Bill vs Greens

Written By: - Date published: 10:09 am, October 5th, 2009 - 55 comments
Categories: bill english, corruption, greens - Tags:

I love that, after studiously ignoring Bill English’s housing rort, Farrar’s now got unending questions for the Greens. Pretty desperate stuff too – ‘sure, you paid the money back of your own accord after you yourselves discovered you had over-claimed but why did it take so long? huh?! huh?!’.

Hilariously, he claims that the superannuation fund owning the houses and renting them to three MPs maximises the amount claimed because the rent would exceed the mortgage payments that could be claimed if the MPs owned the properties directly. Umm, most rents are negatively geared these days, David – mortgage payments are more than the rent.

Anyway, the MPs are only temporary tenants of that properties that will be owned in the interests of a larger group of MPs for a long period. If an MP bought a property, put it in a trust and rented it themselves from the trust at more than market rates, that would be a rort – that’s not what the Greens do.

The Greens made a simple bookkeeping mistake which they corrected when they discovered it.

Bill English, in contrast, claimed an allowance he wasn’t entitled to. Bill’s not in trouble because of perception. He’s in trouble for unrepentantly and intentionally ripping us off by lying about where his primary place of residence is so he could get money that wasn’t for him.

It would be nice if we could try to apply the same standards here. The tests, I think, should be:

  • was money taken against the intent of the rules?
  • was the money taken intentionally? Did the person purposely change their set-up to exploit a loophole?
  • does the person believe they acted wrongly? did they try to correct it themselves or only under pressure?

Basically, did they do wrong, did they mean to do wrong, do they admit they did wrong, and did they try to fix it? It’s quite clear that English fails on all these points and the Greens do not.

55 comments on “Bill vs Greens ”

  1. Gee this communal ownership of assets with the intent that the movement will gain a long term advantage … sounds … like … SOCIALISM!

    No wonder Farrar is so upset.

    I agree there is absolutely no story here. Not that this will stop the right wing beating it up as much as they can.

    • Tigger 1.1

      It’s a nice distraction for the right but it has no legs. I mean, come on! No one even claimed any extra cleaning money for cleaning their family home. That’s the true genius of what English did – it’s so blatant as to look like farce. The Greens mistake comes nowhere near that. Try again Mr Farrar.

      That said, maybe John Key speeding so he could wash under his arms might throw the press off the Dipton scent…

  2. Craig Glen Eden 2

    It got Espiner all excited, poor little right wing lap dog that he is.

  3. Tim Ellis 3

    I love that, after studiously ignoring Bill English’s housing rort, Farrar’s now got unending questions for the Greens

    Do you actually fact check before you write these posts Marty? Mr Farrar has written many posts on MPs expenses, with no less than half a dozen directly dealing with Mr English’s situation. So your premise falls flat pretty quickly.

    • snoozer 3.1

      the guy wrotes half a dozen posts about boobs a day. six in three months about housing allowances – most of which are bland defences of English and certainly don’t employ the kind of probing technique he is against the Greens – is ignoring the issue.

  4. HitchensFan 4

    “the guy wrotes half a dozen posts about boobs a day”

    LOL – yeah what IS that about? I’ve noticed that too. So creepy….

  5. Tom 5

    I think you miss the real issue here. The Greens’ super trust, as I understand it, was set up for the express purpose of maximising the taxpayer accommodation subsidy into the scheme. Someone needs to go back over the rent arrangements since the scheme was established to determine whether the same rort, sorry honest mistake, has happened in the past and if so, will that money be ‘paid back’ too? How far does their sanctimonious transparency extend?

    • Maynard J 5.1

      If it was set up to maximise money then they would charge well above market rates for as long as they could get away with it. Instead they charge below market value. I am sure that is ‘the real issue’ in your mind, but then you could just as well have ‘real friends’ that are equally imaginary to everyone else. You should at least to make an attempt at justifying why this is ‘the real issue’

      • Tim Ellis 5.1.1

        Nice spin Maynard J. If they owned the properties in their own names, they would only be able to claim an allowance for the interest cost on the mortgage, not the rental equivalent. The interest cost on the mortgage is about half the rental equivalent. The structure was specifically established so that the Greens could maximise their entitlements.

        • Maynard J 5.1.1.1

          If only your aunt had balls, Tim, she would be your uncle. They do not own them in their own names, they do not in fact own them at all.

