‘Cleared’

Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, May 22nd, 2013 - 61 comments
Categories: crime, Spying - Tags:

So, Neazor’s written his report into the 88 New Zealanders that the GCSB spied on. In the spirit of open government, National’s suppressing it. But we’re told it find that the GCSB ‘arguably’ didn’t break the law. That’s coming from the guy who excused them in the Dotcom case, too, remember. And, it’s hardly ‘clearing’ the GCSB as the Nats claims.

Frankly, I don’t think Neazor’s up to the job. In the media, he’s appeared senile, openly admitting to not remembering his past actions as the GCSB’s watchdog. And he’s clearly more of the mindset of a laptop than a watch-dog. In the Dotcom illegal spying case he bent logic and credulity to the maximum by claiming that the GCSB hadn’t understood that Dotcom’s permanent residency in New Zealand made him a New Zealander and, therefore, safe from their spying.

Now, Neazor and Key are taking an even more liberal interpretation – that the GCSB has been allowed to spy on New Zealanders all along, despite the clear wording of the Act and despite everyone’s understanding (including Neazor’s and GCSB’s when the Dotcom spying broke) that the GCSB can’t spy on New Zealanders. This is where Neazor’s finding that the spying on New Zealanders ‘arguably’ wasn’t illegal comes from. Frankly, that’s not a good enough answer from the public’s watchdog – Neazor should determine whether or not the spying was illegal, then take action.

Of course, that also means it ‘arguably’ was illegal. And we can expect to see that argument made in court when it comes out who was spied upon.

The craziness is that National’s already written a law change – before Neazor’s report, before any competent report – and is pushing it through Parliament. And the purpose of that law change is to make damn sure that GCSB can spy on any New Zealander that the Prime Minister authorises them to spy on.

61 comments on “‘Cleared’ ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. The Al1en 1
    22 May 2013 at 8:22 am

    Always look for the silver lining, I say.
    Even though we can’t find out who’s already been spied on, with key’s besty as head spook, and that for what ever reason our government can now and fully intends to spy on us at will, at least with everyone spying on each other there will be plenty of new apprentice agent jobs appearing on the winz notice boards soon.

    • SpaceMonkey 1.1
      22 May 2013 at 10:48 am

      No jobs from there… instead the Government will implore citizens to report suspicious behaviour as part of our civic duty… “if you see something, say something”, be a good Kiwi and help catch those terrorists and their WMDs. They will produce pictures as part of a public education campaign to “help” us identify potential suspects… but our terrorists won’t be the bearded muslim Arabs with tea-towels-on-their-heads stereotype. Ours will be beneficiaries and people opposed to foreign corporate interests.

      Help us Obi-Wan Kenobi…

      • ghostrider888 1.1.1
        22 May 2013 at 3:56 pm

        this ‘surveillance’ of thy neighbour ‘ethic’ is already well under way.

  2. mickysavage 2
    22 May 2013 at 8:33 am

    The basic problem is there is so little clarity on what the issues are. The Kitteridge Report had the discussions of the legal issues hidden from public review. The one benefit of Neazor’s report is that he at least confirms that the area of doubt is whether or not the GCSB can collect metadata on Kiwis.

    Key has walked a very narrow line. He had to beat the Kitteridge comments up to justify the use of urgency to get the legislation introduced, but the whole issue is starting to pong really badly and he is being affected.

    Who would have thought that a fat wealthy german businessman with a dubious past would have caused such consternation to National?

  3. Nick K 3
    22 May 2013 at 8:37 am

    Shame the law wasn’t clearer when written by Labour in 2002.

    Just like the Local Electoral Act when written in 2001, as you will all see when John Banks is found not to have breached it.

    • mickysavage 3.1
      22 May 2013 at 8:42 am

      Come on Nick

      Where is the wriggle room in “[n]either the Director, nor an employee of the Bureau, nor a person acting on behalf of the Bureau may authorise or take any action for the purpose of intercepting the communications of a person (not being a foreign organisation or a foreign person) who is a New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident.”?

