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News18
3 days ago
- Science
- News18
The Mathematics Of The Gita
The Gita is an intriguing work; there is much more hidden in its short review of the entire gamut of Indian darshana than is visible on a surface view The Gita is a literary masterpiece. When I say literary, I am not including its remarkable exposition of the various Indian darshanas and their integration into a coherent vision, or its rhetoric, or the spiritual stepwise evolution experienced by the seeker who dives into it and adheres to it from beginning to end. I bring to your attention an aspect of the Gita that is often ignored. Its symphonic structure conceived in 700 shlokas is an expression of what Sri Aurobindo called complex harmonies. Its structure of independent shlokas that are strung together through the various means of rhythm, internal referencing, refrains, and a didactic and dialogic process that builds up chapter by chapter creates a kaleidoscopic experience that is fluid, alive, and constantly fresh. My soon-to-be-released book The Literary Genius of the Gita explores this aspect of the scripture. But there is another more esoteric and hidden aspect that might be worth exploring. That is its mathematical structure of matrix-like configurations that too has hitherto been ignored. The present essay is an attempt to explore this characteristic of its poetry. It may be worth mentioning here that the tradition of Sanskrit poetry, as shown by Pingala in Chhanda Shastra, is unique that its letters or varnas can be arranged in a binomial pattern. That is, the short syllables are assigned a value of 1 and the longer syllables a value of 2. When the varnas are represented by their mathematical value, we see interesting patterns emerge that were described by him in detail as an aspect of Sanskrit prosody. The only other language that assigns a mathematical structure to its phonemes that I know of is Hebrew especially in the Kabbalistic traditions. Modern mathematical structures such as Pascal's triangle and Fibonacci numbers were described by Pingala in his Meru Prastara couple of millennia ago. How far can we explore this today with artificial intelligence? Recently a write-up was published by Thomas Kissel in the journal Greek Reporter with the title 'Greek Philosopher Plato's Secret Code Discovered and Solved, Historian Claims'. It claims that there is a code of musical pattern buried in Plato's writings, most notably The Republic, discovered by a historian, Dr Jay Kennedy. The code seems to portray the entire Greek musical scale that contains twelve notes. We too have studied the patterns in the Gita from an Indic perspective with the help of our custom-designed AI software. These are the findings we came up with that may be of interest: We know that the Gita is divided into 18 chapters containing a total of 700 shlokas. Triadic structures are frequently seen such as three gunas (sattva, rajas and tamas). Sri Krishna classifies a tri-fold structure of many of his essential concepts, such as the triune path of Jnana-Karma and Bhakti, and the three types of knowledge, three kinds of action, three types of understanding and even three types of happiness in the 18th chapter, and these elements correspond to the three gunas that underline the play of Prakriti, or the principle of manifestation in Sankhya Yoga. Number 9 is often employed metaphorically. For example, the body is described as the 'city of nine gates' in chapter 5. Other symbolic use of numbers such as 1000 appear in chapter 11 to describe the dazzling manifestation of Sri Krishna's Vishvaroopa. There may be more as our AI system tells us: 'Some intriguing patterns emerge when looking at the proportions and sequence of verses in the Gita." 'Golden Ratio in Structure: It has been observed that the most climactic chapter – Chapter 11, where Arjuna witnesses Krishna's universal cosmic form (viśvarūpa) – occurs about 61 per cent of the way through the 18-chapter text. Chapter 11/18 is approximately 0.611 of the way in, which is remarkably close to the golden ratio (≈0.618). By verse count, too, the revelation of the cosmic form falls in the general vicinity of the 432nd verse out of 700 (around 61.7 per cent) — not exact, but notably close. This could be coincidental, but it does mirror a common storytelling technique of placing a dramatic 'golden climax" about two-thirds through a work. The fact that viśvarūpa darśana is the Gita's emotional and philosophical high point lends credence to the idea that the text intentionally peaks around the golden-section division. In other