Property porn vs. reality

Written By: - Date published: 8:46 am, April 10th, 2017 - 92 comments
Categories: class war, economy, housing - Tags: , , , ,

The Stuff and Herald websites are infested with property porn these days. “How this 18 year old bought 3 Auckland houses” (with just a small gift of $1 million from her parents). That sort of thing. People must click on this nonsense or there wouldn’t be so much of it. Bread and circuses, but what it really does is show how rare it is for any young person to buy a house these days – effectively impossible without significant help of some kind.

So anyway, bravo Liam Dann for providing a dose of reality:

Young house hunters should just give up

Last week’s property statistics were horrible for anyone hoping to get on the property ladder in Auckland.
…
If you convert that 12.3 per cent rise into dollars (which, unfortunately, is what we have to pay for things with) the average value of a house in the Auckland region rose by $114,000 in the past 12 months.

I’m not sure how many flat whites that is, but if I was young and contemplating the Auckland housing market I’d waste my money on something a bit stronger.

Normal people should probably just give up. If you are on any kind of regular wage then scrimping and saving to buy a house is futile.
…
Based on the case studies we’ve seen in the media in the past few weeks some young people are so desperate to own a home they are gearing every aspect of their life towards it. They are effectively learning to become property investors in order to get into the market. This is a terrible way to resolve the housing crisis. The last thing New Zealand needs is more property investors.

To quote Dr Oliver Hartwich from economic think tank The New Zealand Initiative: “Booming property markets create a mirage of wealth, not wealth itself.” That’s not a lefty liberal, millennial view. That’s the view of most economic and financial market experts in this country.
…
The next Government, regardless of which party forms it, needs to confront housing inequality. Otherwise New Zealand will eventually have its own Brexit or Donald Trump-style backlash. …

Yup.

Read that in conjunction with a couple of background pieces, NZ ‘half a million houses’ short, and Auckland needs to double number of new homes – data, (and Bernard Hickey’s 2009 open letter to younger generations is also well worth a re-read).

If only we had a government that could build some bloody houses!

92 comments on “Property porn vs. reality ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. gsays 1
    10 April 2017 at 8:52 am

    We also could do with some MSM that isn’t owned by banks.

    Surely these ‘property porn’ articles should have a banner on them that shows they are ads or advertorial.

  2. BM 2
    10 April 2017 at 8:52 am

    If only we had a government that could build some bloody houses

    I’m still waiting to see how Labour is going to fix “the housing crisis”? not just talking points but an actual plan with a timeline.

    • Ad 2.1
      10 April 2017 at 8:58 am

      The policies are the stuff you vote on.
      You get business plans once people are in power and have budgets in front of them.

      Which parts of Labour’s housing plan do you disagree with?

      • BM 2.1.1
        10 April 2017 at 9:05 am

        The policies are the stuff you vote on.
        You get business plans once people are in power and have budgets in front of them.

        Right there I’d say that’s a term gone, so 3 years before the great Labour housing plan kicks into action.

        If Labour is actually serious, they’d have at least fleshed out how they are actually going to go about building 100,000+ homes.

        I’m not that interested in the nitty gritty of budgets but I’d expect to see a feasible plan before I voted for labour otherwise I’d be struggling not to think they’re full of it and just playing politics.

        Things I want to see explained are

        1. Land
        2. Materials
        3. Trades

        • Ad 2.1.1.1
          10 April 2017 at 9:26 am

          It will be at least two years to see lots of houses built that can be attributable to a Labour-led government.

          Might possibly be boring for you people who like it all simple, but:

          – The most successful state development this century, Hobsonville, took a complete false start from Anderton and MED to get going, and houses were in the ground about 4 years after.

          – There is no capacity in the public sector to run a really large scale Public Works-type housing build scheme. A new government will take a while to build it up again.

          – The domestic construction sector is pretty stretched and the apprenticeships to gear it up are small compared to the need.

          The fastest thing the state can do – and even this can be slow on Appeal – is secure large tracts of land through the Public Works Act for housing purposes. eg collections of older housing on Wellington’s Adelaide Road or Auckland’s Dominion Road, for multi-storey flats and apartments. One good apartment block on Auckland’s Albert Street takes a year through design and consents, and about 18 months to build and fit out.

          Don’t let anyone tell you it will be fast. The word “fast” can’t be found in “construction”.

          All you can go on at election day is policies, plus some sense of how good the Ministers will be in the hot seat.

          • BM 2.1.1.1.1
            10 April 2017 at 9:42 am

            I agree with what you’re saying this is a hard fix and it’s going to take a long time.

            Which is why comments such as If only we had a government that could build some bloody houses! is idiotic beyond belief.

            The real sticking point is going to be getting enough people to construct housing, for me, there are only a few options.

            I) Government buys out a couple of building companies and then uses this newly created government entity to build states houses which can then also be
            used as a vehicle to train up as many apprentices as possible.

            The private sector is run off its feet and doesn’t have the time to train people, the government needs to step in here and do it as fast as possible.

            2) Not sure if feasible, but make changes to the building code to incorporate as many of the overseas building standards as possible, that way builders can just jump on a plane with their gear get off the plane and start building.
            Wouldn’t it be great if you could get some of those massive American firms down here building whole towns, they bring the guys and the materials and away they go.

            3) Hire the Chinese to come and build everything.

            • Barfly 2.1.1.1.1.1
              10 April 2017 at 9:56 am

              “Which is why comments such as If only we had a government that could build some bloody houses! is idiotic beyond belief.”

              Maybe if we have a government that ends the mass importation of people as a GDP stimulus then.

