Why does National hate EVs?

Written By: - Date published: 2:17 pm, January 17th, 2024 - 71 comments
Categories: climate change, Environment, public transport, science, simeon brown, transport - Tags:

Transport Simeon Brown has shown what his true priorities are.  In the first three months of his term not only has he cancelled the Auckland light rail project but he has also cancelled the clean car discount policy and moved quickly to impose road user charges on electric vehicles and plug in hybrids.

As congestion grows and the wall of bus problem in the inner city increases the folly of the first decision will be shown.  Sure Labour overcooked the scale of the project and it should have been at grade rather than tunneled but it is still required.  While overseas cities rush to implement advanced rail systems Simeon wants to build more tarmac.

The EV policy changes are especially galling.

The Clean Car discount policy was working very well and EV numbers were skyrocketing.  Sure the overall environmental benefit from EVs is complex and there are better things that we can do but EVs, particularly the smaller ones, are way better than gas guzzling utes.

And although road pricing was inevitable the haste with which it is being introduced is unwarranted.  Despite the surge EVs currently only make up about 2% of the total fleet.  Every incentive should be used to increase numbers.  The slow in the growth in EV numbers that the policy will cause will only mean that the country will have to pay more for carbon credits because we will not meet our international obligations.

As has been pointed out by people in the know.  From Radio New Zealand:

It does not take a rocket scientist to realise the government’s decision to implement road user charges for electric vehicles will really slow down sales, industry group Drive Electric says.

On Tuesday, the government announced EVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles will no longer be exempt from road-user charges as of 1 April.

Owners of light EVs will pay $76 per 1000 kilometres, to match equivalent diesel-powered vehicles.

Meanwhile, plug-in hybrid owners will pay a reduced rate of $53 per 1000km so they are not double taxed by the fuel excise duty.

Drive Electric chairperson Kirsten Corson told Morning Report the decision alongside losing the EV clean car discount will have a significant impact on sales.

“[It’s] disappointing in our bid to hit our Paris Agreement target.”

Corson said incentives had a “dramatic” impact on sales, with EV sales sitting at around 2 percent of new car sales every month in 2018. That increased to more than 27 percent by 2023.

“We know the biggest barrier is the upfront capital cost of EVs is higher, so we do need to talk to the government and see how we could put some incentives in place like other countries do.”

In dollar terms the change will bring in $80 million in revenue.  The National Land Transport Fund last year brought in about $4.2 billion in RUC, FED and other income so the extra income is about 1.9% of the NLTF total.  There was no need for this to happen urgently.

And it is a false economy.  The shortfall in the country’s greenhouse gas commitments will require the purchase of carbon credits.

And purchase decisions made now will have long term effects.  As noted by the Climate Commission in its final advice to inform the Government’s plan to meet Aotearoa New Zealand’s greenhouse gas reduction goal for 2026–2030 states:

Decisions made in the second emissions budget period will impact Aotearoa New Zealand’s ability to meet the third emissions budget. For example, the large jump in emissions reductions expected
from transport in the third emissions budget relies on a rapid scaling up of electric vehicle sales in the 2020s. Without that early scaling up, a higher-emissions vehicle fleet will be locked in, making the necessary emissions reductions from transport more costly and disruptive.

The Commission’s conclusion about the success of the Clean Car discount policy is particularly galling.  From the Commission’s advice:

[U]ptake of low-emissions vehicles has grown rapidly since the introduction of the Clean Car Discount in 2021, exceeding Te Manatū Waka Ministry of Transport’s modelled impact of the Clean Car policy package. The share of electric light vehicle registrations in 2022 grew to over 10% – a level not achieved until 2028 in the Ministry’s modelling. This also exceeds the Commission’s demonstration path, which projected a 6% share in 2022, reaching 11% in 2025. The share of hybrids also grew well beyond what was expected. This highlights the opportunity for electric and hybrid vehicles to deliver significantly higher and faster emissions reductions than previously thought.

