National and the wage gap

Written By: - Date published: 2:24 pm, December 13th, 2007 - 74 comments
Categories: same old national, workers' rights - Tags: ,

I see National’s complaining about the wage gap between New Zealand and Australia again. As usual they have no answers on what to do about it other than to blindly hope that tax cuts for the rich will lead to economic growth and somehow it’ll all trickle down into the ordinary worker’s pay packet. Ever feel like someone’s trying to sell you a dud for a second time?

Because as anyone who lived through the 90s can tell you, National has a shameful record on wages, as this graph of median wage growth shows:

nominal-small-revised.jpg

The reason for this is simple. When National and its allied employer groups introduced the Employment Contracts Act in 1991 it was deliberately designed to reduce the ability of workers to bargain for better wages through their unions. This was done in a number of ways, but one of the most effective was its restrictions on the ability of unions to negotiate collective agreements across an entire industry.

This meant each collective agreement had to be negotiated on an enterprise (site by site) level, which both moved the balance of power firmly towards the employer and encouraged companies to compete against each other on labour costs. The result was a race to the bottom. Workers lost conditions, wages stagnated or fell for the majority of workers and collective bargaining was largely replaced by the market. Productivity suffered as the low cost of labour made capital investment uneconomical.

So when National talks about the need to lift wages and improve productivity, just remember who it was that slashed Kiwis’ take home pay in the 90s and put us in the position we’re in today. And don’t for a second think they wouldn’t go back there if given half a chance.

The challenge now for Labour is to finish the job they started in 2000 and strengthen the Employment Relations Act to restore effective industry bargaining. Wage growth has improved under the ERA, but it’s not nearly enough if we want to catch up with Australia.

As Council of Trade Unions economist Peter Conway points out, leaving it to the market alone hasn’t worked:

“New Zealand now has a structural problem of low wages, and the 30% wage gap with Australia will only be closed through more widespread industry wide collective bargaining, supported by ongoing improvements in productivity.

‘Wages were broadly comparable with Australia until the late 1980s, but then fell to 60% by 2002, according to Treasury analysis.

‘Similarly, in 1978 New Zealand and Australian workers had about the same amount of capital per hour worked but by 2002, capital intensity in Australia was over 50 percent greater than in New Zealand.

The CTU agrees that lifting productivity is essential to lift incomes on a sustainable basis. However this must be accompanied by effective measures to ensure the benefits are shared, with a strong minimum code and effective industry bargaining.

The next election may well be fought on the wage gap between New Zealand and Australia. It’s up to Labour to show the electorate which party’s really looking out for the interests of working New Zealanders.

74 comments on “National and the wage gap ”

  1. SweeetD 1

    Pretty graph Tane, but if you are comparing NZ with Aust, what is the point in showing the last 15 years of NZ medium wage growth? Could you post similar Aust data so we can comapre?

  2. James Kearney 2

    Thank you. It really sticks in my craw to hear National talk about wages as if they’ve going to do anything but cut them to make their big business backers even wealthier. Why don’t the media ever take National to task on this? Maybe the PM was onto something about youth and inexperience…

  3. The Double Standard 3

    Double Standard Alert!

    Tane, I’m wondering what Labour is doing about it – after it was Clark who made the ‘top half of the OECD’ prediction? Surely it is the job of the government in power to provide the solutions, not the opposition?

    After 8 years, I’d have thought that they could have made more progress. The Nats haven’t been in power since last century and it is a bit lame to be continually blaming them.

    Apart from quoting Peter Conway, how is Teh Party addressing the issue? How about nationalising Toll NZ, and agreeing to an immediate doubling of wages for the employees. Would that be a good plan? Or maybe doubling the income of those 44,000 core civil servants?

    It’s not like there is a magic wand to wave!

  4. Tane 4

    SweeetD, that’s a graph I already had on hand from a previous post:
    http://www.thestandard.org.nz/?p=527

    I used it because I felt it illustrated the effect the ECA had on our wage path and what’s happened since its repeal. People often don’t understand the effect industrial relations law has on people’s wages.

    Certainly some Aussie stats would be good but I don’t have them on hand right now. I’ll get something together eventually though.

  5. Lampie 5

    We must also not forget we have to make a “comfortable” environment for business to grow (someone got stats on that?) as in tax relief towards R&D (addressed already?) and company tax (addressed already). Even if this has become more of a reality we still have to a)don’t forget about business and b)blow our trumpet that we have created a better business environment.

  6. Tane 6

    TDS, taken another read of what I said:

    The challenge now for Labour is to finish the job they started in 2000 and strengthen the Employment Relations Act to restore effective industry bargaining. Wage growth has improved under the ERA, but it’s not nearly enough if we want to catch up with Australia.

    As for your suggestion that we double wages etc, you obviously haven’t understood a word I’ve written. But then given your efforts last night I suspect you’re here to disrupt rather than to engage.

  7. Lampie 7

    Bet they wouldn’t print your graph in the Herald, Tane. It’s too positive for them.

  8. djp 8

    I think the graph needs to be inflation adjusted.

    Also how did the Nats “slashed Kiwis’ take home pay in the 90s”? Does not the graph show steadily increasing there in the blue zone?

  9. SweeetD 9

    Tane

    without the aussie evidence, the graph simply shows that medium wage growth has carried on at the same rate under labour as they they receieved from national.

    I might be making a gereralised statment on this one, but then again, so are you. No where does this data show the economic conditions present at the time, so that in isolation, this data set is pretty much meaningless, but it is still a pretty graph.

    Get thise aussie figures up, as we’ll have something to compare.

  10. The Double Standard 10

    Tane – if you think that abusing me personally makes you look better then I guess I can’t stop you. Disappointing though. You might have to do better if you want H1 to comment on your little blog.

    You seem to be saying that improved collective bargaining is a magic wand. If so, why do you think Teh Party hasn’t done it already? Surely it would be an easy election winner?

    And why doesn’t it ‘lead they way’ with state sector wages – after all if its good enough to impose increased labour costs on businesses, then shouldn’t the state cough up significantly as well?