            • Psycho Milt 2.1.1.1.1.2
              10 April 2017 at 10:27 am

              I agree with what you’re saying this is a hard fix and it’s going to take a long time.

              And yet you prefer a government that has done and intends to do a total of 0 about it to one which has at least stated an intent to do something about it. Go figure.

            • Draco T Bastard 2.1.1.1.1.3
              10 April 2017 at 10:51 am

              Which is why comments such as If only we had a government that could build some bloody houses! is idiotic beyond belief.

              The government used to build houses – lots of them. We didn’t have so much of a housing issue then so it’s obviously not idiotic.

              The private sector is run off its feet and doesn’t have the time to train people,

              It has the time – it just doesn’t want the expense as that cuts into profits.

              Not sure if feasible, but make changes to the building code to incorporate as many of the overseas building standards as possible

              Wow, I can image the whinging of the building industry as they had to up their game.

              Wouldn’t it be great if you could get some of those massive American firms down here building whole towns, they bring the guys and the materials and away they go.

              Hire the Chinese to come and build everything.

              Yeah, no.

              We need to be able to support ourselves in a sustainable way and using foreign labour and businesses like that isn’t sustainable either financially or economically.

            • Keepcalmcarryon 2.1.1.1.1.4
              10 April 2017 at 7:51 pm

              What crap BM.
              Firstly we are short on tradies because it’s easier for big developers to import labour than train and use locals under the nats neoliberal job exporting mantra.
              Your options are selectively shit.
              what about ” turn off the immigration tap?” ” build apartment complexes” ” tax investors and land bankers properly” ” begin re nationalising banks”
              all doable if government actually wanted to fix the problem.

          • Greg 2.1.1.1.2
            10 April 2017 at 10:43 am

            I disagrees there will be a case for automation and
            Modernisation
            Of the building industry and it won’t come from national
            The other side is house hold debt is a basket case after 9years of BM
            government a dig fat zero

          • Draco T Bastard 2.1.1.1.3
            10 April 2017 at 10:45 am

            One other thing the government could do is buy some 3D printing machines that can build houses, start up some R&D to produce them and put in place the necessary regulation of them.

            As you say, the construction industry is stretched so we need to train more builders but we also need to reduce the number of builders needed.

            Don’t let anyone tell you it will be fast. The word “fast” can’t be found in “construction”.

            QFT

          • Gosman 2.1.1.1.4
            10 April 2017 at 11:02 am

            The question then becomes why doesn’t the State just do this already and release land for development.

            • Draco T Bastard 2.1.1.1.4.1
              10 April 2017 at 12:10 pm

              It did – when it compulsory acquired the houses in Avondale for a motorway.

              Oh, wait…

              Then, of course, it’s not really the government’s job to make developers rich. It’s the governments job to make the development sustainable which simply releasing land won’t do. It’s obvious to those with half a brain that it’s not more sprawl that we need but to build up.

        • Anthony Rimell 2.1.1.2
          10 April 2017 at 4:19 pm

          BM:
          Things I want to see explained are

          1. Land
          2. Materials
          3. Trades

          BM: For your assistance, and straight from Labour’s web-site.

          “Create an Affordable Housing Authority to fast-track development in our cities

          Labour will establish an Affordable Housing Authority to work with the private sector to cut through red tape and get new homes built fast. It will partner with private developers, councils and iwi to undertake major greenfields and revitalisation projects, building affordable homes with KiwiBuild and the private market. These homes will be part of great communities built around parks, shopping centres and transport links.

          Build 100,000 affordable homes across the country

          Labour’s KiwiBuild programme will build 100,000 high quality, affordable homes over 10 years, with 50% of them in Auckland. Standalone houses in Auckland will cost $500,000 to $600,000, with apartments and townhouses under $500,000. Outside Auckland, houses will range from $300,000 to $500,000.

          Growing the Building Workforce

          Increased house-building will require a larger workforce. Labour’s Dole for Apprenticeships policy will subsidise employers to take on around 4,000 young people for on the job training in fields including building and construction. Labour’s policy of three years free post-school education will see tens of thousands more people study in all fields, including building and construction. KiwiBuild is projected to create 5,000 new jobs at its peak.

          Remove barriers that are stopping Auckland growing up and out

          Labour will remove the Auckland urban growth boundary and free up density controls. This will give Auckland more options to grow, as well as stopping landbankers profiteering and holding up development. New developments, both in Auckland and the rest of New Zealand, will be funded through innovative infrastructure bonds.”

    • ianmac 2.2
      10 April 2017 at 9:13 am

      Way back then, you could get your first house on a Housing Corporation Loan at modest interest. My sister did so in the 50s, built a 4 bedroom house and 40 years later she was paying $3.50 per week to end the loan as inflation had turned her huge 1pound.10shillings per week into such a tiny amount.
      Today could her sons get such a deal?

      • BM 2.2.1
        10 April 2017 at 9:25 am

        Probably not.

        The issue is though even if super cheap loans were available where’s the land, the materials and the builders going to come from.?

        If you ain’t got those three you haven’t got a house.

        • mauī 2.2.1.1
          10 April 2017 at 10:58 am

          Housing NZ has acres of bare land sitting there waiting to be developed after they went on bulldozing spree under the nats. People are rightly wondering what the hell is going on.

          The materials are controlled by a monopoly, the government can break that by entering the market.

          If the government incentives new builds then you get more builders doing that and rejecting alteration work as they’re milking it on government contracts. I really don’t think this is that hard.

          • Gosman 2.2.1.1.1
            10 April 2017 at 11:03 am

            They should sell the land then if they can’t develop it themselves.

            • Draco T Bastard 2.2.1.1.1.1
              10 April 2017 at 1:43 pm

              No they shouldn’t. They should build on it and rent out houses cheaply – as is their actual purpose for existing.