      • SpaceMonkey 3.1.1
        22 May 2013 at 10:57 am

        As Keith Locke recalled in a blog entry yesterday…

        “I wish to reiterate that when the GCSB Bill passed through Parliament in 2003 (and I was then in Parliament and involved in the debate) speaker after speaker (from both National and Labour) insisted that it did not allow the GCSB to spy on New Zealand citizens and residents – and the text of Act proves that.”

        http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/05/21/gcsb-not-off-the-hook-inspector-general-repeats-wrong-interpretation-of-the-law/

        There is no wriggle room. The Government is deliberately fudging this clause in the Act so as to play down the illegality of the GCSB’s actions. It is classic case of it being easier to commit the crime and then beg for forgiveness later. My kids do a better job of that!

        • tracey 3.1.1.1
          22 May 2013 at 4:09 pm

          perhaps neazor (and key who has seen the report) can confirm that none of the 82 people were NZ citizens or residents, that would put it to rest surely?

      • Augustus 3.1.2
        22 May 2013 at 11:27 am

        One of their first excuses was that they didn’t know “what kind of resident” Dotcom was. NZ, of course, only has one kind of resident. But the US and the UK have different types of residents. They are our trading partners and we are constantly bringing our laws “in line” with those of our main trading partners. How could a chief executive, who had just arrived from one of those jurisdictions, possibly know that spy laws hadn’t been brought in line yet?

        Its just a sign of who really runs the show in our “intelligence” community.

    • Frank Macskasy 3.2
      22 May 2013 at 11:39 am

      Shame the law wasn’t clearer when written by Labour in 2002.

      Bullshit, Nick.

      I call you on that Keyesque lie. The law is actually crystal clear; http://fmacskasy.wordpress.com/2013/05/22/the-gcsb-law-vague-or-crystal-clear/

  4. Nick K 4
    22 May 2013 at 9:07 am

    It looks pretty clear from that section, Micky. And I haven’t read the legislation as a whole, which I suspect you have to do. But if both Kitteridge and Neazor found it ambiguous, I have to accept that.

    BTW – I like this Green bill which I think they recognise as a problem with the Local Electoral Act: http://www.greens.org.nz/bills/local-electoral-finance-amendment-bill

    Particularly the amendment to clause 5.

    • Lightly 4.1
      22 May 2013 at 10:02 am

      Sorry, there’s a clear section of the Act that says they can’ spy on NZers, and your response is ‘well, if government employees say it was unclear, I’ll believe the government’? Because when would the government ever act in its own interests, eh?

      Scratch a tory and find a fa scist, eh?

      • Nick K 4.1.1
        22 May 2013 at 11:57 am

        Maybe. But I’m no Tory.

        • Colonial Viper 4.1.1.1
          22 May 2013 at 11:59 am

          Please, do go on.

          • Draco T Bastard 4.1.1.1.1
            22 May 2013 at 3:18 pm

            That must mean that he’s a Libertarian, otherwise known as a fascist.

            • TheContrarian 4.1.1.1.1.1
              22 May 2013 at 3:29 pm

              Libertarian =/= fascism

              • ghostrider888 …
                22 May 2013 at 3:58 pm

                sigh

              • Draco T Bastard …
                22 May 2013 at 3:59 pm

                When I’ve had libertarians telling me that democracy needs to be done away with then, yes, it bloody well does.

                • TheContrarian …
                  22 May 2013 at 4:02 pm

                  Then they aren’t speaking for all libertarians – they are just dicks.

                  • Draco T Bastard …
                    22 May 2013 at 7:54 pm

                    I’d like yo believe you unfortunately I’ve communicated with too many libertarians and scratching the surface always reveals their internal authoritarianism.

                    • TheContrarian …
                      22 May 2013 at 9:08 pm

                      You have an extremely black and white way of looking at the world Draco.
                      Your basic premise is “I have spoken to people who say they are libertarians who I find are authoritarian. Therefore all libertarians are authoritarians”

                      Using Draco logic:
                      Black and white thinking is a right-wing trait. Therefore Draco is a right-winger. Boom, done.

                      If a libertarian is an authoritarian then they ain’t a libertarian.

                • ghostrider888 …
                  22 May 2013 at 4:07 pm

                  to be polite Draco, democracy seems to be a little unfashionable at this historical juncture. Oligarchy is the word of the day.

                  • Rhinocrates …
                    22 May 2013 at 6:58 pm

                    Plutocracy – and instead of idolatry, to coin a term, Plutolatry. Not just the rule of money, but the worship of money by the masses to justify it. Whatever a “Libertarian” imagines, that’s what they facilitate.