    Might help with our chronic medical staff shortage.

  11. Tane 11

    DJP, there’s a graph adjusted to inflation and taxation in this article:
    http://www.thestandard.org.nz/?p=527

    And a large number of Kiwis did have their pay slashed in the 90s. See for example Conway’s research on the wages of supermarket workers under the ECA:
    http://www.dol.govt.nz/publication-view.asp?ID=96

  12. Santi 12

    “..that tax cuts for the rich will lead to economic growth..”

    That’s where you problem lies Tane: the notion that people earning over $60,000 per year are rich. You’re wrong, completely wrong.

    Families with that income are probably getting even after having to pay mortgages and living expenses. They are not able to put some funds aside for later in life.

    The income belongs to the people who earn it, not to the state, which in the case of Labour’s Cullen & co appear so ready to get thier sticky fingers in opur wallets.

    Labour’s Working for Families is another attempt at wealth redistribution, with the idea of making some of the middle class even more dependent on the state (Do I need to mention the votes gained in the process?).

    Blatant socialism at its worst.

  13. James Kearney 13

    “medium wage growth has carried on at the same rate under labour as they they receieved from national.”

    Ah no it hasn’t. Look at the trend lines.

  14. SweeetD 14

    James

    under national from ’98, the graph edged up. It has carried on more or less in the same direction under labour. Yes, the increase is slightly steeper under labour, but it is still in the same gereral direction. Therefore, labour is just carrying on the work achieved under national.

    As I said to Tane, without aussie data to compare, this data set in isolation is pretty much meaningless if the whole point of this post is the wage gap between nz and aust.

  15. The Double Standard 15

    Interesting too to consider the effect of housing affordability on perceived income. Spiralling interest rates and house prices (to be following by rents no doubt) will have soaked up much (if not all) of wage growth in the last few years. Prices have more than doubled in many places since 1999 after all.

  16. Tane 16

    SweeetD, the point of the post was not about the difference in wages between NZ and Australia, it was to point out that National has no credibility criticising the government over wages, and to offer an idea of what we can do to lift wages in general.

    We don’t need Australian data to do that. Having said that, I’m happy to pull together some comparative data at some stage. In the meantime you might want to check out NRT’s post over here:
    http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2007/12/productivity-and-wage-gap.html

    And spin all you like, the trend lines for wages under National and
    Labour are significantly different, and the reason is industrial law. Workers were better able to bargain collectively and the wage path showed that. Why else do you think business has been so vehement about attacking work rights and repealing the ERA?

    TDS, I don’t know why you keep demanding I defend everything Labour has or hasn’t done. My position is that National will attack workers while at worst Labour will keep the status quo. I’d like to see them do better.

    Santi, my point was that the bulk of National’s tax cuts (at least based on 2005 policy) will go to the rich while the average worker will get crumbs. They’re certainly not a substitute for wage growth, no matter how many times Bill English says so.

  17. The Double Standard 17

    Tane – Maybe because you complain that National is not providing all the answers for Teh Party to steal? If the Nats are not providing the answers surely its not unreasonable to ask why Teh Party is not providing them either?

    Or maybe its because you continually misrepresent the facts. As djp pointed out you say “National… slashed Kiwis’ take home pay in the 90s

    The word slashed means that take home pay reduced under National but your chart clearly shows that it increased. I take it this is a new standard for the definition of slashed. This will be useful when the next health minister claims that “New Zealanders who have already seen their primary health bills slashed by Labour” or somesuch we will know that they have actually been increasing by 15% a year?

    It is obvious to all that the primary purpose of this blog is to attack National and John Key, but doesn’t banging the same note on the old piano get boring for you?

    How about some thoughts from the standardistas on how to go about this? “The CTU agrees that lifting productivity is essential to lift incomes on a sustainable basis.”?

  18. Pascal's bookie 18

    “but doesn’t banging the same note on the old piano get boring for you?”

    You don’t have any self awareness whatsoever do you TDS?

  19. Sam Dixon 19

    kiwiblogblog has a look at the economic indictors report and that stas its based on http://kiwiblogblog.wordpress.com/

    double stndard – the grpah only shows increase becuase it isn’t inflaiton adjusted… went went through this a couple of months ago.

    And this, mate ” Maybe because you complain that National is not providing all the answers for Teh Party to steal?” is both desperation stuff and shows the fundemental hollowness of National poltiics – for them its gettign into power that matters first and foremsot not getting policies in place.

  20. The Double Standard 20

    PB – hook, line, and sinker.

    Cap: week work hmmm.

  21. The Double Standard 21

    Sambo – I hope you use a spell checker in your professional life, and post here under an assumed name, because what you write online is just embarrassing.

  22. James Kearney 22

    “Sambo – I hope you use a spell checker in your professional life, and post here under an assumed name, because what you write online is just embarrassing.”

    I thought you were taking a stand against personal attacks double.

    And I still don’t get why you think Labour would steal National’s right wing policies on employment relations that are completely at odds with their policy programme of the last eight years. Why in the world would they do that?

  23. Pascal's bookie 23

    You might need to expand on your fishing analogy TDS/IP, the portion I quoted was pretty much the only content in your comment. If you are suggesting that it was in some way satirical, then I’m afraid I don’t get it.

    Perhaps you are acknowledging that you are a repetitive, boring one (flat)note wonder. If so, well played Sir. You done got me good.

    I would also second Sam’s point that the idea that “labour would steal our policy” is a good reason for not having any policy at all, only displays yourself to be hollow in the extreme.

    If you had a political bone in your body, an ounce of actual ideology or even a coherent philosophy, you would realise that when your opponents steal your policy… you win. That is because, and it’s sad that this has to be spelled out on a political blog, only partisan fuckwits care who initiates the policy, serious people just want the policy. So all your cant about ‘Labour good National bad’ is just (more) projection.

    Who woulda thunk it?

  24. r0b 24

    “you would realise that when your opponents steal your policy. you win.”

