BILLIONAIRES HIDE AWAY
New Zealand: The ideal spot to ride out the apocalypse?

Google's Larry Page has been granted New Zealand residency, boosting the country’s image as a refuge for tech billionaires. Is it all because the Pacific island nation is the best place to shelter from societal collapse?


A view of Lake Wanaka, close to where Peter Thiel's ranch is located on New Zealand's South Island

"Saying you're 'buying a house in New Zealand' is kind of a wink, wink, say no more." So said Reid Hoffmann, LinkedIn co-founder, in an article in The New Yorker that caused a stir in 2017.

Three years before the pandemic was defined, the article "Doomsday Prep for the Super-Rich" outlined the extent to which high-net-worth people were preparing for an apparently impending apocalypse. "We're buying a house in New Zealand" was code for "we're gearing up for Armageddon."

New Zealand is the most isolated rich country in the world and just last month was named by researchers from the Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom as the best place to survive global societal collapse.

It has long held that status among those interested in such things. The idea that the country is laden with secret luxury survival bunkers is even an internet meme. So when a famous billionaire announces plans to move there, that does draw some attention.

Last week it was revealed that Larry Page, the co-founder of Google and the world's sixth-richest person with a fortune of around $122 billion (€104.1 billion), had obtained New Zealand residency. This under a special category for investors, which requires them to pump 10 million New Zealand dollars ($6.9 million, €5.9 million) into the country over a three-year period.
Thiel tales

Page's motivations may have nothing to do with apocalypse survival planning. But this story does recall the tale of New Zealand's most famous billionaire-investor-survivalist: Peter Thiel.


Many consider remarkable the story of billionaire Peter Thiel's road to New Zealand citizenship

Thiel made his name by founding PayPal, and his megafortune by buying 10% of Facebook for just $500,000 in 2004 — a stake he ultimately sold for more than $1 billion.

The bizarre story of his relationship with New Zealand is perhaps the main reason the country is so strongly associated with the idea of being a refuge for Silicon Valley's elite.

Thiel is known among other things for his unusual political views. He has spoken of how influenced he is by the 1997 book "The Sovereign Individual: How to Survive and Thrive during the Collapse of the Welfare State."

That book argues that democratic nation-states will ultimately become obsolete, and that a "cognitive elite," with vast wealth and resources, will no longer be subject to government regulation and become the primary shapers of governance. Thiel's own book, "Zero to One," expands on some of these ideas at length.

Shortly after Barack Obama's victory in the 2008 presidential election in the United States, Thiel's interest in New Zealand stepped up. He said in 2011 that "no other country aligns more with my view of the future than New Zealand."

Around this time, he was secretly applying for New Zealand citizenship. Despite having spent barely any time in the country, his application was granted. However, that all remained a secret for six years.

In 2016, Silicon Valley entrepreneur Sam Altman revealed in an interview in The New Yorker he had made an agreement with Thiel, that in the event of some global catastrophe, they would fly together to a property Thiel owned in New Zealand.


New Zealand's isolation, wealth, liberal democracy and apparent insulation from the ravages of climate change have fostered its image as a survivalist bolthole

This led New Zealand Herald investigative reporter Matt Nippert to look into what property Thiel owned. It turned out that Thiel had bought a 477-acre (193-hectare) former sheep ranch on New Zealand's sparsely populated South Island, as well as a luxury townhouse in nearby Queenstown.

Nippert's work ultimately revealed that Thiel had been granted citizenship — news that sparked major controversy in the country.
Thiel's Kiwi passion peters out

Yet by the time of that revelation in 2017, Thiel's interest in New Zealand had already cooled significantly. Thiel was a major Donald Trump supporter, and his election appeared to refresh Thiel's faith in the US.

His huge ranch at Damper Bay on South Island, far from being a survivalist compound, has been left largely untouched over the years. No planning applications have been made and Thiel has spent barely any time in the country in recent years. His townhouse has recently gone up for sale.

As part of his route to citizenship, Thiel had pledged to invest heavily in New Zealand's tech sector, which he has called underrated and underfunded.

He heavily and successfully backed local accounting software startup Xero and retail software firm Fend; but as New Zealand investigative reporter Nippert told DW, once his citizenship was granted, Thiel's financial commitment to New Zealand also cooled significantly and is dormant at present.
Bunker of the mind

For Nippert, Thiel's interest in New Zealand did not stem from a burning belief in the country's tech sector or necessarily from seeing it as an ideal apocalypse safe haven.


Larry Page, the world's sixth-richest man, has recently been granted New Zealand residency

"You don't need an actual bunker here because it is a legal bunker," Nippert told DW. "New Zealand is a great place [...] we don't have armed mobs or warlords. We have a fairly well regarded, uncorrupt public service. There is low firearms ownership."

"It's a bunker of the mind. It's a fall back plan if the IRS comes after you. I suspect that may be the motivation."
Escaping the apocalypse (or the taxman)

Precisely what Thiel's ultimate New Zealand plans are remain unclear. But the image of the country as an ideal bolthole for the American super-rich to escape to has been bolstered during the pandemic, with reports of well-heeled US citizens activating long-held Kiwi escape plans once the coronavirus hit.

The news of Page's residency adds to this mystique. Nippert suspects Page just wants easy access in and out of the country.

He has continued to investigate the extent to which overseas investors, like Thiel or Page, have established links to New Zealand. Nippert said that people he trusts say this continues happening, although he himself has found little evidence it is as widespread as reported.

Meanwhile, New Zealand continues to be seen as the place to be when the world finally comes crashing down.

"The way these guys operate, hedge fund managers [...] they assess risk and what will happen if certain unlikely events happen, and how can you be positioned to survive and make a profit from it."

"Does he [Thiel] have an inside line on the end of the world? I think anyone reading the news over the last few years would be concerned about the direction things are going."

COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES AND INDIGENOUS RIGHTS

New Zealand republic debate complicated by Māori treaty

By NICK PERRY, Associated Press - 

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The death of Queen Elizabeth II last week has reignited debate in New Zealand about whether it should continue recognizing Britain's monarch as its symbolic head of state or take the final step toward independence by becoming a republic.

