Farrar back on the PS payroll?

Written By: all_your_base - Date published: 12:12 pm, December 6th, 2008 - 135 comments
Categories: blogs - Tags: dpf, farrar, ps, slater, whaleoil

A mate just pointed out that the metadata of David Farrar’s election analysis document suggests it was authored on a Parliamentary Service computer. With the document open in Microsoft Word go to the ‘File’ menu then down to ‘Properties’. You’ll see something like the image below:

Of course you’ll notice that the document title looks historical but Word is pretty aggressive when it comes to updating its metadata automatically (particularly when it comes to local user data on the machine in use).

A month or so ago, our own IrishBill pointed out Cameron Slater’s (Whaleoil’s) own admission to The Herald that he was working closely with the National Party research unit raking muck.

Perhaps his mate Davey is back in there too…

135 comments on “Farrar back on the PS payroll? ”

Comments are now closed

higherstandard 1

6 December 2008 at 12:23 pm

So ?

Are you expecting people to be surprised that Farra is partisan – he’s always been pretty open about where he stands and he does actually post under his own name.
John Dalley 2

6 December 2008 at 12:25 pm

Though he will always say otherwis, Davey has always been a paid “Lackey” of the National Party.
Maybe his and his companies should be included in National Electoral Expense Returns,
but as i say, he will always say “Not”
all_your_base 3

6 December 2008 at 12:34 pm

higherstandard – it’s as much about hypocrisy of the National Party digging dirt and running lines through the Whaleoils and the Farrars while their smiling front-man goes on relentlessly about running a “positive campaign”.
Steve Pierson 4

6 December 2008 at 12:39 pm

No-one is acting surprised that Farrar is partisan, HS. The point is this document was written on a Parliamentry Services computer. That means David, like Slater is actually working with the National Party research unit (they’re employed by Parliamentry Services).

What we’re beginning to see is a web of relationships, how the Nats get out spin to the media via supposedly independent sources.

It’s actually a useful docunment, but David, some graphs please, endess tables are very hard to interpret.
lprent 5

6 December 2008 at 12:47 pm

The last page is pretty weird in the comments. Looks like a different election to 2008.

captcha: keep Judging
Thank you machine. I will…
Graeme 6

6 December 2008 at 12:59 pm

I’d say this was fairly simple. The same thing has happened with my CV.

I created my first CV on a Victoria University computer. Every so often, I update it, and although it’s been worked on on half a dozen computers since uni, there’s still VUW meta-data in it – even in the PDF I then turn it into. The last time I updated it, the updating was over quicker than my efforts to clear the remnants of that data.

What has pretty obviously happened here is that DPF created an analysis of the election in 1999, when he worked in Parliament. And he has just been updating that file, instead of starting from scratch (because why would you?).
all_your_base 7

6 December 2008 at 1:24 pm

It may well be that simple Graeme, it’s just that the ‘Author’ data seems usually to be updated quite aggressively by Word.
vto 8

6 December 2008 at 1:36 pm

i don’t see what that has to do with the price of fish
Janet 9

6 December 2008 at 1:53 pm

VTO

Are you happy for your taxes to support Kiwiblog and Whaleoil while they are not admitting that they are part of the National Party parliamentary machine – in fact trying to disguise it? These days conflicts of interest, ethical business and political behaviour are quite a big deal. If they are on the payroll they should just say it and put a conflict of interest statement on their blogs.
NX 10

6 December 2008 at 2:26 pm

Graeme wrote:
I’d say this was fairly simple. The same thing has happened with my CV.

Yeah, I agree with Graeme.

If you recycle Word documents – the author field doesn’t seem to change. Which can be awkward if the document is from a previous employer.
rjs131 11

6 December 2008 at 2:32 pm

I think the National party “running lines” through Salter and Kiwiblog is about as likely as the Labour party “running lines” through this blog – something that has been repeatedly denied.
sux2bu 12

6 December 2008 at 2:40 pm

Feeblest dirt-digging attempt since Mike Williams. Did any of you geniuses look at Documents>Properties>’Last saved by’ ? Guess who last saved it – a user called David Farrar, not Parliamentary Services. Did you geniuses also try modifying the doc and saving it and see what happens ? “Author” is still Parliamentary Services, “last saved by” is now you…
Vonnie Boy 13

6 December 2008 at 2:41 pm

Har har har, metadata is hilarious.
Graeme 14

6 December 2008 at 2:45 pm

it’s just that the â€˜Author’ data seems usually to be updated quite aggressively by Word.

I wish!

My CV was created on a VUW PC on MS Word. The very first time I saved it, I’d typed my middle name incorrectly on the first line, and it borrowed that for the file name first time ’round. Naturally, I’d fixed it at the time in the document, and in the file name, but even now, opening and amending the document in Open Office, and then creating a PDFof that open office document, the author of the PDF (!) is still SCS (the VUW Student Computing Services or something like that) and the embedded title (the bit it shows in task bar) of that PDF still has my middle name spelt incorrectly. It seriously took me an hour to fix it last time – manually changing the properties in the pdf file wasn’t even close to enough.
Tim Ellis 15

6 December 2008 at 2:50 pm

ayb, while you’re going around outing people for working in parliamentary services, have you got any declarations to make of your own?
Madeleine 16

6 December 2008 at 2:51 pm

One might ask how you knew how to spot this.

What’s that saying about protesting too much?
Steve Pierson 17

6 December 2008 at 3:27 pm

Tim. No ayb doesn’t. don’t believe everything you read on whaleoil. what’s he up to now? About 20 names for 6 writers isn’t it?
Robinsod 18

6 December 2008 at 3:35 pm

I think the fact DPF is running his polling services call-outs from National party HQ is probably enough evidence of the fact he’s benefiting from the National party.

What I find more interesting than the no-brainer that Farrar works for National is the fact that there is an increasing amount of evidence that National were actively using Slater’s blog as an outlet for smear campaigns despite his lax security…
Robinsod 19

6 December 2008 at 3:36 pm

Hey Tim – I’ve got an admission to make…

I’m your dad. Say hi to your mum for me.
dave 20

6 December 2008 at 3:37 pm

Go back and have a look at the data creation – last printed in..2002. The document is at least 5 years old. What a weak allegation.