    Bookie is right on here. And we should all smile ourselves a smile every time Key flip flops and adopts a Labour policy. Because, much as I abhor the thought of a National led government, it won’t be so bad if they are implementing Labour policy (and constrained form the worst of their own excesses by the magic of MMP).

  25. The Double Standard 25

    What are you guys, a double team?

    PB – It was entirely predicable that Tane or one of his acolytes would post a response like you did. A pity that y’all have nothing better to do than bang on at me eh?

    JK – I don’t usually mention spelling (glass houses and all that), but that one was soooo bad. Ask Robbo – bad english over a threshold gets him a bit wound up too. Of course, he wouldn’t point it out to any of the standardistas though.

    As for National’s employment policies – why are you so keen to know then? I’ve seen various commentary that Teh Party is going to try and make it an election issue, so I guess posts like this are just a bit of framing for Labour.

  26. Tane 26

    Na, I just put this post up because I was pissed off that National would have the audacity to talk about lifting wages given their history and the fact they still have exactly the same policy agenda. I bet their business backers (especially the Australian ones) are gagging for a bit of WorkChoices over here too – gotta keep the flame alive now that Johnny Howard’s gone.

  27. The Double Standard 27

    Rob – funny that I was thinking along the same lines. I wonder if we will see posts here praising the Nats when they confirm (yet again) that they will keep Kiwisaver. I won’t be holding my breath though.

    And of course, I’m sure all here are pleased that Labour picked up this little gem from National for this years budget. Shame they hadn’t thought of it before.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10440386

  28. Pascal's bookie 28

    TDS, you’re so hollow I suspect you come with “life like sucking action”.

    The phrase ‘hook line and sinker’ implies that you caught me out in some ploy.

    So what was the ploy, to get someone to respond? Is that it?

    Jeebus wept. Aside from the fact that it confirms that as well as being an politically empty partisan fuckwit, all you are doing here is trolling. Which is sad more than any thing else. The only thing you can do, for hours and hours is to try and get people to talk to you on-line by being a contrary wanker. Why don’t you take up bridge or something?

  29. r0b 29

    Rob – funny that I was thinking along the same lines.

    That must be a first!

    I wonder if we will see posts here praising the Nats when they confirm (yet again) that they will keep Kiwisaver. I won’t be holding my breath though.

    I’ll try and remember to do so on that happy day. Have they confirmed supporting KiwiSaver II yet?

    And of course, I’m sure all here are pleased that Labour picked up this little gem from National for this years budget. Shame they hadn’t thought of it before.

    Indeed. A good idea is a good idea, no matter where it comes from. National could probably have achieved so much more over the last 8 years if they had grasped that fact, and been a constructive opposition, instead of being a knee-jerk “anti everything” opposition.

  30. Phil 31

    30-odd posts on this topic, and yet not a single reference to GDP… another case of wanting to beat people over the head with an ECON101 textbook, I suspect.

    We can argue all we like about the root causes, but if the national income “pie”, GDP, grows fairly weakly, and there isn’t any additional money to go around, there isn’t any reason for wages to increase.
    On the other hand, if GDP has done quite well – the “pie” has gotten bigger – as you would expect, wages should improve.

    Looking at NZ, the economy as a whole grew 24% between June 1990 and June 1999, while growing 32% from June 1999 to June 2006.

    Once you take into account the impact of inflation, as you have done in the previously noted article where this frst came up, you will note that under BOTH NATIONAL AND LABOUR, the increase in GDP is greater than the increase in wages (14% real income to 24% real GDP under National, and 21% real income to 32% real GDP under Labour)

  31. PhilBest 32

    You guys just do not like it when I mock the notion that prosperity is dependent on strong unions, industrial legislation, and minimum wage laws.

    Would you advise Somalia and Bangladesh that this was the way out of their economic malaise?

    Can you guys see ANY role at all for enterprise, investment, and capital? And the right incentive structure?

    You just CAN’T wave a magic wand, and say, presto! henceforth New Zealanders, Somalians, and Bangladeshis, will be paid just as much as Americans or Frenchmen. The wealth has to BE there in the first place before you can “share it around”. And it is not as if it isn’t obvious HOW that wealth GETS created. No GOVERNMENT creates it.

    But I’m banging my head on a brick wall. YOUR type’s legacy to the world is North Korea.

    “Reason supported by evidence is insufficient to dislodge from the human heart, a lie grounded in desire” – David Horowitz.

  32. “30-odd posts on this topic, and yet not a single reference to GDP. another case of wanting to beat people over the head with an ECON101 textbook, I suspect.

    We can argue all we like about the root causes, but if the national income “pie”, GDP, grows fairly weakly, and there isn’t any additional money to go around, there isn’t any reason for wages to increase”

    Guess you haven’t read my links then Phil.

    Actually, from 1991-2004 GDP growth in NZ averaged 0.2% per year less than Australia, yet growth in average wage was 0.6% per year lower than Australia’s. So NZ has been doing fine with regard to GDP growth – it’s just that, unlike the situation in Australia, workers haven’t been receiving the benefits of that growth. I hear growth in corporate profits haven’t been too bad though.

  33. Phil 34

    I started reading them, Roger, but got bored and fell asleep.

    Just kidding.

    Here is a little bit of speculation, which I have no data for, but is still a reasonably interesting thought that I’ve just considered (take that as a disclaimer, if you will)

    I suspect that a great deal of Australia’s growth has been in Minerals (especially the mines in WA). Going down a mine shaft is a dangerous job, but it doesnt require a great deal of training (I have an older brother over there, a qualified mechanic, repairing machinery) so it’s fairly easy to get a foot in the door and earn good money quickly.

    Perhaps, just perhaps, the compositional effect of all those workers has pushed up the averages?

    Contrast this to NZ where our growth has been more Agricultural – an industry comparatively dominated by sole traders and family owned farms – whose income is probably not included within employee wage and salary measures.

    Might help to explain some of the apparent lack of growth here?

  34. I suspect that a great deal of Australia’s growth has been in Minerals (especially the mines in WA). Going down a mine shaft is a dangerous job, but it doesnt require a great deal of training (I have an older brother over there, a qualified mechanic, repairing machinery) so it’s fairly easy to get a foot in the door and earn good money quickly.