Simeon’s preference, building more roads, is the worst thing you can do if you want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  This graphic from the Commission’s advice shows how retrograde what he is proposing is.

At a time when we need cool heads and leaders who understand the enormity of the problem that is climate change and the consequences of getting our response right we are getting this retrograde culture war from people who should know better.

71 comments on “Why does National hate EVs? ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Res Publica 1
    17 January 2024 at 2:52 pm

    Ironically, if my memory serves me right, the RUC exception for EVs was introduced by National last time they were in government. And was one of the very few good ideas Simon Bridges had as transport minister.

    When you're hastily trying to undo an accidentally good policy made by your own party as recently as 6 or 7 years ago, you have a problem.

  2. alwyn 2
    17 January 2024 at 2:53 pm

    You state that National "moved quickly to impose road user charges on electric vehicles and plug in hybrids".

    Why are you misrepresenting what the Government is doing? After all they are merely continuing what the previous Government had scheduled. That was that the exemption from RUC for electric vehicles should terminate on 1 April 2024.

    That was all the Labour had proposed, and budgeted for. If they had intended to go on for longer they should have announced, and financed the extension. They didn't make any provision for it and National are merely allowing the Labour scheme to come to its planned end. It was Labour who intended the exemption to end on that date.

    Prior to April 2023 the then Labour Government held consultations on the topic of

    "how light electric vehicle (EV) owners can transition into paying RUC when the exemption for EVs ends on 31 March 2024"

    https://www.transport.govt.nz/area-of-interest/revenue/road-user-charges-system/

    • Chess Player 2.1
      17 January 2024 at 6:38 pm

      Correct – and I think anyone who did their research would know this.

      I did, and got a PHEV which works well for my situation.

      It would help if the funds gathered from RUC were ring-fenced and demonstrated to be spent on maintaining infrastructure, but that's not something any political party would take on, I suspect.

      On the bell curve of innovation adoption, 2 to 2.5% is about the level of uptake classed as Innovators, and then the growth comes from Early Adopters.

      NZers tend to own cars for a long time and keep fixing them as long as they can, so from my perspective that's the best environmental approach as repairing things and maximising their lifetime is better than creating new things and scrapping the old things when they still have life in them.

    • mickysavage 2.2
      17 January 2024 at 8:53 pm

      Que?

      I said that RUC for EVs was inevitable. But they dont have to do it now. They could delay the implementation.

      And are you saying that National is just following through with what the last Government was doing?

      If so why set the level at such a rate that hybrids are cheaper to run?

      • Chess Player 2.2.1
        18 January 2024 at 6:19 pm

        So, typically you're complaining that the new govt does the opposite of, or undoes, what Labour did, and now you're complaining that they shouldn't have done what Labour had planned?

        And as regards hybrids, they are a transition product, which is pivotal to the conversion towards electric over time, as many wouldn't take the leap to go full electric yet.

      • alwyn 2.2.2
        18 January 2024 at 6:21 pm

        People have been preparing for the move to RUC on electric vehicles ever since the last Government set the date for the change on 1 April 2024.

        Why create more confusion now? The last Government set 1 April this year and without very strong arguments that they were very badly wrong why not stay with it?

        A case can be made that the rate for EVs should be more than twice the rate for the simple hybrid form used by companies such as Honda or Toyota rather than just double the figure. Pure EVs are much heavier than hybrids and the damage done to a road goes up by the fourth power of the axle weight.

        I will look at the Kia Niro which was, I believe, the subject of the complaint about the RUC for an EV compared to the simple hybrid which would only pay Motor spirit taxes. It is just a back of envelope calculation but it should exhibit the argument.

        The kerb weight of a petrol driven, simple hybrid, Niro is 1470kg. The EV is 1893kg. Assuming 50% of the load is on each axle the weight, and axle load, ratio is 1.28. The fourth power of this is 2.75. Thus to a first approximation the charge should be 2.75 times as much for the EV as for the ICE version.

