Chris Bishop – manipulated, lying, or just plain stupid?

Written By: - Date published: 12:55 pm, February 9th, 2022 - 24 comments
Categories: chris bishop, Dirty Politics, national, Politics, same old national, uncategorized - Tags: , , ,

As I was rather anticipating, the Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) fixation of the National and Act parties has blown up in their face.

The government of NZ buys in bulk for medical goods, usually from the manufacturing sources. That way they don’t pay as much for the profit margins and cost of sales built into local antipodean distributors. That was the case for covid-19 vaccines, probably is for most Pharmac purchases, and for RAT tests.

This seems pretty obvious to anyone who’d ever been involved with supply chains or even bothered to turn turn on their brain. If you have a large order, try to get it from the manufacturers. Currently the NZ government has more than 120 million RAT test on order. That is a large set of orders. Like everywhere else in the world, it is having problems getting supply because of worldwide demand.

These things are apparently not obvious to Chris Bishop who, on behalf of the National party, has spent the last weeks raving about the government hijacking RAT tests from companies – most of whom are probably ordering via local or Australian distributors or suppliers.

So today we have statements from two of the major manufacturers, most latterly Roche, saying that isn’t the case. The government ordered first, so they got supplied first.

The statement from Roche was rather precise. Presumably to prevent spin by PR spinners and other conspiracy theorists – like Chris Bishop.

Roche issued a statement to media on Tuesday night saying none of its stocks had been diverted or seized by the Government.

“RAT kits have been, and will continue to be, supplied to all New Zealand customers, including the Ministry of Health, in the sequence that purchase orders were placed,” the statement said.

“We would like to make it clear that no Roche Rapid Antigen Test kits were requisitioned by the Government. No supplies destined for private customers were, or will be, diverted to fulfil Government orders.”

They declined to go into further detail about individual orders, saying contract confidentiality clauses stopped them from being able to do this.

Hentry Cooke at Stuff: Covid-19 NZ: RAT manufacturer says Government got tests first because it ordered them first, no supplies diverted

Abbots, another manufacturer has said much the same.

It is what you’d expect a government to do. They have to supply all of the DHBs, people doing vaccinations, people doing testing, people running critical parts of the state like police for fire services, etc. They ordered in bulk from as far back along the supply chain as they could and ordered early to handle any large increases in the pandemic cases in NZ because ordering them late would be a futile effort.

So what is the evidence that would prove the Chris Bishop allegations?

Some onshore suppliers have said the Government seized or held up their orders of RATs, particuarly those provided by Roche – who made one of the only tests allowed by the Government until a short while ago.

Food and Grocery Council head Katherine Rich said several businesses had told her about this happening, while the Health Works Group said a forward order they had been expecting had been delayed indefinitely.

Hentry Cooke at Stuff: Covid-19 NZ: RAT manufacturer says Government got tests first because it ordered them first, no supplies diverted

Ah well that probably explains it. That dovetails into what is known to be the FGC’s and Katherine Rich usual dirty PR tactics. They seem to specialise in the commercial equivalent of dirty politics with plausible deniability and dubious anonymous sources.

The FGC and Katherine Rich appear to have been involved in a number of dirty tactics over the years. Most notably they seem to have, indirectly but most likely deliberately, paid for Cameron Slater to defame health researchers doing their job and looking at the impacts of things like sugar, tobacco, and dairy products on public health.

[Carrick] Graham admitted in the High Court to making fake, offensive and defamatory claims on the Whale Oil website about prominent food, alcohol and smoking researchers who were labelled ‘troughers’ – and said he’d done it for his business and for ‘industry’. But his courtroom apology did not explicitly say which industry, or for whom.

One of his PR clients was the NZ Food and Grocery Council, which represents big food producers and distributors, and the council and its chief executive, former National MP Katherine Rich, had previously been defendants in the same defamation case brought by the three researchers to the High Court.

Rich and the FGC settled the case last year, making a confidential payment but with no word of an apology to the researchers. 

Tim Murphy at Newsroom: Implausible deniability in Whale Oil case

Needless to say, Christ Bishop, a former lobbyist for a tobacco company, appears to have the same filthy techniques.

