Millions in taxpayer cash on the line as Government pushes for Wellington premiere for Avatar sequel
Finance Minister Nicola Willis wants to see the latest film in the Avatar franchise, Avatar: Fire and Ash, premiere in Wellington when it is released at the end of this year, fulfilling a decade-old deal between the film's producers and the Government.
There is a good chance Willis will
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Scoop
4 hours ago
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Choose Clean Water - Latest News [Page 1]
Changes To Fish & Game Continue Coalition's Handover Of Power To Polluters Choose Clean Water spokesperson Tom Kay says the changes announced today are clearly designed to remove Fish & Game's ability to advocate for the health of rivers. More >> 'Don't Be Fooled': Govt's Freshwater Reforms Means More Pollution In Your Water & Commercial Control Of Public Resources Friday, 30 May 2025, 7:30 pm | Choose Clean Water Choose Clean Water says it's important for the public to make submissions on the changes (these can be made until 27 July 2025) but it's just as important for the public to contact MPs and Ministers directly to voice their opposition. More >> National Direction Changes Expected To Advance Dangerous ACT Ideology At Expense Of The Health Of NZers And Environment Monday, 26 May 2025, 3:04 pm | Choose Clean Water Choose Clean Water says the cabinet paper's prioritising of 'the enjoyment of private property rights' in public policy is straight out of an extreme libertarian ideology and becomes incoherent and dangerous when applied to communities' needs ... More >> Farm Model Weakness Proves Strength Of Input Controls To Save Rivers Wednesday, 11 August 2021, 4:57 pm | Choose Clean Water Freshwater campaigners say the independent review of farm modelling tool, 'Overseer', released today has found profound weaknesses with the tool and in doing so has proved the strength of Government and regional councils turning to greater control of inputs ... More >> Government Must Stand Strong On Freshwater Reform For All New Zealanders Wednesday, 14 July 2021, 1:52 pm | Choose Clean Water Campaigners say the Government must stand strong against pressure from some in the agricultural sector to weaken freshwater reforms, following the release today of the Government's consultation document on freshwater farm plans and fencing rules. ... More >> Wairarapa Water Ltd.'s Bad Science And Poor Process A Warning Bell For All Monday, 21 December 2020, 1:31 pm | Choose Clean Water Freshwater campaigners say Wairarapa iwi Rangitāne o Wairarapa statement released today highlighting their concerns around Wairarapa Water Ltd's 'rushed time frames and incorrect information' is an important warning bell for the public and politicians. ... More >> Fish & Game Endangers Its Vital Public Role By Moving Closer To Federated Farmers Friday, 27 November 2020, 3:49 pm | Choose Clean Water Freshwater Campaigners Say The NZ Fish And Game Council Is Endangering Its Vital Public Role In The Protection Of Rivers And Lakes If It Moves Closer To Federated Farmers, Following Today's Announcement On The Two Organisations' Intention To ... More >> Water Campaigners Welcome Greens' Focus On Nitrogen Pollution Saturday, 12 September 2020, 12:16 pm | Choose Clean Water Water campaigners are welcoming the Greens' focus on nitrogen pollution in the party's 'Farming for the future' policy released today. 'Excessive nitrogen in our waterways is impacting the health of people, rivers and lakes, and wildlife ... More >> Water Storage Should Not Be Prioritised Over Waste & Drinking Water Infrastructure Thursday, 11 June 2020, 5:03 pm | Choose Clean Water The Government should be putting public health first in its post-Covid spending, freshwater campaigners say, prioritising waste and drinking water infrastructure over water storage Campaigners from Choose Clean Water were disappointed to learn ... More >> Crucial Policy Missing From Government's Water Announcement, Say Campaigners Thursday, 28 May 2020, 12:16 pm | Choose Clean Water Freshwater campaigners are frustrated the Government has delayed a crucial decision on nitrogen pollution for a further 12 months until after the election. 