth at once." — Oscar Wilde

    • Naki man 5.5

      It was in his salary package, so he was entitled to.

      These guys don't travel cattle class and rent on a multi million dollar mansion isn't cheap.

      You do get that he is an expat and was shoulder tapped to work/live in another country.

      That might start to explain his very generous salary package.

      If you guys bothered to read the articles you would know all this.

      • Blazer 5.5.1

        Must read the details of his salary package.Where did you find it?

      • Herodotus 5.5.2

        The senior management team (CEO,CFO etc) travel, hotels etc will be paid for by the company direct e.g. Air NZ account , there are very few occasions whereby such costs are picked up by the manager. All coys I have worked for will have a policy regarding category of travel based on position, flight times etc, and should the individual wish to upgrade they would use their air points earned (On coy travel) for the upgrades.

        Relocation allowances will have a time period that they are applicable, after 2-3 years the short term nature of the appointment will be formalised and the employee will be considered a local, but this time duration would have be specified in his employment agreement.

      • Gabby 5.5.3

        He wasn't worth it was he Nastiman.

  6. ianmac 6

    I bet Key will just ignore Stubbs. Sadly.

    • I doubt that Key will be able to get away without a satisfactory answer to Mr Stubbs.

      There is much at stake here and it seems that Stubbs is not about to let it go.

      Key is under a lot of pressure on this, hence he bought up the hory old flag again to divert attention.

      • Rapunzel 6.1.1

        Has anyone yet questioned as to how much the NZ tax payer contributed to the reduced sale price for a house modified under the Hisco's control? How? By calculating the amount that Arawata Assets would have claimed in GST when they bought with no payment required from the then seller if the house was not registered for GST? Yes they should be passing on 15% of the amount of the sale to Hisco's wife but will have paid for the renovations, roofs for one don't come cheap and neither do high spec bathrooms the cost of which would have also been under GST claim by Arawata. Then there's the "loss" component that could be accounted for.

        So how much did the NZ tax payer via these various transactions with IRD contribute to the price paid by Hisco's spouse?

        • Craig H 6.1.1.1

          Normally residential housing is exempt from GST which means not being able to claim GST from expenses, so hopefully nothing was claimed.

          • Rapunzel 6.1.1.1.1

            They are but if they are bought by a registered company they can claim the GST, if they sell it they then pay GST but if it is divided and developed the GST goes on each of those sales but they would have claimed GST on the "improvements" that took place as mentioned in the link.

            This fact as we sold a property to a developer that had been re-zoned – the solicitor was at pains to be sure we had not claimed GST on anything while we had it (we stored machinery so they had to be certain) if so we would have had to then pay the GST portion of the agreed price but have no doubt the developer was going to claim GST which meant a bit of haggling on price as we knew that, to him the sale price was reduced by about 122k.

            • Dukeofurl 6.1.1.1.1.1

              The situation you are talking about the developer and GST only applies for residential subdivisions.

              So your suppositions are incorrect, hes not 'having the price reduced'

              Once the land is subdivided ,or even boundary adjustment, thats when GST kicks in . Not before

              • Rapunzel

                You are wrong we sold a property that was re-zoned the purchaser claimed the GST portion on it as part of his GST business dealings, we as private owners did not pay GST had we operated the property in anyway incl as a rental if that was our business and had income over $80k or had claimed GST on any of the dealings for the property and for some reason had registered for GST we would have had to pass of 15% of the price we got for it.

                The solicitor was at pains to ensure we were not liable for GST on the sale because it was not a straight forward sale of a personal home it had been used for storage but we were aware enough to only operate without claiming GST on any dealings, repairs etc.

                It is not just subdivisions it if for any GST registered business activity.

                This can arise similarly when someone purchses a rural type lifesytle block and whether it previously earned income either from grazing, growing or any for any purpose and was GST registered as a business entity the selling price incl GST and that portion has to go to IRD. If the individual buying is not GST registered to carry on generating an income they operate as a private individual if they are going to carry on as a GST registered business they can claim the GST but when they sell they will have to pay the portion of the sale price of GST (15%) to IRD.

