Beyond GDP

Written By: - Date published: 7:45 am, October 7th, 2009 - 31 comments
Categories: economy - Tags: ,

Back in 1934, when Gross Domestic Product was first being developed in the States, the economist in charge, Simon Kuznets, wrote “…the welfare of a nation [can] scarcely be inferred from a measure of national income…”. Right from the start, the economists were saying GDP was merely a measure of economic activity, not of the wealth of a country, not of the standard of living of its people. But that’s exactly what it has been used as ever since, a proxy for standard of living. It’s just not up to the task.

All GDP does is measure economic activity. It doesn’t count anything that isn’t bought and sold – volunteers, clean air, cost of crime, etc etc. It doesn’t measure how much of the wealth produced is retained and continues to increase our welfare into the future. It doesn’t measure how much wealth is destroyed in making new stuff. It doesn’t measure whether the economic activity is for good stuff – spending on military equipment or building a new coal power plant counts as well as spending on teaching a child. 

Kuznets later added on GDP: “Distinctions must be kept in mind between quantity and quality of growth, between costs and returns, and between the short and long run. Goals for more growth should specify more growth of what and for what.”

It hasn’t happened. Any growth, at any other cost, is taken as a good outcome in and of itself.

We need a measure of standard of living, of human welfare, that takes into account everything that GDP misses, especially the damage done to our environment and our society in pursuit of more economic activity.

The Genuine Progress Indicator is the best attempt at that. Rather than merely measuring economic activity, GPI takes into account what we lose as well. Costs like resource depletion, crime, environmental damage are added, as are benefits like unpaid labour. GDP could be seen as like a company’s revenue. GPI is the net profit.

GPI has its problems (standardisation of metrics, timeliness etc) but so did GDP until the early 1980s. It can be developed into system for measuring the economy’s ability to deliver human well-being, replacing the idea inherent in GDP that economic growth is its own end. But GPI isn’t finding a lot of support from officialdom because it exposes an uncomfortable truth.

The legitimacy of capitalism rests on the foundation stone of perpetual growth – sure 5% of people own 50% of the stuff and everything you produce is owned by someone else who then pays you as little as they can get away with but you got a 50 cent an hour pay rise this year, be content, don’t rebel against a manifestly unjust system. It is no coincidence that GDP started to be measured during the last great crisis of capitalism, the Great Depression. GDP’s default position is up, growth happens naturally and, so, taking GDP as a proxy for our wellbeing gives life to a myth that our standard of living is improving.

us gpiGPI shows that to be a lie. When the price we have paid for more economic activity is counted, developed countries have been going backwards for decades.

A New Zealand team is currently working on the first GPI for this country. The results should be out soon. It will be interesting to see what they say.

31 comments on “Beyond GDP ”

  1. Well known Socialist Robert Kennedy has a wonderful quotation about GNP (applicable to GDP). It goes like this:

    “The Gross National Product includes air pollution and advertising for cigarettes, and ambulance to clear our highways of carnage.

    It counts special locks for our doors, and jails for the people who break them. GNP includes the destruction of the redwoods and the death of Lake Superior.

    It grows with the production of napalm and missiles and nuclear warheads… And if GNP includes all this, there is much that it does not comprehend.

    It does not allow for the health of our families, the quality of their education, or the joy of their play. It is indifferent to the decency of our factories and the safety of our streets alike.

    It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, or the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials…

    GNP measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country.

    It measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile; and it can tell us everything about America – except whether we are proud to be Americans.”

  2. jcuknz 2

    People know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.
    For a long time now I have had doubts as to the value of “improving’ GDP figures. Negative GDP is bad but surely the future rests with a stable GDP? The graph suggests to me that while some are chasing the GDP [ which includes industrialists as well as unionists] ever rising in actual fact we have a planet saving slightly decreasing situation … would be nice to think so.

  3. Ianmac 3

    And the worse the crime the greater the GDP so lets get more crims!

      • Bill 3.1.1

        You forget about the circulation of debt money. I think the argument you link to applies only in scenarios that don’t allow for money to be borrowed.

        • Quoth the Raven 3.1.1.1

          It relates directly to the fallacious thinking that government spending on prisons, the military etc leads to economic benefits without thinking about the unintended consequences.
          If you want to talk about the circulation of debt money and the perverse role of government and central banks in that then I’m all ears.