People walk on the Waitangi Treaty Grounds where the Treaty of Waitangi was first signed between Maori and the British Crown on Feb. 6, 1840, in Waitangi, northern New Zealand on Oct. 5, 2020. The debate in New Zealand over becoming a republic has an unusual twist: Many Indigenous Maori support New Zealand sticking with the monarchy, unlike the Indigenous people in many other former British colonies. That's because Maori signed a treaty with the British Crown in 1840 that guarantees them certain rights, and some Maori fear a constitutional change could threaten those rights. 

(AP Photo/Mark Baker)

But there remains a significant complicating factor.

While Indigenous people in many of the 14 nations outside of Britain which recognize the monarchy want to ditch it because they see it as a symbol of colonial repression, views are more mixed among Indigenous New Zealanders. Some Māori leaders favor sticking with the monarchy, at least for now.


Visitors to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds where the Treaty of Waitangi was first signed between Maori and the British Crown on Feb. 6, 1840, inspect Te Whare Runanga, a traditional meeting house in Waitangi, northern New Zealand on Oct. 5, 2020. The debate in New Zealand over becoming a republic has an unusual twist: Many Indigenous Maori support New Zealand sticking with the monarchy, unlike the Indigenous people in many other former British colonies. That's because Maori signed a treaty with the British Crown in 1840 that guarantees them certain rights, and some Maori fear a constitutional change could threaten those rights. 

(AP Photo/Mark Baker)

That's because New Zealand's founding document, the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, was signed between Māori chiefs and the British crown. The treaty guaranteed Māori sovereignty over their traditional lands and fisheries, and some Māori worry those pledges could be threatened by eliminating the monarchy from New Zealand.



A sign on the Waitangi Treaty Grounds where the Treaty of Waitangi was first signed between Maori and the British Crown on Feb. 6, 1840, detailing the history, is seen in Waitangi, northern New Zealand on Oct. 5, 2020. The debate in New Zealand over becoming a republic has an unusual twist: Many Indigenous Maori support New Zealand sticking with the monarchy, unlike the Indigenous people in many other former British colonies. That's because Maori signed a treaty with the British Crown in 1840 that guarantees them certain rights, and some Maori fear a constitutional change could threaten those rights. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

For the past 33 years, New Zealand's government has been negotiating with Māori tribes and compensating them for historic treaty breaches with settlements of money and land. But the process remains incomplete, with some tribes yet to reach settlements.

Willie Jackson, the government's minister for Māori development, said the appropriate time for a discussion about becoming a republic would come after the period of mourning for Elizabeth.

“When we do have that conversation, I think the reality for a lot of Māori is the position of the treaty is paramount,” Jackson said. “There has been a lot of worry that the treaty will disappear. So, obviously, some people will be looking for some entrenchment with regards to that."

Peeni Henare, New Zealand's defense minister and another influential Māori voice in the government, said that from his perspective, there should be “no thoughts given to becoming a republic” until the treaty settlement process is completed.

Constitutional experts argue that the obligations of New Zealand's government to compensate Māori under the treaty wouldn't need to change if it became a republic, and a switch would be a fairly simple legal maneuver to pull off. That hasn't reassured all Māori.

Some, however, are advocating for New Zealand to become a republic immediately. The small Māori Party, which holds two seats in the Parliament, surprised some observers in February by advocating for a republic as part of broader changes that include setting up a separate Māori parliament.

“The only way this nation can work is when Māori assert their rights to self-management, self-determination, and self-governance over all our domains," said party co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer at the time, adding: “This won’t mean the crown is off the hook. If a couple gets divorced, you don’t lose responsibility for your child."

Lewis Holden, the campaign chair of lobby group New Zealand Republic, said the treaty remains key to the republic debate in New Zealand. He said his group's position is the same as that of academics — that nothing changes about the treaty's constitutional powers if New Zealand becomes a republic.

When it comes to Indigenous rights, Lewis added, “There is a big question, I think, about that symbolism of staying connected to the monarchy."

He said that New Zealand likely lags behind Caribbean nations and Australia in the push to become a republic, but he hopes there might be a national referendum on the issue within the next five to 10 years.

“Very clearly there was a lot of support for the monarchy simply because of the good feeling that people had towards the queen,” Holden said.

He said the feeling of nostalgia people had for Elizabeth and her connection to historic events like World War II was now gone — or would be after a spike during the mourning period for Elizabeth — and that support in New Zealand for the monarchy would inevitably wane under the reign of King Charles III.

But over the years, New Zealand's political leaders have shown little enthusiasm for engaging in the republic debate, no doubt in part because of the thorny Indigenous issues it raises.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said her government doesn't plan to pursue the issue following the queen's death.

She said she thought New Zealand will eventually become a republic, and it would probably happen within her lifetime, but that there were more pressing issues for her government to address.

Opposition Leader Christopher Luxon said much the same.

“I don't see any need for constitutional change right now. I think that it might happen at some point, but that could even be decades away,” he said.





Start the conversation

Antarctic projects trimmed over virus fears

According to reports, the number of projects was being cut from 36 to 13 across the upcoming research season

By DAVE MAKICHUK JUNE 10, 2020

Antarctica New Zealand is committed to maintaining and enhancing the quality of New Zealand's Antarctic scientific research. Credit: Handout.

It may be the most desolate and uninhabitable place on the planet, but New Zealand is taking steps to ensure that Antarctica stays free of the deadly virus, Covid-19.

Antarctica New Zealand, the government agency that does environmental research on the desolate landmass and the Southern Ocean, said Tuesday it would reduce its scientific projects in Antarctica to keep the continent free from Covid-19, CGTN.com reported.

Limiting the number of people visiting was key to stopping the spread of the coronavirus, the agency said, addding it had decided to support “only long-term science monitoring, essential operational activity and planned maintenance this season” at its Scott Base.

According to reports, the number of projects was being cut from 36 to 13 across the upcoming research season from October to March, CGTN.com reported.

Antarctica New Zealand is committed to maintaining and enhancing the quality of Antarctic scientific research, chief executive Sarah Williamson stated.

However, current circumstances meant their ability to support science was extremely limited this season, she added.

Antarctica New Zealand said it was developing a managed isolation plan with multiple government agencies to ensure COVID-19 does not reach the continent, CGTN.com reported.

