Latest Politics Headlines
Yeeeeeehaaaaaa!
Wednesday, 22 May 2013, 9:56 am | Mana Party
“Yeeeeeehaaaaaa!” was the reaction from Te Hamua Nikora upon hearing the news that he had been selected as the MANA candidate for Ikaroa-Rawhiti. More >>
Te Hamua Nikora Named MANA Candidate for Ikaroa Rawhiti
Wednesday, 22 May 2013, 9:50 am | Mana Party
“I am pleased to announce Te Hamua Nikora as the MANA Candidate for the Ikaroa Rawhiti By-Election” stated MANA Movement Secretary Gerard Hehir. “MANA branches in Ikaroa-Rawhiti hosted selection candidate hui in Gisborne, Hastings, and Wainuiomata. More >>
Te Hamua Nikora is “In it to win it”
Wednesday, 22 May 2013, 9:42 am | Mana Party
“As President of MANA, I believe we have selected the best candidate to contest the Ikaroa-Rawhiti By-Election and represent MANA” says MANA President Annette Sykes. More >>
Focus on Restoring Housing Affordability
Wednesday, 22 May 2013, 9:28 am | Hugh Pavletich
As Deputy Prime Minister Bill English has made clear, Central Government must have the reserve powers to step in, if Local Government fails to meet its responsibilities, in allowing affordable housing to be built. More >>
Substantial Loss of Millions to Ngati Tuwharetoa Tribe
Wednesday, 22 May 2013, 9:25 am | Tuwharetoa Settlement Trust
Over Thirty Seven million dollars has been exposed as a substantial loss to the Ngati Tuwharetoa Tribe of the Central North Island. The tribe has sufferred two major losses. The first... At a Special General Meeting at the Great Lake Centre on Saturday ... More >>
The GCSB And The Lives of Others
Wednesday, 22 May 2013, 8:49 am | OASIS
Under the title "The GCSB and the lives of others", Nicky Hager, Keith Locke and Michael Bott will discuss the implications of the GCSB´s illegal spying on 88 New Zealanders at a public meeting on Monday, May 27 at 6pm at the Wellington Library. More >>
Wattle Downs says “No” to the draft Unitary Plan
Wednesday, 22 May 2013, 8:45 am | Manurewa Local Board
Manurewa Local Board chairperson Angela Dalton said Wattle Downs’ rejection of the ‘compact city’ aspiration proposed by Auckland Council was an all too familiar response to a proposed rulebook for Auckland’s future development, and predicted ... More >>
Budget delivers over $480 million for our Pacific Families
Wednesday, 22 May 2013, 8:40 am | New Zealand National Party
Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, MP for Maungakiekie, has welcomed over $480 million worth of announcements in Budget 2013 that will directly benefit Pacific families and the wider Pacific community. More >>
Muriel Newman: Budget 2013
Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 4:59 pm | NZ Centre For Political Research
Whether we like it or not politics and politicians have an important influence on our lives. Not only do they shape the social agenda and impose regulations upon us, they control the purse strings to the state sector which represents more than a third ... More >>
Solomon Islands PM Attends Global Transparency Conference
Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 4:53 pm | Solomon Islands Government
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo Attends Global Conference of the Extractives Industries Transparency Initiative, EITI More >>
Stronger law needed to address truck accidents & fatalities
Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 3:12 pm | First Union
The truck drivers’ union says dangerous work practices are embedded in the heavy vehicle industry and much stronger laws are needed to protect drivers. Yesterday’s death and serious injury from the logging truck crash near Tolaga Bay comes as Australia ... More >>
The race is on to become NZ’s first living wage city
Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 2:22 pm | Living Wage Aotearoa
“The race is on to become to New Zealand’s first living wage city,” said Annie Newman, the National Convenor of Living Wage Aotearoa New Zealand, today. “Both Auckland and Wellington City are currently exploring the benefits of becoming living ... More >>
More Staff to Strengthen Border Biosecurity
Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 2:21 pm | Ministry of Primary Industries
Twelve new frontline border staff will help ensure New Zealand’s biosecurity defences stay strong, says the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). More >>
Unite union and Event Cinemas bring in Redundancy Protection
Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 2:15 pm | Unite Union
