Politics 🗳️ NZ Politics

[Worried2Death]

Robby and the Debts.
Goodbye COVID fund
And I guess that’s why they call them Tax Cuts.
Don’t go claiming interest

I'm Not Standing
Tiny Dean of Otago
The Bitch Is Back (On The Gravy Train)

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

The Ministry of Education will begin publishing weekly attendance snapshots from next term as a metric for assessing progress on student attendance rather than by term.

The most recent data available, for term three last year, saw only 46 percent of school pupils attending class regularly - one of the worst figures on record.

Māori and Pacific students were the worst affected by the negative statistics.

Glad we have the govt of accountability in place. Changing abysmal results like this will make a real difference to peoples lives, address long term poverty and drive real outcomes for Maori.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Starting to see real differences in the direction between the past and current government.

National: ensure kids have an education to excel in the world.

Labour: be kind as kids wreck their future and focus on increasing benefits…

Our country’s (and children’s) future has hope again.

 

[Lord Gnome of Mooloolaba]

Starting to see real differences in the direction between the past and current government.

National: ensure kids have an education to excel in the world.

Labour: be kind as kids wreck their future and focus on increasing benefits…

Our country’s (and children’s) future has hope again.

You are a fucking idiot.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

You are a fucking idiot.

Labour was voted out because they lost focus on the real world issues - our kids education, our hospitals accessibility, rampant increases in crime…

And some warped failure road to zero transport policy and trying to make driving difficult.

The voters have spoken and we’re happy with the change of direction. The longer the left are in denial the longer they will stay irrelevant.

 

[Lord Gnome of Mooloolaba]

You're still a fucking idiot.

 

[Rizzah]

That's a rather cynical conclusion to reach

The first article is about Stats NZ trying to become more efficient, and it was their decision to do this by combining concurrent data gathering to achieve the same objective.

The second article is about a government contract ending, but the work being valued by the current government.

To imply that the government is nefariously trying to hide problems by stopping them being measured is a bit disengenuous

How can you not be cynical? The govt often talks about wanting to initiate targeted funding esp in areas like welfare, but will then cheap out on the needed resources to make it work let alone be effective.
StatsNZ is cutting the key study because it's unsustainable (due to funding). Longitudinal studies are expensive, because you have to follow up with the same participants. StatsNZ are now reverting only to the household economic survey - which is a point in time survey, where participants are only interviewed once.

But after just two rounds of annual interviews, Stats NZ has decided to drop the survey, amid efforts to cut costs by an agency facing increasing financial pressures.
This has left experts questioning what will replace the first-of-its-kind national survey. It also raises questions about this Government’s focus on targeting spending based on robust data, and tracking outcomes.

‘The unsustainable nature of the survey led to my decision to discontinue the Living in Aotearoa survey‘

The decision to drop the survey comes as Stats NZ faces increasing cost pressures.
Quality data collection has become increasingly expensive, and also Finance Minister Nicola Willis has directed Stats NZ to cut 7.5 percent from its baseline spending.

To your second point - There is a big difference between 'valuing'/wanting studies to continue when confronted by questions from media, and actually funding them so they can. If it was a priority for the new govt to have this data, they would have directed agencies to set aside funds for it to continue, but they haven't.

Does the 'combining concurrent data gathering to achieve the same objective' actually achieve the same objective? Another article from Kate Prickett, seems to point out this is unlikely.
She states that - persistent (long term) poverty is one of the four primary poverty measures outlined by the 2018 Child Poverty Reduction Act. The 'Living in Aotearoa' Survey was developed, in part, to explicitly measure persistent poverty.

Importantly, these persistent poverty experiences go on to impact how children do later in life in terms of their education, job prospects, and, importantly, reduce their wellbeing and how long they have to live. These individual experiences have a ripple effect on the wellbeing of our society as a whole.
This is why persistent poverty was included as one of the primary measures that we and the government need to pay attention to. A measure we need to track.

The end of the Living in Aotearoa Survey means that the government has decided that we are either not going to be able to measure persistent poverty, or we’re going to ask StatsNZ to come up with a measure cobbled together from existing resources.

These cobbled-together measures won’t get us close to understanding the true prevalence of poverty persistence. For example, if we rely on tax records, we necessarily miss families who don’t make any income—families that are more likely to be persistently experiencing poverty.

In short, the cancellation of the Living in Aotearoa Survey means the government will escape being held to account for how our most vulnerable children are doing. It also creates uncertainty about whether the National-led Government is able to comply with the current legislation as it is written, and whether there needs to be amendments made to the Child Poverty Reduction and Children’s Amendment Bill.

