Commentators on the Budget

Written By: - Date published: 4:30 pm, May 22nd, 2008 - 36 comments
Categories: budget 2008 - Tags: , , ,

From John Armstrong in The Herald:

Is it enough? Michael Cullen has given it his best shot. He has been about as generous as he could be.

He and his Labour colleagues will not die wondering what might have been had the Finance minister’s tax cuts been bolder. He could not have been bolder without seriously risking pushing the Government accounts into the red.

His tax cuts – as he said – are at the limits of his comfort zone…

The clever feature of the tax cuts is that they deliver where it counts politically.

Single people on modest incomes will hardly be dancing in gratitude at the prospect of an extra $12 to $16 a week from October.

For families, however, it is a different story. Labour has again targeted more assistance to them – very deliberately.

So a two-child household earning $65,000 will get an extra $43 a week.

This is the territory where the election will be fought.

Cullen has laid down a challenge to National to do better without being profligate.

If the Budget does not give voters in the crucial $50,000 to $80,000 household income band who are leaning National’s way pause for thought, then nothing will.

From Vernon Small, “Budget proves Labour’s will to win”:

That is one brave – as in almost reckless – Budget.

And if any one doubted Labour still had the will to win the election, this should dispel it.

Delivering $22 to $55 a week in tax cuts and moving all the thresholds far beyond inflation adjustments over three years – is not even the half of it. By the time the programme is rolled out about half of all taxpayers will have at least $50 more in the hand making John Key’s ‘north of $50″aspiration less radical than it seemed.

On the way Cullen has thrown down the gauntlet to National. Everyone will get a cut on October 1 probably at least a month before they go to the polls including an extra kick for the 500,000 superannuitants  worth $48 a fortnight for a couple.

Colin James writes: “Michael Cullen usually plays golf. In today’s Budget he switched to snooker.”

Brian Fallow dubs it “the rainy day Budget”.

Michael Cullen has been as good as his word. 

When the economy was booming and the Government’s coffers overflowing he banked the surpluses and took the political heat.

Now economic growth is at a standstill, the coffers are underflowing and he has pushed the fiscal accelerator to the limits of prudence.

Colin Espiner is less satisfied with his tax cut but concedes: “Let’s give Cullen some credit. He did what he felt he could without going against everything he believes in. “

36 comments on “Commentators on the Budget ”

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  1. IrishBill 1
    22 May 2008 at 4:41 pm

    I was pleased to see some decent commentary. So far only Colin Espiner has run the “cheese” line “Colby budget” and none of them have picked up any of the trite lines that were predicted so accurately in spin bingo and its comments section.

  2. Aj 2
    22 May 2008 at 4:41 pm

    Polically a very canny, nay, inspirational budget. Now lets see how long National can go without producing specifics.

  3. toms 3
    22 May 2008 at 4:52 pm

    David Farrar is reacting like a petulent child who has been told he can’t have his big lollipop. Thats good to be a good sign.

  4. r0b 4
    22 May 2008 at 5:18 pm

    IB – agreed. Bit disappointed in Colin, he’s often better than that.

  5. ak 5
    22 May 2008 at 5:26 pm

    Yeah, shame to see Gingaspinner sticking out like a sore right thumb lately (he recently accused Winnie of wooing the “mentally ill” and mused on a “stench of death” around the govt) – he used to have some semblance of impartiality now and then.

    Good for the nutty Helen-hating blog comment numbers but (and probably the chance of promotion) – all he needs to do now is add porn and he’ll be right up there with whaleoil in no time.

  6. r0b 6
    22 May 2008 at 5:43 pm

    Well Audrey wasn’t quite as quick of the mark, and her commentary has a rather narrow focus (what does this mean for an incoming National government), but at least she manages to avoid cheese references, so some marks there.

  8. lprent 8
    22 May 2008 at 6:42 pm

    Finally had time to look at the budget – starting with what it means for me. It pays the cost of running this site, and provided that I don’t have expand it next year, then it pays for expansion in 2010 and 2011.

    Cool!

  9. Rex Widerstrom 9
    22 May 2008 at 6:50 pm

    A canny and politically astute budget indeed. But one that is good for the economy?

    It was, of course, hoping for too much to think that a party running 20% behind in the polls wouldn’t follow a path, at the end of which lies a predicted increase in net core Crown debt from $1.8 billion to $13.2 billion.