[lprent: I vaguely seem to remember you describing whale’s even more tenuous ‘evidence’ about photoshop jpegs as being good. Not exactly consistent in your opinions are you?]
Rex Widerstrom 21

6 December 2008 at 3:43 pm

Good grief.

I see Lynn’s commented here and I’m surprised he hasn’t weighed in with some technical knowledge (which in most areas is far superior to mine, but I’m not sure about Word, since, to be fair, he obviously doesn’t use much of the Evil Empire’s product).

As Graeme is trying to tell you, Word does not “aggressively” update metadata. It doesn’t even “effectively” update metadata. Especially when you open an older version document in 2007* and especially if you’re using Sharepoint, as I imagine a company like David’s would be doing.

And that’s what’s happened here, judging by the original title referring to 1999 figures but the template on which it’s based being normal.dotm (which is a 2007 extension).

You’re also looking at a document originally created on a Windows platform on a Mac platform. The number of differences (despite what Microsoft claim) between the way similarly named products behave on the two are the subject of many an erudite exposition, as they number in the bazillions.

You get upset – and rightly so – at accusations The Standard was “run from the 9th floor”, yet you endeavour to smear David with the same sort of innuendo based on a poor understanding of something as flimsy as Word metadata?

Shame on you, a_y_b – I think you owe David an apology.

* that refers to the date field… I don’t have time to find one specific to name, but it’s basically every field.
sux2bu 22

6 December 2008 at 3:45 pm

Not just an apology is owed, you should also praise his eco friendliness by not printing this doc since 2002 LOL
Rex Widerstrom 23

6 December 2008 at 3:56 pm

Oh, by the way Graeme et al, Microsoft claims it’s possible to easily remove metadata. I can’t vouch for the methods suggested as I’ve never tried any.

But isn’t the introduction hilarious?! They assume – and probably rightly so – that the only people devious enough, and with the sort of lies that need hiding, are lawyers:

Legal professionals are familiar with the concept of “discovery” and the requirements set out by the courts for complying with discovery demands. They also understand that they are only required to provide the documents and data set out in the discovery demand. Unfortunately, if you are providing electronic versions of your documents, you may “discover” that you are inadvertently supplying more information than you realize.

Like, say, in an anti-trust case before the US Supreme Court? Mwahahahaha!!
gingercrush 24

6 December 2008 at 4:05 pm

Hmm I would have thought that the Buy Kiwi campaign which National suspended would be more important than whatever the hell Farrar is up to.
Johnty Rhodes 25

6 December 2008 at 4:23 pm

4 weeks on & you are in denial about ‘who is running the show.’

I downloaded the offending doc and saved it, it still says Parliamentary Services.

GC – buy NZ made means high price for most people, but quality is there mostly. At least we will see the end of Oliver Driver in the TV ads. We do but a lot of NZ made, fruit/veges/meat/dairy etc. Clothes are too expensive if made in NZ.
Whaleoil 26

6 December 2008 at 4:53 pm

[deleted]

[lprent: You’re censored out of this site because you routinely lie about it, you lie about the people posting on it, you are technically incompetent, and essentially I think that you are a moronic troll who never says anything worth reading. I presume that answers your question – don’t come back]

[lprent: I see that you don’t learn. When I say don’t come back, that is exactly what I mean. Added you to the blacklist for the anti-spam engine to deal with]
lprent 27

6 December 2008 at 5:20 pm

Rex: I don’t think that a_y_b owes any apology based on Davids own standards. Rather I think that DPF probably owes an apology to a_y_b.

Think back a couple of months. That technical incompetent Slater at nationals smear unit used a similarity of installer names in the photoshop metadata data in jpegs to assert identities for IrishBill and Tane. It wasn’t even an exact match.

In the case of a_y_b, on basis of no proof at all he asserted that a_y_b was some guy on the 9th floor.

All of which DPF happily accepted as true and ran posts on. That was despite knowing (at least he should have known) that the evidence was technically about as tenuous as a wet paper bag. From my recollection, DPF ran with a post that asserted that all of these things were true, along with a whole pile of other wingnuts. Now that as ‘evidence’ is far more tenuous than what a_y_b put in his post today.

I’m afraid that if that is the standard of proof required for a post, then this one has more legs. In my opinion, DPF has delineated the standard or proof required for this type of dogwhistle post. I’m sure that he’d be happy with a_y_b applying a higher standard of proof, and asking a similar question.

So when I see DPF apologizing for that incident and others in his illustrious dogwhistle career, then I might agree with you. Somehow I doubt it.

BTW: You are correct, I seldom use MS Office these days. I prefer Open Office. But I have used MS Office or MS Word since ~1985.
sux2bu 28

6 December 2008 at 5:47 pm

If being technically incompetent and lying about people is basis for being banned, can we assume you’ve given All Your Base his marching orders for this lying, technically incompetent, post ?

[lprent: I was comparing a_y_b with DPF, who appears to like having a public perception of being better than cam. Cam is banned because he routinely makes crap up about this site that requires me to waste effort – so I’ll let a program deal with the idiot.]
sux2bu 29

6 December 2008 at 6:16 pm

Okayyyy…so you bring Whaleoil into this by casting aspersions on something he said previously, then he pops in for a a right-of-reply and you delete and ban him for it ? In the grand tradition of left wing “debate” down the ages…

[lprent: No I banned him because he persistently lies about this site on his site. I just can’t be bothered tidying up after the idiot, and he usually just comes here to try and stir up a flame session. Offhand I can’t think of an intelligent thing that he has ever said here that has actually invoked discussion about something more enlightening than the size of his ego.

There is no “right-of-reply” – have a look in our policy and try to find one. If he wants to ‘reply’ then he can do it elsewhere where I don’t have to read it in my role as sysop.

In my opinion he is spam – so thats where I’ve put him.]
Lew 30

6 December 2008 at 6:20 pm

C’mon, comparisons to WOBH aren’t merited … if this was his post the title would be `[person] sucking on Nanny State’s teat again.’ No question mark, nothing measured about it. And still no evidence.

