Greenpeace warns Govt oil/gas ban reversal will open up mining across NZ
Greenpeace is sounding the alarm as Government minister Shane Jones extols the benefits of reversing the oil and gas exploration ban, including opening up 'all acreage' of New Zealand for mining.
Jones, speaking at the Asia Pacific Energy Assembly in Singapore this week in his capacity as Resources and
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RNZ News
29 minutes ago
- RNZ News
'Shameful': PNG Treasurer says successive governments have failed the people
Ian Ling-Stuckey, the Treasurer of Papua New Guinea. Photo: Supplied Papua New Guinea's Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey says successive governments have failed to improve the wellbeing of ordinary citizens, and the country "must learn from the mistakes of our past". Ling-Stuckey made these comments at the University of Papua New Guinea during the launch of a new book on the country's economic history since independence. He described the book titled, Struggle, Reform, Boom and Bust , which highlights that living standards have not progressed as espected, as a "profound wake-up call". He said the book has been too generous it its assessment of PNG's economic performance. "Using the National Statistics Office estimates of population (12.3 million people in PNG in 2022, not 9.3 million) and the Consumer Price Index lowers PNG's average living standards performance significantly, from 0.4% per annum as set out in the book, to negative 1.3% per annum. "This is a very depressing statistic. This is a real wake-up call." PNG is celebrating 50 years of independence this year. The country is one of the most cultrally diverse place in the world, home to multiple enthnic tribes and over 800 spoken languages. Since it gaining independece rom Australia on 16 September 1975, the country has faced a range of challenges, including political instability, economic and infrastructure underdevelopment and social issues such as tribal conflict and corruption. "We are deaf if we do not hear these factual realities of historic failure," Ling-Stuckey said. In 1980, living standards averaged K11,089 per person, in terms of today's kina, he said. However, more than two decades later, that figure had fallen to just K5903, he said. "This has been a shameful economic performance." He explained that the decline from 1980 to 2005 overshadowed the "boom" of the following decade led by late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, which only raised living standards to K7380 by 2014. "The 'bust' of the fourth period, from K7380 to K6483 under Prime Minister O'Neill, is also undoubtedly catastrophic, with a fall in living standards of over 12%. Then COVID made things even worse." "As we celebrate our extraordinary achievements as the world's most diverse country after 50 years, let us acknowledge that successive governments since independence have failed our people economically." "We must learn from the mistakes of our past and draw nourishment from our successes. We must reflect on our budget policies and ask what we can do to lift our revenues, particularly from the resource sector. We must reflect on the effectiveness of our government expenditure." He added PNG must also reflect on the excessive ambition of our plans, rooted in idealism rather than realism. "We must reflect on our industrial policies and ask if we have learnt the lessons from our past. We must look at the red tape and increased fees that our businesses are complaining about." Ling-Stuckey is a member of Prime Minister James Marape's Pangu Party, and is currently serving his third term in the PNG national parliament representing Kavieng. Struggle, Reform, Boom and Bust is free to download from the ANU Press website .
RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
Australia trials CCTV in childcare centres expected as ministers meet
By Stephanie Borys , ABC Photo: 123RF A national trial of CCTV cameras in hundreds of childcare centres is expected to get the green light at a meeting with federal, state and territory education ministers in Sydney today. Under the proposal being discussed, up to 300 services would be asked to take part in the trial. A number of states recently launched reviews into safety at childcare centres following multiple allegations of child abuse by a worker in Victoria, and a number of other significant incidents in other states. The New South Wales report recommended the installation of cameras in all new childcare centres, while Victoria's review recommended a trial to evaluate the use of cameras as a "regulative and investigative tool". NSW has committed to its own trial, while Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said she would prefer a national trial. She acknowledged privacy concerns but said CCTV must be considered as one way to better protect children. "I will acknowledge there are different views on this point... which is why moving to a trial in the first instance is most appropriate," Allan said yesterday. While some states are already on board, others are yet to be convinced. Some have raised questions about where the footage would be stored and who would have access to it. Centres can already install CCTV cameras and recently Australia's biggest private childcare operator G8 Education announced it would roll out cameras to all of its centres. Early Childhood Australia CEO Samantha Page said she would support a trial but didn't want CCTV to create complacency or support poor practice. "Because there's a CCTV camera in a room, that does not mean it's okay to leave an educator alone with a child or group of children," she said. Samantha Page said she did not want CCTV installation to lead to complacency. Photo: ABC National Children's Commissioner Anne Hollonds said CCTV may have a role to play but raised concerns about an over-reliance on technology. "These other elements [to protect children] include the recruitment of the right people... the mandatory safety childcare training. The human elements are far more important than CCTV," she said. The trial is just one of a number of measures to be discussed at today's meeting, along with mandatory child safety training for all childcare staff and tougher penalties to try and deter breaches and non-compliance. The federal government will provide AUD$189 million over the next four years to strengthen safety in the childcare sector. It includes funding to establish a new national register for childcare workers. Federal Education Minister Jason Clare flagged the idea last year, and during multiple media interviews after Joshua Dale Brown was arrested in Victoria. "There's a register for teachers; there's not a register for educators in centres. That's one of the other potential tools here to help keep children safe," he said last month. Details about how it would operate, what information would be included and when it could commence will be discussed at today's meeting. Jason Clare previously flagged a national register for childcare workers was needed. Photo: ABC/Adam Kennedy Early Childhood Education Minister Jess Walsh has previously suggested it would track workers from centre to centre and across state borders. "That register needs to be integrated with working with children checks... and it needs to be integrated with other information that we have about substantiated complaints and conduct against individuals," she said last month. Queensland Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said a national register was long overdue. "A national register is critical to ensure the safety of children, support all early childhood services to ensure they do the right checks, and have the right information, every time they engage an educator, no matter where they are in the country," he said. NSW acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos insisted the register must be a priority at today's meeting. "[It] will be most effective if it is implemented nationally," she said. The move comes after attorneys-general agreed to strengthen working with children checks so that if a worker is banned in one state, they are banned in all. Education Minister Jason Clare is set to talk to his state and territory counterparts about the mandatory mobile phone ban, which he said is set to be in place from September. The Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority has encouraged providers to adopt all practices in the National Model Code, which states staff should not have their phones on them while providing care to children, unless for emergencies or essential family needs. It's not clear at this stage how the ban will be enforced across different jurisdictions. Only two states have outlined their plans to issue hefty fines. South Australia has warned centres could be fined up to $50,000 or face suspension if they do not comply, with the SA education minister to explain the state's policy to his counterparts today. Victorian centres face a fine of up to $57,400 for long day care, kindergarten and outside school hours care services. Western Australia said it will introduce a ban but has not given a date, while NSW Premier Chris Minns indicated the finer details in his state had not been finalised. "We are looking at it. I accept the premise that there has to be zero tolerance when it comes to the safety and care of young people," he said. The federal government recently passed legislation that gives the Education Department the power to cut funding if a centre fails to meet national safety standards. The checks are carried out by state regulators, but a Four Corners investigation found many centres have not been checked for a number of years. Some states will push for more federal funding to help cover the cost of the checks. South Australian Minister for Education, Training and Skills Blair