words, the narrative pacing aligns with an aesthetically pleasing ratio. (Whether Vyāsa consciously used the golden ratio is speculative; however, Indian tradition did employ harmonious proportions in art and architecture. The ancient Vedic science of design, Vāstu Śāstra, extensively uses the golden ratio in temple architecture, so the concept of an ideal division would not be foreign to the culture." There may be more such as instances of the use of Vedic and Pingala's numerology in the Gita, such as the use of Fibonacci numbers, Golden ratio in verse ratios, conscious numerology, etc. The Gita also uses musical and cosmic symbols. When we ran the AI application on the verses of the Gita, its conclusions seemed to support the hypothesis I have presented in my upcoming book, in pointing out the basic 'musical and mathematical resonance in language: it is worth noting that the Bhagavad Gita is mostly composed in anuṣṭubh meter, a quantitative verse form of 32 syllables (in two halves of 16 syllables each). This even, steady meter lends a rhythmic and almost mathematical cadence to the entire text. Each śloka can be seen as a couplet of two 16-syllable lines, giving the discourse a structured flow. This consistency is analogous to a piece of music maintaining a time signature – it imposes an underlying order on the content. The Gita occasionally uses other meters for special verses (some verses in Chapter 11 use triṣṭubh meter, 44 syllables, to convey the grandeur of the scene), but by and large the metrical discipline is maintained. The uniform meter might not be a 'code," but it is a designed pattern that aids memorization and recitation, reflecting the oral mathematicality of Sanskrit prosody" There is more. Mantric repetitions, alliteration, sound patterns, puns and double meanings, structured lists, recurring phrases or formulae, etc. It was impressive to have our AI application decode another aspect of The Literary Genius of the Gita. It concludes, 'In essence, the Gita's linguistic fabric is highly patterned, but these patterns serve didactic and emphasis purposes more than hiding secret messages. The 'code' of the Gita's language is in its mantra-like quality — through repetition, parallelism, and enumeration, it imprints ideas on the mind. For example, by the end, the reader has heard dharma dozens of times, yoga in many compounds, the refrain of 'surrender' in various forms — a bit like a musical theme recurring in different keys. This can be likened to a computational algorithm where key variables (dharma, atman, yoga, bhakti, etc) are revisited in multiple contexts, steadily building a complete picture. Notably, when comparing to the idea of a 'Plato code' (where a hidden musical-temporal structure was proposed in Plato's texts), the Gita's approach to encoding wisdom is more overtly structured rather than cryptographically hidden. It uses the natural Sanskrit propensity for symmetry and repetition as its 'code', making the text rhythmic, memorable, and conceptually clear." Indeed, the Gita is an intriguing work. There is much more hidden in its short review of the entire gamut of Indian darshana than is visible on a surface view. It is my hope that we uncover this multi-dimensionality and let it reveal the cryptic, the occult and esoteric aspects of its message. It is a 'highly ordered work', as our AI says, but there is a lot of method in its inspiration. Perhaps that is the great and open secret that invites us repeatedly to its mystery and genius. (This research was conducted using a novel, fine-tuned large language model [LLM] with expertise in Sanskrit literature, Hindu philosophy, and symbolic mathematics, combined with Python-based computational tools for structural and numerical analysis, including verse distribution mapping and golden ratio detection.) top videos View all (AI analytics was done by Ed Laughman, who attended medical school in Jena, Germany, before discovering a passion for healthcare technology. He has 15 years of experience in AI, machine learning, mathematics, and modern computation.) Pariksith Singh is author, poet, philosopher and medical practitioner based in Florida. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 27, 2025, 12:05 IST News opinion Opinion | The Mathematics Of The Gita Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. 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Toronto Star
6 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Toronto Star
A Good Life: My cousin's wife never eats the food I serve her. She always says she likes it, but her barely-touched plate says otherwise. What do I do?