L
higherstandard 31

6 December 2008 at 6:26 pm

Lew – isn’t the real point ‘who really gives a damn apart from a few obsessives on opposing blogs’

Clearly a no news day – although I must admit to being impressed by the Herald naming two fine people who are no longer as the NZers of the year.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10546746

Perhaps a post on that rather than ayb’s fixations may have been warranted.

Lynn – as an aside it might be prudent to leave people’s comments there for all to see why they were banned rather than just deleting.

[lprent: Normally I would unless they were too obnoxious. However in this case I can’t be bothered. It wasn’t what he said, it was the fact he was here at all. I have expended far to much time on cam and see no reason for him to have access to this site]
sux2bu 32

6 December 2008 at 6:37 pm

You don’t think that intellectual honesty obliges you to give someone a chance to reply on the same forum you criticise them ? Does that strike you as the sign of a rigorous debate where you have full confidence you can defend your position with your wits rather than your delete key ?
lprent 33

6 December 2008 at 6:42 pm

Don’t you think that intellectual honesty would require that Cam gives himself an immediate lobotomy?

After all this is the guy who said that r0b was running 08wire based on nothing more than a similarity of a first name and a psuedonym. (Rob Salmond was actually running 08wire)
Lew 34

6 December 2008 at 6:47 pm

HS: Fair comment. You have good standing here, maybe you could ask Lynn to put up a guest post rather than complaining about the things others feel like writing about – it’s a market, after all, and you’ve spied an opening. Be entrepreneurial!

L
sux2bu 35

6 December 2008 at 6:53 pm

So your answer to abusing someone without right of reply is more abuse ? Obviously it’s your site and you can run it anyway you like, but do you think you’re impressing anyone who cares about having a fair discussion ? This kind of behaviour means you’ll only attract people who already agree with you and happily turn a blind eye to the editorial Stalinism. If you want to set up an echo chamber where you’re preaching to the choir all the time, that’s your call.
lprent 36

6 December 2008 at 7:17 pm

Lew,hs: Actually you generally don’t ask me. I’m still a bit of an amateur at actually writing posts. Which is why I put my own non-admin posts up on the weekend (also that is when I have time to try them out).

The contact-us page has the general e-mail address that the posts for Guest Posts or ideas should be sent to. Which I don’t read…

Generally they advise me that I should try to keep the posts down to about 400 words if possible and to use lots of links for background info. Make your point concisely and make sure that there is a clear opinion. The reason is that this site values opinion and not statements, because that gets the discussion going. They will also not edit particularly because your opinion should be your own. If one of them feels that it is worth putting up then they will do so.

We will usually only put posts up as Guest Post and only identify with a psuedonym if at all. It is the ideas and opinion that are important and we prefer that the opinion is judged on its merits. That is why with the exception of myself and Clinton none of the posters have IRL identities.

It is a lot harder than it looks..
lprent 37

6 December 2008 at 7:34 pm

sux: I’m far more concerned with the smooth running of the site based on the guidelines in policy. I express my opinion of people and their behaviour pretty clearly in moderator/sysop role. Sometimes that consists of what you’d consider as ‘abuse’ because that is what I feel about their behavior.

In case you hadn’t noticed, there are probably as many people who lean right commenting here as who lean left. I seldom bother to intervene on opinion in moderator/sysop roles. Most of the time I’ll write a comment myself if I have time.

Problem is with Cam is that he doesn’t add anything to the discussion and only appears to come here for disruption. He uses other forums to lie about the site and the people on it. So I can’t see any reason to let him disrupt things here because he annoys the hell out of me with his mindless dog whistling. It isn’t like he ever says anything here of any particular value, and he isn’t even amusing.
sux2bu 38

6 December 2008 at 7:37 pm

I tried to read your policy but I couldn’t get past the first line without collapsing into laughter “We encourage robust debate and we’re tolerant of dissenting views”. You should do comedy…
When you want to ban a dissenting view, you declare it ‘spam’ and ban it. That way you kid yourselves that you’re not banning views. Does anyone buy that ?
illuminatedtiger 39

6 December 2008 at 7:42 pm

Good research. Farrar looks extremely dodgy on Farrar’s part.
lprent 40

6 December 2008 at 7:45 pm

sux: Obviously you don’t understand the concept of ‘debate’.

Anyway I have to get back to the code and preventing client side caching of the pages in dumb caching systems. IMO That is far more important to this site than your opinion
sux2bu 41

6 December 2008 at 7:47 pm

Yes i see now that the only opinions important to the site are the admins and those who agree with them .All else is ‘spam’
Janet 42

6 December 2008 at 9:08 pm

GC
Buy NZ made generally means supporting NZ workers so I am very sad but not surprised that the ideologues of the right have cancelled it.

But it will be back when we again have a govt that cares about NZ workers.
Dean 43

6 December 2008 at 9:43 pm

LP:

“So when I see DPF apologizing for that incident and others in his illustrious dogwhistle career, then I might agree with you. Somehow I doubt it.”

So, because he did it, it’s ok that you do it too?

Glad to see you’re not aspiring to be higher on any moral or intellectual ladder than those you choose to oppose.

Tit for tat is so droll. So was AYB’s completely fabricated assertion that Word “agressively” changes the metadata in documents. Honestly, a simple google search would have told him otherwise. But did he choose to do that? No way! There is dirt to be dished, right? I reckon he must have taken lessons from Mr Williams.

“We will usually only put posts up as Guest Post and only identify with a psuedonym if at all. It is the ideas and opinion that are important and we prefer that the opinion is judged on its merits. That is why with the exception of myself and Clinton none of the posters have IRL identities.”

That’d explain batman then.
Rex Widerstrom 44

6 December 2008 at 10:27 pm

I’ve been out all day and have just come back and read Lynn’s response so apologies for the delay. In any case I see Dean has said what I wanted to say. Interestingly enough,it’s exactly the same point as I made in response to infused implying it would be okay for National to ram through policy with minimal consultation because “Labour did exactly that”.

