NZ Politics

The important thing to keep in mind is that there is a significant proportion of the population that wants this and is going to vote for right wing parties in order to stop the "trans agenda"

Jones is a controversial force in the new Government, with his nakedly pro-mining stance criticised for being anti-environment. His meetings with industry heavyweights, including those in the commercial fishing sector, have led to accusations of conflicts of interest.

In one instance, Jones, also the Fisheries Minister, asked officials to develop a Cabinet paper on overhauling cameras on boats, after a request from a fishing boss who is one of his biggest campaign donors. Under the new Government, New Zealand has backed out of a proposal to restrict seamount trawling in the South Pacific.

"New Zealand will make a clear statement to the UN later this morning explaining its vote, indicating that while it supports enhancing Palestine's status at the UN, this does not amount to recognition of Palestinian statehood.

Cowards.

If there are any doubts this government is taking marching orders from the American right wing they can safely be put to bed.

More than 4000 people have already been laid off as a result of the austerity measures imposed by the NACTF government.

More austerity for the government. Lucky for all the people who lose their jobs the government is going to make them go to seminars before they do on the benefit.

I am sure this will be super effective and will not cost any money at all.

A super security and intelligence agency recommended four years ago and said to be "not too far away" last August, is under "active consideration" by Cabinet.

The number two recommendation of the 2020 Royal Commission of Inquiry into the 2019 mosque attacks was to set up a national intelligence and security agency, or NISA, as a way to cut through the confusion and inaction exhibited between the layers of government agencies prior to the terror attacks.

However, in a new report submitted to the government, FIANZ, far from being impatient, has called for caution.

"Given the complexity and the changing global politics and eco-climate context, there needs to be a serious rethink on the form and function of the proposed but absolutely necessary NISA," it said in the 40-page report.

Add voter suppression to the list of disasters

In Parliament last Wednesday, Te Tai Tokerau MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi said the government "will not waver in its mission to exterminate Māori".

Tad hyperbolic, don't you think?

Wellington City Council have put plans to build a permanent cycleway in Brooklyn on hold after losing over half of its funding. Waka Kotahi was expected to fund 51 percent through the Transport Choices fund, however Transport Minister Simeon Brown confirmed there would be no funding for the project in December.

There was also no mention of the Transport Choices programme or any alternatives in the draft Government Policy Statement in March.

A trial bike lane was installed in 2021 through Waka Kotahi's Innovating Streets programme.

"In the interim Brooklyn Connections continues to function as a successful cycleway," Hodgetts said.

what a disappointment. I really expected better from Jack.

Who is going to listen?

Jamie Arbuckle, the Marlborough councillor who became an MP, says he has settled into having two roles so comfortably he's going to keep both salaries after all.

There's been a lot of video calls from his office in Wellington, but it's meant he's made it to most of the meetings at the Marlborough District Council since being elected to Parliament as an NZ First MP in October.

At the time, he said he felt juggling the two roles would be easy enough until Christmas 2023, and said he would hand his council remuneration back after that, should he feel he could not give the job his all.

But, for now, he said he was keeping up and did not feel that was necessary.

She sounds absolutely unhinged, going into someone's business just to pick a fight with them is straight up bullying behaviour.

International testing indicated New Zealand had more bad readers among its 10-year-olds than other developed nations, but the picture improved for teenagers.

The 2020/21 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) found 29 percent of New Zealand Year 5 pupils failed to meet its intermediate benchmark for reading proficiency, a group which included the 10 percent who did not even meet the lowest benchmark for reading proficiency.

Internationally, 25 percent of participating pupils fell short of the intermediate benchmark and just 6 percent were below the low benchmark.

However, another testing system found older students performed better when compared to their peers around the world.

The 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) test found 21 percent of New Zealand 15-year-olds were reading at the lowest level - meaning they struggled with all but the simplest reading tasks measured by the test.

"The proportion of Aotearoa New Zealand students who performed below Level 2 was 21 percent, which was less than the OECD average of 26 percent. The proportion of low achievers in Aotearoa New Zealand was similar to that of Australia and the US - countries that had similar average reading performance," the report said.

It said the percentage of New Zealand students reading at the highest level, level 5, was relatively high.

"In reading, Aotearoa New Zealand had 13 percent of students performing at or above Level 5 compared to the OECD average of 7 percent. The proportion of top performers was similar to that of Australia (12 percent) and the US (14 percent), but this proportion was also better or similar to Estonia (11 percent), Japan (12 percent) and Ireland (10 percent), countries with average scores significantly above Aotearoa New Zealand."

Man, Wellington shop owners must dread seeing a green MP walk in the door at this point.

I guess housing and urban development is not a priority after all.

Lol. Q3 here sets out what he (edit: allegedly) said (anything said in the House is protected by Parliamentary privilege)

https://bills.parliament.nz/v/11/59669ddb-f7b1-405a-0e5b-08dc696671a5

You could call it a 'mask off' moment, although VFF have never been keen on masks.

Corrections has spent over $305,000 on slushy syrup and maintaining frozen ice machines in the past six years.

The news comes as proposed job cuts ravage the public service with 3460 jobs set for the chopping block, as part of the cost savings drive.

The slushy machines caused controversy in 2019 when it was revealed Corrections had spent over $1 million of taxpayer money on 193 slushy machines.

The then-National leader Simon Bridges called it "irresponsible and wasteful spending" at the time but then-Corrections minister Kelvin Davis said was about health and safety.

Since then the slushy fund has continued with 160 of the 193 original machines still in use and $305,906 spent on syrup, maintaining them.

Wow, turns out being jerks to kids is really unpopular......better backpedal as fast as possible.

She added: "Perhaps I was a little slow, what I can say is I tried my very best ... and I respect the prime minister's decision."

Having a minister describe themselves as "a little slow" is just an incredible quote.