  10. Lew 10
    22 May 2008 at 7:22 pm

    The Honourable Dr Michael Cullen is a careful steward of the economy, but he is above all else a shrewd and long-sighted political operator. Helen Clark (whose `fingerprints’ are all over this budget, in the words of Tony Alexander) is another. More than an economic budget, therefore, this is a political budget, though I don’t expect the True Believers to agree with this. It’s a challenge to John Key and Bill English which essentially says: `I’m a good enough Minister of Finance to empty out the coffers and still be able to avoid running the country fiscally aground. Are you?’ With an added twist along the lines of `If you think you can do better, let’s see some policy.’ It’s a budget which asks National to put up or shut up, and might provide the impetus the electorate needs to begin demanding policy from John Key before they vote for him.

    Colin James, as noted, has called this the Snooker Budget because it leaves National snookered with poor choices: blag it, talk big for now and try desperately to make the numbers work in the future; or criticise the budget as simplistic, cynical and fiscally irresponsible. John Key in his response speech took the first option, undoubtedly the correct one in the short term, but I suspect we may yet see him adopt the second view, which seems to be held by DPF among others. At some time the cold light of day is going to have to be shone on those numbers, and John Key might rue his `too little too late’ response, although the `too late’ bit is manifestly true as far as the electorate is concerned.

    Either way, FY2009 becomes battle of the finance ministers: whowever holds that position is going to have to weather `if I were him’ and `I told you so’ assaults from his opposite, who will be free to talk without the responsibility of acting, as Key is now. I think Cullen has the chops to make this budget work, but if I were Bill English I’d be worried about what I’d do if I won the election, because it’s either learn to live lean (as an almost-virgin finance minister under adverse conditions) or cut spending and suffer the resulting electoral fallout.

    Option 2 would be the wise option there. Taking option 1 and accepting Cullen’s poisoned chalice genuinely will be Labour Lite behaviour. John Key is talking about `expenditure review’ already, and if there genuinely is as much profligacy in government spending as the wingnuts think there is, he might be able to get away with cutting it in ways which don’t impact on the ordinary battlers – but I’m not convinced there is. In any case he’s going to have to decide and campaign on one of these two broad courses of action *before* he does the expenditure review, which means that even if he finds little or no fat, he will have to cut something. That could prove costly, in more than one sense of the word.

    Congratulations to IrishBill for picking the `cheese’ meme. We’ll see this come up time and time again in the next few years. They gave away a block at Back Benches one night as a luxury item, so it’s already becoming part of NZ’s political landscape.

    Bring on the next lot of polls.

    L

  11. Chris S 11
    22 May 2008 at 7:31 pm

    Thank you, Lew, for that measured and thought out comment.

  12. gobsmacked 12
    22 May 2008 at 7:50 pm

    “Bring on the next lot of polls.”

    Taken before the budget, the latest poll tells a rather different story from the well-publicised one at the weekend. The gap is halved from 27 points to 14.

    http://www.roymorgan.com/news/polls/2008/4295/

  13. National disgrace 13
    22 May 2008 at 8:00 pm

    According to John Key on Close Up, and Campbell tonight, he will keep Wellington public service levels exactly as they are (saving half a billion according to him!?)and, ah , um close an embassy in Sweden that doesn’t yet exist to fund tax cuts three times as large as Labour’s (>$50 c.f. $16). No jobs cut, no services slashed. What an financial genius he is! No wonder he’s rich. I’d mortgage my house to buy an apartment from him. He seems really smart.

  14. ak 14
    22 May 2008 at 8:12 pm

    Yes, lovely Lew: but I fear Key may have miscued by not ripping in with option 2 right from the break.

    When John Campbell (rightly) labels you “slippery as a snake in wet grass” on national TV and even Sainsbury pulls no punches, it’s a sure sign that the “love me for who I am” honeymoon has done its dash.

    Slippery has “me-tooed” himself into the mother of all snookers and the game is now “show us the money”.

    His shot, black to win. Spectacular masse required from a C-grade player, clock ticking, sweaty sheen developing.

    Hope I’m wrong, but when the cue’s in the rack on this one, watch for his handlers to pull out and head back to the Races with good old “Onelaw”.

