Where did Labour gain its extra votes?

Written By: - Date published: 4:59 pm, September 24th, 2017 - 66 comments
Categories: election 2017, jacinda ardern, labour, Politics - Tags:

I am a keen fan of reviewing campaigns to work out what worked.  That way next time you know what to do to ensure that the country has progressive leadership.

Labour’s overall gain in the election was significant, up 10.7% points.  But which parts of the country surged and which parts did not do so well?

As part of my post election catharsis I prepared a spreadsheet giving a rough and ready indicator of areas where the increase was most significant and other areas where it was not so good.  It is surprisingly clear what happened in the country.

The measure is a crude one.  It is the change in Labour’s proportion of the party vote from 2014 to 2017.  It is crude in that it contrasts proportions and takes no account of turnover.  And the figures are preliminary with a number of special votes to be counted.  In fact I would not be surprised if Labour and the Greens both gain a further seat.

I then tallied the figures across geographical regions.  I treated the Maori electorates separately as clearly something happened there.

Basically the figures suggest the increase in the vote in South and West Auckland was disturbingly small, Wellington was good, Christchurch really good, provincial areas were good especially in the South Island, the University electorates all showed significant improvement in party votes and the Maori electorates performed out of their skin.

Here is the table:

Auckland South 3.70%
Auckland West 7.40%
Waikato 9.50%
Auckland Istmus 9.90%
Auckland North 10.30%
Central North Island 10.50%
Wellington 11.30%
Canterbury rural 11.80%
Northland 12.20%
South Island rural 12.30%
Christchurch 13.70%
Dunedin 15.20%
Maori 18.50%

A few comments:

  1. The South Auckland electorates barely moved.  Perhaps the Labour vote has been maxed out and there is going to be no more persuasion occurring.  Turnout clearly should be the strategy and voting levels are not great.
  2. The West Auckland results are disappointing.  If it was not for a healthy boost from Helensville (11.9%) the result would have been very mediocre.
  3. Waikato’s results were relatively well distributed.
  4. Auckland Istmus’s results were boosted by very good results in Auckland Central (15.4%) and Jacinda’s own electorate of Mount Albert (13.7%).  The rest were a mixture with the electorates away from the city centre (Mt Roskill, Maungakiekie and Tamati) performing more poorly.
  5. Auckland North’s results were all healthy.
  6. Central North Island were all reasonably healthy with the East Coast performing best (12.6%).
  7. Wellington’s results were all pretty good with Wellington Central (13.3%) and Rongotai (12.9%) being stand outs.
  8. The rest of the electorates performed strongly with Christchurch Central and East and Dunedin North and South all performing well.
  9. Nelson performed exceptionally well (16.5%).
  10. But the pick of the seats were the Maori seats.

As for reasons for Auckland’s relatively poor performance I suspect that elevated real estate prices has made too many of us closet tories.  But organisationally it needs more dedicated resource.  If Labour wants to win in 2020 then it needs to make sure that Auckland is organised and ready to go.

66 comments on “Where did Labour gain its extra votes? ”

  1. Incognito 1

    In Helensville (Sir John’s old electorate) it seems some interesting vote-splitting occurred: GP 2199 (5345) and LP 7789 (5619) with candidate votes in brackets. In 2014 the numbers were: GP 4801 (4433; Graham Kennedy) and LP 4430 (4425). Would love to know why.

    • Shazzadude 1.1

      Because the Greens’ candidate, Hayley Holt is a well-known TV personality.

    • gomango 1.2

      I am in the Helensville electorate and voted on Saturday. I voted national list and labour candidate, just because i thought it slightly humorous.. I have no idea who my local candidates are and under MMP it really doesn’t matter at all. For most electorates (and especially one like helensville) under MMP the candidate vote is worthless. It only has any value in a place like Epsom. I wouldn’t waste time analysing vote splitting in any electorate which is either overwhelmingly National or Labour because the marginal candidate vote has zero informational value.

      • Kevin 1.2.1

        More bizarre is electorates where a Labour candidate was voted in and those same voters party voted National. I just don’t get that.