            • Murray Olsen 4.1.1.1.1.2
              22 May 2013 at 8:59 pm

              Libertarians are the more socially inept subset of the fascists.

              • ghostrider888 …
                23 May 2013 at 12:32 am

                that is funny! Murray. (we hold up Rodney Hide, and Michael Laws, for the prosecution, Your Honour!).

    • Tom Gould 4.2
      22 May 2013 at 10:45 am

      Neazor’s a bit doddery, by all accounts, and is no longer a judge so is free from the old ‘without fear or favour’ pledge. But I guess anything is ‘arguable’ at the end of the day. For example, it is arguable whether Key is a liar or not. Simply telling a lie and having that lie on the record is not enough. Subsequent events might make that lie the truth. So it’s only a lie in the moment, which might not be a lie. What is a lie anyway? Arguably, a lie might be a lie and it might not.

    • Frank Macskasy 4.3
      22 May 2013 at 11:42 am

      @ Nick;

      And I haven’t read the legislation as a whole, which I suspect you have to do.

      Well, I think you should, before putting a quasi-religious faith into Key, et al.

      But if both Kitteridge and Neazor found it ambiguous, I have to accept that.

      No, you don’t. You’re in for a nasty surprise my little National fellow-traveler.

  5. Yes 5
    22 May 2013 at 9:10 am

    Neazor is a Helen Clark appointment…what’s the issue?

    • burt 5.1
      22 May 2013 at 9:29 am

      That explains why the actions of government, no matter how vile they are, are deemed OK.

    • One Anonymous Knucklehead 5.2
      22 May 2013 at 9:34 am

      Is keeping up too cognitively challenging? The issue is that the conclusion of Neazor’s report is at odds with the law governing the GCSB.

      • burt 5.2.1
        22 May 2013 at 10:07 am

        Oh, well in that case lets follow the precedent of the greatest PM we have ever had and retrospectively validate the actions of the government and denigrate Neazor as having made a bad call – Move on.

        • Macro 5.2.1.1
          22 May 2013 at 10:11 am

          you really are a stupid fellow burt – that is just what this shower of shit have done!

        • One Anonymous Knucklehead 5.2.1.2
          22 May 2013 at 10:11 am

          Yeah, because you were completely fine with that, weren’t you? You didn’t howl the entire house down over it or anything, eh.

        • Frank Macskasy 5.2.1.3
          22 May 2013 at 12:47 pm

          Burt – we don’t know what Neazor has reported. His findings have not been made public. The report is being kept secret.

          Which leds me to suspect that your Dear Leader is hiding something. You may be ok living in a quasi-fascist society, run by an egotistical liar, but the rest of us prefer a democracy.

    • Anne 5.3
      22 May 2013 at 8:04 pm

      Neazor is a Helen Clark appointment… what’s the issue?

      Yeah well, he was 70 then (maybe in his late sixties) and still in charge of all his faculties.

  6. burt 6
    22 May 2013 at 9:28 am

    Eddie

    You seem to be forgetting that the business of government is whatever government define it to be.

    • mickysavage 6.1
      22 May 2013 at 11:45 am

      Whenever the right are on the ropes it seems they hall poor old burt out and order him to go onto the Standard and say “but Helen did it too”. This is always a sign they are in trouble.

      • burt 6.1.1
        22 May 2013 at 2:17 pm

        mickysavage

        No, you have it wrong. It’s not Clark did it too – when it comes to being self serving and using parliament to cover ones ass – it’s a given Clark did it too…. The point I’m making is that Eddie (and other lovers of self serving big government) defended this sort of crap under Clark but are not enjoying it so much under National.

        • One Anonymous Knucklehead 6.1.1.1
          22 May 2013 at 3:55 pm

          Someone here defended criminal surveillance of New Zealand citizens and/or residents? Someone here advocated that since an arm of the state (the police, for example, although of course in this case it’s the GCSB) had committed offences that if you or I did them it would be covered by the crimes act, the law should be changed to make the crime legal?

          Really? You’re going to have to support that with a link or two.

          Personally I think you’re:

          a. Full of shit.
          b. Defending the National Party for a far worse offence than they committed over illegal party spending.
          c. So far up your own arse you can see daylight – you whine about “self-serving big government” and then try and divert attention from illegal surveillance. Wanker.

