Your PM at work for you

Written By: - Date published: 7:35 am, September 20th, 2011 - 38 comments
Categories: john key, leadership, national, superannuation - Tags: ,

Two news snippets yesterday seemed to me to capture the essence of John Key PM.  The first:

Govt rejects ‘fairer’ pension scheme suggestions

The Prime Minister said he has “too much on his plate” to act on recommendations to make the pension scheme fairer.

This wasn’t the big, contentious stuff like raising the age of eligibility. Key is rejecting minor, sensible changes out of hand:

Now the Government has also rejected some smaller suggestions included in her report. “It’s disappointing because I thought the last three recommendations that we were waiting for an answer for, were about fairness,” Crossan said.

Too busy to take action? Can’t be bothered? Nice one John. On to the second example:

Quake insurance coming right – Key

The insurance situation in Christchurch will settle down and more companies are coming into the market, Prime Minister John Key says.

Any idea when it will “settle down” John? Want to put a time frame on that? Because I can tell you just from the examples that I know that insurance hassles are making life hell for people in Christchurch right here and now.

Mr Key said some people in Christchurch were able to get insurance but others were struggling.

“There are people coming into the market,” he said. “Lloyds of London put together a syndicate that insured a property the other day.

Really? Seriously? Lloyds of London, one of the biggest insurance companies in the world, has but together a syndicate that insured “a property” “the other day”? One? One property? And this is a sign that quake insurance is coming right?

Perhaps the best thing that John Key PM can do for NZ is go on another nice long holiday and let Bill English take over.

38 comments on “Your PM at work for you ”

  1. ghostwhowalksnz 1

    The Lloyds syndicate deal was probably for something like a shopping mall.

    New homeowners ? They can just leave their house un- completed till the insurers are ‘ready’

  2. vto 2

    he is such a lightweight.

  3. Bill 3

    Why hasn’t the Fat Controller simply issued an ultimatum to the insurance industry along the line of that if they don’t insure Ch/ch and peg any premiums to nothing above x%, then the entire insurance industry in NZ will be brought into public ownership?

    Insurance companies want, above all, to make money. They would have played ball if faced with the prospect of losing an entire market, ie NZ.

    As it is, they are the pipers calling the tune and the Fat Controller is simply jiggling with a big fat frown on his coupon.

    • queenstfarmer 3.1

      Why hasn’t the Fat Controller simply issued an ultimatum to the insurance industry… then the entire insurance industry in NZ will be brought into public ownership

      You need to learn the difference between insurance and re-insurance. The NZ insurance companies (which could theoretically be nationalised) only actually insure a small % of the risk. Most of the risk is covered by reinsurers. These are international companies that can’t be “brought into public ownership”.

      It is critical to get the reinsurers on-side, or else the entire NZ industry that you want the Govt to take over, will virtually cease to exist.

      • Draco T Bastard 3.1.1

        Actually, the best thing we could do is tell the re-insurers to eff off and nationalise insurance. Better service, better premiums and no money heading offshore to over-fill some parasites wallet.

        • Enough is Enough 3.1.1.1

          There are billions of dollars floating in now, and floodiing in next year, from off shore reinsurers Draco.

          Where would you expect that cash to come from if we told them to eff off.

          • Draco T Bastard 3.1.1.1.1

            Our taxes. Contrary to what you believe, money is not a resource and Chch will be built entirely with our own resources. Foreign money coming means absolutely nothing.

  4. scotty 4

    He also pulled out the bullshit line he used in the Hardtalk interview.

    something like,” For every property thats having insurance issues ,I can show you one that dosen’t.
    Excepted without question by MSM as usual.

    • drx 4.1

      >>For every property thats having insurance issues ,I can show you one that doesn’t.

      SO did he say that there are 50% having insurance problems?
      That seems excessive!!

  5. Pascal's bookie 5

    John Pagani tracks Key’s shifting rhetoric and positions here:

    http://johnpagani.posterous.com/do-the-same-standards-apply-to-key

  6. ECOGIRL 6

    No not Bill English to take over. We would have a further mess.

    Labour with Phill Goff to take over, with the plan and compassion.

    Also, why Lloyds of London? Am sick to death of foreign ownership of everything in NZ. How can we own OUR FUTURE when every Tom, Dick and Harry from off shore runs everything and silos of money leave the country daily.
    Buy house insurance with KIWI BANK, its OURS

    • insider 6.1

      What we are doing is asking those overseas people to please share some of our risk. If you want the whole risk to fall on you, good luck but I wouldn’t want that bill. Just as many hands make light work, so many pockets lowers the premiums.