I said to him, as I say to you now – two wrongs don’t make a right. Like a lot of cliches, that one survives because it’s a succinct way of stating an irrefutable truth.

I know most of The Standard’s authors have their own reasons for anonymity, and I respect that. But I also respect David’s courage in posting under his own name. I knew when I started doing so I’d risk attracting the obvious smears… I’m pleased to note that hasn’t happened here but has at Kiwiblog (when DPF leapt on it quickly) and at Tim Blair (where no action was taken, so I never returned).

However, those who post under pseudonyms must expect that the “price” of that is speculation – often public speculation – as to their identities. I’ve seen it about Roar Prawn, about Poneke, about Queen Bee… and about the various contributors to The Standard.

Personally I wish David would sometimes require a higher standard of research goes into the information he chooses to impart – especially when he’s so detailed, and puts so much effort into, posts on statistical topics.

But simply because he chose to report someone else’s posts allegedly “outing” anonymous authors does not justify a_y_b’s implying that he is corrupt, and runs his blog as a front for someone else. Especially not when the “evidence” he offers is as much a piece of wishful thinking as was Slater’s.
lprent 45

6 December 2008 at 11:34 pm

Dean, Rex: We work with existing standards of political blogs, but with our own twist.

I’m afraid that while dog whistle tactics are the norm, then I have no problem with following them. I’d expect that over the next 3 years we will contribute to refining the meme. That is the price of using them in the first place, that they can be used against the perpetrators as well. I don’t particularly like them but that is largely irrelevant. They obviously work. To not use them gives the lowest denominator (ie NACT) an advantage which means that they will continue to be used until the cost of using them rises too much.

Of course they are a lot easier to use in ‘opposition’. I can testify that they are unpleasant to be on the receiving side. Perhaps after also being on the receiving side for 3 years or so, the current dog whistlers will find that out as well.
QoT 46

7 December 2008 at 12:31 am

The definition of comedy is someone whose handle is “sux2bu” arguing about fairness and balanced debate.
Dean 47

7 December 2008 at 1:10 am

LP:

“I’m afraid that while dog whistle tactics are the norm, then I have no problem with following them. I’d expect that over the next 3 years we will contribute to refining the meme. That is the price of using them in the first place, that they can be used against the perpetrators as well. I don’t particularly like them but that is largely irrelevant. They obviously work. To not use them gives the lowest denominator (ie NACT) an advantage which means that they will continue to be used until the cost of using them rises too much.”

That’s fair enough.

But meanwhile AYB is incorrect about Word and it’s suppiosedly agressive updating of metadata. I don’t expect an apology from him towards DPF. But at least he didn’t go off on a half cocked tirade about things he really didn’t know about – like Mr Smith did about OECD company tax rates or the catholic church and it’s involvement in the holocaust.

That really was a lolfest, LP. I understand the writers here have the right to free speech but it’s puzzling that they get so defensive when their assertions are questioned. Irishbill is the worst at this (yes, I still have the screenshots IB).

IrishBill: Get a life Dean.
Logie97 48

7 December 2008 at 2:11 am

I have looked back through this discussion and I cannot see what the sleeze Whaleoil is supposed to have said. From that I guess sux2bu also has no idea what Slater said either, yet appears to know that it was a quality comment. From the many statements that that creep (Slater) has made, and his disgusting photoshop antics, may I add my congratulations on your removing him. (In passing is it possible for Slater to have registered under another name?)
sux2bu 49

7 December 2008 at 8:43 am

Damn what would you guys have to write about if the term “dogwhistle” didn’t exist. Five uses on one page alone. It’s as monotonous as Peters’ “media conspiracy” line.
sux2bu 50

7 December 2008 at 9:00 am

QoT
The definition of comedy is someone whose handle is “sux2bu’ arguing about fairness and balanced debate.

I see you seem to be using the standard left-wing definintion of “fair and balanced”, meaning “everyone who agrees with me is o.k.”. I think it’s a totally appropriate handle. Labour ran the dirtiest, most negative campaign in living memory, tried to dredge up ridiculous smears that didn’t exist, even ( quelle horreur ! ) resorted to tax cuts, and still lost.
It does, indeed, …[dramatic pause]…suck to be you !

[lprent: I’ve just had a look through your comment history. You always act like you want to start flamewars rather than engage in debate. That isn’t acceptable here – read the policy. I’d suggest that you lift your standards to something other than flame provocation level. If you don’t then I will apply the Policy.

So far it is difficult to see that you contribute to debate – probably why you don’t understand what the term means. However at least you write your own lines so you aren’t a troll.

BTW: Note that this is a warning, and not an invitation for a debate. Read the section in the policy about the futility of arguing with a sysop.]
Chris G 51

7 December 2008 at 10:31 am

sux: “Yes i see now that the only opinions important to the site are the admins and those who agree with them .All else is ‘spam'”

Thats bullshit and you know it. There are regular comments from right leaning people on here who can comment with about being dumbasses. See: gingercrush, higherstandard et al.

I can read their points of view, naturally disagree, but we can all continue debating in a relatively civil manner… and there you have found it, the keyword is Civil. That is something I definately dont see on certain other blogs, because of that I dont comment there!

From what I’ve seen the stuff thats been censored has been the repeated lies, slander and general crap that comes out of some peoples – overwhelmingly large (perhaps the size of that very adverb?) – brains.
lprent 52

7 December 2008 at 10:45 am

Chris: That is pretty much the standard. The opinions don’t matter to the moderators unless they get too damn gross. We’re mainly looking to see if people get in the way of debate. We’re really not into wasting too much time either. Stick around the net for long enough, then you’ve seen all of the different types of personality and tactics. It is mainly a matter of seeing if they have potential to grow and contribute to the debate. sux appears to have the ability to debate and discuss. But sux also appears to lack the intent or willingness to engage as anything apart from as a firestarter.