What is A Good Life? Plato said it requires virtue. Epicurus said the trick is never talking politics. Nietzsche said if you're striving for happiness, you're losing. To the Star, A Good Life is our new advice column in which our philosophical advisors help you navigate everyday dilemmas about romance, career and how best to spend your fleeting time on earth, guiding you out of the existential muck, toward A Good Life. We often get together with our cousin; his wife is a very particular eater. I try bringing things that I think she'll like but nothing ever seems to be a hit. She always says no problem, she enjoyed it. Should I take her answer at face value? I really want her to enjoy the meal. Opinion articles are based on the author's interpretations and judgments of facts, data and events. More details
Fast Company
21-07-2025
- Fast Company
Can AI think? Here's what Greek philosophers might say
In my writing and rhetoric courses, students have plenty of opinions on whether AI is intelligent: how well it can assess, analyze, evaluate, and communicate information. When I ask whether artificial intelligence can 'think,' however, I often look upon a sea of blank faces. What is 'thinking,' and how is it the same or different from 'intelligence'? We might treat the two as more or less synonymous, but philosophers have marked nuances for millennia. Greek philosophers may not have known about 21st-century technology, but their ideas about intellect and thinking can help us understand what's at stake with AI today. The divided line Although the English words 'intellect' and 'thinking' do not have direct counterparts in ancient Greek, looking at ancient texts offers useful comparisons. In Republic, for example, Plato uses the analogy of a 'divided line' separating higher and lower forms of understanding. Plato, who taught in the fourth century BCE, argued that each person has an intuitive capacity to recognize the truth. He called this the highest form of understanding: 'noesis.' Noesis enables apprehension beyond reason, belief, or sensory perception. It's one form of 'knowing' something—but in Plato's view, it's also a property of the soul. Lower down, but still above his 'dividing line,' is 'dianoia,' or reason, which relies on argumentation. Below the line, his lower forms of understanding are 'pistis,' or belief, and 'eikasia,' or imagination. Pistis is belief influenced by experience and sensory perception: input that someone can critically examine and reason about. Plato defines eikasia, meanwhile, as baseless opinion rooted in false perception. In Plato's hierarchy of mental capacities, direct, intuitive understanding is at the top, and moment-to-moment physical input toward the bottom. The top of the hierarchy leads to true and absolute knowledge, while the bottom lends itself to false impressions and beliefs. But intuition, according to Plato, is part of the soul, and embodied in human form. Perceiving reality transcends the body—but still needs one. So, while Plato does not differentiate between 'intelligence' and 'thinking,' I would argue that his distinctions can help us think about AI. Without being embodied, AI may not 'think' or 'understand' the way humans do. Eikasia—the lowest form of comprehension, based on false perceptions—may be similar to AI's frequent 'hallucinations,' when it makes up information that seems plausible but is actually inaccurate. Embodied thinking Aristotle, Plato's student, sheds more light on intelligence and thinking. In On the Soul, Aristotle distinguishes 'active' from 'passive' intellect. Active intellect, which he called 'nous,' is immaterial. It makes meaning from experience, but transcends bodily perception. Passive intellect is bodily, receiving sensory impressions without reasoning. We could say that these active and passive processes, put together, constitute 'thinking.' Today, the word 'intelligence' holds a logical quality that AI's calculations may conceivably replicate. Aristotle, however, like Plato, suggests that to 'think' requires an embodied form and goes beyond reason alone. Aristotle's views on rhetoric also show that deliberation and judgment require a body, feeling, and experience. We might think of rhetoric as persuasion, but it is actually more about observation: observing and evaluating how evidence, emotion, and character shape people's thinking and decisions. Facts matter, but emotions and people move us—and it seems questionable whether AI utilizes rhetoric in this way. Finally, Aristotle's concept of 'phronesis' sheds further light on AI's capacity to think. In Nicomachean Ethics, he defines phronesis as 'practical wisdom' or 'prudence.' Phronesis involves lived experience that determines not only right thought, but also how to apply those thoughts to 'good ends,' or virtuous actions. AI may analyze large datasets to reach its conclusions, but 'phronesis' goes beyond information to consult wisdom and moral insight. 'Thinking' robots? Today, AI takes on many physical forms, from autonomous vehicles and humanoid robots to healthcare robots and drones. If intelligence requires embodiment, as Plato and Aristotle believed, it might seem as if AI is coming closer than ever to human thinking. AI does take on many forms, but they're still not bodies; they run on code, algorithms, and datasets. Intuitive understanding, emotion, integrity, and practical wisdom seem to require an embodied, perishable form that is moved by experience. Perhaps we should ask AI itself—so I did. When I prompted ChatGPT with the simple question, 'Can you think?,' it responded: 'I can process information, analyze patterns, and generate responses based on data. So, in some ways, it might 'seem' like I'm thinking. But it's not thinking like a human does. I don't have consciousness, emotions, intentions, or awareness. Everything I 'do' is based on patterns learned from huge amounts of text and a set of rules and probabilities. I can 'simulate' certain aspects of thinking, but I don't truly think or understand in the human sense.'
