Shane Jones, as Regional Development and Resources Minister, has offered mining companies Tāiko Critical Minerals in Barrytown and Westland Mineral Sands near Westport $50 million dollars in funding from the Regional Infrastructure Fund.
Beehive announcement: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/govt-backs-nz-critical-minerals-processing
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has announced a policy to restrict voting rights to only those with New Zealand citizenship.
Peters announced the policy at a public meeting in Warkworth on Sunday afternoon.
Currently, legal residents living in New Zealand continuously for a year or more, and whose visa does not require them to leave within a certain time are eligible to vote.
This includes work or study visas, and permanent residents.
Announcing his new policy on Sunday, party leader Peters said voting "should be a privilege of those who have sworn allegiance to New Zealand, and who have made the commitment to make New Zealand their home and their future"
"If you haven't made that commitment or sworn that allegiance, we are happy to let you live here permanently, but why should you get a say in how this country is run or governed?" he said.
"New Zealand First will restore the basic democratic principle that the right to decide New Zealand's future belongs to New Zealand citizens."
Peters said permanent residence granted rights to live, work, study and build a life in New Zealand, but citizenship "is the formal bond of allegiance, belonging, responsibility, and democratic authority".
He said the distinction "should matter again".
According to his speech notes, Peters said it was a problem that any permanent resident who had been living in New Zealand via the normal application process could vote after two years.
"They can vote on who the government is, they can vote on who the local council is, they can even vote in referendums that would fundamentally change the social fabric of our society. Is this what we really mean by democracy in our country?"
Peters has also opposed the India free trade agreement, warning that it would allow significantly more immigration.
Andrea Vance in the Sunday Star-Times and Heather du Plessis-Allan in the NZ Herald on Sunday pen scathing columns on NZ First and their candidate lineup.
Lots of creative insults, describing the party and its recruits as:
I can't help but wonder if there's something personal that sits behind these columns.
Hi, I'm an Australian midwife, and i would love to move to Aotearoa New Zealand, and i need to know if i could work there.
I understand the legalities, it's more the practical everyday experience.
I spent my first few years of registration at a very high acuity hospital in the birth suite working very closely with obstetricians while also looking after some low-risk midwifery-led births. I also delivered extremely prem bubs, and cared for very ill mothers and babies. So while i love physiological birth i am also very experienced at very medical situations.
I don't know if ill ever be comfortable at 'birth centres' or home births, just due to my experiences.
Do you think there is there a place for me in Aotearoa New Zealand as a midwife?
Fees paid to non-executive directors and chairs overseeing Crown and local government-owned organisations have increased 9 and 13 percent respectively over the past year, a new report shows.
Ram raids are back on the menu??
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Six businesses, including liquor stores and a pharmacy, were targeted by thieves within 90 minutes, overnight in Christchurch, police say.
The break-ins, which police believe may be linked, caused extensive property damage across Christchurch early in the morning.
Senior Sergeant Stephen McDaniel said part of the ongoing enquiries involved establishing exactly what had been taken from the properties.
“The value of what has been stolen will not come close to the damage that’s been caused to hard-working businesses,” McDaniel said in a statement Saturday.
I live in Canterbury and whenever I tell people that I have an indoor cat (who gets leash time) they think its crazy and stupid and that he must be miserable. I try explaining that 1. he is much safer being an indoor cat and his safety is my responsibility, 2. we have so much beautiful (and threatened) wildlife, and cats are a big problem when it comes to keeping our wildlife around, and 3. he has no health problems, he gets supervised harness time outside, and he has everything he needs. So I don’t understand why people in this country make it out like its crazy, or that I’m a bad pet owner. Maybe it’s different in places like Welly but here it’s very difficult socially, even though I know I’m doing the right thing.
Health New Zealand plans to close a Wakari Hospital ward after the chief ombudsman uncovered potential human rights abuses.
Inspectors visited the inpatient unit for adults with intellectual disabilities in Dunedin in March.
Their observations included long-term seclusion, prolonged restraints, unlawful administration of medication, denying people access to their own money and people being rewarded for "good" behaviour with access to basic necessities - including the toilet and dental care.
One person was secluded in their bedroom for about 18 months.
So stoked for this. Even if you never plan to learn te reo Māori, it’ll help with everyone’s pronunciation. The example video sounds beautiful.
Sketch of Te Kooti probably drawn by Thomas Ryan, 1880s (Alexander Turnbull Library, A-114-004-2)
Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Tūruki of Rongowhakaata was arrested near Gisborne in 1865 after allegedly helping a ‘rebel’ Pai Mārire force. Released and then re-arrested, he became one of hundreds exiled to the remote Chatham Islands.
Here Te Kooti established the Ringatū faith, which was adopted by many of his fellow exiles. In July 1868 he masterminded an uprising by 300 prisoners who overpowered their guards, captured the schooner Rifleman and sailed for New Zealand, landing near Poverty Bay six days later.
When the government refused to negotiate with them, the whakarau (exiles) fought their way inland. In November they raided Poverty Bay, killing many people – Māori and Pākehā – who had crossed Te Kooti over the years (see 10 November).
Te Kooti was an effective guerrilla leader, but no military genius. After defeat at Ngātapa in early 1869, he retreated to the remote Urewera Ranges. For three years, he was pursued across the central North Island by Pākehā and kūpapa (allied Māori) forces.
