Bruce Cotterill: NZ roads vs Australia - Why better highways could boost tourism

I’ve spent the last week travelling. A good old-fashioned road trip, to be exact. We’ve been driving from Queensland’s Noosa to Port Douglas, along the aptly named Bruce Highway. About 1900km over five days. It got me thinking about our roads.

Our roads fell apart on the last Government’s watch. Most of us will remember how the lockdown-enforced neglect turned our favourite roads into potholes quicker than many of us could imagine. Wheels and even axles fell victim to the highway damage.

DTNZ: Government invests $13.5m to ‘boost international tourism’

Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston has announced a $13.5 million investment in international tourism marketing, which the government hopes will bring an additional 72,000 overseas visitors to New Zealand.

The funding, allocated to Tourism New Zealand, will target key markets including Australia, the United States, and China.

Sir Bob Jones: The taxation enigma

One of our very best financial journalists is the Herald’s Fran O’Sullivan.

In a deservedly scathing attack on the insanity of the government’s recent introduction of $100 tourist Visa fee for Chinese visitors, Fran trotted out some hard statistical facts. These are,

Chris Lynch: Christchurch Airport and Ngāi Tahu Tourism launch campaign to attract Indian visitors to the South Island

A major tourism initiative aimed at boosting travel from India to New Zealand’s South Island has been launched, with Christchurch Airport and Ngāi Tahu Tourism signing a landmark partnership agreement.

The agreement was signed in India during New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s business delegation, marking what organisers say is a significant milestone in tourism ties between the two countries.

Dr Oliver Hartwich: New Zealand’s ‘No’ culture threatens growth agenda

“There’s always a reason to say no, but if we keep saying no, we’ll keep going nowhere.”

With these words in his ‘State of the Nation’ speech last week, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon diagnosed a critical barrier to New Zealand’s economic growth: a culture of negativity and excessive caution.

Only a few days later, his government provided the perfect test case for Luxon’s diagnosis.

Greg Clydesdale: Why is Tourism a Poison Chalice?

We now have our fifth Tourism Minister in as many years. Of course, one of those was due to a change of government but, nevertheless, this office is increasingly looking like a poison challis. This is remarkable given that tourism is not a politically contentious area. It should not be a hot-potato, in which case, we need to dig deeper to find the source of the problem.

Dan Brunskill: The Coalition Government promises an economic growth plan within weeks.....

The Coalition Government promises an economic growth plan within weeks, but can it deliver results?

It is awkward for a Government, elected to get the economy back on track, to have spent its first full year in office watching output shrink almost $2 billion in inflation adjusted prices.

2024 was a year of recession by any definition of the word, although a more useful definition would show the New Zealand economy has been in a recession since September 2022.

Bob Edlin: Doocey and Jones have missed a chance to brag about this deal....

Doocey and Jones have missed a chance to brag about this deal – but taxpayers are again giving a lift to the skifield business

Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey was up front with the $3 million the government is spending on “a suite of new surveys and research which will help fill critical gaps in tourism and hospitality sector data”.

But was it his job to tell us about the $5 million the government has loaned to a private corporation for the purchase of a big Ruapehu skifield?

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 27/11/24

Peters pitches our Pacific-focused policy in a speech in Paris while Chinese envoy to NZ sounds a warning (or is it a threat?)

In this country, China’s ambassador Wang Xiaolong was warning of the political fallout if New Zealand were to join the AUKUS pact.

A decision by New Zealand to join AUKUS would ‘inevitably” have negative consequences for the country’s relationship with China, he said in an interview on 30′ With Guyon Espiner.

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 23/9/24

Aussies help after hostage release while McClay is involved in CER talks – but Wallabies showed closeness can be uncomfortable

Much of the ministerial action recorded on the government’s official website in recent days has focused on dealings with our near neighbours.

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 5/9/24

Foot and mouth – export losses of $14.3 billion a year give govt good cause to commit to stamping out any incursion

We were troubled – briefly – at the prospect of politicians never saying anything improper, outrageous or untoward.

Wouldn’t that give us that much less fodder for the writers who are published on this blog?

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive 15/7/24

So that’s why David Seymour is Acting PM this week

The comings and goings of key ministers – up to a point – can be tracked through the latest posts on the government’s official website.

Trade Minister Todd McClay comes into the “goings” category. He will attend the Group of Seven (G7) Trade Ministers meeting in Reggio Calabria, Italy this week.

On the other hand, we learn that Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has finished a four-day visit to the United States with meetings in California on his final day focusing on innovation and investment.

But where was he headed after that?

Professor Mark John Costello: Marine protected areas safeguard more than ecology

Marine protected areas safeguard more than ecology – they bring economic benefits to fisheries and tourism

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been used as a conservation measure for decades, but critics continue to argue that evidence of their economic benefits is weak, particularly with regard to fisheries.

David Farrar: Banning tourists is not the answer

The Herald reports:

About $16.5 million will have been spent by June on what to do about over-tourism in Milford Sound, but Tourism minister Matt Doocey says the work has been, at times, “incoherent”. Are we about to see very little change after so much money over more than seven years? derek cheng reports. …

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 1/3/24

Govt is gunning for gangs – but McKee reckons some Firearms Prohibition Orders could be lifted much earlier than 10 years

Having sorted out the war criminals and terrorists with a series of foreign affairs announcements yesterday, the government today confirmed its plans to allow police to search gang members, their vehicles and homes at any time using court-authorised firearms prohibition orders (FPOs).

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 16/2/24

Luxon is one of three prime ministers pressing for a ceasefire in Gaza – but the two-state solution they push looks fanciful

Two days after hundreds of people rallied outside the New Zealand parliament and the US embassy in Wellington to protest against what they maintain is genocide in Gaza, Prime Minister Chris Luxon joined with the Prime Ministers of Australia and Canada to express their concerns that Israel seems to be planning a ground offensive into Rafah.

David Farrar: The Cathedral Cove scandal

Radio NZ reports:

The Department of Conservation has conceded there is no guarantee a walkway to cathedral cove will ever reopen but expects to know what may be possible by the middle of the year.

The walking track to the popular coromandel tourist destination was closed in February 2023 after it was badly damaged in extreme weather, including cyclone gabrielle.

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 5/7/23

Honeyed words about the govt’s finances flow from the Beehive – but there’s a souring when Nats’ nibble at the same numbers

From a Beehive perspective, the government’s books are in good shape, even though the Operating Balance before Gains and Losses (OBEGAL) recorded a deficit of $6.5 billion for the 11 months to the end of May. That was $2.1 billion higher than forecast at Budget 2023 but (look on the bright side, folk) $1 billion lower than for the same period a year ago.

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 30/6/23

The PM is busy in China while Andrew Little deals with Five Countries – but for success, check out the Census numbers

The government’s diplomatic balancing act can be admired on two fronts this week.

In Wellington, Andrew Little released a statement headed Five Country Ministerial Communiqué.

This was the culmination of a gathering of political bigwigs from New Zealand, Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 29/6/23

Ministers busy strengthening relationships with China – but media attention is drawn to Kiri Allan’s office relationships, too

Much of the ministerial action deemed worthy of recording on the government’s official website over the past 24 hours took place in China.

This was reflected in extensive media reportage and commentary.

But there was significant media interest, too, in whatever might have happened in the office of Kiri Allan, Minister of Justice and Regional Development and Associate Minister of Finance and Transport.