David Farrar: Exposing the out of control deep state in NZ

The NZ version of the deep state appears to be the NZ Public Health Service. They regards themselves as having a divine right to opine on every issue of the day from capitalism to building design. They have been allowed to do this for far too long, and it is great to see the Minister pushing back.

Bob Edlin: It’s a pity Nicola Willis did not answer the atom-splitting question....

It’s a pity Nicola Willis did not answer the atom-splitting question – we want to know what reprisals are on the cards

Paddy Gower was charged with interviewing Finance Minister Nicola Willis for RNZ’s Morning Report about her newly acquired responsibilities as Minister for Economic Growth and what she hopes to accomplish.

Yes, the economy would grow this year, she assured him, although unemployment would lag behind this.

Nick Smith: Alienating Readers

 

Editor,

The article from Frank Newman on the Whangarei Community paper requires comment as it is a true indictment on how some publications have become irrelevant to those communities they serve.

I am happy to give my background within the newspaper industry prior to making comments on his article:

Mike Butler: Govt by iwi leaders through Nats

Data obtained under the Official Information Act shows that since November 2008 there have been at least 44 meetings between the former Prime Minister, John Key, the current Prime Minister, Bill English, other senior Ministers, and the Iwi Leaders Group.

Years of positioning for political dominance by the Iwi Leaders Group has materialised in the mana whakahono a rohe/iwi participation clauses in the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill which would entrench co-governance and partnership obligations with iwi Maori into local government, creating an under-the-radar constitutional change.

Mike Butler: Special water deal for iwi persists

A vague pivotal concept known as “Te Mana o te Wai” and a special deal for iwi featured in Environment Minister Nick Smith’s “Next steps for fresh water” presentation in Napier last night.

Dr Smith’s detailed presentation on environmental concerns about the economic use of, iwi rights and interests to, and the funding of fresh water improvement, ensured iwi representatives and treaty policy critics exercised restraint when asking questions.

Mike Butler: Water and deceit, part 2

Part 1 of water and deceit took place in 2012 when the current government declared while preparing to sell 49 percent of State-owned electricity generators that no-one owns fresh water but Maori have rights to it. Part 2 has materialised in part of the Government’s consultation document on fresh water.

The Government is seeking feedback on proposed changes to the way fresh water is managed. Part of the consultation is on how “to deliver better environmental and economic outcomes and better outcomes for iwi”.

Mike Butler: RMA adds first dibs for iwi

More than six years ago the new National-led Government announced the Resource Management (Simplify and Streamline) Amendment Bill 2009. This intended to boost economic development by removing vexatious objections, streamlining processes for projects of national significance, creating an Environmental Protection Authority, improving planning and resource consent processes, and streamlining decision-making.

However, a much watered-down Resource Legislation Amendment Bill that was finally introduced by Environment Minister Nick Smith on Thursday includes an unexpected requirement that tribal authorities be consulted at an earlier stage of planning applications.

Mike Butler: Nick Smith’s RFR cave-in

Housing Minister Nick Smith appears to have caved in to threats of legal action from Auckland tribe Ngati Whatua in a dispute over plans to develop Crown land in Auckland for housing.

Under an agreement announced on Thursday, Auckland tribes will have right of first refusal to develop houses on Crown land, with 40 per cent of construction to be social or affordable housing.

Mike Butler: Insulation, alarms latest kneejerk

Housing Minister Nick Smith’s announcement today that insulation and smoke alarms will become legally required in rental properties comes with the news that the government has taken the idiotic rental property warrant of fitness proposal off the table. (1)

This is the latest of a line of apparent National Party crackdowns on property owners that included a mini capital gains tax on properties sold within two years, and loan-to-value requirements on banks to reduce lending to property investors.

Mike Butler: Rights of first refusal fishhooks

Auckland tribe Ngati Whatua’s demand to be first in line in plans to develop Crown land in Auckland for housing shows the folly of including of rights of first refusal (RFR) in treaty settlements.

Ngati Whatua sought legal advice when it looked like the Housing Minister Nick Smith might cut them out of the process by using Section 136 of the Tamaki Collective settlement legislation that says:

Mike Butler: Key delegates water give-away

Prime Minister John Key is moving towards granting preferential water rights to government-created tribal corporations, thus running the risk of losing the support of large swathes of voters who supported the National Party’s previous one-law-for-all position.

A report commissioned by the Iwi Leaders Group calling for "an equitable, permanent share" of water allocations was released today, following a recent Cabinet Paper proposing criteria to give "preferential access" to private tribal companies that pay little tax on a case-by-case basis.

Mike Butler: Tribes threaten action on carbon price

Heh, heh, heh! Tribes accepted carbon credits as payment and those credits have slumped in value -- so the tribes are threatening a $600-million treaty claim, and will take their case to the United Nations in a bid to get the government to revalue the credits. Greedy iwi, global warming stupidity, frequently it appears the chickens come home to roost.

This is how the story has unfolded over the past few weeks. The Iwi Leadership Forum told Prime Minister John Key at Waitangi on February 5, 2014, that it is about to implement a "climate change escalation strategy" which includes a treaty claim for $600-million over the lost value of carbon forestry, according to carbon market newsletter Carbon News.

Mike Butler: No retreat on race-based funding

Just eight years ago, the headline announced “Government in retreat over race-based funding”(1). The nation was heading for a general election. National Party leader Don Brash had delivered his nationhood speech on the drift towards racial separatism the preceding year that had sparked a surge in his party’s support -- the biggest gain by a political party in a single poll in Colmar Brunton's polling history.

The “retreat over race-based funding” was part of the Labour government’s strategy to recoup the ground lost to National in the February poll. The interesting aspect of the Herald report was that no one seemed to know a total cost of race-based funding.

Mike Butler: Rental WoFs, standards, politics

Housing Minister Nick Smith has asked officials to investigate a rental property warrant of fitness scheme, to be trialled on Housing New Zealand properties by early next year. (1) Contractors have already checked state houses looking at the external condition, guttering, roofing, whether doors are securable, whether drains work, and whether there is loose wiring, insulation, or smoke sensors..

The WOF issue was proposed a year ago by the Children’s Commissioner as a measure to combat that favourite vote-catcher of tax-and-redistribute politicians -- child poverty. The Manawatu Tenants Protection Association were the first to call for rental property warrants of fitness, and that was around 13 years ago.

Mike Butler: State houses checked for WOF

A scheme to impose warrants of fitness on residential rentals is well under way with Housing New Zealand going through state-owned rentals to make sure they are up to scratch. Former Housing Minister Phil Heatley confirmed last August that he would go along with child poverty lobbyists’ demands for such a scheme, while the new Housing Minister, Nick Smith, who is known for his ready adoption of trendy causes, presides over the current scheme.