Banana republic

Written By: - Date published: 11:41 am, May 24th, 2013 - 78 comments
Categories: accountability, corruption, john key, national - Tags:

People are starting to notice that the Nats are taking us into banana republic territory:

Official reports open up NZ to ‘banana republic’ allegations

Several official reports out this week raise questions about the integrity of public life in New Zealand. The latest is the report on the raids in the Ureweras and elsewhere in 2007, which has resulted in embarrassment for a number of people and institutions.  …

The other major report ‘out’ this week was that by the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, who has officially ‘cleared’ the GCSB of acting unlawfully. The most interesting commentary on this comes from Matthew Hooton who says the report should be thrown in the bin, and that it’s findings are an ‘outrageous piece of spin from a judicial officer’ – see: Labour, Greens right on GCSB report. In contrast, Hooton gives praise to the Independent Police Conduct Authority for it’s Urewera report.  …

A theme of suppressed reports is emerging at the moment, which has led the Waikato Times to declare that ‘The Government is fast exposing a distasteful authoritarian streak, by keeping official reports and advice under wraps – hiding them from the country’s elected representatives in Parliament’ – see Reports kept under wraps. On The Standard there is an intelligent discussion of whether we still have the rule of law in New Zealand – see Michael Valley’s The rule of law.

Much of this relates to Andrew Geddis’ recently publicised concerns about the Government’s abrogation of the Constitution, which he’s reprised in a number of newspaper columns – see: We owe it to ourselves to be outraged. Also voicing outrage is the Herald with Disability bill demonstrates contempt for due process, Brian Rudman with Law protecting Government, not disabled, and Gordon Campbell with On the government’s trampling on the rights of family carers.

On Pundit Tim Watkin asks:

More bad process – is this the new National normal?

A week of poor process continues for the government as it side-steps consultation with its decision to approve mining on the Denniston Plateau …

The government’s legislative agenda has been appallingly flippant in the past week or so and I’m delighted Pundit bloggers have taken such a stand. Many of us have been concerned about this government’s approach to process this year. I blogged in February,March and April about the Prime Minister’s focus on outcomes over process and I’ve long opined that the everyman casualness that he built his political career on will one day be his undoing.

That’s not what we’re seeing this week; it will take some poor process in a realm that directly effects middle New Zealand to really wound him. But this week’s urgencies and unwillingness to listen to the people is part of a damaging narrative. New Zealanders don’t like being taken for granted.

Even Nat fan John Armstrong has been uneasy lately:

Naked self-interest rules

Naked self-interest rules, pure and simple.

Well may the Government try to blame a lack of consensus amongst Parliament’s component parties as reason for not implementing the recommendations of the Electoral Commission-conducted review of MMP.

That rationale is just a little too convenient, however. When it comes to consensus, National is the one which refused to budge in its opposition to arguably the commission’s most important and most controversial finding – that the anomalous, outdated one-seat threshold under which minor party list candidates can coat-tail into Parliament on the back of a MP winning an electorate seat should be abolished.

National has refused to budge because retention of the one-seat threshold gives it greater chance of getting enough backing by way of minor party seats sufficient to give it a majority in the next Parliament.

Such a stance is totally indefensible. But it is also completely understandable.

And so on…

The day our Govt stifled the judiciary

The Government last Friday rode roughshod over New Zealand’s constitution, writes Prof Andrew Geddis.

Given our constitution’s unwritten and often opaque nature, it is easy to take it for granted. That fact makes it all the more important to take notice when one of the fundamental pillars of that constitutional arrangement starts getting chipped away.

The National Government did just that last Friday, in the guise of a law stripping people of their right to go to court to challenge the legality of its actions.

… and so on, an abominable display of arrogance and self-interst that in fact goes all the way back to their first months in office.

John Key, the Nats, and those that spin for them, are turning NZ into a banana republic before our eyes – but none of them care as long as they perceive themselves to be “winning”.