'We have urged the Government many times to put in place clear and unequivocal limits for ... More >> Strong Water Rules Essential As New Report Shows Most NZ Rivers Polluted Thursday, 16 April 2020, 12:39 pm | Choose Clean Water A government report released today shows most New Zealand rivers are polluted, highlighting why strong water rules are urgently needed, say freshwater campaigners. The report shows most of our waterways are under stress and many are severely impacted. In our ... More >> Industry Lobbyists And Politicians – Don't Exploit Covid-19 Crisis To Push Long-held Agendas Monday, 23 March 2020, 11:18 am | Choose Clean Water It is irresponsible and dishonest for agricultural industry lobbyists and opportunistic politicians to exploit the Covid-19 crisis for their unrelated political agendas, say freshwater campaign group Choose Clean Water. Federated Farmers have called for ... More >> 'Don't Fail Us On Water, PM': Togs, Towels And A Serious Message At Parliament Today Monday, 2 March 2020, 7:38 am | Choose Clean Water A group of young freshwater campaigners are getting their togs on, grabbing a towel and heading to parliament at rush hour this morning with a message to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern; 'Don't fail us on water.' The group, from the student-established ... More >> 'Strong Water Rules Now': Campaigners Remind PM Of Clean River Promises Outside Parliament Today Tuesday, 11 February 2020, 6:59 am | Choose Clean Water Freshwater campaigners will be outside parliament today with large banners reminding the Prime Minister of her party's 2017 pre-election promises to clean up the country's rivers. The group from Choose Clean Water, a student-established campaign to strengthen ... More >> Stats NZ shows urban & rural NZers agree on water pollution Wednesday, 2 October 2019, 3:00 pm | Choose Clean Water Results of the General Social Survey highlighted today by Stats NZ today show that urban and rural New Zealanders agree on freshwater pollution, say freshwater campaigners. 'Information on the General Social Survey 2018 released today by Stats NZ today ... More >> Freshwater policy holds potential if Gov resists pressure Thursday, 5 September 2019, 11:03 am | Choose Clean Water Freshwater campaigners welcome the release of Action for healthy waterways policy discussion documents today saying they hold great potential to deliver on the Government's election promise. However, it is clear there is intense pressure from dairy lobbyists ... More >> Dairy-led water accords do nothing to stop intensification Monday, 2 September 2019, 4:22 pm | Choose Clean Water Dairy industry-led water accords have done nothing to stop intensification over the last decades, which has led to the decline of the health of the country's rivers and lakes, say freshwater campaigners. And there is no commitment from dairy leaders ... More >> An 'action plan' with no action and a fatal flaw Tuesday, 5 June 2018, 4:20 pm | Choose Clean Water An 'action plan' with no action and a fatal flaw: Why agricultural leaders continue to fail New Zealand's rivers and their industry For immediate use 4pm Tuesday, 5 June 2018 Choose Clean Water NZ The Good Farming Practice: Action Plan for Water ... More >>
Scoop
4 hours ago
- Scoop
Changes To Fish & Game Continue Coalition's Handover Of Power To Polluters
Changes announced to Fish & Game this morning are another move in the Coalition Government's handover of power to intensive farming and other polluting commercial interests, and will result in the further degradation of our rivers and freshwater, say freshwater campaigners. Choose Clean Water spokesperson Tom Kay says the changes announced today are clearly designed to remove Fish & Game's ability to advocate for the health of rivers. 'Fish & Game has used its statutory purpose as a strong advocate for the health of rivers across New Zealand, and as such has helped protect numerous rivers from pollution and degradation.' 'There are some things about the system that do need fixing, but this is not only about that—this is the Coalition Govt taking advantage of an opportunity to reduce Fish & Game's influence over polluters." 'When environmental groups, local community groups, or iwi can't afford to legally challenge a damaging activity or poorly made decision, Fish & Game is often there to ensure waterways are protected—working on behalf of their members to protect habitat for fish. But this Government is trying to stop that.' The Coalition has stated that Fish & Game's advocacy functions will be 'revised' so regional Fish & Game Councils will only be able to take court action in relation to advocacy if explicitly approved by the New Zealand Fish & Game Council or the Minister and within a new restricted advocacy policy. This morning's press release from Minister for Hunting and Fishing James Meager on the changes states they will restrict the organisation's ability to undertake court proceedings and require 'Fish & Game councils to better consider the interests of other stakeholders such as farmers and the aviation sector in decision-making'. 