Dean: Irish has been known to be a bit abrupt. But that is Irish’s style. It also shows in the style of posts. It is just one of those things that people around here have to get used to. It is like putting up with me talking about things that happened on the net before some commentators here were born.
sux2bu 53

7 December 2008 at 10:54 am

Chris G – “Civil” ? The comedy never ends on here. “you routinely lie”, “moronic troll”, “you are technically incompetent”, “idiot”, “persistently lies”, “far more important to this site than your opinion”, “you don’t understand what the term means”
Comments by the admins, just on this page alone. And you reckon you’ve got the moral high ground over other blogs ?
ianmac 54

7 December 2008 at 11:12 am

It always seemed possible to me that the promises that Key and others made and the responses geared to suit the audiences would come back to haunt him/them. “I expect a high standard from any one in my team.” Did the Auckland candidate who was accused of Immigration fraud become an MP? (Think Phillip Field.)
Think of “Nanny State” if the anti-smoking in cars takes off. ( A good call by the way but…”) Think of the calls that Farrar has made and how these should be used used to “haunt them.”
Gustavo Trellis 55

7 December 2008 at 11:15 am

I’ve never had any problems with TheStandard at all, I don’t particularly think anything I say on here would be agreeable and the admins and bloggers debate what you say, but I’ve never had an outright ban and I put that down to not being a troll.
Chris G 56

7 December 2008 at 11:31 am

and just my speculation, DPF gets some dough from the Nats one way or another.

The political propaganda machine is alive and has some serious $$$ in it… refer: Crosby/textor
sux2bu 57

7 December 2008 at 11:35 am

Iprent – “So far it is difficult to see that you contribute to debate”. Well, I was the one who asked if anyone had tried modifying and saving the doc to see if the ‘author’ field changes ? It doesn’t, only the ‘last saved by’ field is updated. This is exactly the state of the DPF doc – created by Parliamentary Services, last saved by David Farrar. My contribution kills ayb’s entire story stone dead. Does proving The Standard wrong not count ?
Chris G 58

7 December 2008 at 11:36 am

Im not going to respond to sux again (this doesnt count) because Gustavos comment above shows what I was getting at. Clearly sux doesnt understand.
sux2bu 59

7 December 2008 at 12:05 pm

After a few days being on here, I understand this blog completely now. I’m the one who made the most rational suggestion on testing ayb’s technical claims, and yet the admins don’t see how I contribute to the debate.
He calls me a firestarter. Ayb started the fire with his nonsensical made-up claims. I put the fire out with a simple logical test.
People talk about being civil, but the admin comments on this page contain as much abuse as the worst commentor on any other blog.
Admins and commenters used the term “dogwhistle” five times directed towards DPF, and yet this whole post is intended to whistle up commenters’ conspiracy theories about DPF and Parliamentary Services.
“Technically incompetent” and “lies” and “smear” are the admin’s favourite description for Whaleoil, and yet ayb’s entire post is a technically incompetent lie and smear. Any action taken or apology given ?

And after all this, they assert that this blog has a high standard of behaviour and encourages debate and dissenting view.
Horseshit. I’ve never seen a worse example of hipocrisy on a blog. I think I’ve seen enough of The Standard.

[lprent: Rational is in your mind I suspect. If you don’t come back then it would probably increase the level of debate]
vto 60

7 December 2008 at 12:48 pm

The problem with debating on The Standard is that too few people agree with me.
ianmac 61

7 December 2008 at 12:57 pm

Vto: Hard to debate with too few. A bit sad really. Reminds me of the man who stands on the footpath up town and invokes the bible in a loud monotone.
George Darroch 62

7 December 2008 at 1:00 pm

An anonymous poster here alleges that David Farrar is lying about working for Parliamentary Service. Lynn Prentice steps in and backs this person up. When alternative, simpler explanations are presented by Rex and Graeme (neither of whom are National Party hacks), they are dismissed, seemingly out of hand.

Given that Wellington is a small place, Parliament even smaller, and David a relatively open and public figure, if he was lying about his employment, I think we’d find out from a person (not MS Word) pretty quickly. A quick use of occam’s razor gives the answer with the least assumptions as DPF telling the truth.

Given that similar baseless allegations have been made against The Standard (all the posters), I’m disappointed to see them being repeated by people who are so outraged when they’re accused of the same things.
TimeWarp 63

7 December 2008 at 1:14 pm

You can win a battle but lose the war. Not sure of the point of this thread. It’s a non-story.

Using WOBH as a reference point for standards is akin to not having any. “The Standard” should surely be just that, in multiple dimensions of the term?
QoT 64

7 December 2008 at 1:50 pm

Wow, sux2bu, you got that whole psychological analysis of me out of a single off-the-cuff comment? Which made no mention of either supporting or opposing the decision to ban Whaleoil? You should be on Sensing Murder, mate.

Assuming I’m a Labour supporter – because we all know only two parties contested the last election, amirite? – is further evidence of your brilliance.

There is plenty of back-and-forth on The Standard. Fuck, I’ve disagreed with various posters here from time to time. The idea that “Just allowing civilized debate on the merits of political ideas” doesn’t count as “disagreement” unless you also let through the all-caps rants of people who think “Liarbour” is a cutting and witty neologism is just baffling.
sweeetdisorder 65

7 December 2008 at 1:52 pm

Hmmm, I think you owe Farrar a big apology AYB.
David Farrar 66

7 December 2008 at 1:55 pm

Thanks for this most amusing thread.

A few people brought up the allegations made about whether certain parliamentary staffers blogged at The Standard. I don’t want to provoke anything here as as far as I am concerned it is old news, but I do want to point out a key difference – I have always denied being a parliamentary staff member since I left,

I have always said that if the 9th floor staffer I named states in writing he has nothing to do with TS, does not blog there and/or does not produce material for others to blog there I would 100% take him at his word, and publish a retraction. That offer still stands. But note I would want a written statement.

As far as I know there has never been any written statement made that people on the parliamentary payroll don’t blog at TS or produce material for others to blog. There have been very careful statements that no one does it as part of their job duties, but that is not the same thing.

Again I don’t want to stir up a hornets nest here, but just did want to point out that as I said, I will accept someone’s word if they say I got it wrong about them, unless there is proof to the contrary.

