Jetset Living by Ministers

Another example of extravagant spending. Shane Jones spent $63,000 on a trip to Canada, when only $33,000 was budgeted. Our Ministers. Taxpayers’ money seems to go on trees for them while cutting costs for everyone else, pleading no money. https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360993963/private-limo-standby-24-hours-part-shane-jones-63k-travel-bill

$30 per Week More Social Housing Tenants

This was the biggest shocker in the recent budget. Asking some of the lowest-income earners to pay $1,600 per year is ivory-tower thinking by Ministers getting paid $400 K and claiming $52K for renting, sometimes their own houses, back to the government. These people, like everyone else, also have to stump up extra for food, electricity, water, etc, all of which have gone up significantly. Surely, the biggest failure is a government that is building no houses when there is a waitlist of 20,000? https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/598532/frustrations-abound-as-mps-scrutinise-social-housing-shocker

NZ gets access to hacking Mythos AI as Trump shores up national security on AI

Anthropic’s release of Mythos – AI that exposes vulnerabilities in software systems- to selected organisations like cybersecurity companies is creating waves. While it can help companies shore up defences, it can also reveal areas hackers can attack. It has finally woken up the Trump administration to the potential dangers of AI. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/top/597298/nz-gets-access-to-hacking-mythos-ai-as-trump-shores-up-national-security-on-ai

AI may be tightening the jobs market, but some roles could see stronger demand

David Rumbens of Deloitte says, “Where AI complements skills like judgement, creativity and empathy, we may actually see stronger demand for those workers”. Roles like CEOs, teachers and nurses, where AI can boost productivity, but the human element is still critical. There is still limited evidence of widespread job losses linked directly to AI. White-collar, knowledge-based jobs are seeing a hiring slowdown. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06-04/deloitte-report-ai-jobs-employment-hiring/106751154

Officials investigating after climate document went missing, PM’s staffer used private email

While this may be a particularly egregious example of lobbying, it should be no surprise that lobbyists and campaign donors’ voices have far more influence than any of us ordinary people. Gerry Brownlee snuffed out what little was being recorded about how lobbyists influence politicians. It’s a black box in New Zealand, unlike in countries like Canada. https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360987005/officials-investigating-after-climate-document-went-missing-pms-staffer-used-private-email

’90 to 95 percent renewable’: Could New Zealand be an energy super power?

New Zealand could become a renewable energy superpower capable of powering energy-intensive export-earning enterprises. We could double the energy the country currently produces, a total of about 42 TWh. “The amount of investment, which is going on at pace, is an exciting opportunity, and as a nation, it’s just a matter of whether we can seize that or not. The identified opportunity in conventional renewable energy totals nearly 50 TWh. We could export double our current electricity generation to the world,” Contact Energy chief executive Mike Fuge said. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/596983/90-to-95-percent-renewable-could-new-zealand-be-an-energy-super-power

Health Targets -Shocking Performance

It’s shocking how far away we are from targets and from where we were pre-pandemic. Even more shocking is how long it will take us to get there. It seems that the priority is budgets, not Kiwi health and lives. The first specialist appointment within 4 months was only 62%, compared with the target and the pre-pandemic rate of 95%, with almost no progress over the past 2 years. Wait times for elective treatment within 4 months 65% vs the target and pre-pandemic rate of 95%. Even more shocking, we might not be back to pre-pandemic rates until 2030. https://www.healthnz.govt.nz/about-us/what-we-do/planning-and-performance/health-targets#health-targets-results-20295

Inflation and Interest Rates – Worse Yet to Come

Inflation is bound to spread widely through the economy. ASB senior economist Kim Mundy said, “The broader story is how the entire cost shock spreads through supply chains, lifting the cost of manufactured goods, packaging, freight and farm inputs, and the flow-on effects of that to consumer spending.” https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/personal-finance/596210/worst-yet-to-come-for-economic-disruption-asb-warns

Mortgage rates have already risen due to higher wholesale rates; they are bound to rise further. While OCR is expected to be on hold this month, most expect it to rise later in the year. Pain for citizens is bound to grow, and it will be worse for the unemployed. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/596205/why-home-loan-rates-aren-t-anywhere-near-high-enough

Shrinking Money and Shrinking Trust

Only 39% of Kiwis trust the government, and only half think the elections are fair. Dr Murat Ungor, an economist at the University of Otago, says, “When individuals struggle with rising living costs, insecure employment, or persistent financial pressure, stress and frustration may reduce trust in institutions and weaken feelings of belonging and solidarity.” Our governments can do better if they take money out of politics and prioritise people over businesses. Our politicians are not willing to make either, https://www.stuff.co.nz/money/360982430/why-everything-new-zealand-now-feels-harder-slower-and-more-expensive

KiwiSaver for Kids Could Give Kiwis a $53,000 Boost

Winston Peters’s proposal to enrol children at birth and provide a Government kickstart payment of $1,000 is gaining widespread support, with 76% of Kiwis backing the idea. Damien Venuto of Stuff calculated that it could amount to $53,000 at retirement. https://www.stuff.co.nz/money/360980423/kiwisaver-change-could-give-kiwis-53000-retirement-boost-its-gaining-high-profile-support-across

Attack on Social Housing

The government is asking those in social housing, some of the lowest-income earners to pay $31 per week ($1,600 per year) more. It’s easy for those living in ivory towers to pretend this isn’t a burden on Kiwi battlers struggling to keep their heads above water in a cost-of-living crisis. A government out of touch with reality and getting more so every day. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/595959/support-services-blindsided-by-government-social-housing-shake-up

New Zealand First Proposes to Buy Back BNZ

NZ First is proposing to buy back BNZ Bank and merge it with Kiwi Bank to create a crown-owned National Bank to compete with the Aussie banks. And make KiwiSaver compulsory at birth with a government contribution of $1,000 for every child. Both are steps in the right direction. However, he is still adamant about not making changes to superannuation, which is postponing the inevitable. https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360980028/nz-first-make-kiwisaver-compulsory-buy-bnz-back-peters-takes-swipes-neo-liberal-twits