Latest news with #PhilGoff
NZ Herald
6 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
James Doolan: You can't be a tourist on Google; why Auckland must reinvest in its visitor economy
The post-Covid shift to remote working has permanently altered the role of central business districts. Globally, CBDs are transforming into CEDs (central entertainment districts) where activation is driven by visitors, events, and experiences. You can't be a tourist on Microsoft Teams or Google. Civic leaders must respond to this paradigm shift. This isn't just Auckland's challenge. Wellington faces similar issues, with its CBD struggling to regain foot traffic. Christchurch, meanwhile, is preparing to open its new stadium. This is a major opportunity to attract events and visitors, but only if supported by co-ordinated destination marketing and event attraction. Auckland's investment in tourism and events remains well below pre-Covid levels. Before the pandemic, the city invested over $30 million annually in these areas. Today, we are limping along at a fraction of that. This is not a clever cost-saving strategy – it's a missed opportunity. The return on investment for destination marketing is well established. Tourism New Zealand's 'Everyone Must Go' campaign has already delivered measurable results. If publicly funded tourism marketing works, why aren't we doubling down? Some argue that the private sector should pick up the slack. But voluntary contributions from hotels and tourism operators are not a sustainable substitute for co-ordinated public investment. International-standard hotels already spend 5-7% of revenue on promotion and an additional 10-12% on commissions, so it's not like they're sitting idle! Others call for new tourism taxes. Overseas, marketing levies are typically industry-led and industry-controlled. These include models such as Los Angeles' Tourism Improvement District (TID), funded by a levy on all accommodation types. It's time to stop treating tourism as a sector that can be taxed without consultation. Former Mayor Phil Goff's failed Accommodation Provider Targeted Rate (APTR) is a case in point. It damaged trust and triggered costly litigation. Any new tourism funding model must be co-designed with industry and aligned with national strategy. With local council elections approaching, voters have a chance to shape the future of our cities. Tourism is not just a sector – it's a solution. Let's ask candidates what they would do to revitalise our CBD. We need councillors who understand tourism's value and promise to support it fully. That means restoring public investment in event attraction and destination marketing to at least pre-Covid levels, and doing it fast! James Doolan is Strategic Director at Hotel Council Aotearoa and principal of Fantail Advisory.
Scoop
7 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Record-Breaking Mass Protester Arrests In UK Should Ring Alarm Bells For Terrorism Law Reform In NZ
Protesting on contentious political issues must not be equated to terrorism. News of the mass protester arrests from the UK in the weekend could set a dangerous precedent for New Zealand and was a tragic day for the history of free speech globally. Those reviewing NZ's terrorism laws should pay careful attention, says Stephen Franks, Chair of the Free Speech Union. 'More than 500 people were arrested in the UK over the weekend for holding signs and wearing shirts. Their crime? Expressing support of Palestine Action, a designated terrorist group. Whether or not one agrees with the designation, the idea that peaceful political expression, however unpopular, can result in arrest is deeply troubling. 'Free speech is a safety valve, and protest is an essential democratic right. If you take this away, the pressure simply builds, and you lose the ability to identify what individuals stand for. The UK is sending an alarming message to the rest of the world and NZ's lawmakers must pay attention. 'Recent reports in NZ show our Ministry of Justice is considering reforming our terrorism laws that could potentially see political commentary and particular symbols fall within the law's scope. But the UK shows us this is the wrong path and risks significantly curtailing our freedoms. Free speech enables groups and individuals to freely advertise what they believe, and for others to form their own views of them. 'Significant care went into preserving freedom of speech in Phil Goff's time as Minister of Justice and Minister of Foreign Affairs when our terrorism laws were put in place in 2002. There is no need to follow UK's footsteps now. 'New Zealand has already fought off dangerous 'hate speech' laws. With an average of 30 speech-related arrests made per day in the UK, it shows us the terrible position we could have been in if tens of thousands of Kiwis had not pushed back. But we must not become complacent now. 'We call on our lawmakers to learn from this disturbing example of governmental overreach demonstrated in the UK over the weekend and reject any notion of mimicking it.'
RNZ News
29-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Hamish Cooper named as new ambassador to London to replace Phil Goff
Photo: Getty Images / Hannah Peters A former New Zealand Ambassador to Japan, Russia, and Turkey has been appointed the new High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. Hamish Cooper, whose diplomatic career at the Ministry of foreign affairs and trade spans 40 years, will take up the role in September. The vacancy came up in the highly sought after London post after Foreign Minister Winston Peters sacked former Labour MP and minister Phil Goff from the position in March. Peters said it "untenable" for Goff to remain in the job after his candid criticism of US President Donald Trump at an event in London. Video from the event shows Goff [ speaking at a Chatham House event] with Finland's foreign minister, and during a Q&A the two were discussing how Finland kept the peace in its border with Russia. "I was re-reading Churchill's speech to the House of Commons in 1938 after the Munich Agreement, and he turned to Chamberlain, he said, 'You had the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, yet you will have war'," Goff said. "President Trump has restored the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office. But do you think he really understands history?" Peters told reporters at Parliament at the time that the decision to sack Goff was one of the most difficult things he has had to do. Goff, a former Leader of the Labour Party and former Mayor of Auckland, had been in the role since January 2023. In a statement on Friday Peters said Cooper was one of New Zealand's most "senior and experienced diplomats and is eminently well-qualified to take on this significant role".