        That is very simplified of course but it does illustrate why it is reasonable to charge more for an EV than a hybrid with only a very small battery.

        Weights are taken from

        https://kia.co.nz/vehicles/niro/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5_XCypXmgwMVTAx7Bx2wLQKPEAAYAiAAEgLxwvD_BwE

    • Tricledrown 2.3
      18 January 2024 at 9:40 am

      Alwyn you are right wing er but you forgot that MMP was put in place back in 1996.

      Labour had an outright majority in the last term of govt.

      They would have to rely on the Green's if they had got over the line.

      But National blue and Labour Red (look blue go purple ) Labour otherwise known as as National lite ,lite blue is the commoners description of what is today's Labour Party !

      National and Labour both are not looking at the savings of not importing vast quantities of very expensive oil.The biggest single item using up around 30% of foriegn exchange earned from exports.

      We would be a far wealthier country without a continuing huge balance of payments debt which has continued for decades and cost 's our country more in higher interest rates being a debter rather than a saver.

      I thought the heart of "Con"servative bedrock economic management was to "always" balance the books.

      Dependence on imported oil leaving NZ in continual debt.

  3. Michael 3
    17 January 2024 at 2:54 pm

    National hates EVs because it is owned by Big Oil.

    • alwyn 3.1
      17 January 2024 at 3:00 pm

      Really? And your evidence is what precisely?

      • CharlieB 3.1.1
        17 January 2024 at 7:14 pm

        Probably not entirely owned by 'big oil'.. but they were certainly paid a big chunk of donation money by mainfrieght and a couple of the other trucking companies.. Having EV and PHEV owners pay a disproportionate amount in RUC's helps those fellas pay less.

      • Michael 3.1.2
        18 January 2024 at 9:13 am

        Res ipsa loquitur.

        • alwyn 3.1.2.1
          18 January 2024 at 6:24 pm

          I guess by that quote you are simply saying "I have no idea but I have never let a lack of logic inhibit my comments"

        • weka 3.1.2.2
          18 January 2024 at 6:57 pm

          mod note: the matter doesn't speak for itself. If you want to make a claim of fact like that please explain your thinking, and back up with evidence as necessary. Read the site Policy on this.

    • Tricledrown 3.2
      18 January 2024 at 9:51 am

      Michael my opinion as I Don't have the links maybe someone can allude to what's going on . But I am sure Between National ACT,NZfirst some have oil donations some have tobacco , some have roadtransport some have road building contractors donations as far as I know.

    • roblogic 3.3
      18 January 2024 at 8:19 pm

      Quite likely.. .there's definitely a pattern here

      So to recap. So far Boy Wonder has tackled transport emissions by:

      1/taxing EVs at twice the rate of diesels

      2/canceling funding for all walking & cycling projects nationwide

      3/canceling Auckland's biggest transit project with no replacement.

      I'm sure this will work out fine

      https://x.com/Cameron78588471/status/1747481194235932744?s=20

  4. ianmac 4
    17 January 2024 at 3:23 pm

    No Right Turn has an alarming message re taxes on E-cars:

    ….EVs pay road-user charges. "But they're making the e-cars pay tax at twice the amount an equivalent modern vehicle would pay in petrol excise tax:

    https://norightturn.blogspot.com/2024/01/from-clean-car-discount-to-clean-car-tax.html

    • mikesh 4.1
      18 January 2024 at 9:15 am

      One would have to wonder how the $80.00 figure was arrived at. How many kilowatts would be needed per 1000 km on average? Knowing that, one could arrange for the EV equivalent of a “gas guzzler” to pay more than a more economical vehicle.

    • Tricledrown 4.2
      18 January 2024 at 9:56 am

      Maybe Christoper robin Luxon could take some of his low taxed rent money and pay the $8,500 taxpayer subsidy his wife recieved and the unpaid road user charges back so we can fix some potholes.

    • Graeme 4.3
      18 January 2024 at 10:21 am

      The road user component of petrol excise would have been calculated when an economical car used 8 l/100km. I've got a 10 yo base model Demio that does half that.