    • snoozer 5.2

      Tom. How does the fund maximise the amount they can get? As Marty says, if they wanted to maximise how much they could get, they would buy in their own names, not rent from the fund.

      Tom, I would support the Greens opening the Fund’s books. Will you supoprt English opening up his trust details?

      oh and “as I understand it”, you mean ‘as Farrar told me’, eh?

      • Tom 5.2.1

        As Tim points out, the super fund allows the Green MPs to ‘rent’ the property from themselves, effectively. What needs to be made clear is that if they were paying $1000 a week for a $600 a week house, how long has the over-market ‘rental rort been going on? What about their other properties? Will they release the market rent assessments for each property and the actual rent paid, going back to the establishment of the fund?

        • felix 5.2.1.1

          I certainly hope they do.

          Then you can demand that Bill English release his records too, eh?

        • lprent 5.2.1.2

          At this point I’d be interested in seeing that for all MP’s going back for a while… I want to know how long Bill has been ripping off the taxpayers.

        • snoozer 5.2.1.3

          Tom. I’m fine with that. Are you fine with English opening up his trust?

          Remember, no double standards

          • Gordon Shumway 5.2.1.3.1

            Greens structured their affairs to maximise the personal financial gain of Green MPs. No matter how you spin it, it’s essentially what you’ve all been going after English for.

            Just like English looks greedy and mean-spirited for the double-Dipton structure, so too do the Greens for the superannuation structure and charge-twice “mistake”.

            My view is that neither the Greens nor English are “corrupt”, but the rules clearly need to be re-written because MPs (of all stripes) have proved that when faced with a choice between personal and public interest, they cannot be trusted to make the right call.

            • Tim Ellis 5.2.1.3.1.1

              To be fair to the Greens Mr Shumway, it appears that Mr Goff was doing likewise with his Wellington apartment.

              • lprent

                Not exactly.
                Phil’s family was in Auckland.
                Catherine Delahunty’s family doesn’t live in Wellington.
                nor does Jeanettes.

                Meanwhile Bill English is sucking off the taxpayer teat for his family to live in Wellington. Doesn’t look to me to be the same thing.

                But then we know that you have problem with little details like that (auditor sounds more like bullshit each time you write such stupid comments)

                • Tim Ellis

                  It is known LP that a very senior Labour Minister had a child living with them in Wellington LP. What’s your point?

                  • lprent

                    TE: There are these usual little issues with details. Were they living there or crashing there? Were they paying part of the rent?

                    I had my partners mother in a spare bed over the weekend. Rocky and numerous young relatives have been known to crash on my couch…. details, details make the story. Not just some random bullshit.

                    If you just want to insinuate, then do so. However expect that I and others will keep calling you on the crap that you sprout.

                    And TE: Notice that you now have a person with a actual name calling you a bullshit artist. I’ve heard your stories and at this point after reading some of your bull for a while, I simply don’t believe it. Hell, I’m not even convinced that is your real name.

                    • Tim Ellis

                      Yes LP I expected at some point you would turn feral when you couldn’t mount rational arguments and it is consistent with your MO to attack the person rather than the issue. Any pretence you had of running a place with more integrity or less abuse than Mr Farrar’s site flew out the window I’m afraid.

                    • Maynard J []

                      You state a lot of things as fact that reality dictates otherwise. You say you are using your name when it is unverifiable, your other lies and distortions make the statement that it is your name very unlikely, and this means nothing anyway, yet you rail against others’ personal choice for anonymity, and then have the gall to say that Labour party activists post anonymously here. Where do you get off making judgements as to other people’s allegiances and ideals?

                      You can be entirely uncivil while using nice words, but it also appears you can be so blind as to believe no one else can see through it. I would pity you but I know it is feigned.

                    • lprent []

                      Probably only to you… What I’m asking you to explain is reasonable. I’d have to assume that because you’re unwilling to deal with the issues I’m raising on your comments that you are simply incapable or unwilling to discuss them.

                      There really aren’t that many “Tim Ellis” or variation of it in the country. You’ve been making a big thing about people ‘hiding’ behind pseudonyms. But I really can’t see any evidence that “Tim Ellis” exists. If you want to run that line, then surely you’d be prepared to prove it? Or get someone known to vouch for you?

                      After-all, you’re the one making a big thing out of it….