78 comments on “Banana republic ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. marty mars 1
    24 May 2013 at 12:26 pm

    I looked up banana republic because I thought I knew what it meant but wasn’t really sure

    In economics, a banana republic is a country operated as a commercial enterprise for private profit, effected by a collusion between the State and favoured monopolies, in which the profit derived from the private exploitation of public lands is private property, while the debts incurred thereby are a public responsibility. Such an imbalanced economy remains limited by the uneven economic development of town and country, and tends to cause the national currency to become devalued paper-money, rendering the country ineligible for international development-credit.[5] Such government by thieves is a kleptocracy; such a kleptocratic government is manipulated by foreign (corporate) interests, and functions mostly as ceremonial government that is unaccountable to its nation. The national legislature is, in effect, for sale, influential government employees illegitimately exploit their posts for personal gain (by embezzlement, fraud, bribery, etc.), and the resulting government budget deficit is repaid by the country’s working people who earn wages rather than making profits.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_republic

    ummm we aren’t turning into one – we bloody are one already!!! Go through the description and apart from the currency thingy where is the difference?

    • Tom Gould 1.1
      24 May 2013 at 1:18 pm

      And the public service is still clean, despite the Tories’ best efforts to demonise it and recruit their mates into top jobs. Oh, and the cops forgetting they swore and oath to uphold the law.

      • muzza 1.1.1
        24 May 2013 at 1:54 pm

        *Uphold, The Law*

        Which is exactly what, I really need to know, as I stare out of my window..

        Probably won’t get an answer for that one, eh!

        • Te Reo Putake 1.1.1.1
          24 May 2013 at 2:03 pm

          Probably, not. *It’s* *hard* *to* *answer* *the* *poorly* *written* *questions* *you* *put* *at* *the* *best* *of* *times*.

        • xtasy 1.1.1.2
          24 May 2013 at 10:02 pm

          Yeah, “uphold the law”, which under the English and wider common and statute law bodies – now established under post colonial British rule, is one, and which can be interpreted in many ways, that appears to be depending on the wallet that pays the expert lawyers to get the “interpretation” suitably and conveniantly “right” for them then!

          No basic law, no easy, clearly understood guidelines, like in most countries other than such mentioned above, and it is a challenge, but also a goldmine, for the “experts” that know how to navigate and use the law, to meet theirs and their master’s interests.

      • Tim 1.1.2
        24 May 2013 at 6:43 pm

        Aye Tom. That’s a very interesting comment in light of Nathan Guy’s best efforts to blame minions for the latest fiasco on Chinese wharfs – I noticed somewhere that (either a Gubbamint Munsta, or PS CEO) has inferred that certain jobs were on the line. On the line because the dear old Munsta that never inhaled was embarrassed by obvious incompetence, or perhaps simple under-resourcing of departmental staff – SOMEWHERE in the chain.
        When you think about it – WHY the need for a name change in the first place – other than a need for a Munsta of the Crown to look like he was actually doing something
        As I’ve said elsewhere on (I think) this site, the P.S. operate IN SPITE of their ‘leadership’ (their Snr Mgmnt, Ministers, and so on), rather than BECAUSE of them. They do so because of goodwill, and an understanding of their roles as Public Servants – rather than those that apparently ‘lead’ them, but who generally have forgotten what the Public Service is about and who think that they’re operating some sort of fiefdom. (Unfortunately, that INCLUDES law enforcement agencies)
        So…. (as is the trendy prefix), we get to cops that forgot they’ve sworn an oath. That’s very true.
        It’s nowhere NEAR as bad though as the outsourcing of law enforcement to private agencies where swearing oaths would be seen as uttering some sort of obscenity. It hasn’t gone un-noticed that some of the outsource – ees, employed in companies (such as Chubb – but whoever) have VERY suspect backgrounds – some even including armed robbery, and burglary in places like Bond Street (as Wellington City Council “CEO”‘s past will have known of when appointing their ‘Head of Security’).
        [Let’s be clear – that was at the height of a market rules/neo-lib inspired/user pays agenda] – but what’s scary is that there are those that want to push for that sort of regime’s return, and at central gubbamint level, that sort of regime is alrady in play.

        Outsourcing (apparently cheaper – though studies have shown that it can’t POSSIBLY be), is merely a way for elected politicians to abrogate their responsibility.

        Never mind though aye! all good! no worries. That nice man John Key and his band of dedicated Munsta’s are going to keep us all safe. Nafe the man! …. he’ll see the Kapiti Coast right.

    • Draco T Bastard 1.2
      24 May 2013 at 1:22 pm

      +1

      National: Governing for themselves and their rich mates.