  4. roger nome 4

    It’s also interesting to note that people in the US, on average, report being less happy than in 1955, when GDP was less than half what it is now.

    http://www.sustainablescale.org/images/uploaded/GDP%20AND%20HAPPINESS%20%20USA.gif

  5. roger nome 5

    On the other hand, GDP appears to currently be roughly correlated with happiness amongst the world’s countries, though past a certain level of wealth, it’s importance seems to decline rapidly.

    i.e. Venezuela, which has a GDP per capita of just $7,000, has and average “life satisfaction” reportage higher than the US, which has a GDP per capita of over $35,000.

    http://blogs.mccombs.utexas.edu/mccombs-today/files/2009/09/happiness-chart.png

    So why all the bleating over the tiny reduction in GDP growth that the ETS is going to bring? Hardly seems a big deal when you think about it.

  6. Bill 6

    GNP and GDP are reasonable measures of outcomes from a market economy insofar as they measure the things that a market economy deems important.

    You can create whatever other measure you wish, the GPI or whatever and all you will do is measure some things that market economies do not and can not award importance to.

    The problem is not the measurements. The problem is the systems you are trying to measure, ie market economies

    • Quoth the Raven 6.1

      Bill – This post had nothing to do with pro-market anti-market argument. I’ve seen almost identical posts about this very issue on pro-market sites, not to mention the numerous articles from said people criticising government’s obsession with growth.

      Anwer me this riddle Bill. I have a pear you have an apple. I value the apple more than I value the pear I propose we exchange apple for pear. You agree. Is that so horrifying?

      • Bill 6.1.1

        There is no riddle at all.

        The market insists (for the purpose and measure of individual success or even merely well being and survival) that I attempt to maximise my return while diminishing yours. It insists that you do likewise.

        Your riddle assumes exchange sans the dynamics of competition inherent to the market economy.

        • Quoth the Raven 6.1.1.1

          Bill – You should look up double inequality of value.

          • Draco T Bastard 6.1.1.1.1

            Have you read the Dahlem Report yet? Or how about Debunking Economics?

            The market isn’t as simple as you make it out to be and a lot of what you’re reading and then spouting off about here is based upon false assumptions. Hell, a lot of the false assumptions were mentioned by the original authors of the economic theories when they put them forward. They put forward those assumptions only because they couldn’t model the complexities. In most cases, this was over a century ago – nothing has changed since and those false assumptions are still being used as gospel.

            • Quoth the Raven 6.1.1.1.1.1

              Draco – The first paper is The Financial Crisis and the Systemic Failure of Academic Economics. I would expect a similar sort of paper from Austrian economists and they’re certainly not anti-market. The first part of the paper discusses models again you would find criticisms of such pratices from Austrians because as they well note economics is not a science.

              Do you think the author’s of that paper are anti-market?

            • Quoth the Raven 6.1.1.1.1.2

              That debunking economics looks interesting. Shame you have to pay for it, Keen’s not a free culture guy I guess. Looking at the overview, he’s seems to have a lot in common with Austrians, and he sees merits in that and other heterodox schools. He himself is post-keynesian. In any event he’s not anti-market either and is critical of Marxists. Since we’re exchanging link here’s one for you – mutualist.org

            • Draco T Bastard 6.1.1.1.1.3

              Do you think the author’s of that paper are anti-market?

              Nope but that doesn’t negate their criticisms of the mainstream neo-liberal theories. It’s not a question of being anti-market but more a question of actual understanding and that is something that we don’t have of the market hence my pointing out that it’s not that simple.

              Shame you have to pay for it, Keen’s not a free culture guy I guess.

              It’s US$10 for the ebook – I’m sure even a student can afford that. No, he’s not a free-culture guy – he says that in his book – but in saying that he does have a blog which contains a hell of a lot of discussion and even a couple of his lectures.

            • Quoth the Raven 6.1.1.1.1.4

              Draco – No it doesn’t negate their criticism of mainstream neo-liberal theories, but me and Bill weren’t discussing that.

            • RedLogix 6.1.1.1.1.5

              @QtR,

              I’m happy to say that I’ve come to respect, if not especially agree with, your point of view. You often have something interesting to say, and better still, express it well.

              So it’s with open candour and good intent that I’m adding my 2c backing up what Draco is saying… Steven Keen is worth investing some real time on. His blogsite is extensive and fascinating… I’ve spent many, many hours getting my head around his material.