      Very good case for petrol vehicles to move to a milage based road user charge and a carbon charge on hydrocarbon fuels. The Government has said it's looking at it, but no timeframe, in the ODT

      The government has said it intends to move petrol cars to the same road user charges system as diesel and electric vehicles, but has not set a date.

      • Ghostwhowalks 4.3.1
        18 January 2024 at 2:52 pm

        Good points . But they are basing EV RUC on the diesel cars which were even more economical than the petrol cars 8L/100km figure you mention

        Havent actually seen the numbers other than the 'Twice as much ' headline grabber

        • Ghostwhowalks 4.3.1.1
          18 January 2024 at 3:07 pm

          I see WK/ NZTA discussion document from 2022 talks about a 'light' petrol car driving 11,000 km per year and fuel consumption is 9.5 L/100km – on average

          The heaviest HGW trucks pay $95,000 RUC for their mileage 150,000 km pa

          Maybe they could extend the ‘light’ electric or petrol vehicle of 1 tonne or less up to say 1.5 tonne at a reduced rate ?
          https://www.transport.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/RUCDD-2022.pdf

          • Stephen D 4.3.1.1.1
            18 January 2024 at 4:11 pm

            Currently my hybrid is doing 5.3l/100k.

            • alwyn 4.3.1.1.1.1
              18 January 2024 at 7:43 pm

              I get a steady 3.9 l/100km from a Honda Jazz and about 5.2 l/100km from a Toyota Camry.

              I can see no reason at all to buy anything other than a basic hybrid. If we really got up to high percentages of EV or PHEV I don't think we would be able to charge them.

        • Graeme 4.3.1.2
          18 January 2024 at 3:32 pm

          The 'twice as much" headline was based on a modern small petrol car using around 4 l/100km. With light diesels ISTR that the rate was set to approximate what the 'average' petrol car would pay through the excise. Worked for a larger car, but completely stuffed up the economics of small diesel cars compared to petrol. Your link below goes there.

          Unfortunate reality is that the owner of the small modern petrol car is only paying half what they should be.

          • Ghostwhowalks 4.3.1.2.1
            18 January 2024 at 7:56 pm

            I drive a lot less than an average of 11,000km a year.

            Thats the point of an average though.

            Yes another lighter vehicle category would be good , but arent full electric cars heavier

            • alwyn 4.3.1.2.1.1
              18 January 2024 at 8:51 pm

              To your last sentence I would say yes and yes.

              The lowest category is for vehicles of up to 3500kg I believe That isn't a small vehicle. It is a rather large truck I would think.

              Even a minimum of category of up to 2000 kg would make a difference.

    • alwyn 4.4
      18 January 2024 at 6:26 pm

      I have commented on this in a comment just above here. It is rough and ready but does give some justification.

      https://thestandard.org.nz/why-does-national-hate-evs/#comment-1985445

  5. Sanctuary 5
    17 January 2024 at 3:26 pm

    Simeon Browne has completely drunk the kool-aid of US style nihilistic culture wars. He doesn't care about the climate or good policy, he just wants to own the libs.

    • Tony Veitch 5.1
      19 January 2024 at 5:41 am

      As my grandmother used to say (and that's going back a bit, believe me) the Natz are 'bought and well paid for' by . . .

  6. SPC 6
    17 January 2024 at 3:37 pm

    An example of who runs the National Party caucus – get rid of the Auckland petrol tax for the boys with SUV's and place RUC on the girls with EV's.

    There is a reason the Teal women independents supplanted the (petrol heads) boys of the Liberal caucus in those urban seats over the ditch.

  7. Sanctuary 7
    17 January 2024 at 3:41 pm

    "…There is a reason the Teal women independents supplanted the (petrol heads) boys of the Liberal caucus in those urban seats over the ditch…"

    Unfortunately, the Teal independents is the modern NZ Labour party, and they just lost.

