Who would have thunk that Government’s approach to housing is inadequate

Written By: - Date published: 10:46 am, March 2nd, 2017 - 34 comments
Categories: Abuse of power, democracy under attack, housing, national, paula bennett, Politics, radio, same old national - Tags:

Another example of fine reporting work by Radio New Zealand emerged this morning.

Its intrepid reporters have, with the assistance of the Ombudsman, unearthed a report which said that the Government’s approach to social and affordable housing is fragmented and lacks a robust plan.

From the Radio New Zealand website:

The external review of the Social Housing Reform Programme noted that, in Auckland, three ministers and four government agencies lacked an overall plan to boost housing supply.

It found the government needed to “increase the overall supply of housing, particularly in Auckland”.

In the review, consultants Leonie Freeman and Michael Miles looked at the government’s aim to provide social housing largely by paying providers.

They found the target of providing 65,000 income-related rent subsidy places by mid-next year lacked a robust plan. They noted problems with monitoring progress.

The report expressed concern about progress in clarifying Housing New Zealand’s role in the new community housing market.

“Decisions are yet to be taken on the Boston Consulting Group review of HNZC’s ongoing role and structure – these decisions are critical.”

The review recommended a Social Housing Programme office, which would answer to key ministers and establish a single agency to manage property sales and the redevelopment of Crown land.

The decision to withhold the report was extremely cynical. The use of the grounds advanced by Paula Bennett, that to release it would “prejudice the quality of information received” and “the wider public interest of effective government would not be served” is contemptible. Using this rationale no review report would ever be released. Having a review cause a Government political embarrassment because of its totally inadequate efforts should never be justification for withholding a report paid for by the public.

And the Government needs to get on with the job, borrow another of Labour’s policies and start building.  Paying third party providers money to keep existing beds open and calling them new beds is not going to do anything for people facing the effects of the housing crisis.

34 comments on “Who would have thunk that Government’s approach to housing is inadequate ”

  1. Bunji 1

    Just utterly shocking, cynical, out-of-ideas government.

    There’s no defending this. It’s abuse of power, and good on the Ombudsman for standing up and being counted (although I’m sure that will result in further underfunding of a weakened institution)

    Paula Bennett cannot be trusted with the reins of power. Illegally holding information because it’s embarrassing to the government is a striking contrast to her nastily handing out information on anyone who dares speak up against or highlight her disastrous policies. (Te Puia Marae, beneficiaries etc).

    • tc 1.1

      They aren’t out of ideas, they never intended to fix it as it was the sugar rush they wanted to create an illusion of economic growth and prosperity.

      no cgt, open door immigration, no restrictions on speculative and offshore buying, tax havens and boom off she went with expected consequences especially in akl.

      Bennetts doing what nact have always done, suppress the truth if it’s not to your liking, diffuse, spin, misdirect, bluster bs and eventually bully anyone who questions it.

      Jacinda gets to land a few easy blows if she’s capable as housing, education, health and cost/quality of power/water impacts every kiwi one way or another.

      • Draco T Bastard 1.1.1

        Bennetts doing what nact have always done, suppress the truth if it’s not to your liking, diffuse, spin, misdirect, bluster bs and eventually bully anyone who questions it.

        QFT

        National have to lie because reality never matches their beliefs.

    • NZJester 1.2

      Don’t forget the fast track this government has of anything that makes the opposition look bad. Even informing their attack dogs what to ask for in their OIA request so they can get it out super fast.

  2. Draco T Bastard 2

    We really shouldn’t be surprised by this. This government only rules to enrich the already rich. It does that by redirecting taxpayers money to the rich through subsidies and ‘market mechanisms’ which cost more than if the government simply did them itself but don’t achieve the desired result.

    The inevitable result is a poorly governed country.

  3. Sacha 3

    “the grounds advanced by Paula Bennett, that to release it would “prejudice the quality of information received” and “the wider public interest of effective government would not be served”
    … are also well-established by previous Ombudsmen’s rulings to not be qualifying grounds under the OIA unless it’s advice to a Minister, not to a public servant (Treasury boss in this case). Govt knowingly taking the piss again with no systemic consequences.

  4. Philj 4

    What housing crisis Bill? You got away with 100 % pure organic effluent for far too long. I cannot see a brighter future.