          • burt 6.1.1.1.1
            22 May 2013 at 4:20 pm

            A grumpy little Knucklehead… Guess you use to believe that under the last government anything was different… Really… The GCSB who operate in secret were operating exactly as you think they should be… But now under Key it’s all changed. You are a Knucklehead… an ignorant stupid knucklehead at that. I’m proud that such a fool as yourself called me a wanker. I’m glad I made you think I’m full of shit. Might wake you up that all that has changed is we had a high profile case and your awareness increased.

            • One Anonymous Knucklehead 6.1.1.1.1.1
              22 May 2013 at 4:32 pm

              What rubbish. You are missing the point entirely, and guessing wrong about my opinion of retrospective legislation. Especially that which seeks to legalise state-perpetrated crimes.

              Note that crimes by the state are not crimes by politicians or political parties. Say. for example, the National Party were so beyond corrupt they would suspend free elections so as to favour their clients in water management issues or sell our gambling laws to money-laundering outfits.

              That wouldn’t be as bad as what has occurred here. although the travesty that is section 70E of the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Amendment Bill (No 2) is far worse.

              Two new lows for the National Party and it’s only May.

    • Colonial Viper 6.2
      22 May 2013 at 11:50 am

      Bullshit mate. When did you become a supporter of absolutism.

    • Frank Macskasy 6.3
      22 May 2013 at 12:06 pm

      Spoken like a Good Citizen, Burt. Dear Leader smiles approvingly on you.

      • burt 6.3.1
        22 May 2013 at 1:29 pm

        Frank the man who accepted such BS under Clark… Not liking it now… That quote was one of Dear Leaders finest moments… Right up there with never admitting any mistakes and using parliament to kill off a court case against her.

        • tracey 6.3.1.1
          22 May 2013 at 4:07 pm

          it’s indefensible whoever is doing it… signing a painting for money for charity was evil incarnate, yet all of this is just the rea l world according to most national and act supporters.

    • ropata 6.4
      22 May 2013 at 1:31 pm

      To be pedantic, Parliament’s role is to create law, set policy, and allocate $$$. Gov departments are supposed do the “governing” stuff per Parliament’s instruction (but the GCSB does whatever the fuck they want).

      The courts and the news media are the only institutions that have a realistic restraining effect. How long does NZ have to put up with these regular processions of elected dictatorships!?

  7. Observer Tokoroa 7
    22 May 2013 at 10:00 am

    Well – at least we all know who has thrown us into the “lets all spy on one another” form of democracy.

    Key, English, Turia and Neazor.

    A finer collection of individuals you could not wish to send to the complicit Queen for Knighting.

    Turia is special in all this – because many if not most of the people who will be spied upon … are what she calls “my People”.

    • ropata 7.1
      22 May 2013 at 1:35 pm

      Did Banksie vote in favour of Big Brother legislation too?
      Wonder how his good mate Kim Dotcom feels about that.

  8. Poission 8
    22 May 2013 at 10:10 am

    Neazor is essentially marking his own homework,as he already had to view ( and approve) the interception warrants.

  9. One Anonymous Knucklehead 9
    22 May 2013 at 2:41 pm

    GCSB watchdogs are just like lawyers you know, and I’ve found one who gave me a counterview.

  10. Penny Bright 10
    22 May 2013 at 2:59 pm

    Hi folks!

    Seen this?

    A VERY good article by John Minto.

    http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/05/22/the-gcsb-where-life-imitates-comedy/

    My comment (yet to be published):

    “Very good John What amazes me is that it appears NONE of the following have actually read the underpinning legislation that governs their statutory duties – the GCSB Act?

    The Minister responsible for the GCSB – Prime Minister John Key?

    The Director of the GCSB – Ian Fletcher?

    The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security – Paul Neazor?

    The SIS, who gave their warrants to the GCSB in order to get assistance from the GCSB to unlawfully spy on New Zealanders?

    The Police, who gave their warrants to the GCSB in order to get assistance from the GCSB to unlawfully spy on New Zealanders?

    The staff of the GCSB decided to act upon the SIS and Police warrants?

    Good grief – you couldn’t make this stuff up!

    Or – you couldn’t make a stuff up like the GCSB?

    I am only a tradesperson who has never attended University, and have not had a day’s formal legal training in my life – but I’m not stupid and I can read.

    Seems we can’t say the same about our NZ ‘Intelligence’ Services?