                • Dukeofurl

                  he may have had business dealings as a developer, but as it was a residential house with no strings attached there was no claim on GST when he bought it.

                  New houses pay GST , used houses like other used goods like cars dont pay GST or can claim it.

                  The solicitor could fluff over it all he likes, hes being careful, but there is no GST

                  https://auditnz.govt.nz/publications-resources/tax/land-sales-and-purchases

                  You used for a zero rated purpose, residential . he bought for residential purposes , again zero rated.

                  Subdivision is a business purpose, only then the GST is due.

                  • Rapunzel

                    I repeat yes there was he bought as a development company and not an individual and the development company claimed GST. Had we made claims on the property we would have had to pay that portion on but we had elected to and were not obligated as it earned less than $60k.

                    FYI if a company purchases a vehicle from a private individual it can claim 15% of the purchase price in GST – the private individual selling privately ie not a business vehicle for example does not then have to pay the GST component to IRD.

                    You can check it out – in that instance as with aspects likely in the Hisco improvements and the sale the NZ tax payer comes up short with a claim being made but the only GST received is via invoices for treades and materials and the price at the last sale that ANZ received. Accounting practices cover a lot but not all things and Arawata Assets would have claimed GST in 2011 when they purchased it and paid some on the sale price that was about $3m below valuation and less than the purchase price so a loss that would also be accounted for.

  7. Muttonbird 7

    After this puff piece by team Key/O'Sullivan comes this puff piece by team Key/O'Sullivan.

    I can't/won't read either but the first is a clear attempt to frame Key as the tough force for anti-corruption we know he is not. And the second seems a sickly-sweet sympathy piece which allows Key to set the tone for his own screw up.

    And as for, "one hundred percent own(ing) that problem", what is the penalty for Key?

    A censure from the RBNZ? Big deal!

    The Herald and O’Sullivan appear to have been seconded by brand Key and what a fine job they are doing for him!

    • Naki man 7.1

      Mutton you need to read these articles before you make incorrect assumptions.

      I have read both of them and you are talking through a hole in your arse.

      There was no "sickly-sweet sympathy piece" or Key screw up.

      • Nic the NZer 7.1.1

        Title of second literally says board of directors screwed up. That includes the chair.

        • Naki man 7.1.1.1

          Someone changed the risk model in 2014 without authority from RBNZ.

          The board have been acting on incorrect written advice about the new risk model.

          If there was a screw up it was in 2014. Long before Key was on the board.

          • Blazer 7.1.1.1.1

            'Someone'..yeah right..the invisible man!

            and..'Must read the details of his salary package.Where did you find it?

            well answer it.

          • Nic the NZer 7.1.1.1.2

            If the board doesn't know when the risk model changes or if the present one is inappropriate that is the responsibility of the board. That is why Key says this was his responsibility and he owned it in that article.

    • Nic the NZer 7.2

      I actually think that the ANZ board are in the right here. As an outcome of an *internal* expenses audit it was discovered on of the officers was submitting missleading expense claims. He was told to go despite being the CEO. ANZ don't think there is evidence to indicate this was fraudlent and signed them off however so that is where it ends (violation of internal policy).

      This kind of thing may be happening at other banks, however in this case ANZ is ahead of the reform process which might discover this.

      I don't really know why mickey is putting such negative implications on keys role in this or making out Hisco to be a victim of a power struggle. Yes the sums invoved are obscene.

      • Muttonbird 7.2.1

        I think a lot of connections need to be investigated if only to make the public aware of what the obscene profits the banks strip from ordinary Kiwis is spent on.

        I'd also like explained the remarkable coincidence between the Hiscos buying the house ridiculously cheap and them then buying Key's beach mansion six moths later.

        It's basically dirty money in my view.

        I think ANZ staff and customer and the public want to know more. Particularly the public who can then make decisions who they bank with.

        Unless I’m mistaken, that’s why Mickey is interested.

        • Nic the NZer 7.2.1.1

          I think it should be considered that, a big media expose targeting people who acted correctly is more likely to cause ANZ to surpress the results of their own investigations in future. An external investigation would probably not surpress the outcome but i also understand the present government said no to such an investigation.