Any government that argues they are making policy decisions based on evidence, while simultaneously eliminating the data that can provide said evidence, should be treated with caution.

The Press

www.thepress.co.nz

It does not seem like there has been ANY sort of prioritisation from the Ministers/Govt to the Ministries/agencies in it's demands to reduce costs.
Ministers either haven't given any directive to the Ministries or simply do not care what is cut, so long as they meet the funding target. Then hope that the media don't question them about specifics.

 

[Rizzah]

The Ministry of Education will begin publishing weekly attendance snapshots from next term as a metric for assessing progress on student attendance rather than by term.

The most recent data available, for term three last year, saw only 46 percent of school pupils attending class regularly - one of the worst figures on record.

Māori and Pacific students were the worst affected by the negative statistics.

Glad we have the govt of accountability in place. Changing abysmal results like this will make a real difference to peoples lives, address long term poverty and drive real outcomes for Maori.

It's a misleading stat. You only have to miss 5 days of school in a term to be considered 'not regularly attending', which is 6% of the school term - you could have attended 94% of classes.
I just checked and my oldest had 10 days off in term 1 (sickness), attended 88% of class time - but is in the 'not attending regularly' bracket.

Is the govt going to look into what might be causing a higher number of Māori and Pacific families to have children not regularly attending school? Or just fines? Lol.

 

[Cces]

It's a misleading stat. You only have to miss 5 days of school in a term to be considered 'not regularly attending', which is 6% of the school term - you could have attended 94% of classes.

It's interesting to learn that's how they define it. I'm in at primary schools everyday delivering sports programmes & hadn't noticed any drop off in attendances.
One school I work at was considered a Decile 1, until they went away from that system, & have made huge strides in attendances in recent times as a result of new principal actually listening to the community about their needs. They are part of the school lunches programme & that has helped with attendance too along with aiding both underweight & overweight kids achieving healthier weight ranges.

 

[MaybeTop8]

Who would have thought that libertarians would advocate authoritarian state intervention eh?

 

[MaybeTop8]

The racist right on zb actually held to account even as they try to squirm out of apologising

View: https://twitter.com/HaydenDonnell/status/1777502361457762628

Newstalk ZB fined over Hawkesby's 'discriminatory' comments about Māori and Pasifika patients

"The broadcaster chose to frame an important news story in a misleading and inflammatory manner."

www.newshub.co.nz

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

It's a misleading stat. You only have to miss 5 days of school in a term to be considered 'not regularly attending', which is 6% of the school term - you could have attended 94% of classes.
I just checked and my oldest had 10 days off in term 1 (sickness), attended 88% of class time - but is in the 'not attending regularly' bracket.

Is the govt going to look into what might be causing a higher number of Māori and Pacific families to have children not regularly attending school? Or just fines? Lol.

The old ‘my kids are ok so everyone else’s will be’ argument…

1 - The metric has been the same over time.
2 - there is a clear link between that metric and learning outcomes.
3 - the metric has been getting significantly worse over the past few years.
4 - non attendance is linked to all sorts of poor outcomes eg youth crime

Data has shown every day at school matters in regards to learning outcomes.

 

[Noitall]

Coalition cracks: Seymour wants explanation after PM told him he'd probe leak - then didn't

"If he's now saying something different, that's going to need a further conversation."

www.newshub.co.nz

Luxon got his hands full on both sides of this coalition. Dip in the latest polls for national and act and a bit of a surge for greens

 

[marv.]

FWIW…

Mike King is all for getting rid of Suicide Prevention Office

The mental health advocate says: 'It’s just another bureaucracy'.

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[Juno]

FWIW…

Mike King is all for getting rid of Suicide Prevention Office

The mental health advocate says: 'It’s just another bureaucracy'.

www.nzherald.co.nz

This is what happens when you get people making good moves towards an issue like Mike King. He may know what works, may have effective programmes but now wants to have the big say about how its done across the country.
They get funded by public money so they have to be accountable to someone for that.
Streamline it by all means but where does the buck stop if its wiped completely?

 

[miket12]

This is what happens when you get people making good moves towards an issue like Mike King. He may know what works, may have effective programmes but now wants to have the big say about how its done across the country.
They get funded by public money so they have to be accountable to someone for that.
Streamline it by all means but where does the buck stop if its wiped completely?

I hate how we have an either/or approach too some much in NZ. The fact is, for some people, Mike King's approach works, for others, it's the Ministry of Health. We actually need multiple methods to deal with our appalling rates of suicide in this country and not the continual fighting over this way verses another way.