  15. Robinsod 15
    22 May 2008 at 8:18 pm

    Yeah – Key looked real dark on close-up and he wasn’t even pressed very hard. Christ knows how he’s going to go head to head with Helen.

  16. outofbed 16
    22 May 2008 at 9:05 pm

    The Ray Morgon poll shows that the race is by no means over.
    On these figures a couple or three percentage points down and National are toast (sortof)

  17. Lew 17
    22 May 2008 at 9:19 pm

    Um … well, perhaps if ALL parties get a couple or three points, from National. Even 14% is a hell of a mountain to climb. This’ll be the comeback of the century if Labour is re-elected.

    I wonder what odds the TAB has?

    L

  18. Pascal's bookie 18
    22 May 2008 at 9:34 pm

    Lew, at the risk of being branded with the frankly insulting True Believer tag, I’m going to disagree.

    Yes, it is a political budget. All budgets are political, especially election year budgets. This is tautology. Any budget can only be passed if you have the upper political hand. Every budget has an eye on the political landscape.

    However the budget itself is an end to which the winning of political games is a means. Not the other way around, which is how I am reading you. (Apologies if I’m reading you wrong.)

    It should be fairly clear by now that Cullen is a Keyensian. If he had of been one to put even medium term politics ahead of good economic management (as he sees it) we would have seen tax cuts long before now. Look at all the talk about “why has it taken nine years?” Because Cullen sees tax policy in Keyensian terms. Cuts come when needed to stimulate growth. Taxation rates are tools to smooth the troughs. That’s why he talks about the right’s view of ‘tax cuts being always good because tax is theft’ as being ‘religious’. He disagrees that there is anything normative about taxation rates.

    It’s not something that gets talked about a lot because Keynes aint that trendy these days, for many reasons. Mostly due to how his ideas were abused by those politicians that liked the ‘spend up large’ part while ignoring the ‘pay off debt while the times are good’ bit. So to my mind this budget is firmly in keeping with his ‘steward’ aspect, if you accept that he is a Keyensian. This applies whether or not you agree with a Keyensian framework, what matters is whether Cullen does.

    So that’s where I disagree. I think it’s a long term economic budget tweaked to have short term political benefits.

    None of this is to say that the political aspects are not important or broadly as you outline them, but those aspects are there to help push and maintain the Keyensian model that Cullen prefers.

    I agree that it puts English in a bind. But again I disagree that a policy of cutting spending would be wise. It would threaten to deepen the recession, just for starters. The political price would be significant as the spending slashed would hit hardest not just on the poorest as with Richardson. The latest from the US looks strangely stagflationist.

    I’ll also say that ‘Labour Lite’ seems to be working for them in a way that ‘Act in Drag’ doesn’t. The base is still with them, in spite of the fact that they now have taken on board pretty much everything Brash ran against. The only people upset about ‘Labour Lite’ are redbaiter and the slash and burn posse. (All 200 of them. Who cares?)

    The electoral centre has moved left in policy terms over the last few years.(overton windows?) The political pendulum has swung to National because that what pendulums do. There is a belief that Labour have had long enough and that the Nat’s deserve a turn. If National are wise they will govern accordingly. (small c conservatives remember). Richardson didn’t have to worry about MMP.

    All of this is just my view of course, which I freely admit is based around the naive and romantic idea that politicians from all parties have beliefs about what works, and play the ‘game’ in order to try and make the country better, being guided by those beliefs. IOW the politics, while fun to watch, and distracting to the journo’s, is in the end subordinate to the policy. Which is why the game gets played.

  19. Pascal's bookie 19
    22 May 2008 at 9:36 pm

    Sh*t that ended up being a bit long. sorry.

  21. outofbed 21
    22 May 2008 at 9:53 pm

    Lew
    Its not a 14 point gap between the right and the Left
    Run the morgan poll figures through the election seat calculator
    Its close bro

  22. Harry 22
    22 May 2008 at 9:53 pm

    More from Roy Morgans

    “Helen Clark’s Government has been well behind the National Party for more than a year and the plunging Government Confidence (down 11pts to a record low 93.5) shows electors are losing confidence in Clark.”

    Not that much of a boost I reckon.

  23. Tane 23
    22 May 2008 at 10:02 pm

    Harry, Gary Morgan’s analysis is a running joke. He’s based in Australia and comes out with some truly weird shit about NZ politics. Excellent pollster, crap analyst.