Scott Base is New Zealand’s only Antarctic research station and is 3,800 kilometres (2,360 miles) south of Christchurch and 1,350 kilometers (840 miles) from the South Pole, according to Antarctica New Zealand.

Usually, up to 86 scientists, staff and visitors can stay there at any one time, CGTN.com reported.

New Zealand has recorded a total of 1,504 confirmed and 22 deaths.

Meanwhile, more than 7.13 million people have been reported to be infected with the new coronavirus globally and 406,913 have died, according to latest data from Johns Hopkins University.

New Zealand cuts research to keep Antarctica virus free

Antarctica New Zealand said it was developing a managed isolation plan with multiple government agencies to ensure COVID-19 does not reach the continent

New Zealand said Tuesday it will reduce its scientific projects in Antarctica to keep the virtually uninhabited continent free from COVID-19.

Antarctica New Zealand, the government agency that does environmental research on the desolate landmass and the Southern Ocean, said limiting the number of people visiting was key to stopping the spread of the coronavirus.

The agency said it had decided to support "only long-term science monitoring, essential operational activity and planned maintenance this season" at its Scott Base after consulting other research programmes in the region.

According to reports, the number of projects was being cut from 36 to 13 across the upcoming research season from October to March.

"Antarctica New Zealand is committed to maintaining and enhancing the quality of New Zealand's Antarctic scientific research," Chief Executive Sarah Williamson said.

"However, current circumstances dictate that our ability to support science is extremely limited this season."

Antarctica New Zealand said it was developing a managed isolation plan with multiple government agencies to ensure COVID-19 does not reach the continent.

Scott Base is New Zealand's only Antarctic research station and is 3,800 kilometres (2,360 miles) south of Christchurch and 1350 km (840 miles) from the South Pole, according to Antarctica New Zealand.

Up to 86 scientists, staff and visitors can usually stay there at any one time

Antarctica's splendid isolation keeps coronavirus at bay

---

© 2020 AF

BILLIONAIRES HIDE AWAY

Google Founder Gets New Zealand Residency, Raising Questions

Friday, 6 August, 2021 - 09:00

Larry Page, CEO and Co-founder of Alphabet, participates in a conversation with
Fortune editor Alan Murray at the 2015 Fortune Global Forum in San Francisco,
California November 2, 2015. REUTERS/Elijah Nouvelage

Asharq Al-Awsat

Google co-founder Larry Page has gained New Zealand residency, officials confirmed Friday, stoking debate over whether extremely wealthy people can essentially buy access to the South Pacific country.

Immigration New Zealand said Page first applied for residency in November under a special visa open to people with at least 10 million New Zealand dollars ($7 million) to invest, reported The Associated Press.

“As he was offshore at the time, his application was not able to be processed because of COVID-19 restrictions,” the agency said in a statement. “Once Mr. Page entered New Zealand, his application was able to be processed and it was approved on 4 February 2021.”

Gaining New Zealand residency would not necessarily affect Page's residency status in the US or any other nations.

New Zealand lawmakers confirmed that Page and his son first arrived in New Zealand in January after the family filed an urgent application for the son to be evacuated from Fiji due to a medical emergency.

“The day after the application was received, a New Zealand air ambulance staffed by a New Zealand ICU nurse-escort medevaced the child and an adult family member from Fiji to New Zealand," Health Minister Andrew Little told lawmakers in Parliament.

Little was responding to questions about how Page had managed to enter the country at a time when New Zealand had shut its borders to non-residents in an attempt to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Little told lawmakers the family had abided by applicable virus protocols when they arrived.

Page's residency application was approved about three weeks later.

Immigration New Zealand noted that while Page had become a resident, he didn't have permanent residency status and remained subject to certain restrictions.

Still, the agency on its website touts the “Investor Plus” visa as offering a “New Zealand lifestyle,” adding that “you may be able to bring your car, boat and household items to New Zealand, free of customs charges.”

Some local news organizations reported that Page had since left New Zealand.

Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Forbes on Friday ranked Page as the world’s sixth-wealthiest person, with a fortune of $117 billion. Forbes noted that Page stepped down as chief executive of Google’s parent company Alphabet in 2019 but remained a board member and controlling shareholder.

Opposition lawmakers said the episode raised questions about why Page was approved so quickly at a time when many skilled workers or separated family members who were desperate to enter New Zealand were being turned away.

“The government is sending a message that money is more important than doctors, fruit pickers and families who are separated from their children," ACT deputy leader Brooke van Velden said in a statement.

In 2017, it emerged that Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel had been able to gain New Zealand citizenship six years earlier, despite never having lived in the country. Thiel was approved after a top lawmaker decided his entrepreneurial skills and philanthropy were valuable to the nation.

Thiel didn’t even have to leave California for the ceremony — he was granted citizenship during a private ceremony held at the New Zealand Consulate in Santa Monica.

New Zealand 'uncomfortable with expanding the remit' of Five Eyes, says Foreign Minister


By foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic
Posted 4/19/2021

Nanaia Mahuta's speech at the NZ-China Council in Wellington reframed New Zealand's approach to China.

VIDEO https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-19/new-zealand-five-eyes-intelligence-sharing-china-australia/100078834

New Zealand's Foreign Minister, Nanaia Mahuta, has sent a clear signal that the country will chart a more independent foreign policy, directly criticising efforts to pressure China through the Five Eyes intelligence sharing group.

Key points:

Ms Mahuta says the Five Eyes group should focus solely on intelligence sharing

Beijing responded furiously to previous joint Five Eyes statements criticising China

Tensions have flared between Australia and New Zealand over how to handle China

The comments are likely to further inflame tensions in New Zealand's relationship with Australia, which believes the Ardern government is undermining collective attempts to push back against increasingly aggressive behaviour from Beijing.

The Five Eyes group – which includes the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and New Zealand – was originally formed as an intelligence sharing network but has expanded its scope in the past few years.

Ms Mahuta on Monday said the group should focus on intelligence.

"That's a matter we have raised with Five Eyes partners. We are uncomfortable with expanding the remit of the Five Eyes relationship," she said.

"We would much rather prefer to look for multilateral opportunities to express our interests on a number of issues."

The comments come only days before Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne visits New Zealand for formal talks with Ms Mahuta and New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern.