Forbes
19-07-2025
- General
- Forbes
10 Must-Read Books For Anyone Interested In Philosophy
Plato and Aristotle in discussion, 1437, by Luca della Robbia (ca 1400-1482), marble tile, depicts ... More two of the greatest philosophers, who wrote two of the all-time best philosophy books. Philosophy books can open your eyes to new ways of thinking and help you develop a more disciplined, informed approach to life. The best philosophical books explain complex topics using simple language and true-life examples that illustrate concepts explored in nihilism, aesthetics, logic and metaphysics. After reading good books about philosophy, you can examine your own personal beliefs from a more informed perspective. Whether you are interested in moral or political philosophy or want to read a more modern take, you can find what you are looking for in these powerful books. This list of great books about philosophy includes takes from the ancient to the contemporary era. Top Philosophical Books Philosophy books encompass anything that examines the acquisition of knowledge, creation of values, and logic of reason. Classical philosophy includes thoughts from ancient Greeks and Romans, like famous authors Plato and Aristotle. Modern philosophy includes thinkers from the 17th century on, building on the work of Medieval and Renaissance philosophers. Fiction also includes philosophical themes. For instance, any novelist who examines ethics and morality touches on philosophy. Horror, mystery and sci-fi are great vehicles for this type of intellectual inquiry, as they often involve extreme circumstances. This list includes nonfiction books ranked on the uniqueness of their insights, academic rigor of their hypotheses, commercial popularity and enduring value. Aristotle published the first Greek work to examine dramatic theory from a philosophical point of view, underscoring the importance of the arts in building a strong society. He divides the forms of poetry into distinctive groups and observes the differences in how they mimic real life. This book is best for drama lovers or fans of Greek mythology. Aristotle's Poetics is available from publisher Penguin Random House. Considered one of the classics of political philosophy that forms the basis for modern liberalism, Second Treatise of Government considers the basic elements of human nature. It covers debates over tolerance and just government, segueing into more contemporary concerns about citizens' essential freedoms and how to uphold them. This book is best for anyone who wants to learn more about liberalism. John Locke's Second Treatise of Government is available from publisher Oxford University Press. Frank B. Wilderson III's accessible yet intellectual look at how race impacts moral and political decisions was longlisted for the National Book Award. He delves into the history of Black enslavement in the United States and how it continues to impact people today, not shying away from tough ethical questions. This book is best for anyone interested in identity and history. Frank B. Wilderson III's Afropessimism is available from publisher W.W. Norton. Intention is one of the philosophical cornerstones of the 20th century. G.E.M. Anscombe examines how intention can (unintentionally) set us up for problems that are deceptively hard to solve. She looks at agency and people's reasons for acting the way they do. The book was hailed at publication as a work of genius. This book is best for anyone interested in philosophy that examines action. G.E.M. Anscombe's Intention is available from publisher Harvard University Press. Augustine of Hippo, also known as St. Augustine, grew up with parents on either side of the religious spectrum, with one an active non-believer. The saint's musings on how he came to embrace Christianity make for one of the best philosophical books about Christian doctrine. This book is best for those seeking cross-disciplinary works. Augustine of Hippo's Confessions is available from publisher Penguin Random House. Botticelli's 1480 depiction of St. Augustine in his cell. Also known as Augustine of Hippo, he wrote ... More "Confessions," one of the best philosophy books. Philosopher Judith Butler (they/them) has developed powerful theories on gender. Their work, often cited by feminist and queer theory scholars, challenges conventional notions of gender and argues that power 'constrains' sex. They also explore performative sex and gender roles, taking inspiration from great literature in their work. This book is best for anyone interested in gender identity. Judith Butler's Bodies that Matter is