Unite Union is happy to announce that it has achieved an deal with the Event Cinemas group, with nearly all of its key claims being met favourably by the management team. Unite, currently in a major dispute with the McDonalds Corporation, congratulates ... More >>
Release of Solid Energy Information from Treasury
Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 1:35 pm | New Zealand Treasury
The Treasury has released material, mainly comprising advice to Ministers, relating to the monitoring of Solid Energy, a State-owned enterprise (SOE). The material released here was prepared by the Crown Company Monitoring Advisory Unit (CCMAU) and the Treasury ... More >>
IGIS finds no GCSB breaches, but law not clear
Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 1:03 pm | GCSB
The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security has completed an inquiry into potential breaches of the Government Communications Security Bureau Act (2003). More >>
The law (of NZ) according to Kafka
Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 12:11 pm | Clare Curran
The world’s gone mad! I hear that a lot. Now I’m starting to believe it. More >>
Make Sure You Can Vote in the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti by-Election
Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 11:49 am | Electoral Commission
Check your enrolment now if you want to vote in the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti by-election - that’s the message from the Electoral Commission in the lead-up to the 29 June by-election. More >>
New Zealand information about tornadoes
Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 10:05 am | Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management
Tornadoes sometimes occur during thunderstorms in some parts of New Zealand. A tornado is a narrow, violently rotating column of air extending downwards to the ground from the base of a thunderstorm. Warning signs include a long, continuous roar or rumble ... More >>
Blood on our clothes
Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 9:05 am | Socialist Aotearoa
More than 1100 mostly female clothing workers wiped off the face of the earth in Bangladesh. Crushed under the rubble of their factory which the day before they had been forced to work in, despite protests about cracks in the walls. The deadliest ... More >>
60,000 Strong Say 'Leave Animals Out'
Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 8:59 am | SAFE
Over 60,000 people have voiced their objection to the proposed testing of party pills on animals, say animal advocates SAFE, The New Zealand Anti Vivisection Society (NZAVS) and the Royal New Zealand SPCA. More >>
Broadcaster To Seek Labour Party Candidacy
Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 8:39 am | Shane Taurima
Broadcaster Shane Taurima has confirmed that he will seek the Labour Party candidacy for the Ikaroa Rāwhiti by-election. More >>
Iwi Advocate Welcomes Budget 2013 Spend On Maori Education
Monday, 20 May 2013, 4:29 pm | Nga Kaikokiri Matauranga
Nga Kaikokiri Matauranga is pleased to see the Government has heeded many of the calls iwi have been making to improve Maori educational achievement. More >>
First Dedicated Māori Caucus Hui for Community Law Centres
Monday, 20 May 2013, 4:26 pm | Community Law Centres
From May 23 to 24 2013, the Māori Caucus of Community Law will meet at Ōwhata Marae, Rotorua, for its first dedicated hui in the history of Community Law. More >>
Coping with Redundancy
Monday, 20 May 2013, 2:47 pm | NZ Federation of Family Budgeting Services
New Zealanders are learning the hard way how to cope with redundancy. It seems that every week another factory is closing down, another business disappears, and workers are left to manage as best they can. More >>
Petrol Tax Will Further Penalise Low Paid Workers
Monday, 20 May 2013, 2:30 pm | Public Service Association
The Public Service Association says petrol tax increases will unfairly add to the cost burden faced by low paid home support workers who often travel long distances to care for the elderly and disabled. More >>
What to Do If You Can’t Pay a Bill
Monday, 20 May 2013, 2:27 pm | NZ Federation of Family Budgeting Services
You have something in common with the people to whom you owe money: you both want the bill to go away. Your creditor wants to be paid, of course, and if you had the money you would pay it – right? More >>
Will working families be hurt by a TPPA agreement?