    I read in a treasury report that the mining industry only represents 3-4% of Australia’s GDP – it really doesn’t impact the economy that much.

  35. Leftie 36

    On the subject of increasing NZ pay…
    We should not forget the manipulation of the unemployment rate upwards, resulting in worker versus worker competing for jobs. This is an excellent tool to control escalating wages.

  36. The Double Standard 37

    I read in a treasury report that the mining industry only represents 3-4% of Australia’s GDP – it really doesn’t impact the economy that much.

    Similarly, the diary industry is a bigger contributer to GDP in NZ. I’ve seen it quoted at 7% for Fonterra alone.

    Makes me wonder why Cullen gets away with statements like this

    Well if we had the kind of natural resources they have we’d be digging them up and exporting them to Japan and China as they do and getting the kind of growth that they’ve had

    Just trading on public ignorance I suppose.

  37. burt 38

    Tane

    Pledge to do better as NZ slips back

    New Zealand has “a solid platform for future growth” but is 22nd out of 30 OECD countries on material standard of living – two places lower than in 2005.

    So Tane, just how is this graph representing the big picture in NZ?

  38. Robinsod 39

    DS – you’re citing an agenda transcript I see. That’s some nice work bro, but just outta interest did you come up with the quote first and then frame the dairy angle around it or did the dairy=natural resource=mining angle come first and the quote follow?

  39. The Double Standard 40

    Robbo – you are getting boring. Perhaps another curry? It might help you have an original thought or two.

    PB – no, not a ploy to get a response. Just an feeling that some standard plonker would likely respond in that way to that bit of the post and completely ignore the rest of it. Have you ever heard of self-deprecation? I guess not. Why don’t you go defenestrate yourself?

  40. Robinsod 41

    DS – it was a kebab you fool. Now you’ve bored us all to tears lately and we’ve answered you. How about a little reciprocation?

  41. The Double Standard 42

    Curry/Kebab who cares?

    Here’s a link that might help you understand

    http://www.monpa.com/wcp/documentry.html

  42. Robinsod 43

    So you do have a sense of humour. Nice diversion bro, but it still doesn’t answer my question. Here’s an easier one: how’d you come across the agenda transcript anyway? Actually more to the point – why were you looking for it?

  43. Dean 44

    roger nome said:

    “Sweet – at the risk of appearing to be self-promoting i’ll post a couple of links that may answer some of you questions re-Australia vs NZ.”

    Have you remembered to include tax rates in those posts roger?

  44. The Prophet 45

    Mike, why do you use the name Robinsod?

  45. Robinsod 46

    Robinson was my Grandmother’s maiden name. I changed it to Robinsod after “Robinson” was disabled on KB – it was funny at the time because it is only one consonant different and “sod” is a funny word. See how easy it is to answer a simple question.

    Now, why do you refuse to call me by my handle and instead use my real name?

  46. The Prophet 47

    Well Mike, I like to think I’m a friend of yours so I thought I’d use the name your mates call you.

    ‘Sod’ – Yeah man, that IS pretty funny.

    Ha ha

    Ha ha

  47. Robinsod 48

    Um dude – between that comment and your handle you’re sounding a little creepy. Oh, and you’ll never be a mate of mine, even I’ve got standards higher than that so you better start calling me “robinsod” again. Sorry.

  48. r0b 49

    The Prophet has appropriated a very auspicious handle, but methinks that Khalil Gibran would not approve…

  49. The Prophet 50

    So Mike – you don’t want to be my friend? Oh, thats sad. I quite like callng you Mike though, so I hope you don’t mind if I continue to in our future conversations.

    The “even I’ve got standards” comment is much funnier than ‘Sod’ by the way

    Bahahahahaha.

    Rob – KG is dead mate, he won’t care.

  50. r0b 51

    “Rob – KG is dead mate, he won’t care.”

    False Prophet, I don’t think your words will be remembered as long as his.

  51. Mike Porton 52

    Ok Prophet – If you’re gonna be my mate we should probably catch up and make it official. I get the feeling you’re a Wellington boy so you should ring me, my number’s in the book and it’s a local call. Or if you want you can email me at mickyporton[]hotmail.com

    I reckon we’ll get on like a house on fire.

  52. The Prophet 53

    Are you asking me out on a date Mike?

  53. Mike Porton 54

    Damn straight Prophet. I figure clever fellows like you and me would hit it off real well. We should have a beer or something. I’m thinking the Bristol – I’d say that’s probably not too far for you to go. I don’t want to post a time up here though ‘cos there’s like y’know some odd people on line. How about you email me at mickyporton[]hotmail.com?

  54. “Have you remembered to include tax rates in those posts roger?”

    No – not sure how you would – they have property taxes and stamp duties that NZ doesn’t. Mr Farrar and the rest of the Nat research unit never seem to take these into account so their figures are always flawed.

  55. Matthew Pilott 56

    Phil, Roger Nome and TDS – i was looking at this: http://kiwiblogblog.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/what-do-the-indicators-indicate/

    and noticed the WA stats were much higher than the rest of aussie. Reckon that could be because of mining?

    If so, then NZ having WA’s resources would have quite an impact! Mebbe Cullen ain’t so dumb after all…

  56. The Prophet 57

    THE BRISTOL – Fuck, I wouldn’t be seen dead in a joint like that.

    How about Liks?

  57. Mike Porton 58

    Prophet. Ring/email me.

  58. Mat Pilott:

    WA only represents about 10% of Australia’s population. Nuff said?

    BTW – while not being overly significant in terms of wages, the mining industry certainly could be considered an important part of Australia’s export industry – remember, most GDP in Aus is accounted for by goods and services produced locally for domestic consumption. So while the mining industry only represents 3-4% of GDP in Aus it might comprise something like (at a guess) 10% of export $. So it certainly is important for the Aus economy in terms of balance of payments (i.e. stopping capital from leeching oversees).

  59. PhilBest 60

    At 0.2% growth per annum, how long will it take for OUR economy to double in size compared to an economy that is growing at 0.6%, or at 6.0%?