        • C Dawg 1.2.1.1

          It’s like I want my important vote to keep my fake housing pricing and weak bright-line for gratuitous fiscal self-interest but I want to have an opposition local MP to be able to complain about EVERYTHING ELSE collapsing around me, not out of humanity o guilt really, just more self interest…

      • Incognito 1.2.2

        Thanks and yes, that was humorous.

  2. Anne 2

    Communications with local party members in Auckland leaves a lot to be desired. Once there used to be regular material sent which outlined up and coming events in a readable way. As far as I know there is no longer a fully functional regional office in Auckland and that has to be a significant part of the problem.

  3. Craig H 3

    Cheers Micky, very interesting. As a fellow Labour campaigner (Chch East), I am heartened to see that Christchurch has turned red once again, and that Poto and Duncan have performed really strongly as part of that. Also top marks to Anthony Rimell (Ilam) and Rachel Boyack (Nelson) for taking on powerful incumbents, and really pushing the Labour party vote up massively despite basically pushing the proverbial uphill.

    Preliminary total counts for 2017 (2014):
    National: 998,813 (1,010,464)
    Labour: 776,556 (519,146)
    NZ First: 162,988 (186,031)
    Green: 126,995 (210,764)

    Total L/NZ1/G = 1,066,539 (915,941) i.e. up 150K total votes even with Jacinda effectively seeing switching of votes to Labour from within the bloc.

    That’s not even taking into account the smaller parties i.e. TOP, Conservatives, Maori Party, ACT or United Future. And, as we all know, the specials are very likely to improve the results for Labour and the Greens.

    • mickysavage 3.1

      Thanks Craig. I am a big fan of Poto’s. She is a very grounded human representative of the people and we need more like her. She (and you all) have really got the seat humming and it has gone from strength to strength.

  4. Carolyn_nth 4

    Some gentrification of west and south Auckland has been going on I think.

    And people on mediocre incomes moving outwards to the likes of Helensville.
    How far north did you go with the Auckland North stats?

    • mickysavage 4.1

      Auckland North included Rodney but not Northland or Whangarei.

      • Carolyn_nth 4.1.1

        Thanks. I’m told there’s been quite a few people moving north to Wellsford and Warkworth areas in recent times.

        Basically people moving away from the housing problems closer to Auckland.

    • Tracey 4.2

      With over 32 suburbs average a million and many such owners, anecdotedly, owning a rental as well.?many former labour voters may well have voted for the status quo and englishs thinly veiled message that the market will move up again.

  5. Keith 5

    I thought there was recognition of Aucklands importance and a real effort with Auckland, with Matt McCarten and Andrew Little basing themselves in Grafton Rd.

    If so what was the issue?

    I have no idea if Labour already do this but Nationals use of focus groups and constant polling is a must. It cuts down the guesswork. You’ve got to fight 21st century fire with 21st century fire.

    I also think not only was the fiscal hole and extra tax lies similarly divined from such methods but crucially years of peddling misinformation that Labour are always worse with the economy and linking both sets of lies together paid dividends.

    I am certainly not suggesting that kind of dishonesty and deceitful treatment of voters intelligence but understanding fully what turns voters off National and applying pressure to those areas is crucial. It will also counter English et al’s future lies and we all know now how willing they all were to sell their souls to win.

    Just hoping the message is spread better in Auckland especially after Labour already recognised the fact will not win an election.

    • mickysavage 5.1

      Let’s just say the Auckland plans did not go as well as they should have this election campaign …

      • ScottGN 5.1.1

        Labour’s struggle in Auckland doesn’t have much to do with the fiscal hole and tax hikes.
        Nor probably does it have much to do with organisational capacity.
        It has everything to do with huge mortgages and National holding the Sword of Damocles over the heads of home owners in that city.
        It’s a dreadful thing to say but the last thing anybody who has managed the brutal business of getting a foothold in the Auckland housing market wants is affordable housing in any shape or form.
        And if it means people living in garages or sleeping in cars and the government spending an outrageous amount of money putting people into motels then so be it.

        • Tracey 5.1.1.1

          Yes self interest is strong in these ones

          • The Lone Haranguer 5.1.1.1.1

            Tracey,

            What you call “self interest” may well be called “survival” by those in that situation.