                    • cracked []

                      I googled Tim some time ago as I thought he must be either a psych student engaging in research on blog behaviour, a lefty troll posing as a righty troll or just a piss take. But thought that he might be this chap –

                      http://www.resiliencei.com/About-Us.aspx

                      only he/she knows who he/she is though…. and do you really care, anything you read or post on blogs should be taken with a grain of salt and a bit of a laugh anyway, I doubt most peoples blog persona has much to do with what they’re like over a cuppa face to face.

                    • lprent []

                      That was really my point. Apart from lawyers seeking a quick buck in fees, who cares about pseudonyms or real names. It is totally meaningless because what you look at is the value of peoples opinions. That usually becomes clear when they are challenged. TE has a problem with that process.

                    • felix []

                      cracked,

                      He’s said before that that isn’t him. Who knows though, it’s not like he’s a reliable source of information. I wouldn’t put identity theft past him.

                      But really who cares who he is? Does it make any difference to the crap he writes?

                • Tim Ellis

                  If you are referring to me, LP then you have scraped a new level of hypocrisy. I thought your hysterical ruling that allowed others to openly abuse me a couple of weeks ago was bad enough, but for you to own and run a website that runs anonymous postings by labour party activists while you say you don’t know the identity of these people, yet at the same time you pass judgement on the motives of a real person who uses their real name in comments, says to me you have hit the low tide mark.

                  • felix

                    Alice, your definition of “abuse” is a bit self-serving for anyone to take you seriously in this regard. Which is why no-one does.

                    If you don’t like being called a liar, don’t tell lies.

                    Simple enough isn’t it?

            • lprent 5.2.1.3.1.2

              I suspect that you are just acting like a fool. But I’ll ask anyway. How exactly did the greens structure their affairs to accommodate families in wellington at the taxpayers expense?

              From what I can see of the greens superannuation plan, it is just a landlord charging market rents. The only thing different is that someone forgot to divide by two. I don’t see spouses or kids being put up rent and mortgage free at my taxpaying expense.

            • Tim Ellis 5.2.1.3.1.3

              Nice to see you taking the low moral ground with the families issue LP. Mr English, if he is an out of town MP (and we will know soon from the AG whether this is the case) is entitled to a Ministerial house. You know, the same kind of Ministerial house that Mr Anderton had and Mr Goff had. You can bet that the cost of Mr Anderton’s house (Vogel House) and Mr Goff’s ministerial house were significantly more than Mr English received for his house.

            • Swampy 5.2.1.3.1.4

              Don’t forget to throw in all the electorate offices around the country, owned by parties or MPs, that are rented by Parliamentary Services.,

          • Gordon Shumway 5.2.1.3.2

            I suspect you are acting the fool lprent, so we are even.

            The Superannuation scheme structuring allows year-on-year for the maximum amount to be claimed as “rent”, rather than a decreasing amount claimed to pay mortgage interest. <———– That's ignoring the issue of "forgot to divide by two".

            Whatever way you dice it, it's structuring that just happens to increase the expenses that could be claimed by each MP.

            I will say again, just like Bill English, the arrangement is probably legal but certainly small-minded and greedy,

            • Maynard J 5.2.1.3.2.1

              Oh, so you think they should be forced to buy a house, and that MPs are not allowed to rent. So, representative democracy, as long as the representatives are rich. Nice one.

            • lprent 5.2.1.3.2.2

              You are a fool. What do you think that the superannuation fund is for? Purchasing houses? No I’d go further and call you simple….

              Yep, it is called a market rate. As an owner of rented property myself (and simplifying down to your level) you view the mortgage payment as being part of the ‘cost’, the ‘rent’ you get from tenants as being revenue. The difference between the rent and costs is called ‘profit’.

              The amount you can charge for a property is called the ‘market rate’. It is at this price point that you can find someone willing to rent the property. Based on similar properties this is usually reasonably well known.

              The intent of all of this is so that the fund can use the ‘profit’ to pay the beneficences of the superannuation fund or to increase its value for when it does pay it. To be a sustainable fund, it will charge market rates to make money.

        • gitmo 5.2.1.4

          Tom, suckling on the public teat is entrenched amongst parliamentarians – it knows no political boundaries.

          “Ms Turei said the Greens’ setup was not a “rort”. But the system should be reviewed, including whether MPs should be able to personally benefit from an allowance, as they had for decades.