Beijing has responded furiously to recent joint statements from the Five Eyes group criticising crackdowns on Hong Kong and Xinjiang, and threatened reprisals.

In the last six months New Zealand has joined many of those statements, but has been conspicuously absent from some.

Tensions have also flared between Australia and New Zealand over how to handle Beijing, although most of the frustrations have been kept behind closed doors.

Earlier this year New Zealand's Trade Minister, Damien O'Connor, irritated Australian ministers and officials after suggesting that the Morrison government should show China more "respect" in order to avoid campaigns of economic punishment.

WATCH
Duration: 58 seconds

New Zealand Trade Minister Damien O'Connor suggests Australia should "be cautious with wording" when dealing with Beijing.

VIDEO https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-19/new-zealand-five-eyes-intelligence-sharing-china-australia/100078834

Ms Mahuta has not held back from criticising China — including over its treatment of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang – since taking over the role.

But the Foreign Minister said Five Eyes had a "specific purpose" and New Zealand would issue its own statements – or look to "other partners" in the region – when it wanted to lay out its position.

"New Zealand has been very clear, certainly in this term since we've held the portfolio, not to invoke the Five Eyes as the first point of contact on messaging out on a range of issues," she said.

"They really exist outside of the remit of the Five Eyes. We don't favour that type of approach and have expressed that to Five Eyes partners."

The Foreign Minister's comments also cast doubt on moves to expand the diplomatic architecture of Five Eyes.

In recent years ministers from all five countries across several different portfolios – including defence, treasury and foreign affairs – have held Five Eyes meetings.

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) called the Five Eyes "a vital strategic alliance and key to Australia's interests".

"Countries will choose to address issues of concern in whichever forum they determine appropriate and consistent with their respective national interest," the DFAT spokesperson said.

"We share common values and approaches to many international issues which have allowed us to deepen our cooperation during an era of strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific."

Minister outlines new approach to China

Ms Mahuta made the comments after giving a major speech designed to reframe New Zealand's approach to its relationship with China.

She said New Zealand wanted to diversify its exports in order to reduce its dependence on China, saying "in terms of thinking about long-term economic resilience … there is value in diversity".

"Resting our trade relationship on just one country, long term, is probably not the way we should be thinking about things," she said.

She said New Zealand wanted mutually respectful ties with China, comparing the relationship to a "dragon and taniwha", in reference to a water-dwelling serpent in Maori mythology.

The Foreign Minister stressed the two countries would not always agree, but needed to deal with each other fairly and honestly.

"There are some things on which New Zealand and China do not, cannot, and will not, agree," Ms Mahuta said.

"It is important to acknowledge this, and to stay true to ourselves, as we seek to manage our disagreements mindful that tikanga [culture, values or customs] or underpinning how we relate to each other must be respected."

She also issued a thinly veiled warning about rising debt levels in the Pacific, although she did not single out China.

"It's no secret there's a significant level of economic vulnerability across the Pacific," she said.

"New Zealand certainty invests in the Pacific … by way of grants, not loans."

"If we're really focused on regional stability and opportunity we need to tackle this particular challenge. I hope that conversation can take place with those who seek to invest in the region."

Airline CEO-turned-politician Luxon to lead New Zealand to the right

Christopher Luxon, Leader of the National Party arrives at his election party after winning the general election to become New Zealand’s next prime minister in Auckland, New Zealand, October 14, 2023. 

REUTERS/David Rowland


WELLINGTON - Just three years after entering politics, former businessman Christopher Luxon is set to lead New Zealand to the right as prime minister-elect, ending six years of Labour-led centre-left government.

The former Air New Zealand chief executive, Luxon became leader of the centre-right National Party at the end of 2021, boosting its popularity until winning Saturday's general election.

National won 50 seats and its preferred coalition partner, ACT New Zealand, won 11, securing a majority of one seat in the 121-seat parliament, according to provisional results from the Electoral Commission. Final results are due Nov. 3.

Luxon, who held senior roles at global consumer goods firm Unilever and delivered consistent profits running Air New Zealand from 2012 to 2019, has said he would use the skills he bought to managing businesses to improve New Zealand.

The 53-year-old has promised to curb historically high inflation and reduce government debt by cutting spending and narrowing the central bank's mandate to targeting inflation, in order to help financially stretched middle-income families.

"I want to bring the country together, I want to actually make sure that we are focussed on delivering outcomes for New Zealanders," Luxon told a press conference, dressed in an All Blacks jersey after watching the national rugby team win a dramatic World Cup quarter-final.

"I’m a person who likes to bring teams together and make sure that I get the best out of that team and use all the skills in that team, so that’s my mode."

In a country where almost half the people say they have no religion, Luxon has faced scrutiny for saying he was Christian and has had to defend stances such as personally opposing abortion. He has committed to maintaining legal abortion and supported same-sex marriage.

"Faith is deeply personal, but I am not there to act in the interests of one faith, one group, one person or one belief system. I'm there to represent all New Zealanders," Luxon told Reuters earlier this year.

A millionaire father of two with several homes across the country, Luxon is learning the Maori language and is a Taylor Swift fan, quoting her in televised debates and interviews.

Although well-travelled, he is largely untried on foreign policy. Luxon has strongly supported Ukraine in its invasion by Russia, in line with New Zealand's traditional allies. He has said there will be little change in New Zealand’s foreign policy. 

REUTERS

New Zealand PM elect Luxon expected to start coalition negotiations

Christopher Luxon, Leader of the National Party waves to supporters at his election party after winning the general election to become New Zealand’s next prime minister in Auckland, New Zealand, October 14, 2023.

 REUTERS/David Rowland

WELLINGTON - New Zealand’s Prime Minister-elect Christopher Luxon and his centre-right National Party are expected to start negotiations with the ACT Party Sunday, after the two parties won a slim majority in the general election.

Luxon, 53, a former airline executive who has only been in parliament for three years, said in his victory speech late on Saturday that the country had voted for change and that would be delivered.

"You have given us the mandate to take New Zealand forward," he said.

The conservative National Party won 50 seats and the ACT Party won 11, securing a majority of just one seat in the 121 seat parliament, according to provisional results from the Electoral Commission.

