Category: Guest Posts

A very surprising Bill had its first reading in Parliament on 10 May. The Bill is surprising in that it was originally brought forward under the 2004 Foreshore and Seabed Act, which was abolished by the 2011 Marine & Coastal Area (MACA) Act of 2011.

Over recent years the people of New Zealand have repeatedly spoken through binding polls held under the auspices of the Local Electoral Act concerning establishment of separate Maori representation in their local governments. As of May 19, five binding polls decisively vetoed Maori wards that elected representatives on their local councils tried to foist upon them.

A strong and growing economy is the real story behind the Coalition Government's 2018 Budget. This is very evident from the Time Series of Fiscal and Economic Indicators which projects Gross Domestic Product to grow $17 billion in the year ended 30 June 2018, from $274 billion last year to $291 billion.

Let me see if I’ve got this straight. The Hawke’s Bay winery Craggy Range spent $300,000 creating a walking track up the eastern side of Te Mata Peak. It owned the land and did everything by the book. It was only after the track had been built that people started objecting.

According to the Dominion Post, April 25, " ...the Government is setting up a welfare overhaul 'expert advisory group' supported by a secretariat of officials from different departments." Labour has promised the Greens an overhaul. The ghost of Metiria Turei hovers.

My parents met during “the dirty thirties,” depression years, when life was tough. They were both teachers in small schools on the prairies. My father was older than my mother, and after a brief courtship they married.

LGNZ is engaged in a power grab. It wants to ensure its members are not subject to public polls concerning Maori wards/constituencies. The reason for this is that LGNZ supports race-based Maori wards/constituencies and wants its members to be able to impose them unchecked

The Green Party membership have voted resoundingly to take the party in a more left-wing direction by selecting Marama Davidson as the new co-leader. That’s the consensus amongst commentators analysing the announcement.

The Western Bay of Plenty District Council is divided into three wards for electoral purposes. However, in November 2017, Councillors voted - with nine votes in favour and three opposed - to establish additional race-based wards, which would guarantee seats for Maori.

It is very unwise for the Minister of Broadcasting to have breakfast with the head of news for Radio New Zealand – especially as the Minister is proposing to give Radio New Zealand millions more in funding.