    0.2% is PISS-POOR. NO-ONE is going to get the increases in wealth, living standards, and social services that we WANT and feel entitled to because we’re a “first world” nation. Yeah right.

  60. Matthew Pilott 61

    PhilBest, bash yourself once more with the ECON101 book yeah?

    Do you seriously think that our economy is growing at 0.2%??

    Roger Nome mentioned that our economy is growing at a rate 0.2% slower than that of Australia’s. Unless Australia’s economy is growing at only 0.4%…

    With knowledge like that, I can see why you imagine New Zealand isn’t a developed (you used the backwards “first world”) nation. BTW Have you ever been to a developing nation?

    Roger Nome – what I meant is that if NZ had WA’s resources, while it cotributes only 3-4% of Australia’s GDP, that would be a far greater percentage in NZ.

    That would make Cullen’s comment accurate – the one TDS thought was clearly wrong…

  61. Joshua 62

    Very interesting graph, although perhaps for completeness it should be extended back to 1984 to show what happened during the Douglas Regime. This is not an argument that the ECA was not detrimental to wage conditions, rather an attempt to ascertain what kind of position the National government inherited in 1990

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    When National first proposed its Muldoonist "fast-track" law, they were warned that it would inevitably lead to corruption. And that is exactly what has happened, with Resources Minister Shane Jones taking secret meetings with potential applicants: On Tuesday, in a Newsroom story, questions were raised about a dinner Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    13 hours ago
  • Take that, Vladimir – and be warned: we have plenty more sanctions (at least, we hope so) in our ...
    Buzz from the Beehive One day – hopefully – we will push that Russian rascal, Vladimir Putin, beyond breaking point.  Perhaps it will happen today, when he learns that Foreign Minister Winston Peters is again tightening the thumbscrews. Peters announced further sanctions, this time on 28 individuals and 14 entities ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    13 hours ago
  • More Harm Than Good.
    How Labour’s and National’s failure to move beyond neoliberalism has brought New Zealand to the brink of economic and cultural chaos.TO START LOSING, so soon after you won, requires a special kind of political incompetence. At the heart of this Coalition Government’s failure to retain, and build upon, the public ...
    14 hours ago
  • The Ombudsman fails again
    In 2020, the Operation Burnham inquiry reported back, finding that NZDF had lied to Ministers and the New Zealand public about its actions in Afghanistan. The inquiry saw a large number of documents declassified and released, which raised another problem: whether they had also lied to the Ombudsman in his ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    14 hours ago
  • No Time To Think: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Members of Parliament don’t work for us, they represent us, an entirely different thing. As with so much that has turned out badly, the re-organising of MPs’ responsibilities began with the Fourth Labour Government. That’s when they began to be treated like employees – public servants – whose diaries had ...
    14 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Lobbying for Waikato’s Medical School causing problems for the Govt
    It’s becoming a classic case study for why lobbying deals with politicians need greater scrutiny. Former National Minister Steven Joyce runs a lobbying company with a major client – the University of Waikato. The University desperately wants $300m+ of taxpayer funding to establish a third medical school in New Zealand, ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    14 hours ago
  • Picking Sides.
    Time To Choose: Like it or not, the Kiwis are either going into AUKUS’s  “Pillar 2” – or they are going to China.HAD ZHENG HE’S FLEET sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks ...
    15 hours ago
  • Universities offer course in self-serving cowardice
    Henry Ergas writes –  When in Randall Jarrell’s Pictures from an Institution, a college president is accused of being a hypocrite, the novel’s narrator retorts that the description is grossly unfair. After all, the man is still far from the stage of moral development at which the charge ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    15 hours ago
  • The teacher trainee challenge
    David Farrar writes –  Radio NZ reports: The Education Review Office says too many new teachers feel poorly prepared for their jobs. In a report published on Monday, the review office said 60 percent of the principals it interviewed said their new teachers were not ready. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    16 hours ago
  • Words and (in)actions
    New Zealand’s economic performance and the PM’s vision   Michael Reddell writes –  When I wrote yesterday morning’s post, highlighting how poorly both New Zealand and its Anglo peer countries have been doing in respect of productivity in recent times (ie, in the case of New ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    17 hours ago
  • What do you hope for/fear from the budget?
    Hi all,Firstly - thank you! You guys are awesome. The response I’ve received to last night’s mail has been quite overwhelming. It’s a ghastly day outside, but there are no clouds in here.In case you didn’t read my email and are wondering what on earth I’m talking about you can ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    17 hours ago
  • Gordon Campbell on ACT’s charter schools experiment
    If there was still any doubt as to who is actually running this government – and it isn’t the buffoon from Botany – then this week’s announcement of a huge spend up on charter schools has settled the matter. While jobs and public services continue to be cut in the ...
    19 hours ago
  • Drought fuels wildfire concerns as Canada braces for another intense summer
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Gaye Taylor As widespread drought raises expectations for a repeat of last year’s ferocious wildfire season, response teams across Canada are grappling with the rapidly changing face of fire in a warming climate. No longer quenched by winter, nor quelled by the ...
    20 hours ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus and pick ‘n’ mix for Thursday, May 16
    Half of Christchurch City Holdings Ltd’s directors and its chair resigned en masse last night in protest at Christchurch City Council’s demand to front-load dividends File Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The chair of Christchurch City Council’s investment company and four of its independent directors resigned in protest last ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    22 hours ago
  • Controversial proposal could threaten coalition
    The University of Waikato has reworded an advertisement that begins the tender process for its new $300 million-plus medical school even though the Government still needs to approve it. However, even the reworded ad contains an architect’s visualisations of what the school might look like. ACT leader David Seymour told ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Of Rings of Power Annatar, Dramatic Irony, and Disguises
    As a follow-up to the Rings of Power trailer discussion, I thought I needed to add something. There has been some online mockery about the use of the same actor for both the Halbrand and Annatar incarnations of Sauron. The reasoning is that Halbrand with a shave and a new ...
    1 day ago
  • The future of Nick's Kōrero.
    This isn’t quite as dramatic as the title might suggest. I’m not going anywhere, but there is something I wanted to talk to you about.Let’s start with a typical day.Most days I send out a newsletter in the morning. If I’ve written a lot the previous evening it might be ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The PM promises tax relief in the Budget – but will it be enough to satisfy the Taxpayers’ Union...
