The Panel with Deborah Hart and Richard Pamatatau Part 1
To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following:
See terms of use.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
Councils warn civil defence plan upgrades will lead to higher rates
As weather events become more frequent and extreme in New Zealand, councils are also increasingly bearing the brunt of emergency events, Local Government NZ said. Photo: RNZ/Mark Papalii A group representing local councils is warning new rules to upgrade civil defence plans are unaffordable, and will lead to higher rates. A Cabinet Paper released on Thursday estimated the reforms would cost councils $82.8 million each over four years, requiring updated civil defence plans and better engagement with communities and iwi. The paper notes that cost would be offset in the long term, as for every dollar spent on preparedness, evidence suggested $4 would be saved in response and recovery costs. But Local Government New Zealand chief executive Susan Freeman-Greene said councils could not afford this, and the only way would be to raise rates. She said more assistance was needed from central government. Otherwise, a better alternative would be to fund civil defence work through a levy added to insurance premiums. "As weather events become more frequent and extreme in New Zealand, councils are also increasingly bearing the brunt of emergency events. Currently, councils fund civil defence activities through rates, receiving some central government support to respond to and recover from civil defence events," she said. "The actual bill for councils and their ratepayers could be much higher that the Cabinet paper implies, because it doesn't account for the ongoing resourcing implications of minimum service levels." Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell said the government intended to pass the new Emergency Management Bill during this term of Parliament, and the public would have another opportunity to make submissions during the Select Committee process. The Cabinet paper also provided details on what the bill would seek to do; clarify who was in control during emergencies (particularly when undeclared) and accountabilities at the local level; improve how Civil Defence Emergency Management Group plans were developed and with whose input; provide for representation of iwi Māori, rural communities and the wider community; and expand the lifeline utilities/essential infrastructure providers recognised under the legislation (e.g. certain digital services and solid waste). Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
NZ Herald
an hour ago
- NZ Herald
Letters: If we want to limit words in te reo Māori, what about words in English?
Surely every parent wants to hear their child's teacher say, 'He tohunga tō tamaiti ki te pānui' ('Your child is great at reading'), and for the parent to respond 'Ehara, ehara' ('Absolutely'). Sue Leman, Mt Albert. The children can cope It is astonishing to note so much alarm over the inclusion of Māori words in the reading programme for 5-year-olds. Surely teachers and children can both cope with the inclusion of vocabulary that many learners would already be familiar with. Songs in Māori, counting and skipping rhymes are known and often sung in kindergarten and pre-school situations. Most young children entering school would happily cope with 'pukeko' or 'pipi' as part of daily life and vocabulary. Growing up in New Zealand, they are also used to Aotearoa as the name of our motu. We have a hybrid language already; it's not easy or desirable to separate English and Māori usage. As a writer for Red Rocket Books, used as supplementary readers in junior classes, I am delighted to find some of my early titles being produced in Māori. Why would we want to backtrack on the language progress that has already been made? Would the education authorities please reconsider this restrictive attitude towards early school learning? Diana Burslem, Epsom. Blood-and-guts debate Gerry Brownlee has done it again! Add this latest fiasco in the debating chamber to his long list of 'Gerry Brownlee Gaffes' - and yes, there is a page with a list of at least 10 major gaffes on it. Brownlee defended his actions by saying Chlöe Swarbrick's words were directed personally at other coalition MPs. Oh no! That being the case then, why was Labour's Kieran McNulty not sent from the House in July last year when he said, 'They are spineless and gutless because they have given in to the whims of their coalition partners just to get into power', when referring to National. He went on to say, 'Utterly spineless and gutless.' There are many other examples of references to spines and guts being used, even by Sir John Key, which Brownlee enthusiastically applauded at the time. If anyone should be asked to apologise for their hasty actions, it's Brownlee. But I'm guessing he will be too gutless, or should that be spineless? Steve Jardine, Glendowie. Add to that list . . . Chlöe Swarbrick, the co-leader of the Green Party, was asked to leave the House yesterday for the second time after calling MPs spineless, or questioning whether enough of them had spines, and refusing to apologise. I support the cause Chlöe was espousing, in its essence, and also her right to make that comment in the House without being asked to leave. However, I wonder if she will now add to her list of spineless MPs two former Prime Ministers, (Jacinda Ardern and Chris Hipkins) and two former ministers (Grant Robertson and Ayesha Verrall), who have all chosen not to appear in public hearings for the Covid Royal Commission of Inquiry, despite being asked to do so, as announced on Wednesday. Claire Chambers, Parnell. In support of Peters' approach It would seem that Hamas has now come out and thanked all of those nations that, in recent weeks, called for the recognition of a Palestinian state. Hamas claims that this was its ultimate aim and that it is grateful for the international support. That would underscore why Chlöe Swarbrick's call for support from 'six of 68 government MPs with a spine' was, in fact, way off course, and that Winston Peters' more cautious approach makes total sense. John Pendreigh, Westmere. Good on Chlöe! What Chlöe Swarbrick said in the House, and to reporters afterwards, was right on the money, and she should not have been told to withdraw her statement and apologise. Good on her for not doing so. Glenn Forsyth, Taupō.
RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
Police minister blames previous government for poor asset management
Police Minister Mark Mitchell. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii The Police Minister says the force's asset management has been of concern "for some time". RNZ reported on Thursday that Police admit over 170 back-office job cuts last year ate into its ability to manage costly assets. Mark Mitchell said the previous government failed to invest for six years in core operations. "This was allowed to deteriorate quickly," he said in a statement. The National-led government has since put about $240 million in to meet cost pressures, and more for vehicles and a boat, Mitchell said. He did not mention asset management systems, which a Treasury report showed were at least five years behind being fixed to work properly. Police said it has realigned leadership to manage assets better. Earlier this year, it was rated the worst out of 16 agencies Cabinet put on watch to do better in 2023. Yet in 2024, Police cut the back-office staff anyway, saying it would not hurt the front line. Eleven of the 16 agencies were on track to be up to Cabinet standards by this financial year, the report back to Treasury in February said. This included Health New Zealand (HNZ), though last year it had a raft of non-compliances - including one which HNZ said would take until 2028 to fix: Meshing finance, asset and investment management policies "to ensure assets are maintained to deliver the required level of service quality". Along with that hangover of poor asset management, Health NZ also justified its lack of a national health plan financially adept enough to persuade the Auditor-General as being because it was always going to take several more years to make it "mature" enough. It was not clear how this shortcoming fit with it complying with Cabinet's directive to improve asset management. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