  24. Lew 24
    22 May 2008 at 10:13 pm

    Pascal: Regarding which is the means and which the end: of course, you’re right in the general case.

    “I think it’s a long term economic budget tweaked to have short term political benefits.”

    I can see this, too, but I’m a propaganda geek, it doesn’t come naturally. It becomes a poison cup game, soon enough: is it propaganda being written as policy or is it policy being implemented as propaganda? The budget is very much being written in order to appeal to the immediate, but looks far-sighted as well – and this from a government which isn’t sure if it won’t be half as big in six months. You can see it either way: is it wise policy which they should have implemented years ago, or is it overly ambitious and they’ll be glad if the opposition has to try and implement it?

    I quite agree with your assessment of National’s overall policy of appealing to the centre, and that Labour’s political culture is the current orthodoxy. That’s part of the problem, though, and part of the reason for the backlash.

    L

  25. Steve Pierson 25
    22 May 2008 at 10:21 pm

    So, Roy Morgan confirms what everyone except the press gallery and fairfax already knew – there was no plummet in Labour support – all the parties remain in the same range they’ve been in for the last few months. National is ahead but drop 3% and they’re in trouble.

    Be interesting to see Tane’s graph. What’s also interesting is the gradual rise of NZF through the Roy Morgan polls. The Nats have been foolish in their approach to Winston and have not sucessfully taken his support base.

    captcha: ounce predicted. Nandor did have thoughts on the future of drug reform…

  26. Lyn 26
    22 May 2008 at 10:21 pm

    PB – that was an excellent comment – I actually feel better informed. Thanks. And ditto Lew.

  27. mike 27
    22 May 2008 at 10:41 pm

    Great tory budget thankyou MC.
    The greens must be livered for all their support they get tossed a few pink batts for the beneficiaries.
    A good start for Key to build on.

  28. Lew 28
    23 May 2008 at 7:18 am

    Pascal, re the Keynesian thing. My argument is mostly based on a recent column by Colin James (http://www.colinjames.co.nz/management/Management_column_08May.htm), who reckons that if he overplayed this one, `Cullen would be remembered less for his early careful stewardship than his later relaxing the reins.’ In a way, then, this is a double-play on English: not only does Cullen consider himself a more capable finance minister, but the fact he’s been able to set these terms of reference gives him another advantage.

    This is why I think National will come around to the line that Cullen has been irresponsible, because it’s Bill English, not John Key, who’ll have to take those reins if National wins, and this sort of caution is his mode.

    From an economic standpoint (though I’m not an economist) I personally agree with your assessment that cutting government spending in favour of a tax cut would seem likely to stimulate stagflation in the short term; but all the economists seem to be disagreeing with me. I defer to them.

    Let me also echo Lyn’s sentiments 🙂

    L

  29. Robinsod 29
    23 May 2008 at 7:27 am

    Ha! Just heard the vox-pops on RNZ and everyone is whinging that the cuts are not enough. Jeez – what a surprise! This is a big cut package and National are not gonna offer much more. Maybe people will start to realise that tax-cut were never the answer and National’s shrill focus on tax is just a PR beat-up that raised expectations beyond any realistic point.

  30. Ari 30
    23 May 2008 at 8:45 am

    Lew: I’m pretty much agreed with you on everything, and this was exactly what I was expecting from this budget. Labour are shrewd political operators, and there was no doubt that given that National was essentially running on a “tax cuts” platform, and we were approaching a really bad time for the global economy, that Labour would empty the bank and make things hard for National. Whether it’s political game-playing or not ultimately doesn’t matter: It was good policy, and we kept the tax relief until it was needed, and we had that surplus there to deal with natural disasters and the like. Cullen has shown his credentials, which is part of why Key was so rabid on the news last night- he can’t be seen as not being the party that can manage the economy, because that’s his only real edge over Labour at the moment.

    Hopefully Labour will catch that it needs to make emotive arguements about who’ll do better with the economy and start coming out strong. If not, well… we’ll be seeing whether National would only last a single term, or not.

    mike: The greens haven’t been supporting the government this term, so that’s a very weird statement. The Government has, however, picked up support for a few of the Greens’ member’s bills.

  31. Lew 31
    23 May 2008 at 9:01 am

    Ari: “Whether it’s political game-playing or not ultimately doesn’t matter”

    Yes, ultimately the intent is irrelevant: what matters is how it’s perceived. If the `cynical’ line catches on it could be worse than doing nothing.