            Even as 10% drop in property values could have thousands of folk in an upside down position – and they wont vote for that, and it doesnt make them bad people.

        • Graeme 5.1.1.2

          National have certainly created a lot of loyal voters in the mortgage belt. The poor bastards are having to run that hard on the hamster wheel of meeting their commitments that the thought of not getting their tax adjustment, or the market declining is utterly terrifying. Hence the success of the dog whistles.

          National’s tax adjustments and campaign lies were precisely targeted at this group.

    • Anne 5.2

      … years of peddling misinformation that Labour are always worse with the economy and linking both sets of lies together paid dividends.

      Two relatives dropped by today and confessed that is the reason why they decided not to vote Labour. I swiftly reminded them of the Michael Cullen years and they left with a very large flea in their ears. It’s both barrels from me in future. No more pussy footing around with them. It is pitiful that adults can be so utterly stupid.

  6. DS 6

    A friend of mine also did a spreadsheet – and yes, it really shows the regional differences.

    https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2017/09/24/the-morning-after-new-zealand-politics/

    For perspective, National did worse in Dunedin North than in Manurewa, and Labour did better in Dunedin North than in Kelston.

  7. Sabine 7

    i would assume that it is not so much a case of ‘closet tory’ but rather a case of have moved and now live elsewhere or have lost their rental and now live in a car. It can’t be that hard to understand that in AKL the only guaranteed votes are from those that own their house and live in it, all others are two weeks away from voting for a different electorate.

    • Firepig 7.1

      (Breaking my own rule) – And Glen Innes and Panmure are gutted – full of empty sections, boarded up houses or new 2-up 2-down constructions not occupied by the original demographic. Onehunga is not better.

    • The Fairy Godmother 7.2

      And out South Auckland there is a large amount of people on Student visas or work visas who cannot vote who have replaced previous labour supporting residents.

  8. red-blooded 8

    Speaking as someone who worked within the wider Dunedin North team, we were organising and pushing towards election day from before the start of the year. We had a great campaigns manager, supported by a tight team. There was a huge push to increase the volunteer base, and that had happened even before the leadership change (which brought in more people). We’ve been door knocking and calling and leafletting for many months, and also put a lot of effort into supporting the candidates and upping the party vote in other parts of the lower South. That’s included door knocking days and regular phoning.

    We had a strong focus on the need for improved health services and a new hospital for the SDHB, and while it’s sad and awful that this was the same focus in 2014, voters remembered this and were angry about the constant barrage of bad news stories about people suffering from preventable problems because of our dysfunctional, under-resourced health board, which has been run by a commissioner for about a year now, with no improvement, and which is in a lot of debt that the government (or course) insists it pays down.

    I’m sure people in other parts of the country worked hard and there has been some great lifting of the vote, particularly in the Māori seats and in the South Island. We in Dunedin are really glad to be back as a red city, though – While our candidates won in 2014, we went blue after the specials last time, and we were determined not to let that happen again.

    • mickysavage 8.1

      Thanks RB and congratulations. The Dunedin results really stood out along with Nelson and the Maori seat results.

    • Ad 8.2

      Top work Red-Blooded and for the massive turnout and work.
      Awesome ground game.

      I managed to persuade my tribal-Nat mother-in-law in Maori Hill to avoid National and go to NZF, but she was always a local Mr Clark voter. Still thinks very highly of Hodgson.

  9. Chris 9

    I wonder if Jacinda’s mistep in promoting the decriminalisation of abortion may have cost her Christian votes in South Auckland ?

    • ScottGN 9.1

      By calling it a ‘misstep’ it seems you’re not actually ‘wondering’ at all really.

    • Tracey 9.2

      She didnt lie enough for the Christians, is that what you mean? Cos that good catholic christian English lied alot.