    • SpaceMonkey 1.3
      24 May 2013 at 1:43 pm

      Agreed, we have been for some time… but the currency thingy is more a reflection of the other currencies quantiatively easing into infinity.

      When it’s suits the traders and there’s money to be made, our currency will be taken down… just like in 1987, when the NZ dollar earning Bankers Trust some $300 million in profits and just about collapsing the NZ economy in the process.

    • Rosie 1.4
      24 May 2013 at 2:16 pm

      Bloody hell. That wiki description sums up the running of our country does it not?

    • mikesh 1.5
      24 May 2013 at 4:17 pm

      We don’t produce bananas!

    • xtasy 1.6
      24 May 2013 at 9:57 pm

      Yep, Marty, and you are one of the few that have noticed. NZ has been a true banana style republic (not needing to mean a “republic” as such) for a damned long time, while so many were asleep feeding on the distracting daily drivel fed to them.

  2. McFlock 2
    24 May 2013 at 12:52 pm

    This is beginning to sound Muldoon-ish, even if his motives were different.

  3. vto 3
    24 May 2013 at 1:12 pm

    .
    people only take so much before taking to the streets.

    witness london yesterday.

    ……….

    which leads to the question…

    who benefits from civil unrest?

    and if you follow the money, where does it lead?

  4. ghostrider888 4
    24 May 2013 at 1:15 pm

    been a fruit salad for some time; The Chinese have a preference for lychees; “floral, sweet smell, fragrant flavour and a delicate whitish pulp.”

    On a related vein;
    Mike Dixon-McIver ACC advocate declares war on the bread-and-butter pudding that is ACC.
    (JUDGE MIKE BEHRENS, Q.C. FOR SUPREME COURT JUSTICE!) hard-pressed to find a Betterman.

    • tc 5.1
      24 May 2013 at 1:35 pm

      RIP George Carlin, one of my fav pieces from a man who never waivered in his beliefs with the IQ to go head to head with anyone.

      Checkout some of the stuff Bill maher did with him where he goes at the tea party and religious zealots.

  7. burt 7
    24 May 2013 at 1:29 pm

    We became a banana republic when our last PM decided being PM was more important than being accountable under the law and used parliament to kill a court case against her – denigrating the Auditor General for being so treasonous as to suggest her party broke the law.

    • ghostrider888 7.1
      24 May 2013 at 1:35 pm

      bit of a one-track record.

      • muzza 7.1.1
        24 May 2013 at 2:09 pm

        The point, I believe Burt’s trying to make, is that it matters little whose *team* is in control, and there is ample evidence to suggest that position, is the correct one to take!

        Is that what you’re trying to say Burt?

        • felix 7.1.1.1
          25 May 2013 at 11:43 am

          No, he’s trying to say it’s all Labour’s fault. It’s all he ever says.

    • One Anonymous Knucklehead 7.2
      24 May 2013 at 1:41 pm

      …but but but Lllaaaaabbbbboooouuuurrrrrrr, whine whinge smear justify.

    • georgecom 7.3
      24 May 2013 at 10:03 pm

      Burt. Think you are getting mixed up. It was the leader of the opposition party at the time who did a deal for $1 worth of secret advertising for some policies, and then tried to hide it from the voters. That guy got found out & didn’t get into Govt.

  8. Saarbo 8
    24 May 2013 at 1:35 pm

    National are atrocious and seem to be allowed to get away with anything because of a hopeless MSM and and equally hopeless leader of the Labour Party.

    Greens are doing their bit but they dont have a lot of pulling power when it comes to attracting exposure in the media.

    A very sad state affairs for New Zealand.

    • kiwicommie 8.1
      24 May 2013 at 1:39 pm

      People can be suckers, it is pretty sad that 40%+ of voters believe whatever National/MSM tell them. Fortunately people are starting to view John Key and National as boring and out of ideas, usually that’s what helps win elections.

    • gobsmacked 8.2
      24 May 2013 at 5:52 pm

      National are atrocious and seem to be allowed to get away with anything because of a hopeless MSM and and equally hopeless leader of the Labour Party.

      Somebody please correct this if wrong (pref with a link) but … so far I have not seen or heard a single word of criticism from David Shearer on this topic. The OP has a long and growing list of cogent critics taking National to task, from across the spectrum. The Labour leader is not one of them.