          “When I first got into Parliament MPs from other parties told me that is the first thing I should do buy a flat in Wellington because the [mortgage] interest would be paid.”

          http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/2930184/Greens-pay-back-double-dip-rent-error

          This is bound to be just the tip of the iceberg – their sense of entitlement is appalling – remember Douglas’s commentary on spending up large to the taxpayer to go up to the UK to see his grandchildren – all perfectly legal of course but also undeniably gorging at the public teat. Then you could go on to look at the number of past parliamentarians and cronies who are put on the boards of publicly owned/run entities…… it just goes on and on and on.

          • Swampy 5.2.1.4.1

            As far as I can see the issue is pretty much split between
            – People who think that MPs are all gorging at the trough, and should get a lot less

            – People who think MPs are entitled to those things due to the nature of the job they are doing.

            When it gets down to the level of Parliament, it gets pretty silly to see the Greens pretending they are principled when clearly their aim is to do the same things as every other party and MP in Parliament.

            When the expenses claims were first released back earlier this year, National and Labour kept quiet because each knows full well that each has about the same exposure to allegations they are milking the system. It’s mainly been the Greens trying to curry political favour who have started making so much noise.

            Some fools in Labour and the Progressives now started hassling English with the H-word despite their own H-ness on this matter. It is a political game with high stakes.

            The Greens certainly have not been open about their arrangements so they are beginning to look like prize Hs which is about what I would have expected.

            [lprent: Much much better today Swampy. There were actually some points in there rather than just the simple spinning of lines you wrote yesterday. Consequently I didn’t feel the urge to reciprocally graffiti your comments. ]

            • felix 5.2.1.4.1.1

              So you see no difference between:

              a) claiming an allowance you are entitled to,

              and

              b) lying about your circumstances to claim an allowance you are not entitled to.

              I suggest that the problem is not the allowance, but the lying.

  6. burt 6

    You guys just don’t get it do you. If National can say “others were doing it too” and also say “look the Green’s got it wrong so the rules must be confusing” then… what choice will they have but to validate what English did?

    DPF is just doing the same work for National that was done here at the standard for Labour in 2006.

  7. Tom Semmens 7

    “…It got Espiner all excited…”

    I was watching the charming Pixar movie “Up” with my nephew the other day, and the dogs in it remnded me of something I couldn’t quite put a finger on. Now it has come to me. They reminded me of the press gallery.

  8. Herodotus 8

    Minor point, by undercharging rents, is there not some tax issue?
    As if a coy undercharges rent to an employee is there not an FBT issue as there is an interrelated parties here and the ability to deduct full expenses associated to the property?
    Main point I want to make is that all these discussions are leading us away from what I think is the real issue. The appropiateness of such payments and the rules that are associated. I take from inferance that the rules are Ok as all parties concerned are operting within them. So if that is the case as long as an individual complies with them that is ok. Before I get targeted I am basing an assumption that Bills trust is not doggy as that is another issue that could be solved by a timeline and supporting docs !!

    • DavidW 8.1

      Or as one of the Standard’s commenters so helpfully pointed out the other day (sorry, can’t remember who) there is an obligation on the Trustees to maximise the income from the Trust’s investments. How does renting to yourself “at below market value” achieve that?

      • DavidW 8.1.1

        Also have to say that as far as I know there is no obligation on Parliamentary Services to pay “market rents” so what is relevant is how does the charged rent relate to the maximum claimable amount? I suspect the magic figure is $24,000 pa which (surprise, surprise) is remarkably close to $461 per week which (surprise surprise) is just below the claimed “market rent” of $500 per week. WOW

  9. Tim Ellis 9

    I haven’t made a “big thing” about people “hiding” behind pseudonyms LP. I’ve made a big thing about people with pseudonyms making personal attacks against real people who use their real names that have the effect of excluding those people. Those are policies of your blog that apparently you’re quite happy to be hypocritical in the least in enforcing. Right now it’s also clear that any moral high ground you might have had over the “sewer” is gone and your gutter attacks against me are just as cowardly.

    • lprent 9.1

      Don’t be stupid.

      A. I haven’t claimed any high ground. What I’m interested in is having a useful site rather than one one full of
      crap. That is why I drive trolls out. It is also why I stomp on people trying to set the rules for others.
      The only rules on this site are the ones the moderators and I care to enforce.