  5. Keith 5

    I think National really do care about rental subsidies. It’s the quid pro quo for its backers and its only taxpayer money being paid out to parasite investors anyway. And to deal with this scam would see the whole investor class fall over which is of maximum concern to National. Oh and the addition of 10’s of thousands of homeless is a situation that could embarrass them and being embarrassed is also of maximum concern to them.

    But I honestly do not think they care about people living in social housing as they think of them as sub human anyway and only appear to give a damn when RNZ exposed working people living in cars and kids trying to do their homework by the map light of a Toyota Estima.

    To interpret Bill and Paula’s views of the world, these people don’t need houses as there’s an endless supply of student visa holders from 3rd world countries who can replace these drugged up sorts in the work place.

    • Draco T Bastard 5.1

      +111

    • Wayne 5.2

      The accommodation supplement has existed for thirty years, under both Labour and National.

      Are you proposing ending it?

      If so, you will have to say how you intend to help low income earners with their housing costs. Most can’t afford market rents without financial assistance for this specific cost.

      Is it your view that all rental housing for low income earners should be provided by Housing New Zealand at discounted rates, often around $100 per week.

      If so you need to say how Housing New Zealand is going to acquire around 200,000 new houses. I guess you could nationalise all private rentals where there is an accommodation supplement. I imagine it will only cost about $60 billion to buy 200,000 houses at an average price of $300,000.

      Your other option is rent control, but how many houses would still remain on the rental market if rents were capped at say $200 per week?

      I think you will find all governments over the last thirty years have looked at this issue. They all end up at the same place they started.

      If you want private landlords to provide housing for low income earners then you need a rent subsidy, because that is what the accommodation supplement is.

      • stever 5.2.1

        With rent control….where would those houses no longer up for rental go once they are off the rental market?

        I presume they’d be sold. What would then happen to the market when they all flooded on?

        Might that supply-side movement help bring house prices down?

        Or what?

      • Muttonbird 5.2.2

        Landlord whose are receiving a rent subsidy should be held to different conditions as a social housing provider. They should have to accept long term leases if that’s what the tenant wants and they should have to provide housing at a very high standard with respect to heating, insulation, and maintenance. If they intend to sell from under the tenant then they must sell to a first home buyer and the existing tenant must have first right of refusal.

      • greg 5.2.3

        no you are wrong cut the subsidy stop the foreign buyers start kiwi build and let the market correct itself back the real income levels and if the speculators go under so be it.

      • Draco T Bastard 5.2.4

        If you want private landlords to provide housing for low income earners then you need a rent subsidy, because that is what the accommodation supplement is.

        Then obviously we don’t want to have private landlords providing housing to low income people.

        Really, it’s simply a lot better for the government to build enough houses and rent them out at a small percentage of income. No subsidy to greedy rich pricks then.

      • lprent 5.2.5

        If so you need to say how Housing New Zealand is going to acquire around 200,000 new houses.

        Do it the same way that housing nz built up their stock in the first place. Build them.

        The reason why houses were built by the state in the first place was because the private sector produces insufficient expensive poor quality houses designed to maximize their profit. As well as the direct benefits of state providing housing rather than having people sleeping rough, it also effectively provided scales of economy to building houses.

        That pushed the cost of housing down.

        Of course National in their usual role of being ideologically driven idiots broke that system in the 1990s.

        Building houses will be far better value than providing ever increasing housing supplements.

        • Wayne 5.2.5.1

          Fair enough. But it will take several years to make real impact.
          And I am pretty sure Labour does not to fully replace the private market, even for low income earners. Too many variables of living circumstances.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 5.2.5.1.1

            The country needs to put an end to low quality housing, not low income housing. None shall mourn the passing of National’s rheumatic fever factories. Some will find themselves unable to compete with public capital, while others will fall foul of improved building standards.

            I like the idea of binding long-term leases too, to sabotage any further National Party vandalism before it starts.

          • North 5.2.5.1.2

            “Fair enough” – Wayne to lprent. Like acknowledging……being the reasonable man. Then (effectively)……”it’ll never happen”. Can you lie straight in bed Wayne ? True answer is…….”We don’t want it to happen……” lprent’s right – “Of course National in their usual role of being ideologically driven idiots broke that system in the 1990s.” That’s you Wayne. From your highly privileged position you just don’t give a fuck. Except about people like you. Fairly contemptible really.

          • Draco T Bastard 5.2.5.1.3

            But it will take several years to make real impact.