[lprent: DPF, so what you’re saying is that someone should respond to your slander with a written statement. Well aren’t you a pompous git? A touch of hubris? Why exactly should someone respond to your claims – there isn’t a shred of evidence to back them up – they are just meaningless speculation.

Also parliamentary services wouldn’t be able to make that statement – they don’t know. I run this site and I don’t know. That is the design of the site – it is for pseudonymous posts. The mere fact you prefer to boost your name for media reasons doesn’t mean that others have to follow the same level of vanity. Not everyone has quite the same level of bloated ego that you do.]
George Darroch 67

7 December 2008 at 1:59 pm

I should also add, this ridiculous business of trying to smear political figures on the basis of their supposed shady dealings and dishonesty didn’t work very well for Labour and The Standard (The Standard did post the “batman” allegations) during the election campaign, and helped contribute to National’s highest vote in decades. I was embarrassed about them then as I am now, and see no lessons have been learned.

The great majority of the right are nice and upstanding people. They might have nasty policies and not reveal them for fear of “scaring the horses”, but you counter this by talking about the policies, not the people.

I’ve said it many times, this nasty smearing devalues the content on here. It’s your blog, so you can write what you want on it. But because The Standard is seen by journalists and others as representative of the left (and that is one of your stated ambitions), this type of attack blogging hurts the left’s credibility and ability to get through to the people.

And finally, by devaluing your credibility like this, the chances of The Standard actually being taken seriously when something does come up is lesser.
illuminatedtiger 68

7 December 2008 at 3:49 pm

David:

This sheds no light on the allegations being made in this post. Care to elaborate on why PS meta data was found in your Word document?
Daveski 69

7 December 2008 at 3:59 pm

IT – check KB.

Given how touchy the Standard has been about allegations of 9th floor involvement, this post reeks of desperation. I agree with George that it risks the credibility of the Standard.

I’m not questioning the right to challenge DPF – this is always a possibility – but I do question the level of evidence to used to justify the post.

When in doubt, I tend to check the views of people like Rex who are more impartial and more experienced than most here. Rex has IMO summed this up perfectly.
ianmac 70

7 December 2008 at 4:02 pm

David Farrar:
Are you given lines of information by Parliamentary Services?
Are you employed or financed in any way by them?
Are you employed or financed in any way by the National Party?
I ask because you seem to be shown on radio and TV as an independent commentator.
Nomestradamus 71

7 December 2008 at 4:08 pm

Illuminatedtiger:

You described this thread above as “good research”.

Didn’t it occur to you that “good research” might include checking over at Kiwiblog? There, in a thread amusingly titled Inspector Clouseau strikes again, DPF rebuts this non-story:

As I landed back in Auckland from Great Barrier Island, my e-mails started to hit the Blackberry. And one of them was from a National Researcher saying they are looking forward to me turning up to work at 8 am Monday.

I was initially bemused until I followed a link to discover an Inspector Clouseau has got excited at The Standard as the metadata in the election analysis I did has the document author as “Parliamentary Service’.

So am I a secret staffer for the National Parliamentary Research Unit? Did I somehow forget to disclose on my disclosure statement that I had been hired?

Alas no. As many commenters pointed out, the obvious answer is the correct one. I first did an election analysis for National in 1999 and every three years have saved a copy and used that as the template for the new analysis. This means the document still lists the original author and company. Some of my docs still show the author as Ministerial Services and that was a decade ago!

Good research indeed!
vto 72

7 December 2008 at 4:13 pm

egg on face it seems.

a recently common trait of many things left.
illuminatedtiger 73

7 December 2008 at 4:48 pm

Why is David Farrar asking for written statements from those at The Standard when there has been >= accusations about himself being an insider?

As for the Word template from 1999, forgive me, but I don’t completely buy that. I’ve got Word documents here from 1999 (most saved to 3.4 inch floppy disks) that I’ve had major issues with getting to run on the latest copy of Word (2007). Even if it loads I wouldn’t do any substantial work on it, I would start afresh.
Nomestradamus 74

7 December 2008 at 5:14 pm

Illuminatedtiger:

Why is David Farrar asking for written statements from those at The Standard when there has been >= accusations about himself being an insider?

I’m not DPF’s spokesperson, but I’d say he has one of the most – if not the most – extensive disclosure page in New Zealand’s political blogosphere. Now what do you mean by “insider” exactly? And what accusations (and, more to the point, what evidence) do you have to suggest he is an “insider”?

As to this latest “accusation” (you seem to regard All Your Base’s post as a heroic accusation), DPF has stated as clearly as one possibly can that he’s not on the PS payroll.

Even if it loads I wouldn’t do any substantial work on it, I would start afresh.

And that’s your basis for saying that DPF is telling porkies? That you would do something differently?

All Your Base:

Any chance of you retracting (or qualifying) this clanger:

Of course you’ll notice that the document title looks historical but Word is pretty aggressive when it comes to updating its metadata automatically (particularly when it comes to local user data on the machine in use).

It seems that a few commenters here (notably Graeme and Rex) strongly disagree. And I have to say, it hasn’t been my experience either.
sweeetdisorder 75

7 December 2008 at 5:26 pm

Illuminatedtiger

“As for the Word template from 1999, forgive me, but I don’t completely buy that. I’ve got Word documents here from 1999 (most saved to 3.4 inch floppy disks) that I’ve had major issues with getting to run on the latest copy of Word (2007). ”

After much investigation into your problem, it seems you are the only person on planet earth running a 3.4″ floppy disk. I can understand why you are having so many issues trying to get it to work. Suggest you upgrade to a 3.5″ floppy disk, you might find that a bit more compatible with most systems.
burt 76

7 December 2008 at 5:51 pm

Daveski

The rumors of Labour party involvement and the standard really started with this post also from all_your_base.

Happy New Year

Cyber-Santa came a little late to The Standard this year but we’re certainly not complaining – evidently we’ve got a New Year’s present instead.

He and the techno-elves have moved us to a brand spanking new server cluster that should give us plenty of breathing room and make those pesky traffic congestion problems we were having a thing of the past.