Chris Bishop, National Party Campaign Chairperson, said on TVNZ political show Q+A that Luxon had already spoken with ACT leader David Seymour and senior National members would meet this afternoon to discuss coalition negotiations.

While the two parties currently have the numbers to form a government, roughly 567,0000 of special votes or around 20% of the vote still have to be counted. The official result is due on Nov. 3.

Bishop said he expected National would lose at least one seat once these votes were counted.

If National and ACT do lose a seat they would not have enough seats to form a government and would need to reach an agreement with the populist party New Zealand First.

Under New Zealand’s mixed member proportional system it is very uncommon for a single party to form government, although Jacinda Ardern’s Labour government did in 2020.

 REUTERS

NZ opens door to most conservative government in decades

ByNatasha Frost

NYT
October 15, 2023 —

Auckland: After an election campaign of fits and starts, in which neither major party appeared to offer much solace to a weary nation, voters in New Zealand have ousted the party once led by Jacinda Ardern and elected the country’s most right-wing government in a generation, handing victory to a coalition of two conservative parties.

The new prime minister-elect is Christopher Luxon, a former CEO of Air New Zealand, whose centre-right National Party will likely lead a coalition with Act, a smaller libertarian party.

Prime minister-elect Christopher Luxon in Auckland on Sunday.CREDIT:GETTY

Addressing a euphoric crowd at his party’s victory event on Auckland’s waterfront, Luxon thanked supporters and promised a better and more stable future for the country.

“Our government will deliver for every New Zealander,” he said, to whoops and cheers. “We will rebuild the economy and deliver tax relief.”

The rightward drift ended six years of the Labour government that was dominated by Ardern, who stepped down early this year.

“She’s probably the most consequential prime minister we’ve had since David Lange [the Labour leader who came to power in 1984], and, from an international point of view, most charismatic,” said Bernard Hickey, an economic and political commentator in Auckland. “But this election is the landmark of her failure.”

Chris Hipkins (right) became NZ Prime Minister after Jacinda Ardern resigned. He served the rest of her term but failed to win the election on Saturday.CREDIT:BLOOMBERG

For many voters, Ardern and her successor, Chris Hipkins, failed to deliver on the Labour Party’s promise of transformational change. In the weeks leading up to the election, New Zealanders, buffeted by the currents of global inflation and its larger Asia Pacific neighbours’ economic woes, overwhelmingly cited cost of living as the primary concern driving their vote.

The coalition is a return to form for New Zealand, which since moving to a system of proportional representation in 1993 has had only one single-party government – the Labour government elected in 2020 under Ardern. But it is the first time National, which last governed alone in the early 1980s, has been in coalition with a more conservative partner.


With most of the Saturday vote counted, support for the Labour Party, which won 50 per cent of the vote in 2020, buoyed by the country’s strong response to the coronavirus pandemic, has collapsed to 27 per cent.


New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, centre, speaks to media after conceding defeat at a party event in Wellington, on Saturday night.CREDIT:AP

The National Party won 39 per cent of the vote, up from 26 per cent in 2020. Among the smaller parties, the Green Party took 11 per cent of the vote, and Act won 9 per cent. But those results could shift slightly after “special” votes were counted, including those of overseas New Zealanders. That could potentially force Act and National into coalition with New Zealand First, a longtime kingmaker that played a role in Ardern’s ascent, to push the right-wing coalition over the halfway mark.

Addressing party members in Wellington, Hipkins said he had conceded the election to Luxon and celebrated Labour’s accomplishments on alleviating child poverty and navigating New Zealand through the pandemic, the Christchurch massacres and the White Island volcano eruption.

“We will keep fighting for working people, because that is our history and our future,” he said.



The National Party had campaigned on a platform of tax cuts, saying it would offer relief to ordinary families. Critics have questioned the funding for those cuts, which rely heavily on foreign ownership of New Zealand property, and some have said that they disproportionately favour some 300 New Zealand landlords while cutting benefits for disabled people.

Inflation, which was at 6 per cent in July compared with 6.7 per cent a year earlier, appears to be easing, according to the most recent government data, although New Zealanders will most likely endure pain for some time to come, as the country weathers high house and rent prices, a high cost of borrowing and the effects of global shocks.

“When it comes to the economy,” said Grant Duncan, a political scientist in Auckland, “we’re a cork bobbing around on an ocean.”

The new National-led government, despite being more conservative, was unlikely to make significant changes on many social issues, said Ben Thomas, a former press secretary for the National Party.


‘Ned Kelly behaving badly’: Winston Peters blames Australian business for Kiwi crisis

“Nobody wants to re-litigate abortion or homosexual marriage,” he said. “Unlike the States, where there’s a constant battle to try and roll back progressive legislation, the conservative tradition in New Zealand is, ‘We’ve always gone just about far enough’.”

But Act may seek to push policy priorities of its own, including a referendum to reconsider the role of the Maori people play in policymaking.

“What they actually want is a referendum which defines away any kind of standing or rights guaranteed to Maori by the Treaty,” Thomas said, referring to an 1840 agreement that governs New Zealand legislation to this day.

He added: “What you might broadly call racial tensions – over race and policy, Maori policy, Treaty policy – are greater than at any point since 2005.”

At the same time, the country is still contending with a multibillion-dollar recovery from cyclone Gabrielle, which in February devastated swaths of the North Island, exposing dangerous infrastructure fault lines, said Craig Renney, an economist for the NZ Council of Trade Unions.

National had not announced any plans for how it would manage New Zealand’s climate vulnerabilities, Renney said.

“Where are we going to be in six years’ time? What are we going to do to tackle some of the really big issues, be it climate change, renting, employment security?” he said. “Those things haven’t been being debated because the country is tired.”

It was unclear whether the new government could easily solve these and other problems, said Duncan.

“I’m not saying they’re going to do a bad job,” he said. “I just don’t have any confidence in them doing a better job.”

NZ

Maori MPs call Charles ‘King Skin Rash’ at opening of parliament

CHEEKY BUGGERS

Timothy Sigsworth
Tue, 5 December 2023 

Maori MPs appeared to mock the King during the opening of New Zealand’s parliament on Tuesday by calling him “King Skin Rash” as they pledged allegiance.