Note in the following statements as he doubles down on his error, how he makes a outright assertion. But doesn’t explain from where the supply of RATs was being sourced or by whom or in what quantity. The suspicion has to be that it is from local middlemen in the supply chain. He also doesn’t say from whom he has seen these mythic e-mails.

Then rather than provide his own evidence, he demands that the parties who have actually provided named evidence – the government, Roche, and Abbot should reveal commercially sensitive information in response to his unsubstantiated allegations. He just reminds me of the techniques that Whaleoil and Carrick Graham popularised in their campaigns to defame for cash.

National Party Covid-19 spokesman Chris Bishop rejected the statements by Roche and the Government, saying multiple people in the supply chain had told him – and showed him emails – suggesting that the Government had diverted stocks of RATs.

“There are customers out there of both Roche and Abbott RATs who had placed orders who are short of their RATs because the Government has taken them,” Bishop said.

“I have multiple companies saying that to me and I’ve seen the email proof of what I’ve been told.”

He said he had not seen emails from Roche saying this but from others in the supply chain.

Bishop said the whole thing could be cleared up by the Government releasing its delivery orders and correspondence with the companioes.

Hentry Cooke at Stuff: Covid-19 NZ: RAT manufacturer says Government got tests first because it ordered them first, no supplies diverted (spelling mistake supplied by Stuff)

To me, these are all classic tactics of how to deliberately lie in politics and in PR. If Chris Bishop cannot establish at least a semblance of a prima facie case with evidence and credible witnesses…

Well then I suggest that he should be pretty much ignored as just being another nutty conspiracy theorist. Just like Cameron Slater being manipulated directly or indirectly from our local dirty business people and their front organisations and just making up or being provided crap to publish for payment.

This isn’t a smear, as I am sure that some idiots will proclaim.

This is simply my clear informed opinion based on this exercise by Chris Bishop in futility and watching this kind of silly crap over the last few decades.

The signs of PR manipulation with unsubstantiated claims and dick waving challenges are pretty obvious. If people want to challenge statements by Roche or Abbot – international manufacturers and suppliers of RATs – they they should front up with evidence. Rather than what looks rather like the same kind of outright lying the Food and Grocery Council appear to have paid for on the now deceased Whaleoil blog.

24 comments on “Chris Bishop – manipulated, lying, or just plain stupid? ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. lprent 1
    9 February 2022 at 1:00 pm

    I'd also point out that I think that RAT tests are pretty useless, especially with Omicron.

    I have no idea why National are so fixated on them. They haven't been useful across the Tasman in containing and controlling their outbreak. They usually detect infection sites until after the infected have infected others.

    And they are in very short supply worldwide, which makes then hard to use effectively in a daily series.

    Plus their false negative rate with Omicron is ridiculously high.

    • McFlock 1.1
      9 February 2022 at 1:42 pm

      Might useful tracking the extent of the pandemic, though. More sensitive than the sewer testing as a percentage of population when we get to the stage of throwing them at people all over the place. Also might still be sensitive enough at the case level to slow things down, but I'm not sure on that one.

    • alwyn 1.2
      9 February 2022 at 1:53 pm

      "I think that RAT tests are pretty useless, especially with Omicron.". "They haven't been useful across the Tasman". " makes then hard to use effectively in a daily series.". "their false negative rate with Omicron is ridiculously high".

      After that evaluation of the product I was expecting a conclusion that our Government is completely stupid to have bought any of them.

      • lprent 1.2.1
        9 February 2022 at 2:27 pm

        See McFlock at 1.1 for the most realistic usage.

        For how I would explain the realistic use of RATs. Even with a high false negative rate, if you have enough tests to saturate all who have been possibly exposed for several days in row you will get a statistically significiant measurement to see if you have an exposure site, and to take action. This is useful in high density / high exposure sites like hospitals or something like a large food processing line.

        What RATs aren't useful for are SMEs, small workplaces, or individuals and their families. The sample sizes are simply too small to get past the inherent inaccuracies.

        However I suspect that most of the MoH tests were placed on order when delta was the primary threat, and they were planned (if they got them in time) for usage in doing saturation testing of possible hotspots in critical locations – like hospitals.

        Delta had a lower false negative rate, a longer time between infection and high viral loads, and consequently a earlier time to get detectable antigens.

        But the basic problem is that most of the antigen tests were designed to handle teh original strain, and maybe beta. Their accuracy has kept going down on each new strain.