              The critical thing is that coming from an engineering background, Keen is the first and only economist I’ve ever read, who makes sense at a gut level. In my world stuff has to work, even in complicated, indeterminate scenarios…or it’s rubbish. Keen gets this; stuff is dynamic and markets do not automatically reach equilibriums. He routinely uses a solid background in differential equations to underpin his ideas. He pisses of neo-classic economists … which gives him street cred, and he was one of just a handful of academics to formally predict and publish the current fiscal crisis. Plus he’s readable…

            • Quoth the Raven 6.1.1.1.1.6

              Red – And so do many others like the Austrians (and like him they saw the recession coming) take this from FEE:

              Interestingly from an Austrian perspective, part of what Meyerson likes about Keynes is his grasp “that an uncertainty attends human affairs that transcends quantifiable risk.’ Any Austrian can say something similar. Austrians eschew mathematical economics precisely because human action doesn’t fit into equations and the knowledge presumed by mathematical modeling is denied real human beings.

              People are not molecules or planets or rats or bloodless calculators reacting to outside forces or instinct. They are entrepreneurial actors who form preferences and plans based on expectations about the uncertain future, none of which can be quantified. Moreover, these factors manifested in action are not fixed and known in advance; people don’t behave according to predetermined utility functions or indifference curves. Plans and preferences emerge when people choose among alternatives in the hustle and bustle of life, and can change unexpectedly and unpredictably as new situations arise (that is, as other people do unanticipated things.) Value preferences are subjective ordinal rankings of utility, or satisfaction, lacking a unit to which cardinal numbers can be attached and manipulated mathematically. Real costs are subjective utilities forgone and thus unobservable to outsiders. There are no constant quantitative laws in human action, according to which, say, doubling the price of commodity guarantees a predictable quantitative response.

              In other words, as the preeminent Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises asked, “How can economic action that always consists of preferring and setting aside, that is, of making unequal valuations, be transformed into equal valuations, and the use of equations?’

              In short, Austrians — Mises, Hayek, Rothbard, Kirzner, and those who have followed — stand second to none in rejecting scientism, the application of the methods of the physical sciences to the social “sciences.’ They have relentlessly critiqued the mainstream’s out-of-touch preoccupation with mathematically describing the Neverland of general equilibrium, while ignoring real-world entrepreneurial action under uncertainty. No wonder Austrian economics has often been dismissed by the mainstream for rejecting the mathematicization that Meyerson properly ridicules.

              BTW – I’m not an Austrian adherent they just have their influence on my thought.

            • Quoth the Raven 6.1.1.1.1.7

              Redlogix – Looking through the archives of Carson’s blog I found a comment of his I think is interesting:

              On Keynesianism more generally: I consider the free market responses to Hobson and Keynes, based on Say’s Law, to be true–as far as they go. The problem is, they don’t go very far. Say’s Law applies to a free market. And Hobson and Keynes were describing the maldistribution of purchasing power under state capitalism. They were quite shaky on the *causes* of such maldistribution, and the question of whether it could arise from a strictly laissez-faire system. But given the *existence* of such maldistribution under state capitalism, their descriptions of its operation were pretty much on the mark. Keynesian fiscal policy fulfills a necessary function for the corporate economy, given the problems of underconsumption created by state capitalism. Joseph Stromberg pointed out that left-wing analyses of overaccumulation and overproduction were quite valid within an Austrian framework, as a description of how the economy actually worked given state-created cartels of overbuilt industry that can’t dispose of their entire product at cartel prices. It’s the corporate capitalists themselves who promote fiat money and state intervention, as a necessary corrective mechanism *given* the distortions that their privileges have already introduced into the economy.

          • Bill 6.1.1.1.2

            My original point was meant to be along the lines of….there are measurements being taken of (to be metaphorical) a steam train. The measurement of gdp correlates with say the velocity of the wheel rims, from which can be determined a host of other factors.

            But a lot of factors are missing and a lot of things remain incalculable from those measurements, so some people want further, different measurements taken.

            Meanwhile, it’s a fucking steam train and we are standing in the middle of the track, but what with all these measurements being taken and their meaning or import debated, the obvious observation is overlooked and the intelligent action that might have flowed from that observation just doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.

            On a different note…or maybe it’s the same note… I cannot understand why, if you advocate democratic participation in the political sphere that you do not advocate for a similar level of democracy in the economic sphere.

            The market is not neutral. It has inbuilt biases. It encourages less than laudable behaviour from those who participate. It favours some individuals or actors over others. It is the market, not the state, that atomises and individualises….and so on.