available from publisher Routledge. The famed Chinese military treatise devotes each of 13 chapters to different military tactics and is arguably the most famous book on the philosophy of war. It looks at the moral imperatives of war and how each side can argue it is just. Sun Tzu highlights unity, not army size, as a critical success factor. This book is best for those interested in the philosophy of war. Sun Tzu's The Art of War is available from publisher Penguin Random House. Mary Wollstonecraft's extended essay is one of the first works of feminist philosophy. Her response to critics arguing against women's education doesn't call for a gender revolution but does lay out the ways education could help women better support their families and become more than just wives. This book is best for anyone curious about early feminist theory. Mary Wollstonecraft's Vindication of the Rights of Women is available from publisher Penguin Random House. One of the most influential (and controversial) philosophy books ever published, The Second Sex helped spark the second wave of feminism. De Beauvoir begins with the question, 'What is woman?' and how women have been defined as other, i.e., not men. She also rejects traditional views of what women are supposed to be. This book is best for anyone interested in women's treatment in the past. Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex is available from publisher Penguin Random House. Plato penned one of the most influential philosophy books in history with this examination of justice and whether the just man is happier than the unjust man. Using Socratic dialogue, Plato proposes a utopian state called Kallipolis and considers the nature of current regimes compared to the ideal. This book is best for anyone interested in ethics or self help books. Plato's Republic is available from publisher Penguin Random House. Bottom Line Philosophy books can give you a new perspective on issues and educate you. Choosing any of these works will expand your mind and prompt new questions worth answering in your own daily life. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) What Are Good Philosophy Books For Beginners? Reading philosophy can be challenging. By starting with a more accessible text, readers become familiar with foundational philosophical ideas. Here are two good philosophy books for beginners: Thomas Aquinas's Selected Writings leans heavily on Aristotle's teachings to analyze the relationship between faith and reason from a medieval Christian perspective. Plato's The Last Days of Socrates breaks down the latter's famed trial in four propulsive dialogues. What Are Good Philosophical Fiction Novels? Fiction is a fruitful medium for philosophical inquiry because so many questions can be couched in the form of a story. Two excellent philosophical fiction novels are: Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder (1991) follows a 14-year-old Norwegian girl who begins lessons on philosophy with a mysterious correspondent. The Stranger by Albert Camus (1946) tells the story of a man who becomes embroiled in a murder while at an Algerian beach. What Are Good Moral Philosophy Books? Moral philosophy focuses on ethics. Two terrific moral philosophy books are: John Stuart Mill's Utilitarianism and Other Essays, which approaches morality by measuring how many people are positively impacted. Immanuel Kant's Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785) sets the foundational ground for his future arguments related to ethics. What Are Good Political Philosophy Books? Exploring questions related to justice, social justice and social organizing, political philosophy often weighs the obligations of the state versus the individual. Two good political philosophy books are: Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince (1532) suggests cutthroat tactics for gaining political power, favoring efficiency over ideals. Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan (1651) outlines the social contract theory and how government can prosper with an absolute sovereign. What Are Good Modern Philosophy Books? So much of popular philosophy hails from centuries ago. But modern-day philosophers still make salient points, as in these two exceptional modern philosophy books: Natural Goodness by Philippa Foot (2003) expands on her views as one of the founders of contemporary virtue ethics, including her critiques of Kant and Nietzsche. Debating Religious Liberty and Discrimination by John Corvino, Ryan T. Anderson and Sherif Girgis (2017) offers differing takes on a slew of religious liberty issues.