    Buzz from the Beehive The promise of tax relief loomed large in his considerations when  the PM delivered a pre-Budget speech to the Auckland Business Chamber. The job back in Wellington is getting government spending back under control, he said, bandying figures which show that in per capita terms, the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Fucking useless
    Yesterday de facto Prime Minister David Seymour announced that his glove puppet government would be re-introducing charter schools, throwing $150 million at his pet quacks, donors and cronies and introducing an entire new government agency to oversee them (the existing Education Review Office, which actually knows how to review schools, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • Setting things straight.
    Seeing that, in order to discredit the figures and achieve moral superiority while attempting to deflect attention away from the military assault on Rafa, Israel supporters in NZ have seized on reports that casualty numbers in Gaza may be inflated … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago
  • Far too light a sentence
    David Farrar writes – Newstalk ZB report: The man responsible for a horror hit and run in central Wellington last year was on a suspended licence and was so drunk he later asked police, “Did I kill someone?” Jason Tuitama injured two women when he ran a red ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Unwinding Labour’s Agenda
    Muriel Newman writes –  Former US President Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation.” The fight for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Sequel to “Real reason Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Chhour”
    Why Courts should have said Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Karen Chhour Gary Judd writes – In the High Court, Justice Isacs declined to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal to compel Minister for Children, Karen Chhour, to appear before it to be ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • The Govt’s Fast-Track is being demolished by submissions to Parliament
    Bryce Edwards writes –  The number of voices raising concerns about the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill is rapidly growing. This is especially apparent now that Parliament’s select committee is listening to submissions from the public to evaluate the proposed legislation. Twenty-seven thousand submissions have been made to Parliament ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • A generation is leaving at a rate of one A320-load per day
    An average of 166 New Zealand citizens left the country every day during the March quarter, up 54% from a year ago.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The economy and housing market is sinking into a longer recession through the winter after a slump in business and consumer confidence in ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • NZUP RORS back to life
    The government has made it abundantly clear they’re addicted to the smell of new asphalt. On Tuesday they introduced a new term to the country’s roading lexicon, the Roads of Regional Significance (RoRS), a little brother for the Roads of National (Party) Significance (RoNS). Driving ahead with Roads of Regional ...
    2 days ago
  • School Is Out.
    School is outAnd I walk the empty hallwaysI walk aloneAlone as alwaysThere's so many lucky penniesLying on the floorBut where the hell are all the lucky peopleI can't see them any moreYesterday morning, I’d just sent out my newsletter on Tama Potaka, and I was struggling to make the coffee. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • How Are You Doing?
    Hi,I wanted to check in and ask how you’re doing.This is perhaps a selfish act, of attempting to find others feeling a similar way to me — that is to say, a little hopeless at the moment.Misery loves company, that sort of deal.Some context.I wish I could say I got ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • The Rings of Power: Season Two Teaser Trailer
    I have hitherto been fairly quiet on the new season of Rings of Power, on the basis that the underwhelming first season did not exactly build excitement – and the rumours were fairly daft. The only real thing of substance to come out has been that they have re-cast Adar ...
    2 days ago
  • At a glance – What ended the Little ice Age?
    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 ...
    2 days ago
  • Talking Reo with the PM
    “The thing is,” Chris Luxon says, leaning forward to make his point, “this has always been my thing.”“This goes all the way back to the first multinational I worked for. I was saying exactly the same thing back then. The name of our business needs to be more clear; people ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Waitangi Tribunal’s authority in Chhour case is upheld – but bill’s introduction to Parliament...
    Buzz from the Beehive It’s been a momentous few days for Children’s Minister Karen Chhour.  The Court of Appeal has overturned a High Court decision which blocked a summons order from the Waitangi Tribunal for her. And today she has announced the Government is putting children first by introducing to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Australia jails another whistleblower
    In 2014 former Australian army lawyer David McBride leaked classified military documents about Australian war crimes to the ABC. Dubbed "The Afghan Files", the documents led to an explosive report on Australian war crimes, the disbanding of an entire SAS unit, and multiple ongoing prosecutions. The journalist who wrote the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Some “scrutiny”!
    Back in February I blogged about another secret OIA "consultation" by the Ministry of Justice. This one was on Aotearoa's commitment in its Open Government Partnership Action Plan to "strengthen scrutiny of Official Information Act exemption clauses in legislation" (AKA secrecy clauses). Their consultation paper on the issue focused on ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • TVNZ is loss-making, serves no public service due to bias, and should be liquidated
    Rob MacCulloch writes –  According to the respected Pew Research Centre, “In seven of eight [European] countries surveyed, the most trusted news outlet asked about is the public news organization in each country”. For example, “in Sweden, an overwhelming majority (90%) say they trust the public broadcaster SVT”. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • The conflicted Covid Chair
    David Farrar writes –  Kata MacNamara reports:    Details of Tony Blakely’s involvement in the New Zealand Government’s response to the pandemic raise serious questions about the work of the Covid-19 Royal Commission of Inquiry over which he presides. It has long been clear that Blakely, a ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Attacking the smartest and most resilient people in the room is never a good idea
    Chris Trotter writes – Are you a Brahmin or a Merchant? Or, are you merely one of those whose lives are profoundly influenced by the decisions of Brahmins and Merchants? Those are the questions that are currently shaping the politics of New Zealand and the entire West. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • A fortune-telling failure, surely, if the tarot cards can’t see a bulldozer coming
    RNZ reports –  It’s supposed to be a haven of healing and spiritual awakening but residents of the Kawai Purapura community say they’ve been hurt and deceived. It’s the successor to the former Centrepoint commune, and has been on the bush block opposite Albany shopping centre since 2008. It ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • The climate battleground heats up
    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. Usually we have a video chat to go with this wrap, but were unable to do one this week. We’ll be back next week.Several reports ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Tuesday, May 14
    The Transport Minister has set a hard 'fiscal envelope' of $6.54 billion for transport capital spending. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The economy is settling into a state of suspended animation as the Government’s funding freezes and job cuts chill confidence and combine with stubbornly high interest rates to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on why anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitic
    To be precise, the term “anti- Zionism” refers to (a) criticism of the political movement that created a modern Jewish state on the historical land of Israel, and to (b)the subjugation of Palestinians by the Israeli state. By contrast, the term “anti-Semitism” means bigotry and racism directed at Jewish people, ...
    3 days ago
  • Climate change is making hurricanes more destructive
    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Because hurricanes are one of the big-ticket weather disasters that humanity has to face, climate misinformers spend a lot of effort muddying the waters on whether climate change is making hurricanes more damaging. With the official start to the hurricane ...
    3 days ago
  • Wayne Brown’s PT Plan
    Yesterday the Mayor released what he calls his “plan to save public transport” which is part of his final proposal for the Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP). This comes following consultation on the draft version that occurred in March which showed, once again, that people want more done on transport, especially ...
    3 days ago
  • Potaka's Private Universe.
    And it's a pleasure that I have knownAnd it's a treasure that I have gainedAotearoa’s coalition government is fragile. It’s held together by the obsequious sycophancy of Christopher Luxon, who willingly contorts his party into the fringe positions of his junior coalition partners and is unwilling to contradict them. The ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Our slow regional councils
    The Select Committee hearing submissions on the fast-track consenting legislation is starting to become a beat-up of regional councils. The inflexibility and slow workings of the Councils were prominent in two submissions yesterday. One, from the Coromandel Marine Farmers Association, simply said that the Waikato Regional Council’s planning decisions were ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • Ministers are not above the law after all
    Back in April, the High Court surprised everyone by ruling that Ministers are above the law, at least as far as the Waitangi Tribunal is concerned. The reason for this ruling was "comity" - the idea that the different branches of government shouldn't interfere with each other's functions. Which makes ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • NZTA takes the wheel after govt gives it the road map for regional roads (and puts a speed governor ...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Tolling was mentioned when Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced the government was re-introducing the Roads of National Significance (RoNS) programme, with 15 “crucial” projects to support economic growth and regional development across New Zealand. All RoNS would be four-laned, grade-separated highways, and all funding, financing, and ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Change in Catalonia?
    or the past 14 years, ever since the Spanish government cheated on an autonomy deal, Catalonia has reliably given pro-independence parties a majority of seats in their regional parliament. But now that seems to be over. Catalans went to the polls yesterday, and stripped the Catalan parties of their majority. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Having an enrolment date is not depriving anyone of a vote
    David Farrar writes –  Radio NZ report: Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins said the Electoral Commission should make sure the system ran smoothly and “taking away the right of thousands of people to vote” was not the answer. “Thousands of people enroled and voted on the day. If ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Perhaps house prices don’t always go up
    Don Brash writes –  There was a rather revealing headline in the Herald on Sunday today (12 May). It read “One in 8 Auckland homes on market were bought during boom, may now sell for loss”. The first line of text noted that “New data shows one in ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Can’t read, can’t write, can’t comprehend – and won’t think…?
    Mike Grimshaw writes –  At a time when universities are understandably nervous regarding the establishment of the University Advisory Group (UAG) and the Science System Advisory Group (SSAG) it may seem strange – or even fool-hardy – to state that there are long-standing issues in the tertiary sector ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Time for some perspective
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  A lack of perspective can make something quite large or important seem small or irrelevant. Against a backdrop of high-profile, negative statistics it is easy to overlook the positive. For instance, the fact that 64 percent of Maori are employed is rarely reported. For ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Will NZ Herald’s ‘poor journalism’ cost lives?
    Earlier this year, the Herald ran a series of articles amounting to a sustained campaign against raised pedestrian crossings, by reporter Bernard Orsman. A key part of that campaign concerned the raised crossings being installed as part of the Pt Chevalier to Westmere project, with at least 10 articles over ...
    4 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to May 19 and beyond
    TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 19 include:PM Christopher Luxon is expected to hold his weekly post-cabinet news conference at 4:00pm on Monday.Parliament is not sitting this week. It resumes next week for a two-week sitting session up to and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Webworm Popup Photos!
    Hi,Thanks to all the beautiful Worms who came to the LA Webworm popup on Saturday.It was a way to celebrate the online store we launched last week — and it was super special.As I talk about a lot, I really value our community here — and it was a BLAST ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #19
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, May 5, 2024 thru Sat, May 11, 2024. (Unfortunate) Story of the week "Grief that stops at despair is an ending that I and many others, most notably ...
    5 days ago
  • The Gods Must Be Woke.
    Last night the largest solar storm in decades resulted in Aurorae being seen across Aotearoa, causing many to ask why?Why was the sky pink? What was all this stuff about the power grid? Have we, as so many have wondered since the election, reached the end of days?I had a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • More road
    We have been on the road in England, squeezing down narrow lanes, flying up the M6, loving hedgerows and villages and cathedrals, liking the 21st century less.There have been moments when it’s felt like a movie trope. The pub in Exford, lovely seventeenth century bar, almost more dogs than people, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Seeing the Aurora Australis
    There’s a solar-storm on at the moment, and since the South Island is having a day and night with clear skies, that means Aurorae. I have just got back from a midnight visit to Tunnel Beach – southwards-looking over the Sea, and without the light pollution. Quite a few others ...
    5 days ago
  • Welcome to the current welfare mess
    Michael Bassett writes – I’m not sure that it’s much comfort to anyone to know that the post-Covid surge in violent crimes, gang activity, ram raids, random shootings, thuggery and stabbings is occurring in other countries as well as New Zealand. These days, wagging school, out-of-control welfare and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • A shovel-ready autopsy
    Oliver Hartwich writes –  Cast your mind back to mid-December. A new Prime Minister had just been sworn in, the new Government started its 100-day programme, and Christmas was only days away.Amid all the haste, a report landed that would have deserved our attention.I am talking about the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Why we almost blacked out and how to fix it
    TL;DR: An unseasonally early icy blast at the same time as some long-overdue maintenance almost caused Aotearoa-NZ’s electricity system to black out this week. That’s because a quadropoly of gentailers1 have prioritised paying dividends from their rising profits and adding debt over investing in 1.5 GigaWatts of new wind farms ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • What Is Instagram Trying To Sell Us?