      • bbfloyd 6.1.1

        don’t talk drivel insider…….. even for you, that was utter rubbish….. this isn’t fantasyland…. walt disney isn’t about to fix things up so the beautiful swan does become the star…. this is reality….. where we have a spineless, utterly unimaginative prime minister, backed by sociopathic, insanely greedy corporate puppies, forcing a whole city to sit in the snow and wait while they use them for political cannon fodder…….

        and all because they are trying to cover for the fact that they threw our money away and now can’t deal with the events that followed…. through irresponsible, shortsighted incompetence coupled with a dangerous lack of vision…. or the foresight relevant to how societies actually function properly…..we now have, once more, a morally and intellectually bankrupt government with nothing but lies and propaganda to cover the paucity of leadership…..

        the day we get a fourth column worth more than a tin of goat shit, then we have some chance of true leadership being recognised for what it is, and vacuous crosby/textor manipulation for what it is in truth…. then, and only then, will the “grown up” debates so necessary be able to take place…

      • Draco T Bastard 6.1.2

        The whole risk will fall on us anyway as the re-insurers and insurers up the premiums to boost their profits.

      • mik e 6.1.3

        Our balance of payments has go worse virtually every year since 1974 having overseas investment has a big downslide.

      • mik e 6.1.4

        They are prepared to take our money when everything is fine but when they have to do the job they are handsomely rewarded for these companies are no where to be found.

  7. headbanger 7

    John Key does not appear to understand the severity of this situation.
    No building work (apart from knocking things down) has happened in Canterbury in a whole year because of lack of insurance. Builders, buyers, sellers, renters, businesses – nothing. Plans cannot be started and previously finished homes sit empty. 
    Without insurance everything falls apart. No one between Ashburton and Kaikoura can even get new contents insurance! And what happens if companies stop renewing policies?
    Leaving it to the market will result in Christchurch becoming a ghost town in a very short time. For example, if people get their red-zone payouts before insurance is offered they CANNOT buy elsewhere in this region whether they want to or not! No bank will allow a mortgage on a property without insurance so they will all have to leave.
    Rather than taking on this problem like Labour, John Key is just hoping it will go away. Is Christchurch too big to fail? Key is gambling a $4 billion undeniable cost against a likely loss to the NZ economy of literally hundreds of billions of dollars bringing the entire country into recession if Christchurch does fail because of his lack of action.
    Labour’s plan is a breath of fresh air and finally gives this city and area some hope. Please let this happen!

  8. marsman 8

    John Key is the Prime Mincer of NZ, that’s what he does best, all the other stuff is just too much hard work for him. We MUST get rid of this pillock and his gang of plundering oafs.

  9. What is the point in having insurance if they renege of the deal? Without a strong government ensuring that the insurers do their jobs, we’re going to have a Christchurch left in dust. I have absolutely no faith that the ineffectual governance of National with the flip flopping John Key and bumbling of Gerry Brownlee is going to do anything but give their mates large payouts in some sort of crony dream come true that is a nightmare for Christchurch. New Zealand needs Christchurch, let’s get a government that makes sure it’s rebuilt.

    • Draco T Bastard 9.1

      Without a strong government ensuring that the insurers do their jobs…

      The government is owned by the corporations and it’s been that way for around three decades. Actually having to pay out would cut into the insurance companies profits and so the government is working to protect those profits by letting the insurance dodge the claims.

  10. Tigger 10

    He’s far too busy making vacuous complaints to the BSA to worry about little stuff!

  11. Anthony 11

    He does have a lot on his plate, like figuring out another excuse to stand next to the All Blacks during the national anthem.

  12. Wyndham 12

    No problem to bail out SCF (billions) but to help ChCh citizens by buying up land for sections (millions) and then on-selling them at cost, is not affordable. According to the NACT spokesman on finance, John Key.

    At least he’s appeared in public again after disappearing following the RWC opening transport fiasco.

  13. Adrian 13

    A mate of mine, a builder ( with a site managers certificate ) has been “invited” to work in Chch, he turned it down because he found out that he would be paid $40 an hour but charged out at $102 an hour by Fletchers. Can anybody confirm this disparity in rates? If it is true it is the biggest rort in years. P.s. Not in a recession? A small town on state highway in top of S.I is 30% down on tourist and passing thru turnover.

    • marsman 13.1

      Didn’t Shipley hand NZ Forest Products to Fletchers on a plate? Is the same Shipley not on the Board of Directors of Fletchers? Isn’t the same Shipley also being paid to help oversee the rebuild of Christchurch? Corruption anyone?