Monday, 20 May 2013, 1:30 pm | First Union
Unions in Australia and New Zealand have united to call on governments negotiating the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) to protect the rights and living conditions of working families. More >>
Matariki Candle Light Vigil
Monday, 20 May 2013, 12:52 pm | Safer Aotearoa Family Violence Prevention Network
Safer Aotearoa Family Violence Prevention Network (SAFVPN) is organising the 3rd annual Matariki Candle Light Vigil event this year, and inviting people to commemorate the victims who have died through domestic violence and child abuse in the last year. More >>
Green Party Unlikely to Meet Resource Development Standard
Monday, 20 May 2013, 12:47 pm | Straterra
The Green Party’s proposed “Kiwi bid” against deep sea oil and gas drilling companies will fail because proposals are judged on whether they can explore and extract resources responsibly, Straterra says. More >>
More Evidence of Growing Need for Living Wage
Monday, 20 May 2013, 12:39 pm | Service And Food Workers Union
“A report released by the Salvation Army today adds weight to the growing volume of evidence of a significant working poor who are slipping into poverty in our country,” said Service and Food Workers Union Ngā Ringa Tota National Secretary John Ryall ... More >>
Māori DHB directors isolated and over-burdened
Monday, 20 May 2013, 11:36 am | Massey University
Māori directors on district health boards (DHBs) are burdened by the responsibility of being the sole advocates for Māori health, according to new research from a Massey University PhD graduate. More >>
Police working together to highlight road risk
Monday, 20 May 2013, 10:55 am | New Zealand Police
Research into crashes involving trucks show that most of the people who are killed (76%) are the other road users involved rather the drivers of the trucks and Police are advising drivers to start taking much more care around heavy motor vehicles. More >>
Hearings to Begin For Year Two of the Long Term Plan
Monday, 20 May 2013, 10:30 am | Waikato District Council
This week the Waikato District Council will hold hearings and deliberations for Year Two of the Long Term Plan (Annual Plan 2013-14) in the Council Chambers in Ngaruawahia. More >>
Govt to spend $250 million “fixing” non-existent congestion
Monday, 20 May 2013, 9:15 am | Generation Zero
The Government is constructing a $250 million motorway to relieve congestion, despite the New Zealand Transport Agency stating that the road has no congestion problems. More >>
Hayden Hape seeks Labour candidacy in Ikaroa--Rawhiti
Monday, 20 May 2013, 9:09 am | Hayden Hape
Hayden Hape, Te Taiwhenua o Tamaki Nui A Rua chairman and Ngāti Kahungunu board member, today gave confirmation that he will seek selection as the Labour Party’s candidate for the Ikaroa-Rawhiti by-election. More >>
Q&A: Greens suggest a surcharge on foreign buyers
Sunday, 19 May 2013, 1:16 pm | TVNZ
Green Party Co-Leader Russel Norman says the country needs to look at how overseas demand is affecting the New Zealand housing market. “What Hong Kong did is they put a 15 per cent surcharge effectively on non-residents buying property" More >>
Q+A: Planning laws stacked against first home buyers
Sunday, 19 May 2013, 1:04 pm | TVNZ
Planning laws are “designed to drive up housing values”, Bill English said on Q+A this morning. “They’re designed to ensure house prices go up so they can afford the intensification and very high-value, high-cost urban design that goes ... More >>
Na Rongowhakaata Raihania announced as candidate
Saturday, 18 May 2013, 5:26 pm | The Maori Party
Mâori Party announces Na Rongowhakaata Raihania as Candidate for Ikaroa Râwhiti by-election More >>
Finance Minister Brushing Off Criticism Over Deficit
Saturday, 18 May 2013, 12:43 pm | The Nation
Finance Minister Bill English is brushing off criticism that his Budget doesn’t deal with the country’s growing current account deficit. More >>
Transcript of Bill English interview on 'The Nation'
Saturday, 18 May 2013, 12:38 pm | The Nation
Rachel Welcome to The Nation and our Budget special. The man in charge of the country's purse strings eased them just a fraction in this year's budget. It was a mean 900 million dollars' worth of new spending, and that keeps Bill English on track towards ... More >>
Students say Govt tinkering ‘missed opportunity’
Saturday, 18 May 2013, 11:21 am | VUWSA
Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA) President Rory McCourt said he was disappointed that the Government's Budget was a ‘missed opportunity’ to grow the knowledge economy and reduce inequalities through education. More >>
Not for profits suspicious of decision to pay family carers
Friday, 17 May 2013, 9:22 pm | NZ Carers' Alliance
The Government's decision to allocate $23 million a year to family carers of adult children with disability needs seems positive, but it does not bear scrutiny, says the New Zealand Carers Alliance. More >>
Charity treachery sells out State Housing tenants
Friday, 17 May 2013, 4:52 pm | Housing Lobby
17 May 2013 Press Release Sue Henry Spokesperson Housing Lobby: "Charity treachery sells out State Housing tenants." More >>