National Business Review
12-05-2025
- Politics
- National Business Review
Podcast #56: Pipes, roads, rates – our local election special
In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: They are known as the Engine Room, the Capital, and the Playground. What are the big issues facing Auckland, Wellington, and Queenstown? As part of the NBR's Focus series on the local government elections, three former mayors – Phil Goff, Want to read more? It's easy. Choose your best value subscription option Student Exclusive FREE offer for uni students studying at a New Zealand university (valued at $499). View terms and conditions. Individual Group membership NBR Marketplace Smartphone Only Subscription NZ$29.95 / monthly Monthly Premium Online Subscription NZ$49.95 / monthly Smartphone Only Annual Subscription NZ$299.00 / yearly Yearly Premium Online Subscription NZ$499.00 / yearly Premium Group Membership 10 Users NZ$385 +GST / monthly $38.5 per user - Pay by monthly credit card debit Premium Group Membership 20 Users NZ$660 +GST / monthly $33 per user - Pay by monthly credit card debit Premium Group Membership 50 Users NZ$1375 +GST / monthly $27.5 per user - Pay by monthly credit card debit Premium Group Membership 100 Users NZ$2100 +GST / monthly $21 per user - Pay by monthly credit card debit Yearly Premium Online Subscription + NBR Marketplace NZ$999.00 / yearly Already have an account? Login
NZ Herald
09-05-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
NZSAS elite domestic terror Commando unit quietly shelved as police anti-terror team steps up
Previously those squadrons were entirely focused offshore. The alleged move follows a sharp drop in experience and numbers at the NZSAS in recent years. What is the NZSAS D Squadron? The D Squadron was created in 2005, initially called the Counter Terrorist Tactical Assault Group. It offered a shorter selection course than that faced by NZSAS aspirants, offering a more direct pathway to special forces that met NZDF's domestic counter-terrorism requirements without the expansive set of skills taught to fully-badged NZSAS operators. It was praised two years later by then Minister of Defence Phil Goff as a part of an important and 'robust counter-terrorism response' in an 'uncertain security environment'. The Commando unit had its own badge with fighting daggers crossing a taiaha. In contrast, NZSAS operators wear the classic winged daggers with the motto, "Who Dares Wins". Goff highlighted the unit as evidence of NZDF 'significantly upgrading its counter-terrorism capabilities'. The Commando unit was distinctive within the NZSAS, with its own badge. Rather than the famous winged daggers of the NZSAS, the Commandos badge was two crossed fighting daggers across a taiaha, intended to represent the three branches of the military and 'readiness for action'. It was also distinctive for the black belt worn by those who had been accepted into the unit. There is very little public information about the secretive Commandos, but in 2020, an Army News piece quoted one of the team as saying: 'NZ Commandos are self-motivated operators who are thinkers before shooters.' He said the motto of the unit was 'ready to strike' and its 'chosen values' were being a teammate, mission focus, accountability and 'win everything'. 'The job of the D Squadron Commandos is to respond to domestic, no-notice call outs and solve the problem regardless of circumstance.' What will replace the elite SAS unit? While the SAS has declined in numbers, police have reinforced their premier armed response unit, the Special Tactics Group (STG). Information obtained through the Official Information Act has shown that the Special Tactics Group had a large funding boost in 2019 - the year of the Christchurch terror attack - and baseline funding then increased from $8.2m in 2020 to $9.4m last year. It is understood that the number of people in the STG also increased over that time period. The STG's role goes beyond counter-terrorism. It also provides police with a flexible, highly-trained armed response to dangerous incidents. The Herald understands the STG had faster access to helicopters, integrated communications networks rather than separate military communications, and better integration with other domestic agencies. Police tactical operations acting head Inspector Freda Grace said revealing the numbers of STG personnel would place the public and those officers at risk by revealing their 'specific operational capability'. 'STG plays an important role in the strategy to keep people safe using highly trained officers with specialist skills that can be called upon at short notice to resolve situations quickly and safely.' Police use the group in dozens of call-outs each year. Members of the NZSAS Commando unit carrying out a counter-terrorism training exercise. Does D Squadron still exist? NZDF has refused to confirm or deny whether the Commandos still exist, even though it no longer carries recruitment information in its publications. Police are similarly tight-lipped on detail about the STG. A spokeswoman for Minister of Defence Judith Collins said she was confident the NZSAS remained capable of fulfilling its domestic role. The Herald has been told by those connected to the NZSAS that the Commandos ceased to exist as a designated counter-terrorism unit about two years ago. The arrival of Covid 19, the posting of NZSAS operators to guard 501 deportees from Australia, and the fall of Kabul reducing future deployment