      To save wasted time and energy, please note … I am not asking “Has Shearer talked about other stuff?” (yes) or “Have other Labour people spoken up?” (yes). Nor am I interested in agreeing for the one thousandth time that David Shearer is not as bad as John Key.

      So … What has the leader of the opposition said this week about our country becoming a banana republic? Genuine answers welcome.

      • Jackal 8.2.1
        24 May 2013 at 8:49 pm

        Bit of a silly question really gobsmacked… I don’t recall any Prime Minister or leader of the opposition ever talking about New Zealand being a banana republic. So what makes you think David Shearer should have mentioned it in the last week?

        Perhaps you mean Shearer hasn’t been vocal enough concerning the events that have led people to comment about New Zealand becoming a banana republic? In that case you are both right and wrong.

        It’s true that Shearer hasn’t spoken out publicly about the IPCA’s finding that the police acted illegally. However he has spoken out this week about the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security clearing the GCSB of illegal spying:

        Labour leader David Shearer is calling for Mr Neazor’s report to be made public and for an independent inquiry into the GCSB.

        Mr Shearer told Radio New Zealand’s Morning Report programme there is a conflict of interest when the Inspector-General both oversees and reviews the agency.

        There’s no doubt that the last Labour government did some pretty stupid things that undermined the publics confidence in the government, but they come nowhere near the socially detrimental policy direction of the current government.

        The question really is whether a Labour led government will continue with a similar negative legislative direction? In my opinion, as long as they’re in coalition with the Greens, that’s very unlikely. In fact it’s more likely that a Labour/Greens coalition government will restore some of the laws National has been trampling all over.

        You might not have noticed that the Greens, who will likely hold the balance of power after the next election, are all about social responsibility and transparency? They’re what I would call the complete antithesis of National’s corporate agenda.

        Obviously David Shearer is far more aligned with the left and has been outspoken on numerous occasions about the right wing’s detrimental policies that are turning (or have turned) New Zealand into a banana republic. Granted, his comments are very measured… But personally I think that’s a good personality trait to have in a diplomat and future Prime Minister of New Zealand.

  9. BM 9
    24 May 2013 at 4:44 pm

    I fairly happy with the way National is running the country.
    Certainly won’t be rioting in the streets.

    • Jackal 9.1
      24 May 2013 at 8:54 pm

      Is that the new right wing measure of success or failure… Rioting in the streets?

      • kiwicommie 9.1.1
        24 May 2013 at 10:04 pm

        Austerity causes rioting on the streets, a decade more of rising inequality and poverty, and riots will occur frequently in New Zealand.

        • Colonial Viper 9.1.1.1
          24 May 2013 at 10:06 pm

          4 straight nights of rioting in Stockholm. Ostensibly one of the richest cities in Europe. This is what high youth unemployment does to even a “wealthy” nation.

        • Draco T Bastard 9.1.1.2
          24 May 2013 at 11:38 pm

          If it goes on for another decade, and I really don’t expect anything different with Labour in power, then there’s going to be more than rioting.

          • kiwicommie 9.1.1.2.1
            24 May 2013 at 11:49 pm

            I think the main difference is there will be less emphasis on more austerity budgets, and the like, and hopefully a reversal of National’s welfare and student loan reforms.

  10. Lefty 10
    24 May 2013 at 4:52 pm

    We live in a country where democracy is so distorted a bankster can be elected as Prime Minister immediately following an international financial crisis caused by people just like him.

    When he is elected again it is surely a sign that the entire political class is so contaminated by their interconnection with the business, financial and the media elite that voters see very little between them.

    With a third election victory for the bankster very likely indeed it is time we admitted we live in a banana republic where the government administers the nation for the benefit of a favoured few.

    This situation did not come about overnight. Both National and Labour led governments have been doing this for quite some time.

    Since the 1980s each government has simply built on the rotten legacy left by its predecessor.

    The differences that exist are more about governance style than substance and there is no sign any of the main parties intend changing their masters anytime soon.

    In this great free market society democracy is another commodity and you can choose any political brand you like as long as it is the same as the other brands.

    And if you don’t like the big brands on offer, or support an outlier organisation, then the big brands have a compliant media and some handy legislaton to deal with you.