              • ropata …
                10 April 2017 at 2:02 pm

                NZ has lost a lot of builders, hundreds of chippies have been screwed over by dodgy developers and the building supplies cartel. National’s leaky homes debacle (and its stupid deregulation of timber treatment) killed off a lot of the industry. The demise of apprenticeships doesn’t help. The requirement for Master Builder certs doesn’t help either. Also Councils should accept some liability if their building inspectors are useless.

                The speed of the Christchurch residential rebuild was encouraging, but this crisis doesn’t affect Nat voters so it’s bottom of their priority list. Pizza is more important to Blinglish

                • BM …
                  10 April 2017 at 2:30 pm

                  Framing timber is never supposed to get wet.

                  The issue was more about the cladding systems not the timber.

                  • ropata …
                    10 April 2017 at 2:49 pm

                    Yeah but houses are not 100% weathertight they are supposed to breathe. Crappy cladding was one factor, over reliance on silicone and use of untreated timber were definitely a part of it
                    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3250748

                  • Draco T Bastard …
                    10 April 2017 at 3:32 pm

                    Wow, you do talk some bollocks.

                    The framing timber will get wet because the air is wet and it’s in an enclosed dark space which means that untreated timber will simply rot.

                  • McFlock …
                    10 April 2017 at 3:38 pm

                    That would be because responsible architects and engineers are happy if the structure is destroyed because only one element fails?

                    • BM …
                      10 April 2017 at 3:44 pm

                      I don’t quite understand the point you’re making?

                    • McFlock …
                      10 April 2017 at 3:59 pm

                      yeah, I can tell.

                      A building with failed cladding is one thing.

                      A building with failed cladding and rotten structure is another thing entirely – having experienced delayed cladding repairs, my brother ended up going overboard and replacing the perished timber with H4 studs lol. Only just got it in time. Helluva a lot more work than paint and plaster inside.

                      If you just go “well, the cladding should have been replaced earlier”, you’re right. But it doesn’t actually stop the problem happening again, because sooner or later someone will have a financial thing, or some other reason for delays a few months or years longer than strictly desirable. With treated timber the penalty for failure (or being an imperfect human) is less severe.

                    • BM …
                      10 April 2017 at 4:45 pm

                      A cladding system like cement board or poly when direct fixed to untreated timber will fail.

                      Brick veneer houses with an air cavity and eaves will not.

                      I’m guessing your brother’s house was poly or cement board?

                    • McFlock …
                      10 April 2017 at 4:57 pm

                      nope. Just old. It was a do-er upper.

                      But that’s the thing: you’re parsing the specific instance with guesses here, and talking about flashings for KJT’s specific experiences there… all you do is demonstrate that there are many reasons the cladding might leak, sometimes even for a long time.

                      There are therefore many reasons that framing should be treated to minimise rot.

                  • KJT …
                    10 April 2017 at 4:39 pm

                    Bullshit. Water always gets in. It was a combination of both.
                    You would be surprised how many older houses had leaks. I can say this for a fact after renovating so many of them. However ventilation and rimu framing, and later boric treatment of pine, saved them.

                    Stupid cladding and flashing systems specified by cladding manufacturers after a quick buck, privatised building inspection and untreated timber were all to blame.
                    Leaving the poor bloody builder, and homeowner to carry the can, of course.

                    The politicians ultimately responsible for the fiasco should have been held personally responsible.

                    But, as usual, the advocates of personal responsibility, for others, never take personal responsibility. That is only for the “poor people”.

                    • BM …
                      10 April 2017 at 4:49 pm

                      Did water get in because the flashings failed?, cladding rotted?, roof leaked because it was rusty?

                      These are issues that arise because of lack of maintenance not so much building design.

                    • ropata …
                      10 April 2017 at 5:02 pm

                      Wow all the homeowners out of pocket $200K+ will be so glad to know it wasn’t the fancy mediterranean designs that were all the rage in the 90s (and the fly by night developers) are not to blame.

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      10 April 2017 at 5:41 pm

                      The politicians ultimately responsible for the fiasco should have been held personally responsible.

                      But, as usual, the advocates of personal responsibility, for others, never take personal responsibility. That is only for the “poor people”.

                      QFT

                    • KJT …
                      10 April 2017 at 5:56 pm

                      Water ALWAYS gets in.

    • lprent 2.3
      10 April 2017 at 9:25 am

      …but an actual plan with a timeline.

      You mean just like the ‘plans’ that National has been lying with? Rather pointless isn’t it?

      National show a complete failure of imagination because of their ideological stupidity that prevents them from actually doing anything constructive. Their limit of ‘planning’ appears to end at giving their donors at SkyCity more room by forcing TVNZ to give up their space to mythic convention centre at that does nothing for Auckland.

      Similarly they refuse to curtail immigration now that our nett migration figures are so high due to kiwis coming back. I guess because they get so many donations from well-heeled immigrants.

      But building houses for those who need them using the resources of the state appears to violate their religion. Regardless of the fact that this has been the only way that NZ has ever gotten enough houses to adequetely house our population over the last century.

      National appears to only have plans on how to get donors, and how to try to create the pretence that they ever do anything constructive. Nick Smith, with housing and environment is just the classic for National on the latter. How many times now in the last 3 years has he promised that the house build rate (not the meaningless consent rate) in Auckland would increase?

      Labour has already had housing plan up for many years. Until Labour can change regulation, legislation, and actually budget for it – that is as far as an opposition can go.

      National as the government can go a lot further. They appear to do what you do – try to blame everyone else. As a strategy it is great for spinning PR – and generally lying. But is that how YOU run a organisation or a business?