  10. Chris Carter 10

    Jacinta did extraordinarily well and Labour’s vote gain outside Auckland was impressive. It seems obvious to me as someone who campaigned in West Auckland for Labour for over 20 years that the failure to connect with “ethnic voters” was a key factor in those West and East Auckland electorates failing to lift Labour’s final result. I spent 7 years as Labour’s Ethnic Affairs Minister and many other years as Labour’s Ethnic Affairs Spokesperson. There is no substitute for personal relationships and close engagement in building support in the Chinese, Indian, Korean and the dozens of other ethnic communities that make up a big slice of Auckland’s population. To my successors as West Auckland MPs and to the current Labour leadership l urge you to attend every ethnic cultural event you are invited too, not just once but always. I never had a free weekend in the whole time l was an MP because attending ethnic events was so critical. Indeed the job of Ethnic Affairs Minister was the least popular choice in Cabinet jobs because of Helen’s recognition that those migrant votes were so important and could not be ignored. We just had to out perform the Nats in building those critical personal connections. I would like to think that my work in that area helped. Connecting in a very personal way with the 184 ethnic groups that help make up the greater Auckland area is even more critical now than it was in 1999.

    • mickysavage 10.1

      Thanks Chris and your work in the electorate was legendary. Your comment should be tattooed on the right hand of every Labour MP!

      • NixSaved 10.1.1

        Chris Carter is right with regards to looking after the different ethnic groups voters. I think the Nat’s have a head start there. I wandered over to the National party website and they have a page with different party groups, that includes different ethnic groups IE: Global IndiaNZ, Blue Dragons, Pinoys Go National. It’s interesting that National has a party group page, given that I hear a lot of non-left opponents criticize Labour of seemly being the only party ‘pandering to interest groups.’

        • mickysavage 10.1.1.1

          They do. I personally think it is superficial in the extreme but they have realised that they need to be diverse.

          In 2005 Don Brash complained about mainstream New Zealand and how everyone else was somehow not as good. Then we handed National their arse on a plate. Then they adjusted and had all these wonderful ethnic candidates pop up.

          Strategically I think they have done a good job. But I still think their red neck tendencies are not far below the surface.

  11. Mad Plumber 11

    The Canterbury Rural what regions did that cover. I always thought that there is quite a few who are not happy with the state of the water as we are the ones who notice the change. A lot go fishing and boating in the rivers and lakes. I do a lot of work installing water filtration units on farms, the owners moan about the cost but I do not comment about shitting in your own back yard but still am happy to take the money

  12. Adrian 12

    My bet in Auckland is that a large portion of the immigrant cohort want a lot more immigration so that family reunification and extra relatives etc
    will not be excluded.
    Not blaming them, it’s a natural desire and therefore Labour would be an anathema.

  13. swordfish 13

    Christchurch really good

    Yeah – comparing 2014 & 2017 Election Night results

    Christchurch East

    2014 Election Night …. 2017 Election Night

    Nat 40.6 ……………………… 36.2 ……………. – 4.4

    Lab 31.9 ……………………… 46.6 ……………. + 14.7

    Green 12.1 …………………… 6.4 ……………. – 5.7

    .

    Christchurch Central

    Nat 44.9 …………………… 40.3 ……………. – 4.6

    Lab 26.4 …………………… 40.4 ……………. + 14.0

    Green 15.4 ………………… 8.6 …………….. – 6.8

    .

    Port Hills

    Nat 47.9 …………………….. 41.3 ……………. – 6.6

    Lab 23.6 ……………………. 38.9 ……………. + 15.3

    Green 16.4 ………………… 10.0 ……………. – 6.4

    .

    Waimakariri

    Nat 57.9 …………………….. 53.9 ……………. – 4.0

    Lab 18.9 …………………….. 32.1 ……………. + 13.2

    Green 8.6 ……………………. 3.9 …………….. – 4.7

    .

    Ilam

    Nat 58.5 …………………….. 54.2 ……………. – 4.3

    Lab 17.5 …………………….. 30.1 ……………. + 12.6

    Green 12.1 ………………….. 6.7 …………….. – 5.4

    .

    Whereas nationwide

    2014 Election Night vs 2017 Election Night

    Nat …………….. – 2.1
    Lab …………….. + 11.1
    Green …………. – 4.1

    • The Lone Haranguer 13.1

      Christchurch is very interesting.

      Labour made good inroads there, but in urban Chch, the Nats still got more party votes for (I think) the third election in a row.