            But that would still be infinitely faster at providing affordable housing than what National are doing.

            And I am pretty sure Labour does not to fully replace the private market, even for low income earners.

            Yes, Labour are still fully supportive of the cancerous private sector.

            Too many variables of living circumstances.

            Nope. Too many politicians owned by or are part of the rentier class of people.

            Build houses and don’t care if rich people will be able to be bigger rentiers or not. It’s really that simple.

      • North 5.2.6

        Punchy segue there Spittley Wayne ! Shocked by the Ombudsman finding Paula Bennett’s rationalisation for not releasing the report ‘misconceived’ (like, bullshit), are we ?

        Bennett is trash. Thank God for Peter Boshier I say.

        Here’s an idea. How about the National Party’s “investors” being told to fuck off, stop raping the poor, and stop bludging off the state. Oh, sorry, no votes for the National Party from the wannabe bastards who rampage through South Auckland attending to their ‘rentals’. Then driving away cackling derisively about the schmucks who’ll make their retirement. How silly of me.

        I can just see you chortling away at the Northern Club Wayne. Getting the proper gentlemens’ equivalent of the high-five for your ‘presence’ on TS.

        Address the report you dog.

      • Sacha 5.2.7

        “help low income earners with their housing costs”

        Gee, I guess a govt could act to help raise incomes?

  6. Sacha 6

    This govt have had since late 2015 to do something about the matters highlighted in the report – including measuring progress – yet only a couple of weeks ago they couldn’t even agree on the size of the housing shortfall. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/property/news/article.cfm?c_id=8&objectid=11799899

  7. If one tries to remind National supporters that housing is a human right, they say “no it is not and if you cannot afford the rent, you should not be in the market”.

    It seems to not matter that housing is a human right if you are a National supporter.

  8. repateet 8

    Bill English is a genius.

    “Bill English: Wellington rental squeeze ‘problem of success’, not a crisis”

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/89979644/bill-english-wellington-rental-squeeze-problem-of-success-not-a-crisis

    • Draco T Bastard 8.1

      Oh, FFS, these National Party people are really turning on the spin and lies now to try to distract from the fact that they’re failing the country.

  9. Muttonbird 9

    Dr Nick, Benefit, Dildo, Double-Dipper, and smile ‘n’ wave Key all spoke of “comprehensive” plans for housing.

    Turns out their efforts at housing are what we all saw, and that is a dog’s-dinner.

    • Tamati Tautuhi 9.1

      Housing is a dogs breakfast, little rat boxes in Auckland going for $1.0 million, rampant house price inflation due to mass immigration and speculative offshore buying?

      I honestly can not see how this is good for New Zealanders unless you have rose tinted glasses on?

  10. Michael 10

    Of course, National’s social housing policy is wicked; no wonder Bennett tried to hide the report. The real question is what, if anything, would a Labour government do that is any different? Will it continue to run Housing NZ as a cash cow, channeling rental income into the general coffers, or will it require HNZ to spend that money on maintaining existing homes and building new ones? Will Labour continue the bullshit “income-related rents” policy for “some” HNZ tenants, or will it genuinely cap social housing rents for all tenants (if people are rich, they shouldn’t need social housing in the first place)? Labour’s 2014 social housing policy was a crock; here’s hoping for something better, and more honest, this time around, although it doesn’t look likely.

    • Muttonbird 10.1

      Amazing that you easily slip into an attack on Labour when this is about the current government’s failure to do what it is supposed to do by definition; to govern.

  11. invisiphilia 11

    Paula Bennett is and always has been the mistress of double-speak, a ruthless social climber and consummute politician of the worst kind. She has never cared about the poor people of New Zealand and is only ever interested in massaging the facts. To say the Nats are “out of ideas” is incorrect. They never had a clue about what is really going on for a whole sector of NZ society, nor do they care.

  12. Penny Bright 12

    Who in Parliament is going to ask Prime Minister Bill English the HARD questions about how come 2,800 former HNZ properties in Glen Innes were NEVER transferred to the Tamaki Redevelopment Company Ltd, (59% Crown / 41% Auckland Council) – but Tamaki Regeneration Ltd (100% Crown)?

    Given that Bill English as Minister of Finance was a 29.5% shareholder of
    Tamaki Redevelopment Company Ltd, and a 50% shareholder in Tamaki Regeneration Ltd – he must have known what was going on?