Seriously though, it wasn’t really Santa. Just like James Bond apparently we have our very own M and it’s him we have to thank instead.

We’re still secretly hoping for the pimped out Austin Aston Martin but this should tide us over in the meantime. Thanks M!

[lprent: Noone ever denied that some people on this blog are involved with the NZLP. I’m a member for instance (and that was made clear early on). What we denied was that we were setup by the NZLP (I set it up), that we received money or services from the NZLP (I’m the only person that has paid anything), or that we were paid by parliamentary services. We were on servers for 3 weeks that had been a donation to the NZLP (ie that the NZLP didn’t pay for), and that the NZLP had given control to a left-wing activist who I’d hit up for some server space.

Whale lied about all of those things and others. Face it the guy lies chronically, it is a lot harder to find him telling the truth. DPF then chose to dog-whistle on the whales lies despite their source in what is now a familiar pattern. Frankly I personally find it difficult to distinguish between them – they do the same thing at two levels, and it looks to me like they do it for the nats.]
Chris Auld 77

7 December 2008 at 5:55 pm

As for the Word template from 1999, forgive me, but I don’t completely buy that. I’ve got Word documents here from 1999 (most saved to 3.4 inch floppy disks) that I’ve had major issues with getting to run on the latest copy of Word (2007). Even if it loads I wouldn’t do any substantial work on it, I would start afresh

I’m someone intimately acquainted with both the Office legacy file format, as well as the new ECMA 376 OOXML file format, the final ISO 29500 file format as and the various versions of Microsoft office from 6.0 (1994 ish) through to Office 2007.

I can say with some authority that the document migration between version 6.0 and version 2007 is pretty good.

I would also note that it’s likely that PS would have been using Office 97 when DPF worked there in 1999. The office binary file format has remained consistent between version 1997 and version 2007. 2007 does support the ECMA 376 OOXML file format but it does not appear that DPF is using this- rather he is using the legacy Office 97-Occife 2007 binary file format.

It seems pretty obvious to me that the file down loadable from DPF’s blog is the same Office 97-07 binary file format that would have originally been used to save the file back in 1999.

If you would like some help getting your 1999 era word documents working in 2007 then please do feel free to drop me an email (I’m sure you can contact the mods to get my email address). If you want a more detailed forensic analysis of the file format then I’m happy to sort that out as well.

I don’t do Photoshop or other file formats, just Microsoft stuff.
Kimble 78

7 December 2008 at 6:14 pm

hahahaha. you guys are so pathetic!

The Standard gets self-pwned again!

Time to wind things up lads, there are only so many times you can jump the shark.
Rex Widerstrom 79

7 December 2008 at 6:14 pm

lprent

Dean, Rex: We work with existing standards of political blogs, but with our own twist.

I?m afraid that while dog whistle tactics are the norm, then I have no problem with following them.

Well call me naive then, but I thought you (the collective “you”, not just Lynn) were better than that. I don’t want to sound holier than thou – though I’m afraid I’m going to – but being half-assed “outed” as nothing more scandalous than a contributor to a blog isn’t even close to the filth I’ve had thrown at me, including in Parliament, under cover of privilege, by Ron Mark.

I could have chosen to have dived into the excrement and rolled around with him, but I didn’t. Partly because (I hope) I’m better than that, but also because, tactically, it would have been a stupid mistake.

When politics becomes personal, people lose their objectivity. Now I know you’re just itching to tell me this isn’t an objective blog… I understand that. I’m not talking political objectivity, however. I’m talking about being able to stand back and make a rational assessment of your own behaviour.

But thanks for clarifying the Standard’s standards, which seem to amount to “Where Whaleoil goes, we go”.
4884 80

7 December 2008 at 6:26 pm

I see you Standard wanks… [deleted]

[lprent: If you want to be an idiot, do it elsewhere. Setting it so you get moderated]
Kimble 81

7 December 2008 at 6:32 pm

4884 has never commented at kiwiblog

pwned again

PS, I see you changed your response so it doesnt tell 4884 to go back to Kiwiblog

are you going to apologise for saying it in the first place?

[lprent: I didn’t say that. It isn’t one of my standard phrases (could have been another moderator – we do overlap from time to time). Besides this idiot was worse than the KB sewer level, more like Whale or Heine. ]
lprent 82

7 December 2008 at 6:42 pm

Rex: “Well call me naive then, but I thought you (the collective “you’, not just Lynn) were better than that”

The others may be (they do their own thing), but I certainly am not. I’m of the general opinion that if you don’t stop bad behavior then it will increase. That is of course the underlying basis of the entire judicial system.

In the case of the blogs and their use in politics, it is quite clear that turning the other check just encourages people to attack you more. If you want an example, just look at the standard of the comments section back in November prior to moderation (or the KB comments sewer at almost anytime)

However there are two points to remember. It is unlikely to be in the same style.

After all Cam isn’t exactly that good at it – the ‘sod (whoever he is) is probably better. Certainly more humorous.

It is unlikely to be as stupid. A lot of the wingnuts I see that come here like 4884 seem to have a real inability to use their brains.
Kimble 83

7 December 2008 at 7:08 pm

A lot of the posters I see here like AYB seem to have a real inability to use their brains.

Seriously, the OP was a joke. No one but the most partisan DPF-hater would buy it for a second.

Then again, that WAS the intended audience, wasnt it?
Kimble 84

7 December 2008 at 7:14 pm

You need to redo the title:

“Farrar back on the PS payroll? No. No he isn’t, sorry.”
Kimble 85

7 December 2008 at 7:21 pm

You keep going on about the sewer in the comments section at Kiwiblog, and how moderation has improved the standard at The Standard.

But The Standards big problem has always been the sewerage in its posts, not the comments.
lprent 86

7 December 2008 at 7:23 pm

Daveski :

I agree with George that it risks the credibility of the Standard.

I’m not questioning the right to challenge DPF – this is always a possibility – but I do question the level of evidence to used to justify the post.

I think that the point of the post was to draw a comparison to the standard of evidence that DPF uses when writing smears.