      Labour has got “its” city electorate seats back (Ilam isnt in that mix) so now its up to its electorate MPs to do good and get the party vote back.

  14. david 14

    Labour is paying a price for the Racial targeting of people with Chinese sounding names. What do you expect? You target a group thinking that overall you win with dog-whistle politics. But guess what, Asians turn up and vote.
    Labour has awoken a powerful growing group. If Winston goes with National, they may get them back. Because Asians dislike Winston’s mob more than anything.

    • … ” Labour has awoken a powerful growing group ” …

      Yes ,… and a group that , with their soft power tactics and foreign ownership of our farms far from the public’s observance and testing of broadband satellite techniques potentially used for ‘military purposes in our country ‘ ,… better walk carefully how they tread from here on in.

      It is a topic that is bubbling under in the background and relegated to the back seats after our general election atm regarding the latest news that we have a National party MP trained in one of China’s top university’s for the purpose of producing spy’s for their uses,…

      Bottom line is ?

      If you come here with designs of having card carrying members of the Chinese communist party monitoring Chinese students at our University’s or spy’s in our govt , – we’ve got ways and means to shut you down in a heartbeat.

      • WILD KATIPO 14.1.1

        Oh ,… and btw ?… if you think that’s unfair and try to use the ‘ racist card’ ?…

        How about fucking off for a start.

        There’s a saying ‘ this is New Zealand , mate ‘ .

        It might help to recall Helen Clarke had the same response towards Israeli Mossad agents operating illegally in New Zealand as well , – who are obliquely aligned with the USA in foreign policy.

        You even dare to come here trying to use surreptitious means to gain influence, – be it either political , economic or military,… there’s a great big fat FUCK OFF sign made especially just for you as soon as you enter the terminal doors at Mangere International airport.

        • david 14.1.1.1

          Exactly. Observe. These are the kind of people that shout from cars saying, go back to where you came from. Now these people blog.
          The Labour party encourages these people. Hi Phil Twyford. (but not the Greens, they’re decent people)
          What kind of person wants to associate with people like this. There is no condemnation….. .
          in NZ mate, there is a thing saying freedom of expression and voting for who ever you want.
          If you are Asian and work for the Labour party, just look at what they have unleashed. Take a shower and leave.

          • red-blooded 14.1.1.1.1

            david, I think a lot of Labour supporters were made uneasy by the publicity around Chinese-sounding names and property in Auckland. I have a few observations, though:
            1) This tactic was only used because the government refused to collect any information at all about who was buying houses and (more importantly) where they lived. There was no other method for drawing attention to the large number of houses being bought as investment properties by people living offshore.
            2) There is now (because of the discussion that was started by this move) some (very basic) tax policy aimed at investors who flip a property within two years. before, there was nothing.
            3) Again, this tactic pushed the government to start collecting some (very basic, possibly misleading) info about the country of residence of buyers. I say “possibly misleading” because it’s only based on IRD addresses, and these don’t have to be primary residences.
            4) China (and many other countries) forbid overseas buyers from buying housing. There’s nothing racist about this – it’s about looking after the interests of the people who live in your country, rather than the interests of people who live elsewhere but use your property market as a way to get a return on their money. In a time of housing shortage and price inflation (and prices were rocketing when Labour released this info) this pushes prices up further and makes it harder for local buyers to get a house.

            I don’t deny that this was an uncomfortable discussion and I understand why members of the local Chinese community might have felt hurt or attacked – I definitely think the messaging could have been handled more effectively. I do think the big issue was the lack of information, though. Housing was becoming a really big issue and the Nats simply didn’t want to give anyone grounds for making informed criticisms.

            I certainly would never say (or think) that Asian people should go elsewhere, and I sure don’t support anyone who does make racist remarks like this. I do understand what pushed Labour into using this tactic, though. I’m not sure it was a wise decision, over all – it probably did feed into some people’s latent racism – but I don’t think the motive for this move was racist.

        • alwyn 14.1.1.2

          “It might help to recall Helen Clarke had the same response”.
          You might like to reflect on one other response that Helen Clark had.
          She apologised to Chinese immigrants to New Zealand for the treatment and abuse they had received from racist bigots like yourself.
          I see you are still ranting on about the yellow peril.