      • Draco T Bastard 2.3.1
        10 April 2017 at 10:01 am

        They appear to do what you do – try to blame everyone else. As a strategy it is great for spinning PR – and generally lying.

        QFT

        • marty mars 2.3.1.1
          10 April 2017 at 10:06 am

          + 1 yep a great nesting spot for the depraved and despicable – ignore the nothing the gnats are doing and then whine about the opposition.

        • greywarshark 2.3.1.2
          10 April 2017 at 12:35 pm

          I would imagine that when National is interviewing for new MPs they have a test to check if the hopeful can sell an unpopular policy by lying.

          Listening to Nick Smith saying untenable things with a firm tone and apparent certainty and then Paula Bennett on the notion that anything that goes wrong in the regions is due to local authorities not attending to duties, and nothing to do with central government, just gets my toes twitching. Oh for winklepickers as the shoe fashion now.

  3. roy cartland 3
    10 April 2017 at 8:58 am

    What’s the point of building houses without any rules around who gets to buy them? If I was one of these speculators, I’d just buy all the new ones as well.

    If you aren’t living in it, you pay. Heaps.

  4. Keith 4
    10 April 2017 at 9:38 am

    We are now 40000 houses short in Auckland worse than when National finally started taking this crisis vaguely seriously 2 or 3 years back.

    40000. See, you can never catch up, the theory of supply and demand being the problem in Auckland can never be fixed the way this country is run, it is there to exacerbate and feed the housing frenzy, designed to keep investors happy and house prices at bay.

    It is also no small detail that we don’t have the infrastructure for an extra 40000 dwellings, much less what we have now. By my observations and use of it Auckland’s southern motorway it now runs more or less at peak capacity for 12 hours or more in parts and were it not for Auckland’s clogged suburban streets to use to avoid our motorways it would be even worse. The Waterview tunnel IS delayed because NZTA KNOW the North Western will be gridlocked by it at least and are simply putting off the evil day.

    Many of our beaches are polluted and simply dangerous to swim at, not because of sharks but because of raw sewer that spews into them. Why, because our sewerage system was not designed to handle the population.

    And yet the FOREIGN (not kiwis coming home) immigration tap remain fully open as does the tourism.

    And now the Otago Lakes District houses are some 14 times more than the annual low wage in NZ.

    The only plan is cheap growth through massive uncontrolled immigration to keep National in power. Any thought for New Zealanders by addressing these problems could cause the housing bubble to burst and National know its curtains for them if that happens. So National put National first.

    • Hanswurst 4.1
      10 April 2017 at 10:56 am

      And yet the FOREIGN (not kiwis coming home) immigration tap remain fully open as does the tourism.

      Surely Kiwis coming home would put exactly the same strain on existing infrastructure as foreigners arriving.

      • Keith 4.1.1
        10 April 2017 at 11:26 am

        Obviously nowhere near as bad and there is nothing we can do about that now is there?

        But what we can control is non kiwi’s but the Nats attitude is yeah, nah, fuck it it will harm the housing bubble and cheap labour pool.

    • fisiani 4.2
      10 April 2017 at 12:53 pm

      40,000 houses short. Seriously Where did they go? Are 40,000 families homeless? How can you expect to be taken seriously when you spew up such a ridiculous number>

    • fisiani 4.3
      10 April 2017 at 12:57 pm

      If only we had a government that could build some bloody houses. We do!
      National has a comprehensive package of measures underway to address the challenge of housing supply and affordability.

      Our package includes:

      Creating special housing areas in high demand areas across New Zealand to fast-track the building of homes.
      A $1 billion Housing Infrastructure Fund to accelerate new housing in the high-demand areas where it’s needed most. The new fund will focus squarely on financing infrastructure like roads and water needed to support new housing.
      Setting up independent Urban Development Authorities to speed up housing development in high-demand areas – they’ve proved successful in many other countries.
      Reforming the Resource Management Act to make it easier for councils and developers to get houses consented and built.
      Tightened rules to ensure people buying and selling property for profit pay their fair share of tax.
      Requiring Councils to ensure land supply for housing keeps pace with growth.
      Passed legislation to restrict Council development charges to reduce the cost of building.
      There are no quick fixes – these issues are longstanding – but there are positive signs we’re making good progress.

      Our results so far:

      85,000 new houses to be built in this term of Parliament.
      40 houses built every working day in Auckland, four times what it was when we were elected.
      Over 28,000 building consents issued in year to May 2016 – double the number of five years ago.
      Over 2,000 homes to be built on Crown land we’ve freed up in Auckland and Christchurch.
      209 special housing areas created across New Zealand to speed up development of an estimated 70,000 homes.
      12,000 New Zealanders helped into their first home in the year to March 2016 with HomeStart grants from the Government of up to $20,000 for a couple to put towards buying their first home.
      Around 2,000 homes to be built on redeveloped Housing New Zealand land over the next two years.
      42,000 apprentices currently in training and we’re funding 8,000 more apprentices and trades training places across the country over the next four years.
      40,000 more people working in the construction industry across the country than two years ago.
      The best way to address housing affordability is to build more houses and build them faster and we have a comprehensive programme underway to help make this happen

      • UncookedSelachimorpha 4.3.1
        10 April 2017 at 2:18 pm

        I guess that long post explains why affordable housing is so completely out of reach for so many people.

        Remember John Key was making strong statements about NZ’s housing crisis in 2007. And it has only gotten worse, much, much worse.

      • Barfly 4.3.2
        10 April 2017 at 3:23 pm

        Joseph Goebbels ghost is alive and living in you isn’t he. “The big lie” just keep repeating it

      • KJT 4.3.3
        10 April 2017 at 4:42 pm

        Fisiani fiction.