      • tc 13.1.1

        Shipley’s also ensuring Genesis play their part in the nat’s generator shuffle so they suck the best part of a billion out of the power sector via the ‘special’ dividend meridian paid them from Genesis’s borrowed purchase value ….that’s scandalous in it’s own right as they’ve effectively burgled it from the generation platform. No extra capacity, just about a billion poorer thanks to some more of that bankster styles.

        As for fletchers, same old same old….and a large reason why construction in NZ is overpriced because Fletchers have a monopoly or virtual one in Gib, roofing etc.etc watch this get even worse and non retrievable in some industrys if they blag another term but hey that’s all part of the hollow mens master plan.

    • Vicky32 13.2

      A mate of mine, a builder ( with a site managers certificate ) has been “invited” to work in Chch,

      A relative of mine who was a builder did go to Christchurch to work, and died of a heart attack just weeks later – he was afaik vastly over-worked..

  14. randal 14

    JK’s government is rapidly turning into a Knee Jerk style operation similar to the pinhead who reacts to the last thing anybody said to them.

  15. Tombstone 15

    FFS! When are people going to wake up to this incompetent bunch of clowns in Govt and start demanding a lot better from them?! I live in Christchurch and believe you me, people are leaving in droves. The recovery effort is a shambles and people are growing seriously angry about it now. From the CBD VIP tours to the ongoing problems with insurance and EQC payouts the whole thing has gone from one bloody disaster to another and Key should be arseholed as Prime Minister as far as I’m concerned because he’s the big cheese and he’s the man who ultimately has the final say. Time to stop apologizing for these buggers and time to get Christchurch rebuilt and back online. This is hurting the entire country so people voting National need to seriously think about that when it comes to the election. As for the Fat Controller and Sutton – f*cking hopeless, the pair of them! They can piss off as well along with CERA!

  16. vto 16

    Our PM came onto the telly tonight and I couldn’t hear a thing because of the racket and I thought I would like to hear what the duffer had to say until the very next thought when I remembered that even if you can understand what he says it is never anything worth anything and so the racket continued…

    did he say anything worthwhile?

    • mik e 16.1

      Shokey.Whenever he is lying he speeds up his speaking and mumbles lower and lower till you can’t hear what he is saying.

  17. If foreign companies don’t want to insure ChCh properties, then we have to step up and do it ourselves.

    An idea I have is to re-build the old “State Insurance”, using the current EQC. Call it “EQC-Plus”, for want of a better term. http://fmacskasy.wordpress.com/2011/09/23/the-free-market-is-a-fair-weather-friend/

    No doubt neoliberals will balk at the idea and find reasons why this can’t be done.

    Ok, we listen to them.

    (Then we go ahead and do it anyway. If we listenened to neo-liberal naysayers all the time, we’d still be sitting in caves… )

    The idea is that EQC-Plus acts as a primary insurance company-of-last-resort (or even first resort!) and insures ChCh properties. This achieves two things;

    1. Tops up EQC which was depleted over the last year

    2. Gives security to homeowners so that banks will be confident enough to extend mortgages

    Once again, society (through the State) meets the needs of it’s citizens, whilst private companies twiddle their fingers.

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  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    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 ...
    3 days ago
  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    3 days ago
  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    3 days ago
  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    3 days ago
  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    4 days ago
  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    5 days ago
  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

    Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...

    5 days ago
  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    6 days ago
  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago
  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    6 days ago
  • Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
    No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 hour ago
  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 hour ago
  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago
  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago
  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
    The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research.   “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government redress for Te Korowai o Wainuiārua
    The Government is continuing the bipartisan effort to restore its relationship with iwi as the Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Claims Settlement Bill passed its first reading in Parliament today, says Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith. “Historical grievances of Te Korowai o Wainuiārua relate to 19th century warfare, land purchased or taken ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Focus on outstanding minerals permit applications
    New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals is working to resolve almost 150 outstanding minerals permit applications by the end of the financial year, enabling valuable mining activity and signalling to the sector that New Zealand is open for business, Resources Minister Shane Jones says.  “While there are no set timeframes for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Applications open for NZ-Ireland Research Call
    The New Zealand and Irish governments have today announced that applications for the 2024 New Zealand-Ireland Joint Research Call on Agriculture and Climate Change are now open. This is the third research call in the three-year Joint Research Initiative pilot launched in 2022 by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Ireland’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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