    • Chess Player 7.1
      18 January 2024 at 6:14 pm

      Lol

      The NZ Labour Party is anything but teal, and none of them can think or act independently.

      Teal seems to be the name for those who are both capitalists (or at least understand that bills do need to be paid) and those who value the environment.

      Who in Labour has that? They had 6 years with the Greens collaborating and resisted environmental improvement all the way, and then lost out to the capitalist party. They're clearly no good at either.

      As for the 'independent' perspective? Yeah nah, maybe one or two wake up in the night thinking they need to take a different path, but at the end of the day they just line up and nod for their pay check like the other drones.

  8. Pat 8
    17 January 2024 at 3:49 pm

    Labour had already announced the end of the EV exemption prior to the election.

  9. David 9
    17 January 2024 at 4:18 pm

    "Sure Labour overcooked the scale of the project …"

    'Overcooked'? That is an understatement of epic proportions. Here's Matt Lowrie's take:

    "As a huge advocate for better public transport in Auckland, it continues to feel a bit weird that I’m not upset that a major public transport project is being cancelled. Instead I continue to feel disappointed and frustrated at the previous government for botching this project so badly that it was further from becoming a reality in 2023 than it was when they took it over in 2017."

    And his piece at Looking Back at Labour's Transport Performance – Greater Auckland looks in more detail at the Light Rail project, and in particular the part of both Phil Twyford and Michael Wood in it's demise.

    • Bearded Git 9.1
      17 January 2024 at 4:47 pm

      Winston stopped light rail in 2020. The Greens and Labour had contracts ready to be signed in 2020 but Peters used his NZF votes in parliament to stop this.

      The fact that there is no light rail already built in Auckland is entirely due to Winston Peters.

      • Tiger Mountain 9.1.1
        17 January 2024 at 4:48 pm

        yes

      • David 9.1.2
        17 January 2024 at 5:28 pm

        “Under Labour’s first transport minister Phil Twyford, Waka Kotahi were also ready to start delivering it, and my understanding is they had contracts ready to sign to start enabling works – that was, until the government got distracted by the NZ Super Fund proposal – which then led to the bizarre twin-track process that saw Waka Kotahi competing with the NZ Super Fund for who would build it. It turns out the Super Fund would have won the gig, had Winston Peters not blocked it a few months out from the 2020 election”.

        and

        “The new transport minister, Michael Wood, reset the process in 2021 – but notably put in charge the same consultants who were behind Waka Kotahi’s failed bid in the previous process; and this resulted in the tunnelled light rail proposal we have today. I feel that both Phil Twyford and Michael Wood got distracted by thinking they could be the ones to right the wrongs of the past – for example, the abandonment of schemes like that pushed by Sir Dove-Myer Robinson. Both often repeated the urban legends that have built up around ‘Robbie’s Rail’ but ignored the hard-learned lessons, that any programme needs to be fundable and builable in a rational, staged way. They were certainly encouraged by some officials and industry players to ‘build big’ from the start, and not repeat the experience of the Harbour Bridge which soon needed to be expanded again – even though (as the Harbour Bridge example shows), taking a staged approach would likely have resulted in a better overall system. Had they not been distracted, light rail along Dominion Rd would be in operation now – but sadly, the concept is probably now dead for a generation due to Labour’s mismanagement.”

        Looking Back at Labour's Transport Performance – Greater Auckland

  10. Tiger Mountain 10
    17 January 2024 at 4:47 pm

    The Natzos are supporting the right voting Ford Raptor and Ranger crowd who tow trailer loads of trail bikes, twin Mercury powered boats and jet skis rather than doing what is necessary–reducing fossil fuel use. Short term culture war vote herding that will have a long term effect if ICE vehicles span is increased.

  11. Mike the Lefty 11
    17 January 2024 at 4:57 pm

    Because Simeon Brown is a petrolhead, glorifying in putting down EVs. I get plenty of his Facebook feeds (unwanted) and he is always pictured with some kind of gas guzzling ute or sports car. Geoff Upson and similar minds regard him as a God because he promises all potholes will be fixed. But he is really just another National big headed big mouthed twerp totally full of himself, intoxicated with victory and devoid of common sense.