        • saveNZ 4.3.3.1
          10 April 2017 at 5:40 pm

          Yep in till people start quoting code of compliance amounts (not the ‘futures of resource or building consenting)’ and deducting all the buildings that are being knocked down or just being re built due to leaky housing, earth quakes and floods – aka not really an extra house at all!

          I’m pretty sure that there are few ‘new’ houses in real terms, which is why we have a housing crisis that the Natz are not aware of.

          Not buying that Fisiani fiction either!

      • patricia 4.3.4
        10 April 2017 at 7:01 pm

        Building thousands of houses in the over $600K price range is never going to address the lack of housing for low income or homeless people. What is needed is the construction of a great quantity of HNZ homes.

  5. jcuknz 5
    10 April 2017 at 10:01 am

    I got a nice leaflet the other day outlining Labour’s ideas …. Little was dressed properly as opposition leader should be rather than in a pink vest and the text was full of great ideas….. then I remembered the ‘No tax increases’ they announced recently and shook my head in disbelief. You got to be joking for sure.

    • Barfly 5.1
      10 April 2017 at 12:44 pm

      Remember JK increasing GST? That wasn’t a tax increase it was a “rebalancing”. No one has gotten labour to rule out “rebalancing” taxes have they?

  6. saveNZ 6
    10 April 2017 at 10:12 am

    They need to stop immigration apart from refugees (who actually need a new country to live in) until there is enough houses already built and for sale at a level a teacher can afford.

    Building more houses for economic development and economic migrants is not only NOT going to get the average person a house in this country, it is going down a road that can not be undone, that the rest of the world have. Thankfully we in NZ don’t have that problem and we still have clean water and air and our kids don’t live disconnected in a concrete jungle. That will go with more people.

    NZ evolved without predators. Our native birds can’t even fly. We have a unique ecosystem and like the Amazon, isn’t about time people value that – and not see a piece of forest or undeveloped land and think what a waste, we could fit another 25,000 people or cows in there?

    Already we are cutting down an ancient Kauris so that someone can put in double car parking in Titirangi and our RMA law is designed to do that. And anyone (migrant or not) who disagrees is going to get a criminal conviction under the National government and there is much more to come with the water irrigation schemes and so forth.

    Those that look down on the Palm plantations in Indonesia and think that’s bad. Have a look in your own country.

    • Once ..whatever 6.1
      10 April 2017 at 12:31 pm

      “They need to stop immigration apart from refugees (who actually need a new country to live in) until there is enough houses already built and for sale at a level a teacher can afford.”
      But, but, but that’d surely destroy that private tertiary export sector – you know….the one where international students from poor families (having had the importance of education drummed into them) beg, borrow, mortgage the family home come to NZ to do shitty courses – where they’re lied to, given false information, pay enormous fees (to consultants, INZ and education institutions), and are then blamed and either deported, or have visa applications declined so that the next intake can keep the bullshit going. “Flushing the pool” as one lawyer put it. We can even change the rules midway through the game to ensure it keeps the ticket clippers and bullshit artists happy.
      No matter the consequences:
      – the damage done to NZ’s reputation
      – the indebtedness of the student and/or family
      – the driving down of wages where students are driven to do whatever in order to survive (and try and pay back their debt)
      – the enabling of abusers pimps, traffickers, bad employers, etc.

      No no no – fuck the refugees! We’ve got to keep the education export sector going, just as we do the fishing industry abusing the rules and its employees
      (/sarc)

  7. Herodotus 7
    10 April 2017 at 10:29 am

    Perhaps there are others out there who are seeing changes in the market.
    From my observationsin the sector there has been a change over the last 5-6 months as builders are not having the demand for design and build. To those not on the sector that means that builders have to fund the spec homes, as with a design and build the client funds the build with progress claims. Putting strain on the builders cash flow also increasing the stock available to the market. This with my observation of properties increasingly not selling at auctions.
    and over the last week or so the herald’s number of articles like this
    From $30k deposit to $1m planned portfolio in a year: one couple’s story
    But what wasn’t included in a very misleading headline was “”We borrowed 60 per cent of the purchase price. The rest of it came from parents as an equity gift,” he said.”
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11835327

    • Barfly 7.1
      10 April 2017 at 12:46 pm

      Yeah it’d be Herald click bait or just headlining a meme of “there is no housing problem” …or both

  8. adam 8
    10 April 2017 at 10:35 am

    And still no talk about the impact of this free market on housing producing incredibly large inflationary pressures on low and middle income families. Out of touch much….

    • Once ..whatever 8.1
      10 April 2017 at 12:54 pm

      +1
      Spin doctors, the gNatzis and Granny Herald are working on an explanation as we post.
      Granny is in meltdown. Just before I came in here to TS, I saw a headline – internet housing porn (the subject of this post). However when I returned to Granny, once again it had vanished in Barry Soper style. I imagine they’re tearing their hair out now wondering how they can reconcile Dann’s article .v. the porn they temporarily shuvved on the website. (it was about some 23yo that had ‘almost lost all hope’ – until probably rich mummy and daddy came to the rescue as guarantor or deposit – something they’d failed to ascertain at time of publication).
      Indeed! – out of touch much. Well NO ekshully – by design, right up until the time some ‘feral’ calls bullshit and makes them look a bit ridiculous

  9. Janet 9
    10 April 2017 at 10:38 am

    The main type of immigrant we get now are the acquisitive kind not the kind our nation was built by; the ones who wanted to build a better country and who slaved and sacrificed to do so. I largely built my own house – hands and money – on weekends and holidays and in between ! Does nobody do that anymore , it saves a lot of money?
    Step one: shut immigration down to only the experience we actually need here. Burst the bubble if there is a bubble to burst and let the avaricious speculators suffer.
    Step two : Heavily tax ill gotten speculative gains which will help fund the next step because this is a true example of
    “He who possess a surplus possess the goods of another”

  10. marty mars 10
    10 April 2017 at 10:51 am

    Wow so many want to shut down immigration or at least the wrong kind of immigration when they got here because of immigration and if relatives were overseas that’d be bleating on about reuniting families and stuff.