      B. If people have an issue with ‘personal’ attacks in posts, then my e-mail is clearly available on the About.
      Talk to me about it. In the last 2 years there has been precisely one person who has had an issue,
      and that was with a comment referring to them rather than a post.

      C. You frequently make insinuations based around psuedonym’s. Frankly it is just bullshit. There is no real
      benefit as far as other people are concerned about real names vs psuedonyms. It is what you write
      that carries value. You frequently say things of value. You also spin a lot of bullshit. People judge you on
      that. Exactly the same applies to posts.

      D. I realize you’re out of town today. But you should really think about what you say rather than relying
      on pontification.

      E. Always remember what the primary cause of self-martyrdom is on this site (read the Policy).

      Anyway, I’ve wasted enough time on this already. Back to bug hunting

  10. mike 10

    “The Greens made a simple bookkeeping mistake which they corrected when they discovered it”

    I bet you believe in the tooth fairy too Marty if you swallow that crap from the greens.
    If it was a simple bookkeeping mistake they would have advised PS and put buried a press release somewhere.

  11. Swampy 11

    Sorry, you’re wrong about the mortgage payments. MPs can only claim the interest part of a mortgage payment, which is only a part of the payment.

    [I could tell you of several investment properties where the rent doesn’t cover an interest-only mortgage. marty]

  12. Swampy 12

    Hmm, lemme see

    “that would be a rort that’s not what the Greens do.”

    Says who? Phillida Bunkle did what English is accused of.

    “Bill English, in contrast, claimed an allowance he wasn’t entitled to. Bill’s not in trouble because of perception. He’s in trouble for unrepentantly and intentionally ripping us off by lying about where his primary place of residence is so he could get money that wasn’t for him.”

    Says who?

    This is all just opinion. Where is the corroboration? Selective quoting and opinionating is not really going to help your case. English’s arrangements were approved with the full knowledge of all the Speakers of Parliament at the time. That doesn’t help your case much.

    • felix 12.1

      This has been gone over so many times it could only be you who still doesn’t get it.

      The Speaker takes an MP at their word. There is no checking up on what the MP says – if Bill says he lives in Dipton, the Speaker doesn’t go through his phone bills to verify it – he just accepts the MP’s word.

      So what you’re pointing out is that Bill English has probably lied to several different speakers over the years.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • EV road user charges bill passes
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April.  “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Bill targets illegal, unregulated fishing in international waters
    New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Reserve Bank appointments
    Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates.  Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Stronger protections for apartment owners
    Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Travel focused on traditional partners and Middle East
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend.    “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says.   Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Keep safe on our roads this Easter
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Cost of living support for over 1.4 million Kiwis
    About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Tenancy reviews for social housing restart
    Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary plan halted
    The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Cutting all that dam red tape
    Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track.  “Dam safety regulations ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Drought support extended to parts of North Island
    The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Passage of major tax bill welcomed
    The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Lifting economy through science, tertiary sectors
    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government announces Budget priorities
    The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.  The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government to consider accommodation solution
    The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government approves extension to Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
    Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                         “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • $18m boost for Kiwis travelling to health treatment
    The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.   “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM’s Prizes for Space to showcase sector’s talent
    The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Concerns conveyed to China over cyber activity
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government.     “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry
    Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function.  The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Brynderwyns open for Easter
    State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Speech to the Infrastructure Funding & Financing Conference
    Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Parliamentary network breached by the PRC
    New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • NZ to provide support for Solomon Islands election
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ-EU FTA gains Royal Assent for 1 May entry to force
    The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union.    “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • COVID-19 inquiry attracts 11,000 submissions
    Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says.  “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Families to receive up to $75 a week help with ECE fees
    Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Unlocking a sustainable, low-emissions future
    A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Chief of Army thanked for his service
    Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders
    25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government commits nearly $3 million for period products in schools
    Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Speech – Making it easier to build.
    Good morning, it’s great to be here.   First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning.  I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Pacific youth to shine from boost to Polyfest
    Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 2024 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships announced
    ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to Breast Cancer Foundation – Insights Conference
    Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Kiwi research soars to International Space Station
    New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to the New Zealand Planning Institute
    Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Support for Northland emergency response centre
    The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed.  “Northland has faced a number ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Celebrating 20 years of Whakaata Māori
    New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Some commercial fishery catch limits increased
    Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-29T05:37:00+00:00