  12. Rolling-on-Gravel 12
    17 January 2024 at 5:27 pm

    It really is disappointing that we are regressing as a society on this topic when we should be amongst the leaders on this amongst the countries.

    It is infuriating that Simeon Brown et al are so much like teens who harm animals and other people to upset their parents just to seem "cool" to other teens who egg them onto doing worse things until everyone at the school and the family become harmed by their actions.

    Polluting the earth just to fit in with rich and/or cruel and loudmouthed jerks is no way to go through life.

    We will all pay for what we voted in with no mercy.

    Fuck you, National and ACT and NZF for helping destroy Aotearoa/NZ. You are the gobshites for harming your fellow people just to profit and to bask in the pain of other people.

    Proliferation of electric vehicles won't be perfect however it is a vast improvement on the status quo where we become sick from the exhaust smoke of the vehicles powered by fossil fuels.

  13. bwaghorn 13
    17 January 2024 at 6:54 pm

    As committed chardonnay socialists all ev drivers would have no problem contributing to the roads they drive, surly?

    Fuck luxon owns 2 he'd hate taking stuff for free surely, except maybe the ev subsidize but that was the little woman!@

  14. Chess Player 14
    17 January 2024 at 8:27 pm

    RUC will come to petrol cars too, as they should – it's just a matter of time

  15. No-Skates 15
    18 January 2024 at 8:19 am

    As an environmental conservative, it's really upsetting to see these to see these progressives win. What happened to good ol' fashioned values like living within your means, or providing a bright future for your children? Instead they want to raise the temperature more and more, and they expect everyone else to pay for it!

    They need to learn some personal responsibility. Stop pointing to others who are worse to excuse themselves from trying to better themselves, stop assuming some magical technology is going save them from their degeneracy, realise they're hurting their kids and themselves, and accept the consequences of their own actions.

    • Robert Guyton 15.1
      18 January 2024 at 10:25 am

      "They need to…"

      They haven't yet.

      They won't.

      Now, what do WE do about this awful business..?

  16. Ad 16
    18 January 2024 at 1:36 pm

    Neither NZTA nor IRD have a mechanism to collect RUC on this scale.

    NZTA have taken a decade to roll out a nationwide pt ticket system, starting a trial in Canterbury after a decade. So I'm not brimming with confidence.

    All tax must be efficient to administer, and fuel tax has been excellent. Nationwide RUC will be massively evaded.

    Also I bet RUC is regressive: the poor travel more for their multiple or delivery jobs.

    We shouldn't assume RUC is good for us.

    • Ghostwhowalks 16.1
      18 January 2024 at 2:57 pm

      RUC are already collected from diesel cars and utes. And every truck on the road

      And I have seen police checkpoint stops where they wave everyone through except RUC vehicles ( they can bee seen easily enough as they have two stickers- rego and RUC paid for.)

      Its no different to Rego stickers which have to be bought every year- much of which is ACC levy.

      • Ad 16.1.1
        18 January 2024 at 7:09 pm

        RUC isn't applied to 91% of our fleet.

        If you think there's not major evasion already on the 9% who could pay RUC you are mistaken.

        About 250,000 of 4,500,000 vehicles supposedly paying RUC.

        Step that up to 100% and you have another major black market.

        Also estimates I’ve seen is a further 6% vehicles on the road no license at all.

        • Pat 16.1.1.1
          18 January 2024 at 7:40 pm

          https://www.linktgo.com.au/how-it-works

          I expect that when RUC charges are universal it will involve a GPS tracking and billing as is used on Australian toll roads.

          • Ad 16.1.1.1.1
            18 January 2024 at 7:45 pm

            Remind me if we have a human right not to be tracked under BORA.

            • Ghostwhowalks 16.1.1.1.1.1
              18 January 2024 at 7:51 pm

              Could be .