Scoop
16-07-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Speech To The 2025 LGNZ Conference - Delivering For Ratepayers Together
Deputy Prime Minister Introduction – Grounding in shared reality Thank you to LGNZ for the opportunity to speak today, and thank you to the mayors, chairs, and councillors in the room for putting your names forward to serve your communities. Right now, the cost of living is top of mind for every Kiwi: food, fuel, power, and, yes, rates. Households are stretched, and rate rises are a flashpoint for that understandable frustration. It is easy to point the finger in tense times, but I came here to point out a common cause. The Government and councils all want the same thing. Affordable, effective Local Government services for local communities. We recognise that depreciation has accumulated, and funding mechanisms are finite. Behind those rate rises are decades of pressure building: water systems that should have been renewed a generation ago, roads worn out faster than they're maintained, and new housing demands without the means to service them. Central government blames councils. Councils blame government. The problem is blaming isn't productive. New Zealanders don't care whose fault it is - they want affordable and effective local government, too. The question is, how can we sharpen focus and raise productivity to do just that? Everyone's under pressure, central government, local government and, most importantly, New Zealand taxpayers and ratepayers. The pressure households currently face mean that we cannot justify passing the bill to families who are already stretched. Inflation's legacy is still biting. Families are tightening their belts. Government must do the same. From Wellington, we've worked hard to rein in spending, eliminating low-value activities. Households have done their part too, paying eye-watering mortgage rates and making sacrifices in their own budgets to make ends meet. These efforts have paid off. Households now see an overall consumer price inflation rate of 2.5%, down from a peak of 7.3% in 2022. We could be doing even better, but Stats NZ helpfully releases breakdowns of the drivers of inflation. And one figure practically screams out from the spreadsheet. Local authority rates and payments rose by 12.2% in the year to March. 12.2%, versus an overall rate of 2.5%. Clearly, local government is a key driver of cost pressure on households and, don't forget, businesses that people rely on for goods, services, and jobs. In Wellington, we're focusing on delivering services that only Government can deliver effectively and affordably. I believe local government should have the same focus, beginning with a clear conception of local government's role. That is, what things must local government provide because private markets cannot? To put it the way someone once said it to me: Roads, rats, rubbish and rates should be the focus. Horizontal infrastructure of new jobs and housing is a priority, too. Councils shouldn't be pontificating on people's four well beings. Your job is not to recreate Plato's Republic here in the South Pacific. It's to effectively provide a discrete bundle of goods at an affordable price. But we also recognise a hard truth: many of the costs facing councils aren't of your own making. They've been baked into the system through decades of regulatory complexity. Layer upon layer of vague mandates, unclear responsibilities, and well-meaning rules that create more confusion than solutions. You're stuck trying to deliver core services under rules that second-guess every decision and inflate every budget line. On overregulation: we hear you. We are pushing government back to basics but we're also delivering a plan to make it easier for councils to reflect the needs of their communities. We've seen the so-called four well beings, introduced with good intentions, but resulted in asking councils to act as second-tier social ministries, expected to deliver on every issue, regardless of mandate, expertise, or funding. In 2017 I called the introduction of this legislation the Puppy Dogs and Ice Cream Bill. That's because rather than requiring councils to deliver core services in a cost-effective way for households and businesses, the Government believed councils should be able to do whatever they felt like. That was always going to be a recipe for higher rates. And we've seen the proliferation of the RMA's numerous processes and requirements turning councils into consultation machines. Add to that endless duplication across agencies, overlapping consents, decades of poor investment and management (and a Minister asking you to focus on attendance). We all need things to change. Councils are not only granters of resource consents, they are the biggest applicants, with much of council's essential infrastructure hamstrung or cost inflated by the RMA. The Government's resource management reforms tackle this head on. Benchmarking will show ratepayers how the performance of their own council compares with others, in terms of rates, debt, and spending. Some healthy competition between councils is long overdue. We're demanding discipline from councils, but we're also committed to clearing away the red tape that constrains you. We're scrapping the laws that confuse roles, inflate budgets, and justify the kind of spending Kiwis can't afford. We're rebuilding the system so councils can focus on the things only councils can do: represent their local communities, fix pipes, roads, rubbish, and infrastructure that unlocks growth and lowers costs. Back to basics isn't a slogan. It's a plan. And we're going to deliver on it. A plan for councils and communities To cut costs, clear roadblocks, and put power back with communities there's a clear blueprint: 1. RMA reform – real change We are replacing the Resource Management Act aiming for a fundamental shift in how it works, because there's no piece of legislation more detrimental to the cost of living than the RMA. I've seen the details of resource consents for solar farms, which include requirements such as: Inviting mana whenua to perform karakia before removing any native trees or plants from the site. Providing written reports every six months until two years after construction is