Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Does the Government have the political courage to scrap the Clean Car Standard?

So the latest climate drama involving this Government is that they’re being accused of lining up to scrap the Clean Car Standards altogether.

And I would say to the EV lobby group pushing this line that they may want to just settle down. Even those of us -and I’m looking straight at myself here - who want to see the standards dropped altogether do not think it’s going to happen. That would take political courage and I do not think this Government has that on a subject like this in an election year.

Roger Partridge: A point to the pointless

This week’s revelation that the Government has spent over $80m in rebates to Tesla owners should cause outrage.

And not simply because subsidising the well-off into new cars fails to pass the sniff test.

The real problem is that the payments have been pointless. Aside, that is, from putting smiles on the faces of new EV owners.

John MacDonald: Call me cynical, but...

No new taxes in the Budget. No new taxes in the Budget. No new taxes in the Budget.

Focussed on the cost of living. Focussed on the cost of living. Focussed on the cost of living.

I’m reading there from the list of key messages Prime Minister Chris Hipkins left in the bin here in the studio after he dropped by on Friday.

OK, I’m making that bit up. But that was what he was saying last week after that IRD tax report came out.

Point of Order: More regulation on the way, folks.....

......this time residential property managers will be bound by new rules

On learning of “a suite” of measures to improve the lives of renters and landlords, readers of the Beehive website should be wondering: so, who gets the fluffy end of this lollipop?

The measures were proudly announced by Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods, who said it represents more progress by the government on reform of the rental sector.

But someone somewhere has got to be a loser from this fresh initiative on the housing front, and the heading on Woods’ press statement gives a strong whiff of who the loser(s)will be:

Rental sector changes to regulate residential property managers, clear up meth confusion and ease pressure on landlords

Point of Order: Whoa there – the Govt’s Clean Car scheme has gone into overdrive

Leaving an unexpected fare (it seems) for taxpayers to pay

The Beehive’s on-line bulletin board today brings news of another Minister headed overseas for very important business, another Māori housing project getting under way with the help of millions of government dollars, and beneficiaries being enabled by our beneficent government to beat inflation.

The travel plans unveiled were those of Disarmament and Arms Control Minister Phil Twyford, who will lead New Zealand’s delegation to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference at the United Nations in New York.