    So – what happened to Auckland Council’s 41% shareholding in $1.6 billion worth of 2,800 former HNZ properties?

    On what lawful basis did it effectively completely ‘evaporate’, and WHY??

    How did Tamaki Regeneration Ltd become the lawful owner of 14 Taniwha St Wai O Taki Bay, (where Niki Rauti is making such a brave and determined stand against the privatisation of State housing) – let alone the ‘landlord’?

    How is this not a major ‘scam’?

    Which involves both Bill English and housing?

    Where is / was the ‘transparency’?

    Where is / was the ‘lawful due process’?

    Who is going to ‘pick up the ball’ in Parliament next week, and start asking some stinking hard questions?

    Penny Bright

    ‘Anti-privatisation / anti-corruption campaigner’.

    • Sacha 12.1

      “what happened to Auckland Council’s 41% shareholding in $1.6 billion worth of 2,800 former HNZ properties?”

      How did Council come to have that shareholding? What did they invest?

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    Like earlier this year, members from our team will be involved with next year's General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU). The conference will take place on premise in Vienna as well as online from April 14 to 19, 2024. The session catalog has been available since November 1 ...
    5 days ago
  • Under New Management
    1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. Under New Management 2. Which of these best describes the 100 days of action announced this week by the new government?a. Petulantb. Simplistic and wrongheaded c. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • While we wait patiently, our new Minister of Education is up and going with a 100-day action plan
    Sorry to say, the government’s official website is still out of action. When Point of Order paid its daily visit, the message was the same as it has been for the past week: Site under maintenance Beehive.govt.nz is currently under maintenance. We will be back shortly. Thank you for your ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • DAVID FARRAR: Hysterical bullshit
    Radio NZ reports: Te Pāti Māori’s co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has accused the new government of “deliberate .. systemic genocide” over its policies to roll back the smokefree policy and the Māori Health Authority. The left love hysterical language. If you oppose racial quotas in laws, you are a racist. And now if you sack ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #48 2023
    Open access notables From this week's government/NGO section, longitudinal data is gold and Leisorowitz, Maibachi et al. continue to mine ore from the US public with Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy, Fall 2023: Drawing on a representative sample of the U.S. adult population, the authors describe how registered ...
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  • ELE LUDEMANN: It wasn’t just $55 million
    Ele Ludemann writes –  Winston Peters reckons media outlets were bribed by the $55 million Public Interest Journalism Fund. He is not the first to make such an accusation. Last year, the Platform outlined conditions media signed up to in return for funds from the PJIF: . . . ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 1-December-2023
    Wow, it’s December already, and it’s a Friday. So here are few things that caught our attention recently. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt covered the new government’s coalition agreements and what they mean for transport. On Tuesday Matt looked at AT’s plans for fare increases ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • Shane MacGowan Is Gone.
    Late 1996, The Dogs Bollix, Tamaki Makaurau.I’m at the front of the bar yelling my order to the bartender, jostling with other thirsty punters on a Friday night, keen to piss their wages up against a wall letting loose. The black stuff, long luscious pints of creamy goodness. Back down ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Dec 1
    Nicola Willis, Chris Bishop and other National, ACT and NZ First MPs applaud the signing of the coalition agreements, which included the reversal of anti-smoking measures while accelerating tax cuts for landlords. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2023 More Reading: November (+ Writing Update)
    Completed reads for November: A Modern Utopia, by H.G. Wells The Vampire (poem), by Heinrich August Ossenfelder The Corpus Hermeticum The Corpus Hermeticum is Mead’s translation. Now, this is indeed a very quiet month for reading. But there is a reason for that… You see, ...
    6 days ago
  • Forward to 2017
    The coalition party agreements are mainly about returning to 2017 when National lost power. They show commonalities but also some serious divergencies.The two coalition agreements – one National and ACT, the other National and New Zealand First – are more than policy documents. They also describe the processes of the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    6 days ago
  • Questions a nine year old might ask the new Prime Minister
    First QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Questions a nine year old might ask the new Prime Minister
    First QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Finally
    Henry Kissinger is finally dead. Good fucking riddance. While Americans loved him, he was a war criminal, responsible for most of the atrocities of the final quarter of the twentieth century. Cambodia. Bangladesh. Chile. East Timor. All Kissinger. Because of these crimes, Americans revere him as a "statesman" (which says ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Government in a hurry – Luxon lists 49 priorities in 100-day plan while Peters pledges to strength...
    Buzz from the Beehive Yes, ministers in the new government are delivering speeches and releasing press statements. But the message on the government’s official website was the same as it has been for the past several days, when Point of Order went looking for news from the Beehive that had ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • DAVID FARRAR: Luxon is absolutely right
    David Farrar writes  –  1 News reports: Christopher Luxon says he was told by some Kiwis on the campaign trail they “didn’t know” the difference between Waka Kotahi, Te Pūkenga and Te Whatu Ora. Speaking to Breakfast, the incoming prime minister said having English first on government agencies will “make sure” ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Top 10 at 10 am for Thursday, Nov 30