finished, outlining compliance with a 66-page Cultural Impact Assessment, with ongoing reporting beyond that. Submitting a detailed landscaping plan specifying: Every plant's botanical and common name. Exact location, spacing, and planter bag size. Soil preparation methods and planting techniques. The type and quality of materials like soil, mulch, stakes, and ties. A requirement to replace any dead plant with the same or similar species at the same size. Constructing a 'public viewing area' with off-street parking, and informational and educational signage. This is what's driving up power bills. You and your ratepayers want renewable energy but the consenting process demands ceremonial chanting and spreadsheet-level detail about every shrub on site. These two aims don't compute. We see the same thing happening with supermarkets, IKEA, even hospitals. This madness raises prices at the checkout and on power bills. IKEA's consent required inviting representatives of seven different mana whenua groups 'to undertake cultural monitoring, karakia and other such cultural ceremonies on the site' at the pre-start meeting, commencement of earthworks and immediately prior to completion of bulk earthworks across the site, with ten days' notice before each of those events. Ten working days, that can be two weeks of waiting for a construction site that wants to get cracking, more if you chuck a public holiday in the middle. IKEA must think us Kiwis really love affordable Swedish furniture for it to be worth their while. That's the problem though, for every IKEA there'll be another organisation that just can't get past the consenting, can't hack the months of delays and paperwork. Currently, and under the reforms of the last government, the RMA slows down housing, gums up roads and strangles infrastructure. It delays pipes. It creates years of delay for projects that ratepayers are already paying for. Under the new framework this government is working towards, councils will spend less time litigating, and more time building. National rules will be clear and local voice will be stronger, with less duplication and endless second-guessing. Infrastructure consents will be faster and more certain, especially for projects with regional importance. In short: fewer lawyers, more shovels. 2. Regional Deals – Partnership, not payouts Second, we're advancing a new model of Regional Deals. These are not handouts. They are contracts between central government and regions to deliver real outcomes in return for real reform. For years I championed the idea of genuine partnerships between central and local government to make sure important infrastructure actually gets built. The ACT/National Coalition Agreement committed to instituting long-term city and regional infrastructure deals, allowing PPPs, tolling and value capture rating to fund infrastructure. Deals will include: New revenue tools for councils, but only where there's discipline on costs and a plan to grow. Dedicated infrastructure funding, where councils demonstrate delivery readiness, not just need. Housing and economic growth acceleration, tied to streamlined consenting and local development strategies. And crucially, each deal must include measurable, transparent outcomes. Because Kiwis are done with blank cheques. It's great to see negotiations underway on the first regional deals, and I hope to see the first deals announced by the end of the year. 3. Encouraging investment so we can have nice things Many of you will be concerned about the cost of living for your ratepayers. I encourage you to save more, think about where you're spending and prevent rates rises as much as possible. That's what you can do. The Government is also looking to lower the cost of living by tackling one of the most stubborn costs out there. Groceries. Increased competition in the grocery sector is a win-win for councils. Ratepayers see cheaper prices at the checkout and regions see development that brings jobs and money to the area. Right now, outdated planning and consenting rules make it nearly impossible for new players to break into the market. I've suggested a possible way to fix that is through a fast-track grocery development process to clear the path for new entrants like Aldi, Walmart or local startups, to bring real competition to communities across New Zealand. That means lower prices for ratepayers, but also new jobs, investment, and mixed-use developments that can revitalise town centres. It's a win-win: Central Government gets out of the way, new businesses bring in the investment, and local councils and communities reap the rewards. Mindset shift – From finger pointing to problem solving None of this works if we go back to zero-sum thinking. That kind of mindset, the idea that central government only wins if local loses, or that councils are always to blame has failed New Zealand. It failed us with housing. It failed us with crime. It's failing us with infrastructure. What works is recognising that our problems are shared and that the success of one level of government helps the other. When councils deliver better infrastructure, housing becomes more affordable. When central government cuts red tape, council costs come down. When both work together, communities thrive. This is the positive-sum mindset. And it's what we need to get our country moving again. Conclusion – Delivering for New Zealanders, together So here's the deal. We are repealing the four wellbeings and other vague mandates, not because they're bad ideas, but because they've become an excuse to do everything and nothing. We are replacing them with a clear emphasis: focus on what only councils can do and do it brilliantly. We are reforming the RMA so you can build the pipes, roads, and housing New Zealand needs. We are putting Regional Deals on the table, tools that empower you, with accountability baked in. And we are asking every council to go line-by-line on spending, to say no to what's nice-to-have, and deliver the basics at a price ratepayers can afford. That is how we rebuild trust. That is how we earn the right to ask Kiwis for more. And that is how, together, we can solve the problems of our communities, not by pointing fingers, but by rolling up our sleeves and getting to work. Thank you.