    Penny Bright ”
    ______________________________________________________________________________

    ‘Anti-corruption/anti-privatisation’ campaigner

    2013 Auckland Mayoral candidate

    http://www.occupyaucklandvsaucklandcouncilappeal.org.nz/?page_id=137

  11. Matthew Hooton 11
    23 May 2013 at 2:05 pm

    These are strange times. I have made similar points in the NBR. Headline is “Labour, Greens right on GCSB report”. See http://www.nbr.co.nz/report

    • Anne 11.1
      23 May 2013 at 2:59 pm

      From Hooton’s linked article:

      This matters more than ever after the abuses of Ms Clark’s regime and with the prospect of a Labour/Green government just 18 months away.

      Poppycock!

      He derides Neazor and Fletcher – correctly – for dubious spin and then indulges in spin and misinformation himself by insinuating Labour was worse than the current regime. What? Signing a
      a painting for charity… sitting in the back seat of a car while the driver exceeded the speed limit (after an attempt by a person in Ch.Ch. to cause the PM physical harm)… and upholding the law by NOT interfering in a major police operation that subsequently proved to have included excessive and unlawful actions by the police. Since Helen Clark and Annette King (police minister at the time) are not clairvoyant, they cannot be held responsible for those specific actions. Oh, and the changes to the electoral law? As it turned out it was hastily prepared and needed refinement and clarification, but the claims of DEMOCRACY UNDER ATTACK and it’s associated inferences was mischievous and laughable but hey folks… Hooton thinks all of that was far worse than the NAct govt’s most recent exploits.

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    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
    16 hours 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
    17 hours 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
    17 hours 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
    18 hours 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
    18 hours 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
    19 hours 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
    20 hours 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
    22 hours 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 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
    2 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, 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?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

    Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...

    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    4 days ago

  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    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. Did global warming stop in ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago

  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: “What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    Bowalley Road
    5 days ago

  • Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
    No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago

  • Sad tales from the left
    Michael Bassett writes –  Have you noticed the odd way in which the media are handling the government’s crackdown on surplus employees in the Public Service? Very few reporters mention the crazy way in which State Service numbers rocketed ahead by more than 16,000 during Labour’s six years, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • In Whose Best Interests?
    On The Spot: The question Q+A host, Jack Tame, put to the Workplace & Safety Minister, Act’s Brooke van Velden, was disarmingly simple: “Are income tax cuts right now in the best interests of lowering inflation?”JACK TAME has tested another MP on his Sunday morning current affairs show, Q+A. Minister for Workplace ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Don’t Question, Don’t Complain.
    It has to start somewhereIt has to start sometimeWhat better place than here?What better time than now?So it turns out that I owe you all an apology.It seems that all of the terrible things this government is doing, impacting the lives of many, aren’t necessarily ‘bad’ per se. Those things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Auckland faces 25% water inflation shock
    Three Waters became a focus of anti-Government protests under Labour, but its dumping by the new Government hasn’t solved councils’ funding problems and will eventually hit the back pockets of everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 8:06 am today are:The Government ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Small accomplishments and large ironies
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • The Song of Saqua: Volume VII
    In order to catch up to the actual progress of the D&D campaign, I present you with another couple of sessions. These were actually held back to back, on a Monday and Tuesday evening. Session XV Alas, Goatslayer had another lycanthropic transformation… though this time, he ran off into the ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    6 days ago

  • Accelerating the Growth Rate?
    There is a constant theme from the economic commentariat that New Zealand needs to lift its economic growth rate, coupled with policies which they are certain will attain that objective. Their prescriptions are usually characterised by two features. First, they tend to be in their advocate’s self-interest. Second, they are ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    6 days ago

  • The only thing we have to fear is tenants themselves
    1. Which of these acronyms describes the experience of travelling on a Cook Strait ferry?a. ROROb. FOMOc. RAROd. FMLAramoana, first boat ever boarded by More Than A Feilding, four weeks after the Wahine disaster2. What is the acronym for the experience of watching the government risking a $200 million break ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago

  • Peters talks of NZ “renewing its connections with the world” – but who knew we had been discon...
    Buzz from the Beehive The thrust of the country’s foreign affairs policy and its relationship with the United States have been addressed in four statements from the Beehive over the past 24 hours. Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters somewhat curiously spoke of New Zealand “renewing its connections with a world ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  • 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago

  • 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago

  • 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago

  • 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago

  • 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
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