Three MPs from the Te Pāti Māori party failed to use the official Maori name for King Charles III, “Kīngi Tiāre”, instead saying “Kīngi harehare” as they were sworn in following October 14’s election.

The politicians argued “hare” was just another name for Charles, however using the word twice means “skin rash” or “sore”, as well as something “offensive” or “objectionable”, according to the Māori Dictionary website.

The King is New Zealand’s head of state and all MPs are required to swear allegiance to him in English or Maori.

Te Pāti Māori opposes pledging allegiance to the monarch and supports the removal of the King as the country’s head of state.

In an earlier break from protocol on Tuesday, its MPs swore allegiance to their descendants and New Zealand’s founding document.

Te Pati Maori co-leader Rawiri Waiti during the swearing-in ceremony as the parliament convened for the first time since October's elections

 - Mark Mitchell/New Zealand Herald via AP

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Te Pāti Māori’s co-leader, said the party’s MPs were “always provocative” when asked if they had been trying to be “cute” by apparently snubbing the King.

“There are lots of meanings for lots of things,” she said.

Rawiri Waititi, Ms Ngarewa-Packer’s co-leader, added that “Hare” can mean Charles in some areas of New Zealand and that he calls his own uncle Charles “Hare”.

“We swore our own oath, how we think an oath should be sworn in Aotearoa [Maori for New Zealand],” he said.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment when contacted by The Telegraph.

While New Zealand’s republican movement is not huge there has been debate for some time on whether the Pacific nation should become a republic, with a citizen as the head of state.

In some indigenous communities, this feeling is stronger, both in New Zealand and elsewhere.

Critics accused Te Pāti Māori of mocking the monarch, who is reportedly planning to visit Australia and New Zealand next year in what is likely to be a key test of his popularity abroad.

“They are trying to make fun of the transliteration ‘hare’, which if said as ‘harehare’ is kind of a transliteration of Charlie, but it also means something objectionable,” New Zealand First MP Shane Jones said.

Charles, then the Prince of Wales, and Camilla, then Duchess of Cornwall, on their last trip to New Zealand in 2019 - Chris Jackson/Getty Images

“It is preposterous that the Māori party should think that they are the authentic voice for Maori New Zealanders,” he added, noting that the party won less than three per cent of the vote in the recent election.

“A lot of their party voters were not Maori, a lot of them were hippies.”

Te Pāti Māori has six MPs, making it the smallest party in New Zealand’s parliament.

During Tuesday’s formalities, each of them made a pledge to their mokopuna, or descendants, to tikanga, or Maori practices, and the Maori version of the Treaty of Waitangi.

Signed in 1840, the treaty laid down a set of principles under which the British and Maori agreed to govern New Zealand, but the English and Maori versions differ and there is debate over whether Maori ceded sovereignty.

Several of the Te Pāti Māori MPs wore feathered headdresses and cloaks honouring their traditional roots and sang or performed an indigenous challenge during the opening of the legislature.

Their swearing-in came amid mounting tensions in New Zealand over race relations.

Thousands of protesters rallied against the New Zealand government's Indigenous policies on Tuesday - Mike Scott/New Zealand Herald via AP

Thousands attended protests earlier on Tuesday organised by Te Pāti Māori against the country’s new government, objecting to policies they argue will unravel decades of progress on indigenous rights.

A Right-of-centre coalition between the National Party, New Zealand First and ACT New Zealand was formed after the October election ended six years of rule by the progressive Labour Party led by former prime minister Jacinda Ardern.

Te Pāti Māori opposes policies introduced by the coalition which seek to wind back the use of Maori language, review affirmative action policies and assess how the country’s founding treaty document is interpreted in legislation.

Protestors gathered in city squares, motorway bridges and outside the country’s parliament in Wellington, the capital.

Police said there had been traffic disruptions in several cities nationwide.

David Seymour, leader of the libertarian party ACT New Zealand, dismissed the demonstrations as “divisive theatrics”.

“New Zealanders elected a government that will treat people equally, regardless of their race,” he said.

Climate study linking early Māori fires to Antarctic changes sparks controversy

Research tying Māori activity 700 years ago to Antarctic changes sparks debate in New Zealand over Indigenous inclusion in science

A study published in Nature linked high concentrations of black carbon, dating back 700 years, to activity by early Māori people in New Zealand. Photograph: Krys Bailey/Alamy Stock Photo

Tess McClure in Christchurch and Eva Corlett in Wellington
Thu 14 Oct 2021 00.27 BST

Deep in the ice of a remote Antarctic peninsula, a group of researchers found evidence that fires started by early Māori wreaked changes in the atmosphere detectable 7,000km away. In New Zealand, the research sparked a heated controversy of its own – over Indigenous inclusion in scientific enterprise, and what scientists owe the people whose history becomes a subject of their research.

The research, published this month, examined ice cores from the Antarctic peninsula. Scientists found high concentrations of black carbon, dating back 700 years. Atmospheric modelling narrowed the possible sources to New Zealand, Patagonia or Tasmania – but only in New Zealand did charcoal records match the timeframe. The deposits coincided with Māori arrival in New Zealand, and showed downstream effects of Māori using fire to clear the land.

The finding was unexpected, says Prof Joe McConnell of the Desert Research Institute, who led the study. “What really surprised us about this was that it appeared to be human activities that made such a big impact,” McConnell says. “It really emphasises how interconnected the planet is – that even early people arriving in New Zealand could have a noticeable effect on atmospheric chemistry 7,000km away is really quite a surprising finding.”


Pygmy pipehorse discovered in New Zealand given Māori name in ‘world first’

New Zealand doesn’t have a natural cycle of burning, and its plants are less fire adapted, McConnell said. “So when humans brought fire to the landscape, it had a pretty dramatic change.”
Advertisement

While the emissions were small compared with many current-day fires, he said, they were notable coming from a small island. “If you compare it to what’s coming out of the Amazon [burning] now, for instance, it’s small by comparison,” McConnell said. “What was surprising to us was that New Zealand’s got a relatively small land area, and the emissions for such a small land area were pretty large.”

Also surprising was how emissions from Māori arrivals compared with subsequent European ones. “The burning emissions from New Zealand were comparable in the 16th century to what they were soon after European arrival in New Zealand,” McConnell says. “So we were surprised – we expected to see more of an impact from European arrival. And we did not.”