    • BM 10.1
      24 May 2013 at 4:58 pm

      Face it pal, it’s you who’s the odd one out.
      Why should everything have to change to accommodate you.

      • Colonial Viper 10.1.1
        24 May 2013 at 5:47 pm

        You’re not only deluded, you’re making excuses for a shitty self serving circle of rich mates, which suggests both stupidity and a lack of survival instinct.

        • BM 10.1.1.1
          24 May 2013 at 6:09 pm

          LOL, What would you know about survival instinct, fark you wouldn’t last 5 mins if the shit hit the fan, the only way you’d survive is if you put on some hot pants and tricked yourself to prison dudes that like a bit of arse action.

          • Colonial Viper 10.1.1.1.1
            24 May 2013 at 6:12 pm

            Put your junk away mate, your fantasy life isn’t my interest.

            • BM 10.1.1.1.1.1
              24 May 2013 at 6:22 pm

              It’s the only way you’d survive.
              No wonder you keep going on about the collapse of civilization, if it ever happened you’d be fucked.

              Me on the other hand , no worries.

              • McFlock …
                24 May 2013 at 6:35 pm

                Behold the Superman! A cross between Conan the Barbarian, Richard Nixon and Bernie Madoff, living in end-of-days bliss with Sarah Palin.

                • BM …
                  24 May 2013 at 6:43 pm

                  Not quite, I’d be that dude with the awesome skull collection hanging on the front fence.

                  • Colonial Viper …
                    24 May 2013 at 6:46 pm

                    Human civilisation isn’t collapsing, it’s depleting, and will do so steadily over the next 200-300 years.

                    As for your survival chances – lol.

                  • McFlock …
                    24 May 2013 at 6:49 pm

                    And yet if you start the collection early, suddenly you’re the weirdo…

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      24 May 2013 at 6:56 pm

                      I believe the term of the moment is “terrorist”

                    • BM …
                      24 May 2013 at 7:08 pm

                      I know,I know.
                      Hurry up civilization and collapse.

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      24 May 2013 at 9:40 pm

                      Read the latest installment of the Archdruid report – it explains the dual mindsets between brightness and optimism, and apocalypse.

              • prism …
                24 May 2013 at 6:51 pm

                BM You’re an example of someone who slipped in under the fence of civilisation. You don”t want to pay for your entry ticket you free loader.

      • North 10.1.2
        24 May 2013 at 10:08 pm

        BM. You SPECTACULARLY miss the entire point you egg.

        You don’t even see what a dick you make of yourself.

    • johnm 10.2
      24 May 2013 at 5:18 pm

      Hi Lefty
      You’re 100% right the whole edifice stinks to high heaven with Yankey on the top of the shit pile.

  11. Anne 11
    24 May 2013 at 7:43 pm

    You mean awful and lawful.

  12. xtasy 12
    24 May 2013 at 9:36 pm

    Anthony, are you for real, or are you just slow?

    This is nothing bloody new, we have been there at least since National’s first term in government!

    Banana republic style government is in full force and flourishing in Aotearoa NZ day in and day out. I have repeated it incessantly, that NZ has become a country and system nothing much short of what a smart, modern dictatorship looks like.

    Welcome to the rest of us, many of whom have seen this coming and have actually experienced it even first hand!

    I can tell you stories, but in order to not disclose my privacy too much, I will refrain from mentioning details. But just have a close look also at the welfare bill passed in March! There is ample stuff in there that sends real strong shivers down many beneficiaries’ spines, if they have one.

    NZ is in a shocking state, especially when it comes to the large share of the public that take no interest, or that do not get it, even if they do take an interest. I listened in on Duncan Garner on his hyped up crap show, called “Radio Live Drive” this afternoon. Journalism is just about self stilism, self aggrandisement, boasting, ridicuuling, being biased and serving as a loud mouthpiece, to have the employer run yet more adverstisements. No substance in that guy. Is he a journalist, or an entertainer of the lowest character, I ask?

    NO information, no education, no substance, no balance, no independence, that is the 4th estate in NZ, it is a sick joke. If the many people living here were not so indifferent or even idiotic as they are, they would notice, but they do not care.

    Nobody in numbers wants to be informed here, they all just want to consume, have fun and take life for a great joke, right?