          • david 14.1.1.2.1

            Helen had the Asian vote. Because she was decent, knew her history and included people. Labour could have talked about immigration numbers in a respectful way, like the Greens. But they had decided to out Trump Winston.
            They may have lost the Asian vote for a generation.

        • WILD KATIPO 14.1.1.3

          All I be saying is people coming in from any country , – doesn’t matter which , – in large numbers will contain among them some who have attitudes and motivations that are not identical to the others and are not beneficial to the country of their destination. You know that , and don’t try and pretend all are wonderful human beings where butter wouldn’t melt in their mouths.

          Theres a reason nations have a police force , a military , and customs.

          We are also a Pacific nation , – not an Asian one.

          The social problems caused by mass immigration have marginalized those of the Pacific in favour of those from Asia. And , – heres the kicker ,- this whole immigration racket has been advanced by the interests of BIG BUSINESS.

          It is big business that has been driving this whole ridiculous out of control immigration setting , – and much of that has been foreign interests who place New Zealanders interests right down the list. Low wages , obscene house prices and the deliberate retarding of building houses to keep prices high , – all deliberate and working in tandem with the incumbent National party.

          It would be refreshing if all these bleeding hearts quit with all the crocodile tears , the faux altruism, aesthetics and pseudo noble gestures just long enough to actually admit their real motivations are anything BUT concern about racism or humanitarian values , – but rather a cynical , opportunistic money grab borne more out of their inclinations towards avarice and greed and their sense of social standing than of parading their virtues as that of the social justice warrior.

          After all , the current charge being leveled against the National party is of being LIARS , – and sits well with this and many other past and present hypocrisy’s .

          This is just one more of them.

      • gomango 14.1.2

        would just point out that you are being logically inconsistent. If an Asian has the right to vote, then by legal definition any land they own is not foreign owned………

        • WILD KATIPO 14.1.2.1

          The issue is not even ‘ If an Asian has the right to vote, then by legal definition any land they own is not foreign owned……… ‘ .

          The issue is at least twofold : in the first instance we have foreign speculators. This is simply adding to the detriment of our domestic housing stock shortage while pushing houses up for those that live here beyond affordability. Asian or not. Labour has made it policy that they will end that.

          Speaking of which , – every other country has laws preventing the sale of their lands to those that do not even live in that country , – or at least curtailing that process realistically , and as an example , – China itself. New Zealanders cannot buy houses , – let alone land ,- in China, yet their affluent can play the markets , buy land , houses ,… and not live here and still collect the rent.

          And National has consistently been dragging its feet , – deliberately ,- on this issues for years. Why ?… because it suited them and their elitist colleagues to do so. Its no coincidence that so many National party MP’s have intimate business relations with mainland Chinese businesses.

          And that creates an immediate conflict of interests whereby their rulings and policy settings are geared once again , to favor them and their colleagues.

          There is no issue at all with Asians , – or anyone else , – here who is a New Zealand CITIZEN WHO CAN VOTE , – they are a New Zealand citizen. There may be an issue if it is ‘ family’ owned / part of a trust / business that is based offshore , however. Which brings us to large tracts of land ie ; farms/ stations ,… whereby if there are not sufficient laws governing this , these lands can be foreign owned by proxy.

  15. NixSaved 15

    Is it unusual that Maungakiekie has a National candidate that wins the seat, but not the party vote? If Labour does indeed win the Party Vote in that seat, I wonder why the voters didn’t cast their electorate vote for Priyanca?

    • Shazzadude 15.1

      I’m not sure if it’s because of an inherent bias against non-English surnames, or just that Chloe Swarbrick had a bit of a following after her good effort in the Auckland mayoralty race.

      • DoublePlusGood 15.1.1

        Looking at the numbers, I’d say it’s those two things, plus name recognition of Denise Lee.

  16. DH 16

    IMO the Auckland results were pretty predictable. Strong Labour areas have been infiltrated by middle class people buying (and renting) houses where they can afford them. Those numbers aren’t huge (yet) but probably enough to explain the poor results for Labour in areas like Sth and West Auckland.