        So yes, I think that with Omicron, they are pretty useless except for doing boundary saturation testing around hotspots. They would have been useful in the critical infrastructure like hospitals if we still were worried about Delta.

          • lprent 1.2.1.1.1
            9 February 2022 at 3:23 pm

            That is correct, however the accuracy of a RAT test in a workplace (which was what I was talking about) is going down because the onset time after infection to getting a transmittable high viral load is a lot faster with omicron than with Alpha, Beta or Delta.

            The best general description I have found (unless you like reading journal articles that essentially say we need more time to find out) of the crucial differences between omicron and and delta was this one from NYT about 3 weeks ago.

            Read the section on testing that I replicated sans charts below.

            https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/01/22/science/charting-omicron-infection.html

            Because Omicron replicates so fast and the incubation period is so short, there is a narrower window in which to catch infections before people begin to transmit the virus.

            Earlier in the pandemic, people were advised to use a rapid test five to seven days after a potential exposure to the virus. Given Omicron’s shorter incubation period, many experts now recommend taking a rapid test two to four days after a potential exposure. (They also recommend taking at least two rapid tests, about a day apart, in order to increase the odds of detecting an infection.)

            People who are testing to reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to others, for example at an upcoming gathering, should test as close as possible to the event itself, experts said.

            There is still debate over whether rapid antigen tests might be less sensitive to Omicron than other variants. P.C.R. tests are more sensitive than rapid tests, which means they are likely to detect the virus earlier in the course of infection, but they take longer to return results.

            The crucial difference is earlier in the piece because of exactly what you pointed out but for exactly the opposite conclusion than your reasoning.

            Yes, Delta hits the lungs first and the throat/nasal later. But lungs don't start shedding large viral loads until people start coughing – which takes a while.

            Infections of the throat/nasal start shedding viral load almost immediately after infection and rapidly increase. Omicron is a ‘specialist’ in that it replicates in the throat/nasal way faster than Delta did.

            Delta usually took a about 4 days post infection to start getting a good detectable viral load running in the throat/nasal. Omicron takes only a couple of days.

            So the time frame for getting test after infection is much much much smaller. Overall RATs are quite a lot less sensitive than PCRs. They require a higher throat / nasal viral load to allow detection early during infection.

            Essentially in a work place at risk RAT testing needs to be pretty much every day, and even then the probability of missing a moderate viral load in a start of work day test is high. By the after noon of the day after infection you can have easily be infecting others – with a negative morning test and without symptoms.

            Remember the intent of using RATs is to prevent workplace infections. However with omicron in particular, they have a high probability of not being able to achieve that even if you test daily. Furthermore, you have to have a lot of tests to test with any useful frequency with omicron.

            That is why the NSW experience with RATs that the Nats appear to be fixated on replicating is just an exercise in repeating that bit of liberal government stupidity. Because RATs and high vaxx rates that was exactly their strategy. It resulted in a what was effectively a impromptu lockdown as people huddled down after the RATs ran out in the local distributors.

            • Gypsy 1.2.1.1.1.1
              9 February 2022 at 6:06 pm

              Thanks for that, I appreciate the time you've taken. I'll get hold of the NYT article and have a full read.

              • lprent …
                10 February 2022 at 10:24 am

                Sorry about that. I have a subscription to NYT, so didn't realise it was paywalled until I tested it in an incognito tab.

                Curious. Most of covid-19 stuff in NYT isn't paywalled.

    • nzlemming 1.3
      9 February 2022 at 8:03 pm

      This is probably why I haven't paid much attention. They don't work as advertised and will lead to false negatives (much more important than false positives). I had a PCR this morning (because symptomatic, probably due to the booster shot last week, test negative, thank the ghods) and I’d much prefer having my nose invaded than tossing a coin on a RAT. Has anyone cross-referenced RAT middlemen against Bishop's donors?

  2. Patricia Bremner 2
    9 February 2022 at 1:15 pm

    So " troughers" Well well, and what were/are they if they are paid by businesses to troll?

    Chris and his Dad seem to have access to media to moan with little puff pieces. What they accuse the Government of…. is that what they do?