    There is no other explanation for the state of affairs. So this country sinks, dumbs down, sells itself under the people’s arse holes, and there is no future for any person, who wants to plan and stay.

    Hand this land over to Mainland China to do something better with it, the locals have lost the plot long ago, I am afraid. It is only the minority of you Standardistas and a few others still trying to raise issues, the rest have left us all behind, they do not give a damn. That is stuff that makes dictatorships work, and NZ is the easiest country to rule, it is like running a chicken yard in the sticks.

    See BLiP’s take on this government, which was an excellent display:
    http://thestandard.org.nz/nats-environmental-record/

    • Paul 12.1
      24 May 2013 at 10:08 pm

      So you reckon we should just give up?

      • xtasy 12.1.1
        24 May 2013 at 11:07 pm

        Paul – not al tall, I challenge you to take a stand, to shake your relatives, one by one, to shout at your work mates, to stand up and also try to convince, to talk, to debate, to scream if need be, to reveal the truth, to perhaps shake some out of the daylight slumber and intoxication, enforced and encouraged also by one John Key, the ever smiling toxic assassin and dream seller.

        We have now, what the US sell their migrants, the “New Zealand dream”, and that is what they sell to all those migrants out there. Yet in Auckland, centre of most migration, we have a council going to build up (some with sense and justification), but much of it to only accommodate herds of new migrants who escape their lots, to only end up locked into new dependency and servitude here.

        I already see ghettoisation, I see many migrants live only in apartments and whatever, never seeing the country, as they do not feel they relate, belong, or can even afford to leave Auckland City to find out what is around it. That is what they will create and invite. And there is nothing suggesting more economical and affordable solutions, cheaper rents, cheaper services, better transport and so forth, it is all day dreamt stuff by some lofty plan drafters, who want to sell us the great Auckland Unitary Plan.

        I am not a conservative or rightist, but this plan is shit, utter shit, and it should be opposed solidly and robustly, all over Auckland, that is if Aucklanders understand that in most of the urban area they will face up to 6 levels of buildings, no matter what.

        A two to three million city, mostly made up of property buyers escaping other croweded places, not connected to, nor committed to NZ, that is madness.

        No, this is all crap, and it must be fought, fought, fought, take a damned stand, please!

    • kiwicommie 12.2
      24 May 2013 at 10:09 pm

      Many New Zealanders have already left (600,000+ in fact), most of which are disgusted at the status quo, lack of opportunity, and lack of jobs and respect just like I am. If you walk on some streets in New Zealand you will find that many New Zealanders like to put down poor people i.e. ‘get a job’, looking down on the homeless, and WINZ treats the unemployed like they are parasites wasting their time. It is really disgusting but what can we do unless it is election day, until 2014 NZ’ers are stuck with bigoted neo-liberal attitudes.

      • Colonial Viper 12.2.1
        24 May 2013 at 10:11 pm

        ~600,000 is the Australia only figure I believe.

        • kiwicommie 12.2.1.1
          24 May 2013 at 11:06 pm

          Yep, you’re right. Just looked on wikipedia for 2010 (supposedly):

          Regions with significant populations
          New Zealand New Zealand
          4,370,000
          Australia 566,815 2 8 [2]
          United Kingdom 58,286 1 6 [3]
          United States 22,872 1 5 [3]
          Canada 9,475 1 6 [3]
          Netherlands 4,260 1 6 [3]
          United Arab Emirates 4,000 7 [4]
          Japan 3,146 2 3 [3]
          Ireland 2,195 1 6 [3]
          Hong Kong >2,000 [5]
          Germany 1,643 2 6
          Norway 929 2 6 [3]
          France 890 1 4 [3]
          Sweden 687 1 6 [3]
          Denmark 382 1 6 [3]
          Thailand 300 2 5 [3]
          Spain 275 1 6 [3]
          Italy 234 2 6 [3]
          Austria 156 1 6 [3]
          Finland 88 1 6 [3]

  13. Chooky 13
    24 May 2013 at 11:01 pm

    Reply to Xtasy

    Chook yards are not easy to run in the sticks…there are all sorts of rats and ferrets lurking around, waiting in the bushes and hiding in the trees…..and chooks know a rat and a ferret when they see one!……just as NZers know a Banana Republic when they see one…There is a lot of unease and murmurings in the Wild Woods….and on the perches.