Boyer said his state was investing more in child safety. "This will deliver increased compliance checks and ensure ratings of ECEC services are updated every three years," he said. Western Australia's Early Childhood Minister Sabine Winton said the state government would spend an additional $1 million to boost the regulator's capacity but the federal government should also pitch in. "I will also be placing strong focus on advocating for building the capacity of the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) and state-based regulators," she said. Samantha Page agreed the federal government should play a greater financial role in ensuring state and territory regulators are fully resourced. "They [the regulators] need to able to undertake rating and assessment more frequently," she said. "I think the Commonwealth government tends to rely on the state and territory governments to find those resources and to operate those regulatory authorities without understanding the growth." 1600 additional unannounced spot checks will be carried out by Commonwealth officers, but their main focus is on potential fraud. - ABC
NZ Herald
3 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Race for Reserve Bank governorship heats up – Christian Hawkesby coy on why he wants the job
'I think they should all be given their fair due right to be assessed.' Others touted to be in the running include former Treasury chief economic adviser Dominick Stephens, Auckland University macroeconomics professor and Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee member Prasanna Gai, and Motu Research executive director John McDermott. Stephens is seen to be a safe pair of hands. He has been the Treasury observer on the Monetary Policy Committee and has experience communicating with the public as Westpac's former chief economist. Gai is highly respected globally for his work in academia. He held leadership roles at the Bank of Canada and is a Financial Markets Authority director. Similarly, McDermott is very well qualified and has experience as a former assistant governor and head of economics at the Reserve Bank. There has also been talk of Bank of Canada deputy Governor Toni Gravelle being in the running. However, New Zealand doesn't feature in his CV. The coalition Government has (thus far, at least) appointed known entities to top jobs in the public sector. Secretary to the Treasury Iain Rennie and Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche are examples of this. The Governor role requires expertise in both economics and the regulation of financial institutions. The Governor also needs to be a good communicator and people manager as the head of a large organisation. Hawkesby has experience in the above. Being at the helm of the Reserve Bank since Adrian Orr's sudden resignation in March, he has been leading a major restructure in line with the bank receiving less funding than it anticipated last year. Since Orr's departure, the Reserve Bank board has also followed the wishes of the Government by reviewing whether its bank capital rules need to be loosened. Hawkesby was instrumental in the design and rollout of these rules, as the Reserve Bank's former head of financial stability. The rules make banks stronger, but have been criticised by Willis and other members of the coalition Government for increasing the cost of borrowing. Members of the Government have also been critical of the Reserve Bank's Covid response, which Hawkesby played a key role in. This said, Willis and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon were beaming on Wednesday, when the Monetary Policy Committee cut the Official Cash Rate (OCR) by 25 basis points to 3%, and signalled its intention to give the economy a shot in the arm by cutting the rate more in the future than previously expected. Acting Reserve Bank Governor Christian Hawkesby surprised by the chilling effect US tariff uncertainty had in New Zealand. Photo / Marty Melville More on Wednesday's rate cut, and a misfire in May Speaking to the Herald about this decision on Thursday, Hawkesby was pleased the market interpreted the committee's statement as dovish. Indeed, swap rates, mortgage and term deposit rates, and the New Zealand dollar fell. Hawkesby recognised the committee signalling its intention to eventually cut the OCR to 2.5%, and making it clear that two of its members wanted the OCR to be cut by 50 basis points (rather than 25 basis points), was powerful in moving the market. He stuck by the committee's July decision to keep the OCR on hold, in the face of uncertainty caused by tariffs. However, he conceded that in May he should not have said he had 'no bias' going into the July meeting. This comment confused some observers, making them question the Reserve Bank's commitment to seeing the OCR fall. 'I think if I had my time again, I probably wouldn't have said that,' Hawkesby said, owning up to a misfire in a way his predecessor rarely did. Hawkesby explained he was 'surprised' by the chilling effect uncertainty caused by the United States' tariffs had on New Zealand households and businesses in April, May and June. 'That's the news that we're responding to now,' he said. 'That's the signal to us that interest rates need to go lower to help support the economy and that recovery that needs to happen.' Hawkesby clarified all six Monetary Policy Committee members agreed on the quantum of OCR cuts required. However, their views differed when it came to how quickly to make the cuts. Hawkesby said the committee's central projection was for 25-point cuts in October and November. 'But we've got optionality depending on how the data pans out.' The Monetary Policy Committee will have a new external member when it meets in October, as Bob Buckle's term has just ended. Willis is expected to announce this appointment, as well as the full-term Governor, in coming weeks. Jenée Tibshraeny is the Herald's Wellington business editor, based in the parliamentary press gallery. She specialises in government and Reserve Bank policymaking, economics and banking.