 

[dean]

Miket12 might know more. KO ( HNZ ) taken over four sites of Build Partners. Article is behind a herald paywall. My quick check looks like BP is an offshore modular builder. HNZ and Megan Woods heralded this as the way forward for getting this done quickly and without fuss. Anyone with the slightest experience of modular buildings knew this was not the reality.
I assume BP have gone tits up. If so they join a long list of developers and builders that have gone to the wall undertaking KO contracts.

 

[defensivebomb]

Miket12 might know more. KO ( HNZ ) taken over four sites of Build Partners. Article is behind a herald paywall. My quick check looks like BP is an offshore modular builder. HNZ and Megan Woods heralded this as the way forward for getting this done quickly and without fuss. Anyone with the slightest experience of modular buildings knew this was not the reality.
I assume BP have gone tits up. If so they join a long list of developers and builders that to have gone to the wall undertaking KO contracts.

Don't you mean HNZ (KO)?

It's not just KO-contracted developers that are having a rough time right now. A fair few developers of late are being slammed with the perfect storm of high land prices, high build costs and interest rates, while presales have basically stopped since the economy hit the skids. If one project ends up with unsold stock, their house of cards quickly falls over

100% KO developments are one thing. There are a few that are mixed KO / FHB. With excess stock out there, I can't imagine too many FHB's want to buy a unit that has KO tenants on the other side of a shared wall (given the media coverage of KO tenants etc)

 

[miket12]

Miket12 might know more. KO ( HNZ ) taken over four sites of Build Partners. Article is behind a herald paywall. My quick check looks like BP is an offshore modular builder. HNZ and Megan Woods heralded this as the way forward for getting this done quickly and without fuss. Anyone with the slightest experience of modular buildings knew this was not the reality.
I assume BP have gone tits up. If so they join a long list of developers and builders that have gone to the wall undertaking KO contracts.

Kāinga Ora takes over four of Build Partners’ apartment jobs​

Kāinga Ora has taken control of four residential projects for 91 new apartments previously being constructed by housing developer Build Partners, the state housing agency says.

Kāinga Ora construction and innovation general manager Patrick Dougherty said three projects in Auckland and one in Wellington were now in the Crown entity’s hands.

“We were contacted by a number of Build Partners’ subcontractors because they had not been paid,” Dougherty claimed.

“Since then Kāinga Ora has had many meetings and calls with Build Partners to gather information about its situation as prompt payment to subcontractors is a commercial contractual obligation for all development and construction contracts with Kāinga Ora,” Dougherty said.

Kāinga Ora had struck an agreement with Build Partners to take possession of the social housing development sites they were contracted to deliver, Dougherty said.

How much subcontractors are owed is not clear.

“We are reaching out to all known subcontractors to confirm the information that we have been provided by Build Partners is correct,” he added.

Companies Office records show Build Partners is 99 per cent owned by Property Partners, a modular building business hailed as an innovative beacon by the previous government’s construction sector accord for its methods.

Property Partners Group chief executive Steve Mikkelsen did not respond to emails or calls from the Herald yesterday or today asking about subcontractors’ payments.

Last week Mikkelsen said: “We are working closely with [Kāinga Ora] and we are in agreement there will be a positive outcome for all involved in the next few days.” Problems were not related to modular construction, he said last week.

Kāinga Ora’s move comes amid the Government-ordered, Bill English-led inquiry into the state agency.

The under-construction apartment project locations are:

• Corner Great North Road/Cadman Avenue, Waterview: 40 units and a community room;
• Hindmarsh St, Johnsonville: 29 units and a community room;
• Fowlds Ave, Sandringham: 15 units;
• Corner Hendon Ave/Hargest Tce, Ōwairaka: nine units.

Property Partners Group featured in an accord series on “businesses which provide examples of good practice and innovation to the sector so that lessons can be shared to help raise others’ capability”.

Last year, the Herald reported how construction was advanced on the first six-level $90 million block by Property Partners, with another two planned to be built on neighbouring sites near the intersection of Hendon Ave and Richardson Rd, Ōwairaka.

Modular units were being made in a Wiri factory, then trucked to the site and craned into place, one on top of the other.

Mikkelsen said at the time he had hunted globally for the best modular apartment technology and eventually decided on the Swedish system.

Tough construction market​

Kāinga Ora’s Dougherty said market conditions had changed significantly over the past 18 months.

“Kāinga Ora recognises the impact this is having on many businesses in the construction sector.”

A number of construction companies have already run into difficulty this year.

Selah Homes called in Waterstone Insolvency this month, citing poor health, cash flow problems and spiralling cost increases.

It built homes at waterfront locations, at Riverhead, and in new subdivisions.

In January, Franklin Homes (Franklin) ceased trading.

Applications to build new homes have fallen sharply.

Stats NZ information showed consents were issued for 37,000 new residences in the year to December, down 25 per cent from the 49,538 consents issued a year ago.