    Good old kiwi pricks are doing the property porn you know not the immigrants ffs.

    Meanwhile the real issues and causes of the property shit sandwich of capitalism, exploitation and commodification gets swamped by dire immigrant stories

    • saveNZ 10.1
      10 April 2017 at 1:06 pm

      What dire immigrations stories? There are none. Capitalism has led to neoliberalism and that ponzi scheme needs more people to keep it afloat. The MSM loves immigration, occasionally we get a story about someone who has their workers working for nothing or someone buys and sells a house on the same day for $300k extra, but apart from these small grumblings on immigration, the MSM love and support it.

      MSM are running the property porn stories to tell the next generation that not all is lost with the current system, they too (with parents help) can step aboard the property express and earn $1000 a day from their property purchase to make up for their declining wages. Neoliberalism works for all see!

      The new neoliberal economists like Morgan, think that by taxing the proceeds everything will be peachy as well. (However looking at the UK tells a different story).

      The issue for the Natz and free marketer puppets is that we did not have enough competition. You know when the crap job was there and people had a working welfare system they could say no. The only way to get capitalism working was to get more people in to ‘compete’ against each other. Otherwise neoliberalism dies as the 1% gather all the money, they take it off everyone else and then it just stops because no more new money. Quantitive easing only goes so far.

      See Kiwi’s are not competitive enough. We need a boot up our arses – like being made homeless unless you too compete for your spot on the street or make that job fighting out 200 other applicants and of course welfare was made to be below the cost of living as a punishment.

      And with the competition for houses, apparently we are 500,000 short, our intake of migrants was not surprisingly around 500,000.

      It’s the more subtle version on housing, but in keeping with “the mother of all budgets” against the unemployed to make them competitive, and the employment contracts bills to make the employed more competitive. Now we need the consumer shortages to make people better consumers.

      The neoliberals need the shortages and competition to make their theories work. It’s a disgusting but effective ruse that the righties and free marketer puppets are using successfully.

      You can be pro migrants but against neoliberal immigration in my view. That’s the space that the left seem to be missing.

    • ropata 10.2
      10 April 2017 at 1:50 pm

      Immigration is not the only factor but it’s a big one. Should be cut by 50% as Auckland cannot sustain current levels, infrastructure is already in crisis mode and people are living in cars FFS

      However I don’t blame immigrants for wanting to come here, good on them. The Nat’s mismanagement, collaboration with the FIRE industry, and free market dogma has completely fscked up the NZ property market. The fact it’s in the newspaper shows that this national disaster is even beginning to affect upper middle class urban liberals. I expect English will have some tricks up his sleeve to try and paper over the crisis in time for the election.

  11. McFlock 11
    10 April 2017 at 10:53 am

    At least they’ve got a current one this time.

    Fair cop to him, worked hard, saved, got the deposit that would buy a house in the regions.

    But then he was also only paying $50/wk room and board from his parents, so that’s a fair few grand from them as well.

    • dv 11.1
      10 April 2017 at 11:29 am

      And the bank lent a 19 year old 200k.
      Bet the parents have guaranteed the loan!!

    • Antoine 11.2
      10 April 2017 at 12:58 pm

      Well, it’s one person’s experience.

      It may be useful inasmuch as it reminds some young people that houses can be much much cheaper in the regions.

      A.

      • McFlock 11.2.1
        10 April 2017 at 1:12 pm

        Actually, the big reminder is that putting off tertiary education can be the best option if you can get a fulltime job.

      • Sabine 11.2.2
        10 April 2017 at 1:56 pm

        and unemployment is sky high in the regions.

        and oh, btw, speculators have arrived in the regions, buying houses up, keeping them empty or with rents demands that are simply not relative to the market.

        I.e. a commercial property in Whakamaru empty for at least a year now and then some, for 28.000 a year, plus Gst, plus outgoings, plus line costs for electricity and such.

        lol.

        and Taupo….so expensive that the only businesses catering to tourists on the waterfront are KFC, Mac Donald, Lone Star, Hollywood Cafe, Burger Fuel etc….cause there is no one that could afford the leases privately. But Taupo also offering a grant of up to 25.000 a year for businesses to settle in the region. The disconnect is just mind blowing.

        its not just houses that are out of the reach anywhere (Rotorua with its empty statehouses right next to the big Mall Development) but also commercial properties .
        It seems that what is build is not build to be rented / tenanted but is build for speculative gain and as tax write offs.

        • saveNZ 11.2.2.1
          10 April 2017 at 4:33 pm

          Yep soon NZ will just be a strip mall with off shore chains and food outlets in all the major streets and only because the corporations can somehow pay zero taxes around the world semi- legitimately in many cases.

          Often the people running the franchise or what have you are pretty much indebted labourers for the head honchos running the show. They then feel the need to cut corners and costs. pay the minimum and barely keep their heads above water too. Since it’s all tax deductible it’s really the local tax payers supporting the routs.

          Local businesses or locals paying real taxes can’t really compete.

          The richest people seem to play with stuff that is not even real – like John Key a futures or foreign exchange trader or what ever he was. But he was known as the smiling assassin so presumably before he decided to be NZ PM he loved to screw people over back in the day .