'It's telling that the Government has said specifically that it wants Fish & Game to better consider farming interests. Why not public health interests? Why not the interests of future generations? Why not the myriad of other commercial interests that operate in our communities? This demonstrates that this decision is another example of the Government enabling more pollution in rivers, lakes, and drinking water sources, and the handing of more power over our water to polluting commercial interests like intensive farming.' 'We know how detrimental the influence of Ministers can be over the statutory purposes of agencies like the Department of Conservation to protect our environment, for example. This is another case of Ministers being given the power to step in and stop actions that would protect our environment.' Fish & Game led the processes to secure many Water Conservation Orders—similar to National Parks—for our rivers, protecting them for anglers and the public alike to enjoy. In 2002 they launched a large campaign against 'Dirty Dairying' and the conversion of land into intensive agriculture, particularly in the South Island. More recently, Fish & Game took up a legal challenge against ongoing extreme pollution of Southland's waterways where dairy interests were wrongly claiming 'there is no evidence of diffuse discharges from farming activities, either individually or cumulatively, causing adverse effects, including significant adverse effects on aquatic life'. 'Proponents of damaging, intensive agriculture and other major polluters are all over this Government's decisions. This decision stinks of undue influence.'
Scoop
5 hours ago
- Scoop
Past Policy Choices Coming Home To Roost
Press Release – Energy Resources Aotearoa There has been a 27 per cent year-on-year reduction in natural gas reserves, dropping to 948 petajoules from 1,300 in 2024, which was 20 per cent down on the previous year. Production is now forecast below 100 PJ by 2026, rather than 2029, as previously … For yet another year, the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) data published today shows that estimates for New Zealand's gas reserves are rapidly declining. There has been a 27 per cent year-on-year reduction in natural gas reserves, dropping to 948 petajoules from 1,300 in 2024, which was 20 per cent down on the previous year. Production is now forecast below 100 PJ by 2026, rather than 2029, as previously forecast. Energy Resources Aotearoa Chief Executive John Carnegie says the $200 million Crown co-investment in new domestic gas projects, the removal of the 2018 exploration ban, and changes proposed through the Crown Minerals Amendment Bill are all great signs that the Government is working hard to turn the corner on the deindustrialisation of the New Zealand economy. 'We acknowledge the Government is moving to support the strong potential of our domestic gas supply. But only time will tell if this will be enough.' Carnegie says the ongoing challenges with gas supply underscore the urgent need for proactive measures to secure energy stability and support New Zealand's economic resilience. 'We know there are still prospective fields out there – now we need to see the right conditions continue so that we can unlock the supply. Kiwi businesses are doing it tough as gas supply becomes further constrained. We desperately need more natural gas in the market to ensure electricity is available to keep the lights on and our export economy thriving.' Currently, we're witnessing the consequences of a shrinking domestic gas supply: higher prices, the use of imported coal, and uncertainty for industrial users, Carnegie says. 'Natural gas plays a critical role in supporting renewables, powering industry, and keeping energy affordable and reliable. Gas production projects underpin everything from electricity to industrial manufacturing. If we don't continue to work hard on securing more domestic gas for New Zealand, we risk higher prices, more imported coal use, and further instability.' If New Zealand can get this right, the benefits are enormous: jobs, royalties, export earnings, and the confidence of regional businesses to expand, knowing they have secure and affordable energy for the future.
