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Remember those silent movies where the heroine is tied to the railway tracks or going over the waterfall in a barrel? Finance Minister Nicola Willis seems intent on portraying herself as that damsel in distress. According to Willis, this country’s current economic problems have all been caused by the spending schemes cooked up by the dastardly and long-departed Grant Robertson, in cahoots with Treasury. So don’t blame her for the current state of the New Zealand economy. We appear to be paying her over $300,000 a year to wring her hands and blame everyone else for the country’s plight.
Wetlands play a critical role in the environment, helping to protect and improve water quality, preventing flooding and providing habitat for unique species of plants and animals some of which are rare. Maintaining water levels in wetlands and avoiding large fires is important if we are to reach our carbon reduction targets.
The year saw nationwide protests, swathes of legislation repealed and introduced, crackdowns on crime and some stern words to local councils.
“These surveys are the most comprehensive study we now have looking at the biodiversity and habitats of these islands. This provides a valuable reference for future marine management of the Mercury Islands,” said Waikato Regional Council Coastal Science Team Leader Dr Michael Townsend.
Taking a break and relaxing over the holidays is a Kiwi tradition, but that doesn’t mean you should forget about protecting your privacy, Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster says.
New Zealand will pay a high price for pulling out of this deal – just as it did 64 years ago when the Second National Government tore up the contract its Labour predecessor had signed with British and American interests to establish a large cotton mill outside Nelson.
The country’s natural hazards insurer is urging homeowners to make sure they understand the natural hazards that could impact their properties and the limits of their insurance.