    There are fears that mooted changes to building consent liability could end up driving the building industry into an uninsured hole. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere as of 10 am on Thursday, November 30, including:The new Government’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on how climate change threatens cricket‘s future
    Well that didn’t last long, did it? Mere days after taking on what he called the “awesome responsibility” of being Prime Minister, M Christopher Luxon has started blaming everyone else, and complaining that he has inherited “economic vandalism on an unprecedented scale” – which is how most of us are ...
    6 days ago
  • We need to talk about Tory.
    The first I knew of the news about Tory Whanau was when a tweet came up in my feed.The sort of tweet that makes you question humanity, or at least why you bother with Twitter. Which is increasingly a cesspit of vile inhabitants who lurk spreading negativity, hate, and every ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Dangling Transport Solutions
    Cable Cars, Gondolas, Ropeways and Aerial Trams are all names for essentially the same technology and the world’s biggest maker of them are here to sell them as an public transport solution. Stuff reports: Austrian cable car company Doppelmayr has launched its case for adding aerial cable cars to New ...
    6 days ago
  • November AMA
    Hi,It’s been awhile since I’ve done an Ask-Me-Anything on here, so today’s the day. Ask anything you like in the comments section, and I’ll be checking in today and tomorrow to answer.Leave a commentNext week I’ll be giving away a bunch of these Mister Organ blu-rays for readers in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • National’s early moves adding to cost of living pressure
    The cost of living grind continues, and the economic and inflation honeymoon is over before it began. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: PM Christopher Luxon unveiled his 100 day plan yesterday with an avowed focus of reducing cost-of-living pressures, but his Government’s initial moves and promises are actually elevating ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Backwards to the future
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has confirmed that it will be back to the future on planning legislation. This will be just one of a number of moves which will see the new government go backwards as it repeals and cost-cuts its way into power. They will completely repeal one ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • New initiatives in science and technology could point the way ahead for Luxon government
    As the new government settles into the Beehive, expectations are high that it can sort out some  of  the  economic issues  confronting  New Zealand. It may take time for some new  ministers to get to grips with the range of their portfolio work and responsibilities before they can launch the  changes that  ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    7 days ago
  • Treaty pledge to secure funding is contentious – but is Peters being pursued by a lynch mob after ...
    TV3 political editor Jenna Lynch was among the corps of political reporters who bridled, when Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told them what he thinks of them (which is not much). She was unabashed about letting her audience know she had bridled. More usefully, she drew attention to something which ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago
  • How long does this last?
    I have a clear memory of every election since 1969 in this plucky little nation of ours. I swear I cannot recall a single one where the question being asked repeatedly in the first week of the new government was: how long do you reckon they’ll last? And that includes all ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago
  • National’s giveaway politics
    We already know that national plans to boost smoking rates to collect more tobacco tax so they can give huge tax-cuts to mega-landlords. But this morning that policy got even more obscene - because it turns out that the tax cut is retrospective: Residential landlords will be able to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago
  • CHRIS TROTTER: Who’s driving the right-wing bus?
    Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In 2023, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago
  • GRAHAM ADAMS:  Media knives flashing for Luxon’s government
    The fear and loathing among legacy journalists is astonishing Graham Adams writes – No one is going to die wondering how some of the nation’s most influential journalists personally view the new National-led government. It has become abundantly clear within a few days of the coalition agreements ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    1 week ago
  • Top 10 news links for Wednesday, Nov 29
    TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere for Wednesday November 29, including:The early return of interest deductibility for landlords could see rebates paid on previous taxes and the cost increase to $3 billion from National’s initial estimate of $2.1 billion, CTU Economist Craig Renney estimated here last ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Smokefree Fallout and a High Profile Resignation.
    The day after being sworn in the new cabinet met yesterday, to enjoy their honeymoon phase. You remember, that period after a new government takes power where the country, and the media, are optimistic about them, because they haven’t had a chance to stuff anything about yet.Sadly the nuptials complete ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • As Cabinet revs up, building plans go on hold
    Wellington Council hoardings proclaim its preparations for population growth, but around the country councils are putting things on hold in the absence of clear funding pathways for infrastructure, and despite exploding migrant numbers. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Cabinet meets in earnest today to consider the new Government’s 100-day ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • National takes over infrastructure
    Though New Zealand First may have had ambitions to run the infrastructure portfolios, National would seem to have ended up firmly in control of them.  POLITIK has obtained a private memo to members of Infrastructure NZ yesterday, which shows that the peak organisation for infrastructure sees  National MPs Chris ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 week ago
  • At a glance – Evidence for global warming
    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 week ago
  • Who’s Driving The Right-Wing Bus?
    Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In ...
    1 week ago