The team published the article in Nature, one of the world’s most prominent scientific journals. But the reception in New Zealand was mixed, with several Māori academics raising concerns that it did not have Māori members of its research team.

Dr Priscilla Wehi, director of Te Pūnaha Matatini research centre, said via Science Media Centre the finding was “scientifically spectacular” but raised concerns about “helicopter science, where research is led and conducted by those who live and work far from the subject of their work”.

“How much better could this have been, were it more inclusive in its approach?” she asked.

Associate prof Sandy Morrison of the University of Waikato called the paper “devoid of context, devoid of cultural understandings”. “It reeks of scientific arrogance with its implicit assumption that somehow Māori have a lot to account for in terms of contributing to carbon emissions.”

Morrison told the Guardian she had been shocked by the paper, which did not collaborate with Māori researchers. “Surely you want to check and just examine the context before you go writing around people,” she said.

“You come so far in terms of working alongside scientists in New Zealand and then you get [this] from the international ones.”

Over the past two years, there has been increased discussion and controversy over mātauranga Māori – Indigenous knowledge systems – and their role within the sciences in New Zealand. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, which funds much of the country’s scientific research, unveiled Vision Mātauranga about 10 years ago. Its principles would be embedded across all the ministry’s priority investment areas. In practice, that meant crown-funded research had to include partnerships and consultation with Māori, as well as a broader re-orientation to integrate Māori knowledge into research and learning. More recently, changes were proposed to New Zealand’s curriculum to give parity to mātauranga Māori with other bodies of knowledge.

“For a long time Māori had been talking about [the fact] that we will do our own research – and at minimum, that a relationship with us … should be cultivated way before anybody wants to write about us,” Morrison said. “That seems to have caught on in the New Zealand research scene, but not so much internationally.”

The paper’s authors, none of whom were from New Zealand, were taken by surprise at the backlash.

“I was definitely surprised,” McConnell says. “We didn’t start out in any way, shape, or form, to investigate the impact of Māori-related burning and we’re not trying to criticise or in any way, shape, or form Māori stewardship of the land.” No one had disputed the paper’s findings on the black carbon, he said.

“This idea of helicopter science – our research is not based in New Zealand … it’s based in Antarctica, and there are no indigenous inhabitants in Antarctica. So, I don’t think we would have done that any differently,” he said.

“In the scientific world [and] the scientific method, the response would be: if someone disagrees with our findings, they should write a paper and get it through peer review, or comment, and tell us what we did that was wrong … Whoever has the most solid arguments is who moves forward. That’s what the scientific method is all about. But this is not a science debate, I don’t think.”

Dr Dan Hikuroa, senior lecturer at the University of Auckland, said “It’s not that the science is wrong. It’s just that the findings could have been richer.”

“The science looks to be repeatable, rigorous and pretty standup,” he said. “I think it’s the broader context – which much of the science community is now recognising. That although one of the hallmarks and pillars or the strength of science is that it does operate to produce knowledge, it actually operates within a social system.” That awareness, Hikuroa says “is really missed here”.


‘A neat trick’: critics aim to shift Aotearoa debate, but historical fidelity no longer matters

The integration of mātauranga Māori, he says, can make scientific findings stronger – and increase the diversity of scientific teams. He points to other research, also profiled in Nature, which used mātauranga Māori documentation of groundwater and plant life to document historic groundwater flows to assess the risk of future contamination.

“There’s more than one way of knowing and being and making sense of the world that we could draw from and use when we’re trying to make important decisions – including the way we conduct our research, the kind of teams we build, the kinds of the questions we ask, and the ways we seek to answer those questions,” he says.

“The argument that says, ‘I’m a certain scientist that does things a certain way, so therefore I don’t have to consider these things’ is not holding up as well as it used to.”

New Zealand loses its precious ‘Rings’ series to Britain
By NICK PERRY

FILE - In this Oct. 26, 2012, file photo, some of the costumes, props and memorabilia created for the "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" movies are displayed in a mini-museum at Weta Cave in Wellington, New Zealand. New Zealand has long been associated with "The Lord of the Rings" but with the filming of a major new television series suddenly snatched away, the nation has become more like Mordor than the Shire for hundreds of workers. (AP Photo/Nick Perry, File)

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand has long been associated with “The Lord of the Rings” but with the filming of a major new television series suddenly snatched away, the nation has become more like Mordor than the Shire for hundreds of workers.

In a major blow to the nation’s small but vibrant screen industry, Amazon Studios announced Friday it would film the second season of its original series, inspired by the books of J.R.R. Tolkien, to Britain.

“The shift from New Zealand to the U.K. aligns with the studio’s strategy of expanding its production footprint and investing in studio space across the U.K., with many of Amazon Studios’ tentpole series and films already calling the U.K. home,” the company said in a statement.

The move came as a blow to many in New Zealand. The production is one of the most expensive in history, with Amazon spending at least $465 million on the first season, which just finished filming in New Zealand, according to government figures.

The series employed 1,200 people in New Zealand directly and another 700 indirectly, according to the figures.

“This is a shock to everyone,” said Denise Roche, the director of Equity NZ, a union representing performers. “I really feel for all the small businesses, the tech people who invested in this for the future. Nobody had any inkling.”

Roche said people feel let down by Amazon, although she added that the industry was resilient.

Amazon said the as-yet untitled series takes place on Middle-earth during the Second Age, thousands of years before the events depicted in Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” books and the subsequent films directed by Peter Jackson.

Filming began last year but was delayed due to the coronavirus. Post-production on the first season will continue in New Zealand through June before the show premieres on Prime Video in September next year.

The move to Britain comes just four months after Amazon signed a deal with the New Zealand government to get an extra 5% rebate on top of the 20% — or $92 million — it was already claiming from New Zealand taxpayers under a screen production grant.

Many locations around the world compete for productions by offering similar, generous rebates.

At the time of the deal, New Zealand’s Economic Development Minister Stuart Nash said the production would bring economic and tourism benefits to the country for years to come and create “an enduring legacy for our screen industry.”

Nash said Friday the government had found out only a day earlier that Amazon was leaving and he was disappointed by the decision. He said the government was withdrawing the offer of the extra 5%.