  3. alwyn 3
    9 February 2022 at 6:12 pm

    I was curious as to how Bishop could have been shown the documents that he quoted but Roche could make the statement they have come out with.

    You quote Roche as having said " No supplies destined for private customers were, or will be, diverted to fulfil Government orders." Firms like Roche don't usually describe their agents, or their distributors, as being private customers. The private customer is the person who is actually going to use the goods.

    Thus if Roche was to redirect supplies that were going to an agent they could get away with that statement. As far as Roche is concerned the goods that were diverted were going to an agent, not to a private customer. From what Bishop has said previously the people who missed out on getting the goods didn't sound as if they were buying from Roche itself but from distributors of the Roche products in New Zealand. Hence both Bishop's claim, and the Roche statement can be true. The difference is that the Roche statement is misleading.

    As you said, the Roche statement is very precise. You think you are reading one thing but the statement is actually saying something that is subtly different. Being able to speak like that is a common trait in politicians. Both John Key and Jacinda Ardern are experts at it. What you think they said, and what they really said can be slightly different and we get fooled. Or we choose to be fooled which isn't quite the same thing.

    • lprent 3.1
      9 February 2022 at 7:46 pm

      Take the absolute simplest explanation first – does Roche have a local branch?

      If so why would they need distributors here?

      • higherstandard 3.1.1
        9 February 2022 at 8:15 pm

        Roche medical diagnostic has a local branch.

        https://www.roche.co.nz

        There are also a number of local distributors of their products, among them –

        https://www.uslmedical.co.nz/brands/roche.html

        • lprent 3.1.1.1
          9 February 2022 at 9:54 pm

          Good to see that you can use the internet. Not my problem.

          Bishop claims evidence of his allegations but is clearly not willing give enough for you to confirm your guesses. Given to doing challenges – but can't be bothered proving his unsubstantiated allegations.

          Still not sure if he is just stupid or lying.

          But keep trying…

          • higherstandard 3.1.1.1.1
            9 February 2022 at 10:23 pm

            Ye gods the internet equivalent of 'I know you are what am I".

            • lprent 3.1.1.1.1.1
              10 February 2022 at 10:13 am

              Bishop is making the accusations, claims to have the evidence.

              Up to him to produce some. Otherwise it is just bullshit from a dipshit.

              No amount of conspiracy theorising or vague casting of doubt by you or him can get around that.

      • alwyn 3.1.2
        9 February 2022 at 8:31 pm

        Yes, of course they have a local branch. However they do not supply their RAT tests in New Zealand, at least according to their web site.

        The Roche RATs appear to be supplied by, possibly among other companies, Pro+Med (NZ) Ltd.

        Why do you think they supply through an agent when they have a local branch? By your logic you seem to think they won't – but they do.

        What is so difficult to understand about that?

        • lprent 3.1.2.1
          9 February 2022 at 9:55 pm

          Perhaps you should e-mail Chris Bishop and ask him to show you his alleged 'evidence'.

          Good guesswork. Now prove it.

  4. Doogs 4
    9 February 2022 at 8:15 pm

    Having my weekly coffee with a doctor friend we talked about Covid and testing among other things. We all have heard through the media that RAT tests are 80%+ reliable. He told me that in the hands of a medically trained administrator that is the case, however administered or self-administered by lay people (you and me) the reliability is closer to 40%. May be one opinion, but he is a man of long experience. Totally agree about what the echelons of the right brigade are attempting to do. You know it won’t work. I know it won’t work. Almost everyone we talk to knows it won’t work. Into the valley of death rode 31.5% of the voting public – or whichever poll you are prepared to believe.

    • Kat 4.1
      9 February 2022 at 8:53 pm

      The same valley that the Hosk and Hoots drove into and spun out a few years back, its bumper to bumper in that valley now. Who knows, Jane Campion might make a movie out of it – "Valley of the Rats"…….