    I’d also surmise that many hard up people don’t vote and with the disadvantaged in Auckland being worse off than ever I expect fewer of them voted this time around.

    Auckland might also serve as warning to the left of the political perils of bringing in ‘skilled migrants’. They’d typically be above average earners and more likely to vote National.

    • mickysavage 16.1

      I agree. Real estate values are far too prominent in local conversations. Makes us all middle class.

      South Auckland struggled with turn out. West Auckland struggled with conflicting loyalties. Labour’s brain trust needs to get its head around this.

  17. The Lone Haranguer 17

    DH,

    A cynic might read your final comment and observe that we shouldnt bring in skilled migrants in case they vote for the right. And that its not about whats best for New Zealand

    A cynic might also think that the Greens call for more refugees is because they would vote for the left. And that its not about whats best for New Zealand.

    I can see why folk voted for NZF

    • DH 17.1

      “A cynic might read your final comment and observe that we shouldnt bring in skilled migrants in case they vote for the right. And that its not about whats best for New Zealand”

      You might observe that, one might also make the corollary that curbing the flow of ‘skilled migrants’ may be what’s best for the country.

      “A cynic might also think that the Greens call for more refugees is because they would vote for the left. And that its not about whats best for New Zealand.”

      That’s a pretty poor analogy, would take a few hundred years to get enough votes from the increased trickle of refugees.

  18. Stephen Bradley 18

    Thanks to ‘Mickey’ for getting the ball rolling. When the final tallies are in we will need some detailed analysis, polling place by polling place. Some of this will be done in the university politics departments. Some will be done by MP’s parliamentary research staff, we hope. This information can be correlated with data from the 2018 Census, when available. All of this needs collating and coordinating so that parties and all electors can increase our understanding of what the election meant.

    We could try to increase the Labour vote by taking voters off other parties. Hard, but we need to remain competitive.

    Finding and connecting with every potential Labour voter is the real challenge. Just because the very people who most need a Labour government are the hardest to log into the bureaucracy of enrollment and elections. Constant precarity of residence and employment; constant daily battle to stay afloat. I suspect many impoverished women looking after children and other dependants are in this group.

    Anyway, congratulations to the Maori Labour Caucus for bringing home those Maori seats. If we can build on that great effort We will be practising what we preach. With Maori Labour MPs in every Maori seat and some in General seats, Labour has restored its mana. Kia kaha

  19. DoublePlusGood 19

    The main issue is how much of that was grabbed from right wing parties, and how much was from the Greens.
    Because in Wellington Central and Rongotai for instance all it looks like they did was eat Green votes.

    • McFlock 19.1

      Nationally, Labour went from 25% to 35%. Greens went from 8% to 7%.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 19.2

      What Swordfish said. A 6.5% swing to the Left pretty much answers your question.

      • DoublePlusGood 19.2.1

        Not really – I know it’s pre specials, but it looks like in Wellington Central and Rongotai the Greens have lost 5-10% of the total vote to Labour.
        So that isn’t a standout performance from Labour, unless you consider wrecking their key support partner’s vote to be standout. The areas where they took the most votes from National are far more interesting to know.

  20. Craig H 20

    Big question – where to from here? Do we continue to push Auckland or do we seriously look at turning some of the smaller cities red as well? Rachel Boyack has shown how strongly it can be done in Nelson – can we replicate that in Timaru and Invercargill? In Whanganui, Palmerston North, New Plymouth?

  21. Hongi Ika 21

    We need to get some real growth going not just inflated house prices and English Language Schools for low grade overseas students ?

    We need to train and educate our own people first ?

  22. Hongi Ika 22

    The neoliberal NZ Ponzi Scheme needs to stop an economy built on increased house prices and immigration can not keep going without seriously damaging our social fabric, we are already seeing the results with housing affordability and homelessness.

    We also have severe long term damage being done to the lower socio economic sectors of our society with the resulting mental health problems caused by poor diets, poor living conditions, lawlessness and child poverty ?

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 ...
    2 hours 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
    5 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 ...
    5 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
    5 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 ...
    6 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
    11 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
    11 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
    11 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
    12 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
    13 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
    5 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
    4 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
    9 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
    11 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 2024-03-19T08:03:16+00:00