Amazon said it no longer intended to pursue collecting the extra money. But it will still walk away with at least $92 million from New Zealand taxpayers.

“The international film sector is incredibly competitive and highly mobile. We have no regrets about giving this production our best shot with government support,” Nash said. “However, we are disappointed for the local screen industry.”

New Zealand became synonymous with Tolkien’s world of orcs, elves and hobbits after Jackson directed six movies in the South Pacific nation. “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and “The Hobbit” trilogy combined grossed nearly $6 billion at the box office.

When Amazon Studios first announced it would film in New Zealand, it said the pristine coasts, forests, and mountains made it the perfect place to bring to life the primordial beauty of early Middle-earth.

The large ensemble cast includes Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Sophia Nomvete and Lloyd Owen.

KIWI NEWS

New Zealand's first indigenous governor-general takes office

For the first time, New Zealand will have a Maori woman as its governor-general. She pledged to strengthen communities to meet modern-day challenges.


Dame Cindy Kiro previously served as New Zealand's children's commissioner and has held leadership roles at several universities

Dame Cindy Kiro was sworn in as New Zealand's governor-general in parliament in Wellington on Thursday, becoming the first indigenous Maori woman to serve in the largely ceremonial role.

The governor-general carries out a number of constitutional duties in the former British colony, including officially signing bills into law and presiding over many public ceremonies.

They act as a representative of the British monarch — who remains New Zealand's official head of state.

After taking her oath of office in English and Te Reo Maori, Kiro spoke of her mixed Maori and British heritage and vowed to reach out to migrants and marginalized citizens.

"Communities develop resilience when people feel connected, have a sense of belonging, and have a place to stand," she said in a speech at the swearing-in ceremony.

"I will connect to new migrants and former refugees, and celebrate the many diverse cultures and religions gifted to our nation by those who have chosen to make New Zealand their home," Kiro said.
A champion of the indigenous language

In her speech, she also vowed to be a champion of the Te Reo Maori language.

"In my lifetime, I've also seen a remarkable shift in attitudes towards Te Reo Maori," she said.

"It's a joy to see so many New Zealanders eager to learn the language, as it is by far the best portal to an understanding of Te Ao Maori — and I will continue to try and champion it," Kiro said.

Te Reo Maori became an official language of New Zealand in 1987, alongside English.

The Maoris are the country's largest ethnic minority, representing 16.5% of the population. They remain both economically and socially disadvantaged.


What did the PM say?

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern welcomed the new governor-general in her speech.

"I know as the first Maori woman to hold this role you are mindful that your opportunity here also provides inspiration that reaches far and wide for many from all walks of life," she said.

"Hopefully when others follow your footsteps they won't be quite as surprised as you were when I offered you the role," Ardern said, news website Stuff reported.
What more do we know about Cindy Kiro?

Kiro previously served as chief executive of the Royal Society, a nonprofit group that advocates for research.

She has also been the New Zealand's Children's Commissioner and has held leadership roles at several universities.

She holds a Ph.D. in social policy and an MBA from the University of Auckland and Massey University and was the first in her family to achieve a university qualification.

Kiro succeeds Patsy Reddy, who had also been given the honorific "Dame" for her services to the community.

adi/sri (Reuters, AP)

Britain, New Zealand agree trade deal, including haka clause

The haka is best known as the spectacular pre-match challenge issued by the All Blacks, but it's also a revered cultural tradition among New Zealand's Maori 

CHARLY TRIBALLEAU AFP/File

London (AFP)

The in-principle deal was sealed in a video call between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern, following  16  months of talks.

Johnson said it was a "big moment" that strengthened Britain's friendship with New Zealand and cemented London's ties in the Indo-Pacific.

He likened negotiations for Britain's latest post-Brexit trade deal to a rugby match.

"I'm absolutely thrilled that we seem to have driven for the line, we've scrummed down, we've packed tight and together we've got the ball over the line," he said.

Ardern continued the sporting analogy, saying Thursday that "unlike a rugby match, I think we can literally both come off the field feeling like winners".

Tariffs on New Zealand goods such as wine, kiwifruit and meat, will be axed under the dea

l NEIL SANDS AFP/File

London said the deal ends tariffs on British exports such as clothing, footwear, ships and bulldozers. It estimated that trade between the two countries last year was worth £2.3 billion ($3.2 billion, 2.7 billion euros).

Tariffs on goods coming the other way, such as wine, kiwifruit and meat, will also be axed.

"It's one of our best deals ever and secured at a crucial time in our Covid recovery," Ardern said.

The New Zealand leader praised provisions in the agreement aimed at promoting Maori participation in trade and addressing indigenous concerns.

They include a commitment by both countries to "identify appropriate ways to advance recognition and protection of the haka Ka Mate".

The haka is best known as the spectacular pre-match challenge issued by the All Blacks, but it is also a revered cultural tradition among New Zealand's Maori.

Indigenous communities -- particularly the Ngati Toa iwi (tribe) where Ka mate originated -- have long resented the foot-stomping, eye-rolling challenge being mocked or exploited for profit.

Over the years, haka parodies have been used in Britain to sell everything from menswear to alcopops -- all without permission and without a cent being paid to the ritual's traditional owners.

The deal will encourage more cultural sensitivity, with London agreeing to formally recognise Ngati Toa's guardianship of the Ka Mate haka.

New Zealand Rugby and Ngati Toa have been approached for comment.

© 2021 AFP

New Zealand to make banks report climate impact

New Zealand's farm-reliant economy means agricultural emissions account for around half of its greenhouse gases

 NEIL SANDS AFP/File

Issued on: 21/10/2021 

Wellington (AFP)

Climate Change Minister James Shaw said the law meant banks, insurance companies and investment firms would make mandatory disclosures about their portfolios' global warming record from next year.

Shaw, who will head to Glasgow later this month for crunch climate talks hosted by the United Nations, said the disclosures would outline the real-world consequences of investment choices.

"It will encourage entities to become more sustainable by factoring the short, medium, and long-term effects of climate change into their business decisions," he said in a statement.

"New Zealand is a world leader in this area and the first country in the world to introduce mandatory climate-related reporting for the financial sector," he added.

© 2021 AFP