        • Phil 7.2.1.2

          I'd also like explained the remarkable coincidence between the Hiscos buying the house ridiculously cheap and them then buying Key's beach mansion six moths later.

          "Wealthy banker buys holiday home from wealthy mate" is hardly the stuff of Woodward and Bernstein.

  8. patricia bremner 8

    Don't ever forget the money put into banks to assist during the crisis of the GFC .

    Followed by the huge bonus payments they then immediately made from that to the top bank personnel.

    It shocked the world and made protest headlines but mainly continued…. and continues

    Entitled indeed!! The true meaning of Ivory Tower.

  9. Ad 9

    If Bruce Jesson were still around we would be able to draw a web-diagram of how the top 50 families in New Zealand, Sydney and Melbourne form a network of directorships that enforce who is in for how long and who is out.

    Since our government seems shy of regulating any industry – let alone banking – this tight web of directorships and enforcement mechanisms can simply wait this lot out until the family reps within National can run the country again.

  10. Sacha 10

    Top ANZ managers were in on Hisco’s perks and house deal
    (though the writer can't count – it's closer to a $4m than 3 discount): https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/113712883/how-did-anz-lose-money-on-a-house-in-the-hottest-housing-market-in-memory

    Neither [Antonia] Watson nor Key mentioned the “housing allowance” Hisco enjoyed for years after he’d bought a $1.7 million dollar apartment in the plush suburb of Kohimarama, within easy reach of his Albert St office in downtown Auckland.

    If they didn’t know about it, others certainly did. Craig Mulholland, ANZ NZ’s general counsel at the time of the 2014 purchase was on the title (it was sold in 2016).

    Mulholland is also listed alongside Hisco and Walsh on the title of an Omaha beach house they bought from Key in 2018 for an estimated $3.8m.

  11. cleangreen 11

    Anything connected to John Key is a shonkey deal indeed, as we should know what key was up to during his time as a bankster and then a posterboy for the "panama papers event." and the dark corners it all involved as a 'tax shelter haven'.

  12. Ad 12

    Stubbs is a good man who went to Kelston Boys High School way back in the 1980s. He's westie made good.

    Kerry McDonald's callout of Key to resign is however even more trenchant, since he is a true Wellington elite who has been around since Muldoon. Now old but his word carries a lot of weight in older Wellington institutional circles. Definitely a Lion in Winter, as the saying goes.

    But it would take a few more leaders to actually come out on this for real pressure to build.

    So it's really good to see the Reserve Bank stepping things up harder and harder, as of this morning.

    Last month the ANZ was censured by the Reserve Bank and ordered to put hundreds of millions more aside to ensure it could cover its risks. That means for years it had not been covered to the extent the regulators needed it to be.

    So as of this morning the Reserve Bank is seeking a report with clear assurances about that.

    The Reserve Bank has also announced this morning that it is seeing a report on whether the ANZ is being run to the rules by Directors and its senior staff.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/392779/reserve-bank-requests-assurance-reports-from-anz

    This is pretty appropriate since it's now patently obvious that the RBNZ report into banking conduct that they completed last year was too narrow and its results were crap. Really bad catchup football.

    So it does totally amaze me that our own Minister of Finance hasn't caught on to this as a political gift by calling for the resignation of John Key. OR indeed calling for anything.

    At this point it would only take an “I no longer have confidence” statement from Minister Robertson and Key would be gone.

    If only.

    • Muttonbird 12.1

      The Labour and Greens part of the government have done well to not over-reach by getting involved in opposition or private sector problems. To do so would invite a pile on from the usual RW suspects.

      Better to let the pressure build and as you say ensure this review is more thorough than the last.

      Key must have been tipped off that these second reviews were coming which is why he's attempted the clean out. Clearly he would have not moved on Hisco had he not felt Orr breathing down his neck.

    • Phil 12.2

      Last month the ANZ was censured by the Reserve Bank … it's now patently obvious that the RBNZ report into banking conduct that they completed last year was too narrow and its results were crap.