          We now have the legacy of his dream of the NZ tax haven where billionaires are lured in by hiding their loot and can buy a forest, farm or two and a ski lodge in NZ on route and the helipad negates the need to see the growing homeless on the streets.

          It’s hard to see how that is sustainable as an economy but I guess you only need to think in the short term these days as a PM. When the going gets rough you can bail out with life long tax payer perks, selfies with presidents and another clip on the CV and networking ladder and giving tired and washed out ‘motivational’ speeches to big business for big $$$.

        • Antoine 11.2.2.2
          11 April 2017 at 4:41 am

          Sure, if a young person wants to buy cheap in the provinces then they need to find an area where houses are still cheap _and_ they can find work. Obviously the likes of Taupo and Queenstown are right out.

          (This approach certainly wouldn’t have worked for me at the same age, but when it works for some people that is great.)

  12. WILD KATIPO 12
    10 April 2017 at 1:55 pm

    Not related but ,…

    RIP John Clarke.

    Weve lost an icon.

  13. The Pink Postman 13
    10 April 2017 at 3:59 pm

    The answer is prefab houses made in the factory then erected on sight. London did it in the post wars years ,To day with the technology we have we could have well built houses mass produced ,Phil Twyford
    will know all about this .Labour will certainly be /looking at the way they could erect safe well constructed houses in the factory, which will also
    employ many semiskilled workers .

  14. AsleepWhileWalking 14
    10 April 2017 at 6:33 pm

    The answer is sweat equity with subsidies for those who are impaired. Stop the bloody consumer consciousness that requires lifetime payment, including retirement.

    The other answer is to stop subsidies to landlords via the Accommodation Supplement. Market rent is clearly not market rent once the government becomes involved and we would be fair better off paying a lump sum for a home than ever spiraling rents.

    • saveNZ 14.1
      11 April 2017 at 9:39 am

      That’s where a UBI might work. Without being chained into geographical areas for crappy jobs, people could live in the back of beyond and probably not cost the tax payer any different if you removed all other subsidies like accommodation benefit.

      The difference would be quality of life and relief from the relentless bureaucracy of welfare and subsidies (from accommodation, working for families and DPB, unemployment etc) for citizens.

      It could kick start a new economy of people following their dreams and callings. Many jobs of the future are not even dreamed of at present. Look at the Internet and where that has taken the world. It’s really only been mainstream for 25 years, but now taken over everything.

      And any one who shares Bill English views of the benefits of a low wage economy – look fucking around – even those who have money and accommodation are not better off with run down schools, health system, Typhoid, desperate petty criminals, 60 hour working weeks and poisoned water.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • 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
    2 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
    4 hours 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 ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    11 hours 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
    15 hours 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
    17 hours 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
    18 hours 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
    19 hours 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
    21 hours 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
    21 hours 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
    22 hours 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
    22 hours 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
    24 hours 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 ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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 ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 day 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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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, ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 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 ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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 ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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 ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    4 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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 ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 days ago

  • Real reason Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Chhour
    And why did the Crown not challenge the Tribunal’s jurisdiction?   Gary Judd writes –  Retired District Court Judge, David Harvey, has posted on his A Halflings View Substack an excellent summary of Justice Isacs’ judgment declining to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Losing confidence in the integrity of NZ elections
    Bryce Edwards writes – Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result?As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Macklemore's Pro-Palestinian Protest.
    Macklemore isn’t someone I’d usually think about. Sure I liked his big hit from a few years back, everybody did it was catchy and cool with some memorable lines. But if I was going to think of artists who might speak out on political matters or world events, he wouldn’t ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on miserly school lunches, and the banning of TikTok’s Gaza coverage
    Another week goes by in the Luxon government’s efforts to roll back the past 70 years of social progress. The school lunches programme is to be downgraded by $107 million, and women need bother their heads no longer about pay equity, let alone expect ACC to provide adequate sexual violence ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    6 days ago

  • Weekly Roundup 10-May-2024
    Brrr, the first cold snap of the year. Hope you’re rugged up nice and warm. Here are some stories that caught our eye this week… This Week on Greater Auckland On Monday, we had a post from a new contributor, Connor Sharp, who dug into the public feedback ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    6 days ago

  • The Hoon around the week to May 10
    Almost all of the Wellington City Council’s recommended zoning changes to allow many more apartments and townhouses in its inner-suburbs have been approved.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guest on geopolitics, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #19 2024
    Open access notables A Global Increase in Nearshore Tropical Cyclone Intensification, Balaguru et al., Earth's Future: Tropical Cyclones (TCs) inflict substantial coastal damages, making it pertinent to understand changing storm characteristics in the important nearshore region. Past work examined several aspects of TCs relevant for impacts in coastal regions. However, ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Losing confidence in the integrity of NZ elections
    Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result? As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and always answered “yes”, with very few ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    7 days ago

  • The Song of Saqua: Volume VIII
    Thus far May has followed on from a quiet April in the blogging department, but in fairness, it has been another case of doing what I am supposed to be doing, namely writing original fiction. Plus reading. So don’t worry – I have been productive. But in order to reassure ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    7 days ago

  • Pretending to talk other people’s languages
    Fakes can come in many forms.A Rolex, for instance.A tan can be fake. Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago

  • What’s new? A social agency with an emphasis on “investment” instead of “wellbeing” – b...
    Buzz from the Beehive A new government agency will open for business on July 1 – the Social Investment Agency. As a new standalone central agency effective from 1 July, it will lead the development of social investment across Government, helping ministers understand who they need to invest in, what ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  • Following the political money
    Bryce Edwards writes –    “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • Hipkins would rather no one remember that he was Minister of Education
    Alwyn Poole writes –  After being elected to Parliament in 2008 the maiden speech of Hipkins was substantially around education policy. He was Labour’s spokesperson for education 2011 – 2017. He was Minister for Education from 2017 until February 2023. This is approximately 88% of the time Labour ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • Fashionable follies
    Eric Crampton writes –  A fashion industry group is lobbying for protections. They make the usual arguments and a newer one. None of it makes sense. An industry group says it pumped $7.8 billion into the economy last year – that’s 1.9 percent of New Zealand’s GDP. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • Justice for Bainimarama!
    In December 2006, Fiji's military leader Voreqe Bainimarama overthrew the elected government in a coup. He ruled Fiji for the next 16 years, first as dictator, then as "elected" Prime Minister. But now, he's finally been sent to jail where he belongs. Sadly, this isn't for his real crime of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • March for Nature in June
    Don't like National's corrupt Muldoonist "fast-track" law? Aotearoa's environmental NGO's - Greenpeace, Forest & Bird, WWF, Coromandel Watchdog, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, and others - have announced a joint march against it in Auckland in June: When: 13:00, 8 June, 2024 Where: Aotea Square, Auckland You ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Thursday May 9
    Seymour describes sushi as too woke for school meals. There are no fish sushi meals recommended by the School Lunches programme. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Government will swap out hot meals for packaged sandwiches to save $107 million on school lunches for poor kids. MSD has pulled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • The non-woke $3 Lunch.
    I don't mind stealin' bread from the mouths of decadenceBut I can't feed on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled, yeahBut it's on the table, the fire's cookin'And they're farmin' babies, while slaves are workin'The blood is on the table and the mouths are chokin'But I'm goin' hungry, yeahSome ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • Labour’s chickens come home to roost
    The Ardern Government’s chickens came home to roost yesterday with the news that the country is short of natural gas. In 2018, Labour banned offshore petroleum exploration, and industry executives say that the attendant loss of confidence by the industry impacted overall investment in onshore gas fields. Energy Resources Minister ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 week 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
    20 hours 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
    20 hours 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
    22 hours 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
    24 hours 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
    24 hours 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
    2 days ago

  • Panel announced for review into disability services
    Distinguished public servant and former diplomat Sir Maarten Wevers will lead the independent review into the disability support services administered by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. The review was announced by Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston a fortnight ago to examine what could be done to strengthen the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Minister welcomes Police gang unit
    Today’s announcement by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster of a National Gang Unit and district Gang Disruption Units will help deliver on the coalition Government’s pledge to restore law and order and crack down on criminal gangs, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. “The National Gang Unit and Gang Disruption Units will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • New Zealand expresses regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today expressed regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric towards New Zealand and its international partners.  “New Zealand proudly stands with the international community in upholding the rules-based order through its monitoring and surveillance deployments, which it has been regularly doing alongside partners since 2018,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • New Chief of Defence Force appointed
    Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies MNZM is the new Chief of Defence Force, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. The Chief of Defence Force commands the Navy, Army and Air Force and is the principal military advisor to the Defence Minister and other Ministers with relevant portfolio responsibilities in the defence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government puts children first by repealing 7AA
    Legislation to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has been introduced to Parliament. The Bill’s introduction reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the safety of children in care, says Minister for Children, Karen Chhour. “While section 7AA was introduced with good intentions, it creates a conflict for Oranga ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Defence Minister to meet counterparts in UK, Italy
    Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week travel to the UK and Italy to meet with her defence counterparts, and to attend Battles of Cassino commemorations. “I am humbled to be able to represent the New Zealand Government in Italy at the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of what was ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Charter schools to lift educational outcomes
    The upcoming Budget will include funding for up to 50 charter schools to help lift declining educational performance, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. $153 million in new funding will be provided over four years to establish and operate up to 15 new charter schools and convert 35 state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • COVID-19 Inquiry terms of reference consultation results received
    “The results of the public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has now been received, with results indicating over 13,000 submissions were made from members of the public,” Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “We heard feedback about the extended lockdowns in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • The Pacific family of nations – the changing security outlook
    Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests  Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues  Ladies and Gentlemen,  Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru    It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • NZ and Papua New Guinea to work more closely together
    Health, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Driving ahead with Roads of Regional Significance
    The coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • New Zealand congratulates new Solomon Islands government
    A high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office.    “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • New Zealand supports UN Palestine resolution
    New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Speech to the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium
    Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • $571 million for Defence pay and projects
    Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Climate change – mitigating the risks and costs
    New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Getting new job seekers on the pathway to work
    Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Accelerating Social Investment
    A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says.  “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Getting Back on Track
    Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with  your Board and team, for hosting me.   I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ – European Union ties more critical than ever
    Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith,   Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States,   Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us.   Ladies and gentlemen -    In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations.   ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Therapeutic Products Act to be repealed
    The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Decisions on Wellington City Council’s District Plan
    The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Rape Awareness Week: Government committed to action on sexual violence
    Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston.  “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Smarter lunch programme feeds more, costs less
    Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Report provides insights into marine recovery
    New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ to send political delegation to the Pacific
    Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region.   The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu.    “New Zealand has deep and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Low gas production threatens energy security
    There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co.  Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Defence industry talent, commitment recognised
    Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Speech to the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry
    Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Speech to the Sixth Annual New Zealand Government Data Summit
    It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government.  I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Ceasefire agreement needed now: Peters
    New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Daily school attendance data now available
    A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour.  The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Ambassador to United States appointed
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America.    “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says.    “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New permit proposed for recreational gold mining
    The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-05-15T21:12:56+00:00