              However similar sort of question came up over flouridation breaching the right to refuse medical treatment

              Supreme court settled it by saying it 'wasnt medical treatment as in a theraputic relationship'

              Key word was 'treatment'

            • Pat 16.1.1.1.1.2
              18 January 2024 at 8:01 pm

              I expect the rights will align with those in Victoria….where the system has been operating for years for toll roads.

              Perhaps you can make a case why it may be a breach of NZBoRA

              • Ad …
                18 January 2024 at 10:09 pm

                I don't work for Fonterra.

                Private vehicles are private.

                • Pat …
                  18 January 2024 at 10:30 pm

                  So workers arnt protected by BORA…that could be a problem dont you think?

                  Id suggest there is no issue and nor will any administration seeking to make RUC collection as effective and as efficient as possible

                  • Incognito …
                    18 January 2024 at 10:40 pm

                    All NZ Law has to be consistent with the BORA.

                    • Pat …
                      18 January 2024 at 10:46 pm

                      And I'm quite sure that Fonterra can afford the best legal advice.

                    • Chris …
                      19 January 2024 at 9:13 am

                      I don't think it does. The executive must interpret the law consistently with the BORA wherever possible, but legislation doesn't have to be consistent with it. For example, the A-G must flag to Parliament any bill that might be inconsistent with the BORA, but that doesn't mean the bill can't be passed into legislation. Another example is that despite a declaration from a court that legislation is inconsistent with the BORA, that doesn't strike that legislation down.

                  • Ad …
                    19 January 2024 at 8:25 am

                    OK so now I have to do a post on the fairness of fuel tax versus RUC.

                    This is going to take a weekend to draft.

                    • Pat …
                      19 January 2024 at 8:56 am

                      I will be interested to read that (no pressure)….Im unsure that RUC is any less fair than excise but I would note that I find RUC paid manually in advance a pain in the arse and that payment at the pump is convenient by comparison.

                      Not matter what system ends up being implemented all motorists will end up paying for the roads and probably at an increased rate in the future and there will be protest and concerns.

            • Craig H 16.1.1.1.1.4
              19 January 2024 at 3:11 pm

              We have a right of freedom of movement (s18 NZBORA). However, all rights recognised by NZBORA are subject to justified limitations (s5).

              It's very unclear whether that right would cover government tracking of vehicles for protection of public revenue, and if it did, whether that would be a justified limitation.

  17. Ffloyd 17
    18 January 2024 at 9:15 pm

    Every time I see that photo of Simeon Brown I kept wondering who he reminded me of and then it just came to me. PEE WEE HERMAN! Dead ringer.

  18. Thinker 18
    18 January 2024 at 10:34 pm

    Greed Is Good, Follow The Money…

    (Gordon Gecko, Wall St Movie)

    • Incognito 18.1
      18 January 2024 at 10:41 pm

      Hmmm, meaning??

      • alwyn 18.1.1
        19 January 2024 at 10:25 am

        Nominative determinism?

        People develop views that match their initials perhaps?

        Hence Gordon Gecko has traits that Greed is Good. Perhaps it applies to other politicians?

  19. SPC 19
    20 January 2024 at 7:22 am

    It's now official

    The costs of scrapping the Clean Car Discount would be about double the financial benefits of doing so, transport officials calculated.

    But as we know, the government had already decided it did not want to get any advice from officials that explained why their planed action was bad policy.

    The advice was finalised in November but never officially presented to Cabinet, because the new government suspended the need for regulatory impact statements for undoing Labour-era policies.

    https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/01/19/scrapping-clean-car-discount-will-cost-twice-what-it-saves-transport-officials/

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    New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    19 hours ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: The unravelling of the offsets

    The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    23 hours ago
  • What makes us tick

    This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 day ago
  • Foreshore and seabed 2.0

    In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the Royal Commission report into abuse in care

    Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 26-July-2024

    Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 day ago
  • God what a relief

    1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Trust In Me

    Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 26

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

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