  5. georgecom 5
    9 February 2022 at 9:05 pm

    Is Bishops source the same one who told woodhouse about the homeless man sneaking into a MIQ hotel? just asking

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    Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    2 days ago

  • Justice for Gaza?
    The New York Times reports that the International Criminal Court is about to issue arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over their genocide in Gaza: Israeli officials increasingly believe that the International Criminal Court is preparing to issue arrest warrants for senior government officials on ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • If there has been any fiddling with Pharmac’s funding, we can count on Paula to figure out the fis...
    Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • FastTrackWatch – The case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Monday, April 29
    TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on Iran killing its rappers, and searching for the invisible Dr. Reti
    span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    3 days ago

  • Auckland Rail Electrification 10 years old
    Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Coalition's dirge of austerity and uncertainty is driving the economy into a deeper recession
    Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Disability Funding or Tax Cuts.
    You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Of the Goodness of Tolkien’s Eru
    April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    3 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #17
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Pastor Who Abused People, Blames People
    Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago

  • Vic Uni shows how under threat free speech is
    The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Winston remembers Gettysburg.
    Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • 25
    She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8.  The universe was ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Is Antarctica gaining land ice?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Policing protests.
    Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago

  • Open letter to Hon Paul Goldsmith
    Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: FastTrackWatch – The Case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

  • Luxon gets out his butcher’s knife – briefly
    Peter Dunne writes –  The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • More tax for less
    Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Real News vs Fake News.
    We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Another way to roll
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Simon Clark: The climate lies you'll hear this year
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Cutting the Public Service
    It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    5 days ago

  • Luxon’s demoted ministers might take comfort from the British politician who bounced back after th...
    Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious:  we live in a troubled ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • This is how I roll over
    1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • The Waitangi Tribunal is not “a roving Commission”…
    …it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisition   NOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes –  The High Court ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Is Oranga Tamariki guilty of neglect?
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same? Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Three Strikes saw lower reoffending
    David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Luxon’s ruthless show of strength is perfect for our angry era
    Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • 'Lacks attention to detail and is creating double-standards.'
    TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • One Night Only!
    Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago

  • What did Melissa Lee do?
    It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #17 2024
    Open access notables Ice acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment: In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Maori Party (with “disgust”) draws attention to Chhour’s race after the High Court rules on Wa...
    Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Who’s Going Up The Media Mountain?
    Mr Bombastic: Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • “That's how I roll”
    It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago

  • “Comity” versus the rule of law
    In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • Aotearoa: a live lab for failed Right-wing socio-economic zombie experiments once more…
    Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder. In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    1 week ago

  • Water is at the heart of farmers’ struggle to survive in Benin
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére Sosou Market gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • At a time of media turmoil, Melissa had nothing to proclaim as Minister – and now she has been dem...
    Buzz from the Beehive   Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)
    New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago

  • Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...
    Good evening –   Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago

  • Accelerating airport security lines
    From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours ago

  • Community hui to talk about kina barrens
    People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago

  • Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into force
    Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago

  • Mining resurgence a welcome sign
    There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first reading
    The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government to boost public EV charging network
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure.  The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Residential Property Managers Bill to not progress
    The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Independent review into disability support services
    The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Justice Minister updates UN on law & order plan
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Ending emergency housing motels in Rotorua
    The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Trade Minister travels to Riyadh, OECD, and Dubai
    Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Education priorities focused on lifting achievement
    Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • NZTA App first step towards digital driver licence
    The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say.  “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Supporting whānau out of emergency housing
    Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Tribute to Dave O'Sullivan
    Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Speech – Eid al-Fitr
    Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government saves access to medicines
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff.    “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Pharmac Chair appointed
    Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Taking action on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
    Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says.  “Every day, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New sports complex opens in Kaikohe
    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Diplomacy needed more than ever
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges.    “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address, Buttes New British Cemetery Belgium
    Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service.  It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address – NZ National Service, Chunuk Bair
    Distinguished guests -   It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders.   Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address – Dawn Service, Gallipoli, Türkiye
    Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia.   Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • PM announces changes to portfolios
    Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New catch limits for unique fishery areas
    Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Minister welcomes hydrogen milestone
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Urgent changes to system through first RMA Amendment Bill
    The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Overseas decommissioning models considered
    Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Release of North Island Severe Weather Event Inquiry
    Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Justice Minister to attend Human Rights Council
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order.  “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Patterson reopens world’s largest wool scouring facility
    Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Speech to the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective Summit, 18 April 2024
    Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing  At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin    Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho    Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today.    I am delighted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Government to introduce revised Three Strikes law
    The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New diplomatic appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions.   “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says.    “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Humanitarian support for Ethiopia and Somalia
    New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today.   “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Arts Minister congratulates Mataaho Collective
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