    Hi,Before we crack into today’s Webworm, I wanted to acknowledge the fact that Israel is pushing into Rafah. Over 100,000 Palestinians are now attempting to flee the one place that was deemed “safe”.Trouble is, the place they’re fleeing to is already destroyed. Total annihilation is the end goal here.“Israel is ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Precious Little Excitement: Warner Brothers, Peter Jackson, and Gollum
    Back in February 2023, I made the cardinal mistake of getting my hopes up. Warner Brothers declared that fresh Middle-earth movies were in the works: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2023/02/24/it-never-rains-but-it-pours-warner-brothers-and-impending-tolkien-adaptations/ My assumption, based on which rights were available, and what had already been done, was that this was a stab at either the Angmar ...
    6 days ago
  • Do We Need a Population Census?
    ‘It has been said that figures rule the world. Maybe. I am quite sure that it is figures which show us whether it is being ruled well or badly.’ GoetheI was struck at a recent conference on equity for the elderly, how many presenters implicitly relied upon Statistics New Zealand. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    6 days ago
  • No, the govt will not be cutting back on every budget – and the Defence vote is among those to be ...
    Buzz from the Beehive Reporting on defence spending late last year, RNZ said the coalition government will have to make some tough calls this term to help the force address staff shortages and ageing infrastructure. “These are huge, huge amounts of government spending. It’s a significant proportion of the government’s ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago
  • The Treasury and productivity
    Late last week The Treasury released a new 40 page report on “The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections” (productivity forecasts and projections that is, rather than any possible fiscal implications – the latter will, I guess, be articulated in the Budget documents). In short, if (as it has) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago
  • The Controller and Auditor-General’s role
    Peter Dunne writes –  I am always wary when I hear that the Controller and Auditor-General has commented on or made recommendations to the government about an issue of public policy that does not relate strictly to public expenditure. According to the legislation, the role of the Controller ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago
  • More harm than good
    How Labour’s and National’s failure to move beyond neoliberalism has brought NZ to the brink of economic and cultural chaos   Chris Trotter writes –  TO START LOSING, so soon after you won, requires a special kind of political incompetence. At the heart of this Coalition ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • New Zealand and Tuvalu reaffirm close relationship
    New Zealand and Tuvalu have reaffirmed their close relationship, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says.  “New Zealand is committed to working with Tuvalu on a shared vision of resilience, prosperity and security, in close concert with Australia,” says Mr Peters, who last visited Tuvalu in 2019.  “It is my pleasure ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • New Zealand calls for calm, constructive dialogue in New Caledonia
    New Zealand is gravely concerned about the situation in New Caledonia, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.  “The escalating situation and violent protests in Nouméa are of serious concern across the Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.  “The immediate priority must be for all sides to take steps to de-escalate the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • New Zealand welcomes Samoa Head of State
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met today with Samoa’s O le Ao o le Malo, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, who is making a State Visit to New Zealand. “His Highness and I reflected on our two countries’ extensive community links, with Samoan–New Zealanders contributing to all areas of our national ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • Island Direct eligible for SuperGold Card funding
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has announced that he has approved Waiheke Island ferry operator Island Direct to be eligible for SuperGold Card funding, paving the way for a commercial agreement to bring the operator into the scheme. “Island Direct started operating in November 2023, offering an additional option for people ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago
  • Further sanctions against Russia
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters today announced further sanctions on 28 individuals and 14 entities providing military and strategic support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  “Russia is directly supported by its military-industrial complex in its illegal aggression against Ukraine, attacking its sovereignty and territorial integrity. New Zealand condemns all entities and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • One year on from Loafers Lodge
    A year on from the tragedy at Loafers Lodge, the Government is working hard to improve building fire safety, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I want to share my sincere condolences with the families and friends of the victims on the anniversary of the tragic fire at Loafers ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Pre-Budget speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much for having me here in the lead up to my Government’s first Budget. Before I get started can I acknowledge: Simon Bridges – Auckland Business Chamber CEO. Steve Jurkovich – Kiwibank CEO. Kids born ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New Zealand and Vanuatu to deepen collaboration
    New Zealand and Vanuatu will enhance collaboration on issues of mutual interest, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “It is important to return to Port Vila this week with a broad, high-level political delegation which demonstrates our deep commitment to New Zealand’s relationship with Vanuatu,” Mr Peters says.    “This ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Penk travels to Peru for trade meetings
    Minister for Land Information, Chris Penk will travel to Peru this week to represent New Zealand at a meeting of trade ministers from the Asia-Pacific region on behalf of Trade Minister Todd McClay. The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting will be held on 17-18 May ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Minister attends global education conferences
    Minister of Education Erica Stanford will head to the United Kingdom this week to participate in the 22nd Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) and the 2024 Education World Forum (EWF). “I am looking forward to sharing this Government’s education priorities, such as introducing a knowledge-rich curriculum, implementing an evidence-based ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Education Minister thanks outgoing NZQA Chair
    Minister of Education Erica Stanford has today thanked outgoing New Zealand Qualifications Authority Chair, Hon Tracey Martin. “Tracey Martin tendered her resignation late last month in order to take up a new role,” Ms Stanford says. Ms Martin will relinquish the role of Chair on 10 May and current Deputy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Joint statement of Christopher Luxon and Emmanuel Macron: Launch of the Christchurch Call Foundation
    New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and President Emmanuel Macron of France today announced a new non-governmental organisation, the Christchurch Call Foundation, to coordinate the Christchurch Call’s work to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online.   This change gives effect to the outcomes of the November 2023 Call Leaders’ Summit, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Panel announced for review into disability services
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