  • PISA results show urgent need to teach the basics
    With 2022 PISA results showing a decline in achievement, Education Minister Erica Stanford is confident that the Coalition Government’s 100-day plan for education will improve outcomes for Kiwi kids.  The 2022 PISA results show a significant decline in the performance of 15-year-old students in maths compared to 2018 and confirms ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • Collins leaves for Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins today departed for New Caledonia to attend the 8th annual South Pacific Defence Ministers’ meeting (SPDMM). “This meeting is an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security matters and to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the Pacific,” Judith Collins says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Working for Families gets cost of living boost
    Putting more money in the pockets of hard-working families is a priority of this Coalition Government, starting with an increase to Working for Families, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “We are starting our 100-day plan with a laser focus on bringing down the cost of living, because that is what ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme scrapped
    The Government has axed the $16 billion Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme championed by the previous government, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says. “This hugely wasteful project was pouring money down the drain at a time when we need to be reining in spending and focussing on rebuilding the economy and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • NZ welcomes further pause in fighting in Gaza
    New Zealand welcomes the further one-day extension of the pause in fighting, which will allow the delivery of more urgently-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza and the release of more hostages, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said. “The human cost of the conflict is horrific, and New Zealand wants to see the violence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Condolences on passing of Henry Kissinger
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters today expressed on behalf of the New Zealand Government his condolences to the family of former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who has passed away at the age of 100 at his home in Connecticut. “While opinions on his legacy are varied, Secretary Kissinger was ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Backing our kids to learn the basics
    Every child deserves a world-leading education, and the Coalition Government is making that a priority as part of its 100-day plan. Education Minister Erica Stanford says that will start with banning cellphone use at school and ensuring all primary students spend one hour on reading, writing, and maths each day. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • US Business Summit Speech – Regional stability through trade
    I would like to begin by echoing the Prime Minister’s thanks to the organisers of this Summit, Fran O’Sullivan and the Auckland Business Chamber.  I want to also acknowledge the many leading exporters, sector representatives, diplomats, and other leaders we have joining us in the room. In particular, I would like ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Keynote Address to the United States Business Summit, Auckland
    Good morning. Thank you, Rosemary, for your warm introduction, and to Fran and Simon for this opportunity to make some brief comments about New Zealand’s relationship with the United States.  This is also a chance to acknowledge my colleague, Minister for Trade Todd McClay, Ambassador Tom Udall, Secretary of Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • India New Zealand Business Council Speech, India as a Strategic Priority
    Good morning, tēnā koutou and namaskar. Many thanks, Michael, for your warm welcome. I would like to acknowledge the work of the India New Zealand Business Council in facilitating today’s event and for the Council’s broader work in supporting a coordinated approach for lifting New Zealand-India relations. I want to also ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Coalition Government unveils 100-day plan
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has laid out the Coalition Government’s plan for its first 100 days from today. “The last few years have been incredibly tough for so many New Zealanders. People have put their trust in National, ACT and NZ First to steer them towards a better, more prosperous ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • New Zealand welcomes European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement
    A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Further humanitarian support for Gaza, the West Bank and Israel
    The Government is contributing a further $5 million to support the response to urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, bringing New Zealand’s total contribution to the humanitarian response so far to $10 million. “New Zealand is deeply saddened by the loss of civilian life and the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

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