Dougherty said Kāinga Ora had delivered nearly 2000 new social houses in its current financial year to the end of February 2024.

“We have just over 6400 additional new homes contracted or under construction for completion by the end of June 2025.”

To achieve that, the Crown agency had commercial contracts with private developers and construction companies, who in turn hire subcontractors such as carpenters, electricians, painters, roofers and many more, Dougherty added.

Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 24 years, has won many awards, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.

Kāinga Ora takes control of four Build Partners' housing sites

The move came after concerns subcontractors were not being paid.

www.nzherald.co.nz

It's interesting doing a search on the companies register. Stephen Max Mikkelsen isn't just the CEO of Property Partners Group but is also the major shareholder in the company that own Property Partners Group, Euthenia Limited. There's rumours that another similar company, Evergreen Modular, which is also owned by Property Partners Group, may also be under financial stress.

 

[dean]

Kāinga Ora takes over four of Build Partners’ apartment jobs​

Kāinga Ora has taken control of four residential projects for 91 new apartments previously being constructed by housing developer Build Partners, the state housing agency says.

Kāinga Ora construction and innovation general manager Patrick Dougherty said three projects in Auckland and one in Wellington were now in the Crown entity’s hands.

“We were contacted by a number of Build Partners’ subcontractors because they had not been paid,” Dougherty claimed.

“Since then Kāinga Ora has had many meetings and calls with Build Partners to gather information about its situation as prompt payment to subcontractors is a commercial contractual obligation for all development and construction contracts with Kāinga Ora,” Dougherty said.

Kāinga Ora had struck an agreement with Build Partners to take possession of the social housing development sites they were contracted to deliver, Dougherty said.

How much subcontractors are owed is not clear.

“We are reaching out to all known subcontractors to confirm the information that we have been provided by Build Partners is correct,” he added.

Companies Office records show Build Partners is 99 per cent owned by Property Partners, a modular building business hailed as an innovative beacon by the previous government’s construction sector accord for its methods.

Property Partners Group chief executive Steve Mikkelsen did not respond to emails or calls from the Herald yesterday or today asking about subcontractors’ payments.

Last week Mikkelsen said: “We are working closely with [Kāinga Ora] and we are in agreement there will be a positive outcome for all involved in the next few days.” Problems were not related to modular construction, he said last week.

Kāinga Ora’s move comes amid the Government-ordered, Bill English-led inquiry into the state agency.

The under-construction apartment project locations are:

• Corner Great North Road/Cadman Avenue, Waterview: 40 units and a community room;
• Hindmarsh St, Johnsonville: 29 units and a community room;
• Fowlds Ave, Sandringham: 15 units;
• Corner Hendon Ave/Hargest Tce, Ōwairaka: nine units.

Property Partners Group featured in an accord series on “businesses which provide examples of good practice and innovation to the sector so that lessons can be shared to help raise others’ capability”.

Last year, the Herald reported how construction was advanced on the first six-level $90 million block by Property Partners, with another two planned to be built on neighbouring sites near the intersection of Hendon Ave and Richardson Rd, Ōwairaka.

Modular units were being made in a Wiri factory, then trucked to the site and craned into place, one on top of the other.

Mikkelsen said at the time he had hunted globally for the best modular apartment technology and eventually decided on the Swedish system.

Tough construction market​

Kāinga Ora’s Dougherty said market conditions had changed significantly over the past 18 months.

“Kāinga Ora recognises the impact this is having on many businesses in the construction sector.”

A number of construction companies have already run into difficulty this year.

Selah Homes called in Waterstone Insolvency this month, citing poor health, cash flow problems and spiralling cost increases.

It built homes at waterfront locations, at Riverhead, and in new subdivisions.

In January, Franklin Homes (Franklin) ceased trading.

Applications to build new homes have fallen sharply.

Stats NZ information showed consents were issued for 37,000 new residences in the year to December, down 25 per cent from the 49,538 consents issued a year ago.

Dougherty said Kāinga Ora had delivered nearly 2000 new social houses in its current financial year to the end of February 2024.

“We have just over 6400 additional new homes contracted or under construction for completion by the end o

It's interesting doing a search on the companies register. Stephen Max Mikkelsen isn't just the CEO of Property Partners Group but is also the major shareholder in the company that own Property Partners Group, Euthenia Limited. There's rumours that another similar company, Evergreen Modular, which is also owned by Property Partners Group, may also be under financial stress.

I wonder how much PPG have been paid via progress payments and not paid subbies . It will be plenty.
I also wonder what KO paid to take over the sites, if anything, but what their cost to complete is. Another badly managed development contract.