When his Tūhoe hosts were forced to surrender, Te Kooti sought the protection of King Tāwhiao. The government pardoned him in 1883.
Link: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/te-kooti-escapes-from-the-chatham-islands
El Niño is officially underway - and could develop into one of the strongest on record.
Earth Sciences New Zealand (ESNZ) has followed counterparts in Australia, Japan and the US in declaring an El Niño event, in its seasonal climate outlook released today.
It said the climate phenomenon would strongly influence New Zealand's weather during spring and into summer, with "spiky" temperatures in some places.
The agency expected drier than usual conditions in the north and east, while some parts of the south and west South Island would likely be wetter than normal.
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Brandolino said this year's El Niño would, at the very least rival the intensity of the five strongest El Niño events already on the modern record.
"There are compelling reasons to believe it will exceed that, and it has all the makings to be an historically strong event ... based on what we're seeing in the observations in the ocean as well as the modelling."
That did not necessarily translate into equally profound effects on New Zealand but it did increase those odds, he said.
"When we have these strong or very strong so-called Super El Niños, we tend to find stronger impacts or more profound impacts."
"By carrying out a careful semiotic analysis of these comments, it’s possible to distill them into a single message, which translates as follows: “Oh shit oh no don’t vote for them vote for me.”"
"What’s changing
Subject to Cabinet approval, these changes will come into effect later in the year:
There was broad support for the proposed changes overall, with some adjustments suggested by submitters.
The proposal to clarify berm parking signage requirements received mixed feedback and low support, so the Minister decided not to progress with this change at this time.
The changes will make rules clearer and safer for people using bikes, buses, e-scooters and footpaths, and for drivers and other road users.
They respond to issues raised by road users, councils, and advocacy organisations and reflect how people currently use roads and footpaths."
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/common-sense-transport-rule-changes-confirmed
ACC's new levy structure comes into force, with motorcycles split into three engine-size categories.
For larger bikes, annual registration will jump to $816, up from $540 last year. Next year they will rise again to $960.
The Fire and Emergency levy for vehicles will also increase by $15.50 a year per vehicle.
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The Fire and Emergency levy for home insurance will decrease up to $12 a year.
People receiving weekly ACC compensation for more than half a year will have their payments increased by 1.97%.
ACC's funeral grants, survivor grants and weekly childcare payments will increase by 3.08%.
Paid parental leave has increased. The maximum rate will increase from $788.66 to $811.05 a week before tax.
Just wondering if this is pretty normal these days, or if it's just my high school kid?
he literally comes home from school and goes straight on the video games. He doesn't hang out with mates after school (I'm not even sure if he has many friends), and he doesnt do any extracurricular activities like sports or clubs. He pretty much spends all his free time gaming and staying inside. It's the same on weekends too. He doesn't go out or hang out with friends. He just stays home gaming all day.
I did try limiting his gaming before, but it didn't go well. He would talk back, throw tantrums, refuse to eat dinner, and even say he wouldn't go to school or wont do homework if he couldn't play games.
My wife didn't really see it as a problem. Her view was, "as long as hes happy and still going to school, its fine." In our house, she usually has the final say. if we dissagree on something, I normally end up going along with what she wants because arguing doesn't get us anywhere. Without both of us being on the same page, I felt like there wasn't much I could do, so eventually I stopped trying. Since then, things have just stayed the same.
When I was a kid, I was always outside after school and on weekends with my mates. We'd ride our bikes, play sports, or just hang around outside. It just feels really different now. kids, they don’t go out or hang with friends.
Is anyone else seeing this with their kids?
Doesn't have to be the "best" pie. Just the one you almost always end up buying.
RNZ is tracking the money flowing to the parties this election year and where it is coming from.
Here's where things stand.
Bunch more information, infographic etc. in the article.
Kia ora everyone,
I'm a researcher from the University of Melbourne looking for volunteers to participate in a 5-minute academic survey on financial-decision-making. Your responses will represent New Zealand in a global study across 70+ countries - so please help us ensure NZ is properly represented and not just left off the map in favour of Aus and the bigger countries!
The survey is 100% anonymous and is open to all adults that are both NZ citizens and residents. If you have any questions just post a comment and I'll reply. Cheers!
Alarm bells are ringing over the coalition's school lunch programme, with the Auditor-General warning the government has not been able to clearly show the scheme is delivering its aims.
A report tabled in Parliament on Tuesday afternoon finds the programme is saving money compared to Labour's approach, but says its performance is not being properly monitored or tracked.
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The findings were part of a final report from the Auditor-General's investigation begun last year after concerns were raised about the programme - in the media and with the Office directly - over quality, timeliness, appropriateness of the food provided, how costs were determined and how providers were selected.
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In a statement, Seymour rebuffed the criticisms, saying the report "favours process over outcomes, and the disgruntled over reality".
"The report is driven by former suppliers and former employees of the Ministry of Education," he said.
"By making the programme more efficient I have saved the taxpayer $360m and counting. The Auditor-General should be happy about this outcome. Reading the report, it feels like the Auditor-General would be happy if we spent another $360m to get the same outcome, so long as we followed his preferred process.
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More at link