      The ARC across the Tasman focused on bank conduct and culture related to *selling products to customers*. It didn't get anywhere near modelling for capital requirements.

      The NZ-equivalent that people were clamoring for would also have gotten nowhere near ANZ's operational risk capital models.

      • Sacha 12.2.1

        Did the Australian review consider perks?

        • Phil 12.2.1.1

          Depends on how you define a "perk" 🙂

          The ARC (and the review here) looked at sales performance incentives, e.g. a bonus for selling more than X number of products to a customer. And, more importantly, the reviews looked at how those bonuses might pervert the bank or staff member into acting in a way that is not in the best interest of the customer.

          As far as I'm aware, neither review looked at the kind of employment package benefits or house financing that seems to be the issue with Hisco. That's because these benefits wouldn't be linked to ANZ's sales or Hisco's performance in any directly meaningful way.

    • Blazer 12.3

      I will give Stubbs the benefit of the doubt.

      He did work for 2 'favourites' i.e Eric Watson and Mark Hotchin at Handover Finance..but jumped ship before the 'the size and the strength to withstand ANY conditions' proved quite the opposite.(as usual)

  13. Infused 13

    Key may have been appointed to get this guy out cleanly. Who knows.

    Your hate for key is showing though. How you could feel sorry for this guy.

    Keys just doing his job.

    • Muttonbird 13.1

      Key sold Hisco his house you idiot. They are good mates.

      • Wensleydale 13.1.1

        No, no, Mutton. You're just being unnecessarily cruel to that poor Mr Key – an elder statesman of our fine nation and an icon of success and prosperity. There's not a venal bone in his body, and you do yourself a profound disservice by insinuating as much. He once lived in a state house, you know. (It’s perfectly fine to behave like an amoral pirate if you spent your formative years living in a skip and scrounging for crusts.) Rags to riches and all that. Aspiration! Building a brighter future! Shame on you, Mutton. Shame.

      • Infused 13.1.2

        Hear that? That's logic going way over your head

  14. SHG 14

    Reality check – the transgression for which Hisco was fired was breaking the first commandment. Thou shalt not embarrass JK. Thus has it ever been.

    • Pat 14.1

      Lol…except the embarrassment to Key has been caused by (on the face of it) his own inept handling of the issue….new theory needed.

  15. Senior board of the ANZ ,… spot Jonkey and Hisco there playin' along…

    Harry Nilsson – Coconut (1971)

    https://youtu.be/Tbgv8PkO9eo?t=166

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • At a glance – Does CO2 always correlate with temperature?
    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 ...
    1 hour ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 hours ago
  • Relentlessly negative
    Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 hours ago
  • Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    Bryce Edwards writes –  It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 hours ago
  • Promiscuous Empathy: Chris Trotter Replies To His Critics.
    Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played. “Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
    4 hours ago
  • Don’t run your business like a criminal enterprise
    The Detail this morning highlights the police's asset forfeiture case against convicted business criminal Ron Salter, who stands to have his business confiscated for systemic violations of health and safety law. Business are crying foul - but not for the reason you'd think. Instead of opposing the post-conviction punishment and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 hours ago
  • Misremembering Justinian’s Taxes.
    Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I - Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
    5 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 hours ago
  • Bishop scores headlines with crackdown on unwelcome tenants – but Peters scores, too, as tub-thump...
    Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 hours ago
  • Will it make the boat go faster?
    Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    10 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi The fact that a ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    10 hours ago
  • Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    10 hours ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' at 10:10am on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st Century The SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims Stuff Steve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    10 hours ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things on Tuesday, March 19
    It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    11 hours ago
  • New Life for Light Rail
    This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail  Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    12 hours ago
  • Why Are Bosses Nearly All Buffoons?
    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    15 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    1 day ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    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:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    6 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    6 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
    The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
    Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government lowering building costs
    The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Trustee tax change welcomed
    Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister’s Ramadan message
    Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness.  It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister appoints new NZTA Chair
    Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
    Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology.  It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Progress continues apace on water storage
    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government agrees to restore interest deductions
    Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister to attend World Anti-Doping Agency Symposium
    Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-19T07:23:28+00:00