opportunities led to some of the elite unit's most experienced non-commissioned officers (NCOs) leaving. The NZDF was so concerned it began offering up to $30,000 bonuses to those who stayed. Defence bosses internally spoke of the NZSAS as 'near collapse'. The Herald understands the problem was compounded as attrition also hit the wider defence force, severely cutting numbers enlisting in traditional NZSAS 'feeder' units. At the time, the NZSAS was placing even greater focus on working with foreign partners, particularly the United States, with a focus on what is called 'expeditionary' - or offshore - missions. The Herald has been told that led to a focus on ensuring NZDF could field a fully-operable A Squadron and B Squadron at the cost of the Commando unit. Even so, the Herald understands it has struggled to maintain even a full B Squadron complement. The Herald has been told that those who were in the Commandos were given a choice: go through the full NZSAS selection process to advance into A Squadron and B Squadron, or to return to the units from which they came. NZDF told the Herald it would not share information about specific units and their roles due to 'operational security' and risk to national security. A NZDF spokesman said: 'The New Zealand Special Air Service (NZSAS) Regiment continues to provide a government-directed output for a domestic counter-terrorism response in support of New Zealand Police and other agencies.' The spokesman said the NZSAS had been 'organised in many different ways to best suit the operating environment of the time' over its 70-year history and 'that continues to this day'. Defence Minister Judith Collins says she is confident NZDF can manage its counter-terrorism obligations. Photo / Mark Mitchell 'This has not resulted in any reduction or change to the regiment's output. It remains ready to provide the Government with effective military options.'the Who's in charge of counter-terrorism? Police were and remain the lead agency for terrorist incidents in New Zealand, with an agreement between it and NZDF that allows for the NZSAS to be called on if required. The NZSAS has had a supporting counter-terrorism role since the late 1970s when terrorist incidents increased in New Zealand. The Regiment - then known as 'the Unit' for its smaller size - was facing an uncertain future after Vietnam but the detonation of a bomb outside the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sydney in 1978 assured it continued. Sir Robert Muldoon, who was present at the CHOGM meeting, lent his political might to lobbying by the NZSAS within NZDF which saw its elite soldiers take on the counter-terrorism 'black role' (as distinct from the 'green role' of special forces working offshore). Former Prime Minister Sir Robert Muldoon reviewing specialist weapons used by the NZSAS. Around the same time, police developed its own counter-terrorism response with the Anti-Terrorist Squad, renamed in 1991 as the Special Tactics Group - a part-time role until the early 2000s when it was made full-time in response to growing terror incidents internationally. New Zealand's counter-terrorism response was further bolstered with the creation of NZDF's Commandos in 2005, initially called the Counter Terrorist Tactical Assault Group. It offered a shorter selection course than that faced by NZSAS aspirants and those who succeeded went on to four months of training in combat assault and marksmanship skills. The intent was to offer a more direct pathway to special forces that would meet NZDF's domestic counter-terrorism requirement without the expansive set of skills taught to fully-badged NZSAS operators. In 2009, the team was rebranded as D Squadron as the NZSAS set its course for the future with the recently-created Explosive Ordnance Team rounding out the expansion of highly-trained units under Special Operations Command. Those who passed selection for D Squadron still retained the option of undertaking the gruelling, extended selection process for operators in A Squadron and B Squadron. History of NZSAS counter-terrorism Muldoon's championing of the NZSAS into a counter-terrorism space ensured its survival and led to a close and famous connection to the regiment. The Herald reported in 2017 on Muldoon taking a seat in a darkened training room with former NZSAS commander Graye Shattky, the pair playing the part of 'hostages', when the elite soldiers burst in with explosions and weapons blazing. After, Muldoon said to Shattky: 'I suppose on occasion you practice with live ammunition.' Those with Muldoon recalled he paled when Shattky pointed to the holes in the targets that had surrounded the men: 'That was live ammunition, Prime Minister.' One former operator recalled visiting Muldoon at the Beehive with other NZSAS members. 'I remember sitting in his chair in Parliament. I had my feet up on his desk and had my guys around. He walked in and says 'hello boys, how are you?'.' Muldoon then closed his office door, revealing a photograph of himself with the NZSAS. The operator remembered Muldoon's cackle as he pointed to the image: 'There you are,' he said. 'You're my gang.' David Fisher is based in Northland and has worked as a journalist for more than 30 years, winning multiple journalism awards including being twice named Reporter of the Year and being selected as one of a small number of Wolfson Press Fellows to Wolfson College, Cambridge. He joined the Herald in 2004. Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