    If only Labour could get its yah yahs together and provide market focus/branding with a dynamic , young ,intelligent leader to combat Key head to head….Cunliff !…..The Labour Party should get an advertising agency to advise them on their opposition leadership….at the moment it just ain’t working, as you know, and just about everybody in New Zealand knows it !

    • xtasy 13.1
      24 May 2013 at 11:15 pm

      chooky – point appreciated, murmorings should turn into action, that is my expectation, even if it is isolated and in small groups here and there, that will send messages already. The greater picture can grow from that. As for Labour, we know the problem, at least part of it. I have not let up sending the message, and I will continue to do so. One thing is to start blocking these Shearer emails that they send out to members and others. That may send a signal, when they get all those failure messages, no thanks!

    • Hami Shearlie 13.2
      24 May 2013 at 11:23 pm

      There’s nothing like a wise old Chook!!!! Totally agree about the Labour Party. So very unappealing with Shearer as Leader – boring, hesitant and totally uninspiring! Cunliffe is the exact opposite to Shearer. Cunliffe would shred Key limb from limb, yet the ABC gang would rather be in perpetual opposition than have Cunliffe as Leader. He might actually make them work really hard, and be, and sound “committed”!!

    • Murray Olsen 13.3
      25 May 2013 at 8:08 pm

      They probably already have an advertising agency advising them on leadership. I think that’s at least part of the problem. They should take more notice of the membership.
      But chooks, yeah. My brother was just telling me how foxes ate all his in NSW. I laughed (he’s a Tory), but then I remembered the weasels and rats we were constantly at war with.

  14. prism 14
    25 May 2013 at 11:00 am

    I thought that the graphic for this thread is very good, very clever. There are some great headline images on this site. Who does them I wonder.

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  • Have 308 people in the Education Ministry’s Curriculum Development Team spent over $100m on a 60-p...
    Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 hours ago

  • 'This bill is dangerous for the environment and our democracy'
    Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 hours ago

  • The Bank of our Tamariki and Mokopuna.
    Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 hours ago

  • The worth of it all
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    8 hours ago

  • What is the Hardest Sport in the World?
    Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    10 hours ago

  • What is the Most Expensive Sport?
    The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    10 hours ago

  • Pickleball On the Cusp of Olympic Glory
    Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    10 hours ago

  • The Origin and Evolution of Soccer Unveiling the Genius Behind the World’s Most Popular Sport
    Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    10 hours ago

  • How Much to Tint Car Windows A Comprehensive Guide
    Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    10 hours ago

  • Why Does My Car Smell Like Gas? A Comprehensive Guide to Diagnosing and Fixing the Issue
    The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    10 hours ago

  • How to Remove Tree Sap from Car A Comprehensive Guide
    Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    10 hours ago

  • How Much Paint Do You Need to Paint a Car?
    The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    10 hours ago

  • Can You Jump a Car in the Rain? Safety Precautions and Essential Steps
    Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    10 hours ago

  • Can taxpayers be confident PIJF cash was spent wisely?
    Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    16 hours ago

  • EGU2024 – An intense week of joining sessions virtually
    Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
    Skeptical Science
    18 hours ago

  • Submission on “Fast Track Approvals Bill”
    The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    19 hours ago

  • The Case for a Universal Family Benefit
    One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    20 hours ago

  • A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
    Submissions on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law are due today (have you submitted?), and just hours before they close, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has been forced to release the list of companies he invited to apply. I've spent the last hour going through it in an epic thread of bleats, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    22 hours ago

  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
    Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    23 hours ago

  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
    1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    24 hours ago

  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
    Chris Trotter writes –  MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago

  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago

  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    1 day ago

  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    1 day ago

  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago

  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    2 days ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 days ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
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  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
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  • Judicial appointments announced
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  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
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  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
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  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
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  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
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  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
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  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
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  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
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  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
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  • Government backing mussel spat project
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  • Government focused on getting people into work
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  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
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  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
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  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
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    3 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
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  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
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  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
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  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
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  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
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  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
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  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
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  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
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    4 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
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  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
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    5 days ago

  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
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  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
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  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
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  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
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  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
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    6 days ago

  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
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  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
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  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
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  • Navigating an unstable global environment
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  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
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    1 week ago

  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
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  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
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  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
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