Students Say No to Bullies On Pink Shirt Day
Friday, 17 May 2013, 4:51 pm | Auckland University Students Association
Auckland University Students’ Association is celebrating Pink Shirt Day today to help stamp out bullying at the University of Auckland. More >>
Tax Evasion results in community service
Friday, 17 May 2013, 4:20 pm | Inland Revenue Department
A Hamilton man has been sentenced to 280 hours community service after admitting a charge of tax evasion. More >>
Auckland Council Seeks Local Board Feedback On Smoke-free
Friday, 17 May 2013, 3:55 pm | Auckland Council
Auckland Council seeks further feedback from local boards and other groups before it presents the draft smoke-free policy for approval to the Regional Development and Operations Committee (RDOC) on 24 July. More >>
Priced Out: How New Zealand Lost Its Housing Affordability
Friday, 17 May 2013, 3:51 pm | The New Zealand Initiative
Barely a week passes when housing in New Zealand is not in the news. Either because house prices are too high or impressive gains are being made. The New Zealand Initiative’s latest report, Priced Out: How New Zealand lost its housing affordability ... More >>
Priced Out: How New Zealand Lost Its Housing Affordability
Friday, 17 May 2013, 3:45 pm | The New Zealand Initiative
Barely a week passes when housing in New Zealand is not in the news. Either because house prices are too high or impressive gains are being made. The New Zealand Initiative’s latest report, Priced Out: How New Zealand lost its housing affordability ... More >>
Tourist Jailed For Child Sexual Abuse Cartoons
Friday, 17 May 2013, 3:24 pm | New Zealand Customs Service
A German tourist has been jailed for ten months for importing objectionable publications and images, after Customs found over 35,000 child sexual abuse images on his laptop. More >>
Take the time to plan homes and communities – Caritas
Friday, 17 May 2013, 3:21 pm | Caritas Aotearoa
Rushing legislation to implement new housing policy could actually undermine promising new housing initiatives in the 2013 Budget, says Catholic social justice agency Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand. More >>
Budget falls short on assistance to halt rural suicide rate
Friday, 17 May 2013, 3:18 pm | NZ Rural General Practice Network
Budget 2013 should have included some extra provision to address the increasing and alarming rate of suicide in rural New Zealand, the New Zealand Rural General Practice Network says. More >>
Thames Police Facebook Campaign Disgusts
Friday, 17 May 2013, 3:16 pm | Prevent Insane Chase Killing
Prevent Insane Chase Killing Group say Polices latest spin campaign to defend their reckless policy is distasteful and disrespectful in the wake of the deaths of 3 innocent passengers in a vehicle pursued by Police. The facebook poster seeking likes as a ... More >>
Living Wage = Higher Rates!
Friday, 17 May 2013, 3:03 pm | Affordable Wellington
“It would be highly irresponsible for Wellington City Council to bow to pressure from Living Wage Aotearoa by giving pay rises of up to 33% to all Council employees,” says Northern Ward Affordable Wellington candidate Reagan Cutting. “The money to ... More >>
Oil Companies Set to Be Handed Drilling Permits
Friday, 17 May 2013, 2:56 pm | Greenpeace New Zealand
Prime Minister John Key has misled the nation about oil industry safety standards, Greenpeace said today, as an amendment to the controversial Crown Minerals Bill is set to allow companies with no previous experience of drilling to get the relevant ... More >>
Budget 2013: Lean Pickings for Those Most in Need
Friday, 17 May 2013, 2:41 pm | NZ Council of Christian Social Services
The background to the 2013 Budget is the fact that social service agencies throughout the country are facing record demand for their support services. Our networks of social workers, counsellors, nurses and care workers, budget advisors, community ... More >>
Mayor Allan Sanson’s Message – May 2013
Friday, 17 May 2013, 2:36 pm | Waikato District Mayor
It’s been a busy time here at council, as we move to finalise the Long Term Plan (LTP) Year Two 2013-14, that was formally known as the Annual Plan. Council staff and myself have been out and around the district over the past few weeks, discussing ... More >>
Food In Schools For Our Future
Friday, 17 May 2013, 2:22 pm | Auckland Bioengineering Institute
An animation to raise awareness about the issue of child poverty in NZ, and the need for food in schools programmes, has just been released by an educational research project at The University of Auckland. More >>
Budget ‘a small step in the right direction’ – JustSpeak
Friday, 17 May 2013, 2:09 pm | JustSpeak
JustSpeak welcomes the increase in funding to restorative justice services and support for prisoners leaving prison as a small step in the right direction. “We support restorative justice as a more meaningful and less polarised way of addressing the ... More >>
Budget Increases Do Not Go Far Enough to Help Older People
Friday, 17 May 2013, 12:40 pm | Age Concern
Government spending increases for some services for older people will help, but do not go far enough, according to Age Concern New Zealand. More >>