            So finally the choice is not between a free market and a command economy, or somewhere on a spectrum between the two. Just as it is possible to organise politically through democratic participation, so it is possible to run an economy based on the same democratic principles.

  7. Lanthanide 7

    Really the progress, or lack thereof, of society over the last few decades is obvious to anyone who ponders it for a few minutes.

    Back in the 60’s and 70’s, most families were supported by a sole bread-winner, the father, who went off to work to provide for his family. Since about the mid 80’s, and especially the 90’s, families with two working parents are the new norm. The mother has to work some hours a week simply to make ends meet – and a lot of these families in NZ still qualify for WFF, which is a tacit admission by the government that wages in NZ are too low.

  8. Bill 8

    “a tacit admission by the government that wages in NZ are too low”

    I always saw WFF as welfare for the bosses….as well as a big bloody stick being wielded over jobless parents.

    As for generational progression down the gurgler….far too many obvious pointers for that one.

  9. Draco T Bastard 9

    Right from the start, the economists were saying GDP was merely a measure of economic activity,…

    Right from the start many economists used simple assumptions because they couldn’t deal with the complexity at the level that was needed. They said this in their thesis. These days, despite over a century passing in some cases, those simple assumptions are still in use. Some economists did try to get at the underlying complexity but they are few and far between – they also tended not to be all that “successful” (ie, well off). Only the economists that supported capitalism have been “successful”.

    The lesson is plain, if you want to make a living as an economist – support the false assumptions of mainstream economics that support capitalism.

  10. Adrian 10

    From the graph it looks like the golden years was when Nixon was president. Once he was forced to leave it was all down hill.

  11. rainman 11

    Western civilisation is broken, on average – it no longer makes us all wealthier, just in some cases more comfortable/entertained, and that generally on a non-sustainable basis, too.

    Capitalism as currently practiced clearly can’t continue, but won’t be easily given up by those that benefit from it – or those that naively dream that they too, could achieve the same “successes”. (Current diet and lifestyle further ensures that the emperor’s lack of clothing is unlikely to be perceived by many. And don’t get me started on the media).

    The only sane response I can see is to seek to build a more compelling alternative – even if that is only more compelling once the current mess collapses down a notch or two. (Kevin Danaher’s “party on the yacht” example, for those that may know his speaking). This, however, takes bravery and serious effort, and few will even attempt it. I sincerely doubt any political party will make any difference in this regard.

    In short, we’re screwed.

  12. RedLogix 12

    @Marty,

    Interesting as always, and a really good thread to follow. I meant to ask this earlier in the day, but the data series in the graph stops at around 1994/5.. which seems awfully long ago.

    Any reason?

  13. Phil 13

    I pitched this idea to my colleagues (economists and statisticians) when Red Alert first bought this up. It’s not new, and it’s not novel, but nether-the-less the idea generated a fairly good discussion…

    Firstly; GPI’s are remarkably difficult to measure, and slow too. We’re already frustrated by the fact it takes roughly 5 months too see what GDP q/q% was, and there aren’t a great deal of ways to speed that up. GPI’s might make an interesting analytical study, but I just don’t see them as remotely practical for real-time fiscal or economic policy implementation.

    Secondly; Part of your anti-GDP stance rests on tackling GDP as an individiual measure. It is not.

    The real value of GDP is in understanding how it ‘fits’ with prices and trade, and other measures. It’s all very well to place a value on clean water and clear skies, and claim they make us better off, but they sure as hell aren’t going to pay our import bills.

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  • How Much Paint Do You Need to Paint a Car?
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    16 hours ago
  • Can You Jump a Car in the Rain? Safety Precautions and Essential Steps
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    16 hours ago
  • Can taxpayers be confident PIJF cash was spent wisely?
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    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    22 hours ago
  • EGU2024 – An intense week of joining sessions virtually
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    24 hours ago
  • Submission on “Fast Track Approvals Bill”
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    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
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  • The Case for a Universal Family Benefit
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    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 day ago
  • A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
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    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
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    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
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    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
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    2 days ago
  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    2 days ago
  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
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    2 days 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 ...
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  • 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 ...
    2 days 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 ...
    2 days ago
  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
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    2 days ago
  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
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    2 days ago
  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
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    2 days ago
  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
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    2 days ago
  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
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    2 days ago
  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
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    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
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    2 days ago
  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
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  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
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    2 days ago
  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
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    2 days ago
  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
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    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days ago

  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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 day 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 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    3 days 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    4 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
    4 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    6 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
    6 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
    1 week 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
    1 week 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
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