    “It was good policy, and we kept the tax relief until it was needed, and we had that surplus there to deal with natural disasters and the like.”

    The electorate disagrees with you on this one – people clearly think it was stingy, rather than prudent.

    “[Key] can’t be seen as not being the party that can manage the economy, because that’s his only real edge over Labour at the moment.”

    And this one too. `Not Helen Clark’ seems to be a pretty big edge for Key at this early stage. It won’t be enough if he’s seen as weak on economic matters, though, I think you’re right there.

    L

  32. RedLogix 32
    23 May 2008 at 9:22 am

    Quote from JK on RNZ this morning:

    Tax cuts alone do not win elections, what also matters is the vision for the future

    We will not be announcing our tax cuts until 5-6 weeks before the election. They will be larger than Labours….. that are pitifully small and are only a cynical last minute attempt just before an election.

    Take out messages:

    1. National will delay until the last possible moment to announce its actual policy, until the middle of an election campaign. This will be done to minimise any actual debate and scrutiny.

    2. If Labour’s cuts are “pitiful”, what does this imply about the size of the cuts National need to offer in order not to be so. Twice as large? Or north of that?

    3. And of course the insane dissonance… Labour’s measured cuts during the course of a routine Budget are “cynical”, while somehow National’s proposed cuts just days before an election is somehow “visionary”.

    Captcha: right tabloid

  33. RedLogix 33
    23 May 2008 at 9:36 am

    The electorate disagrees with you on this one – people clearly think it was stingy, rather than prudent.

    Mainly because that is what the pundits are telling them to think.
    Where is the analysis in the media that is telling the people how cuts “north of $50 pw” would rip the guts out of the public sector? If these Budget cuts are pitiful, then what is not be pitiful?

    If National attempt to trump Labour with cuts closer to $100 pw (and that was the expectation he was talking up when referring to the Australian Budget in the House yesterday), then where is the analysis that attempts to explain just what would happen to our hospitals and schools when something in the order of $16b, or over 25% was slashed off Govt income?

    There is none.

    And why not, you really have to ask yourself.

  34. Lew 34
    23 May 2008 at 9:45 am

    RedLogix: Right or wrong, it’s what the electorate believes, and as someone mentioned on another thread, tax is 23% higher in real terms due to inflation since 2000, so it’s not just National party spin and a compliant media.

    Why not? Because nobody cares enough to do any, is the flippant but strictly correct answer. It’s down to the government, its supporters and those concerned about the possible social impacts of a big tax cut and requisite spending to map out the dangers – but it’s very hard to do so until there’s firm policy. One can only speculate until then.

    I think we’ll see plenty of analysis once National release some policy.

    L

  35. RedLogix 35
    23 May 2008 at 10:09 am

    tax is 23% higher in real terms due to inflation since 2000, so it’s not just National party spin and a compliant media.

    In 2000 the public sector was after a decade of being run down was tettering on collapse. Such a position was not sustainable regardless of what party was in power.

    Imagine for instance is we were still spending on health at year 2000 levels. We have trouble enough retaining highly valuable medical staff as it is, so realistically, what would have happened if we had done nothing? I think we can categorically state that the system would have collapsed, with huge numbers of people being drawn off overseas.

    National’s proposed tax cuts in the order of 20-25% of real Govt income, would I suggest propel us back to our parlous Year 2000 conditions; lining up very closely with your quote above.

  36. Lew 36
    23 May 2008 at 10:20 am

    RedLogix: The point I’m trying to make is about perception, not about policy. The fact is that tax is effectively higher now than in 2008; the fact is also that investment in the public service is also significantly higher. If there’s a gap between perception and the actual impacts of policy such that one of these two facts is more accepted or given more weight than the other (and I agree with you that this is the case), it’s the government’s responsibility to bridge that gap. No amount of actual substantive policy will get a government support unless that policy is clearly communicated, and that’s been Labour’s major failing. The fact that people believe they are overtaxed in NZ in 2008 signifies that National is winning this battle for agenda control.

    L

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    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    17 hours ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 day ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    1 day ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 days ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – 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. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    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 ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 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
    4 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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 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 ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours 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
    8 hours 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
    8 hours 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
    9 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
    11 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
    22 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
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