For instance about this site DPF has written – this, this, this, and probably others that I didn’t google.

I don’t think that there is probably a fact in those posts that could be proved apart from the IP in the first link. Which had a simple explanation as I’ve explained many times.

For instance DPF says in the last link:

UPDATE: Rob Salmond has posted a comment admitting he worked last year for the PMs Office and is behind 08wire and that he does not produce all the material himself but receives it from others. He of course refutes some of my assertions – specifically any involvement setting up The Standard, and I have responded to his comments. What is not denied is that material for all three anonymous sites is produced by parliamentary staffers.

Now notice this. What he said was that someone who denies being involved in the standard couldn’t say that that a site with posts from psuedonymous authors, who the authors were. Basically that is lying without quite saying it (unlike Whale who just flat out lies).

The second link has

What is interesting is that on five occasions the Prime Minister’s chief press secretary has been asked by media to deny that Beehive staff blog at The Standard, and on every occasion they have chosen not to comment rather than deny it. I guess there is a reason they passed up the opportunity to say “Farrar fucked up and has it all wrong, none of our staff are involved’.

This is a classic dogwhistle. This is a site that guards the identity of its posters. So DPF is saying that the CPS was unable to confirm or deny because he didn’t know and was unable to find out. I don’t know and I run the site – all I can say is that posts weren’t written using parliamentary IP’s

Do you see a pattern here? In my opinion, the only difference between DPF and Cam is that DPF lies by implication and with more subtlety than Cam does. Apart from that it is hard to distinguish between them. Sure there is going to be speculation about the identity of posters on this site – but both Cam and DPF just make crap up and idiots swallow it whole. Of course that is just my opinion…

Perhaps you should look at the level of evidence used to justify DPF’s attacks on me that is implicit in all of those posts? Then look at his credibility and veracity?
burt 87

7 December 2008 at 7:46 pm

Chris Auld

DPF said he had re-used the same document as a template after each election. There is no retrieving from a floppy disk under an old version of word issues about this. 1999 – email was well in use so was burning CD’s?

Sure you can ignore what DPF said about how the document still exists and make a great story about the issues associated with retrieving a file in 2008 that was stored on a floppy since 1999 but that’s all you have done – told a story.
lprent 88

7 December 2008 at 8:05 pm

Burt: DPF’s explanation is probably correct – see my comment earlier. However since DPF has never appeared to accept my explanations in the past (or almost anyone else associated with blog sites from the left), I see no reason to accept his.

After all the only purpose of blogs is to do ‘mischief’. It is going to be interesting.
burt 89

7 December 2008 at 8:09 pm

lprent

If the purpose is to do ‘mischief’….

If I recall correctly you once admitted that the standard was running “for a short period” on a Labour party funded server, is that correct?

edit: I see you mention it above as well.
lprent 90

7 December 2008 at 8:23 pm

burt: No

We were running for 3 weeks on servers owned by an ISP and operated by that ISP. That service was donated for use by the Labour party. The labour party passed to an activist to run multiple left sites. We were one of them because we’d run out of capacity on my systems.

So you are wholly incorrect. We never ran on a “Labour party funded server”. That was just the smear that DPF and Whale put on it. Essentially a lie, which has been repeated frequently.

This was explained at the time, but wingnuts appear to prefer to believe lies rather than explanations.
Daveski 91

7 December 2008 at 8:31 pm

LP – acknowledging your point.

While I still believe in this case it was a long bow to draw, I will accept that there is mischief in blogland as you put it.

Perhaps my point should have been that the Standard does have an opportunity to redefine the blogging landscape while retaining its healthy partisan perspective.
lprent 92

7 December 2008 at 8:47 pm

Daveski: I was referring to the statement on the KB banner
“DPF’s Kiwiblog – Fomenting Happy Mischief since 2003”

Sure we could try to set a new standard. The question is more why should we? As far as I can see, that would simply open us up to more malicious mischief of the type that we’ve seen this year from DPF (and Cam).

I think that a deterrence strategy is far more responsible despite its known problems. The only thing that I’d look for is that that mischief from this site has at least the same level of ‘evidence‘ as has been used to support posts at KB in the past. So there will be a place for dog-whistle posts on this site. David could probably be called responsible for this strategy, after all he pioneered the meme in NZ blogging.

It is of course a standard method used by people like Crosby Textor, and will probably be used again over the next 3 years. For instance look at the history of the dog whistle used in the Tampa Bay incident in the election in aussie some years ago.
burt 93

7 December 2008 at 9:01 pm

lprent

Are you saying that this post by all_your_base is a classic Crosby Textor style dog-whistle?

Given you comments in the past and even in this thread about how much you disapprove of the Crosby Textor style I’m surprised you are defending all_your_base.
Liar 94

7 December 2008 at 9:30 pm

[deleted]

[lprent: probably dad again who is banned. I must finish that banning plugin]
justthefacts 95

7 December 2008 at 9:32 pm

So let me get this right, those who you accuse of being at “sewer level” are guilty of nothing more than being anti Labour?

This could be a really good site if you just let people make valid points about the shoddy (and some might say corrupt) Labour party, the problem you have is that you ban anybody who dares speak out against Labour and against socialism.

No wonder people are on the opinion that the left want to control free speech.
lprent 96

7 December 2008 at 10:10 pm

burt: So you want to avoid the topic of the
“…the standard was running “for a short period’ on a Labour party funded server”

Does it raise too many questions about the type of campaign that NACT have been running for the past few years?
RedLogix 97

7 December 2008 at 10:16 pm

Attention rightie dolts.

YOUR beloved Party is now in power.

It is OUR turn to make up shit…. and your turn to eat it.

Anybody tell the truth on this blog?

All lefties are liars.
lprent 98

7 December 2008 at 10:16 pm

jtf:

you ban anybody who dares speak out against Labour and against socialism

Making comments that have a point and an argument is fine – there are a lot of anti-labour people who do exactly that on this site every day.

Repeating hackneyed lines repeatably (that are usually incorrect) isn’t – that is known as trolling and isn’t tolerated here. Since that is the bulk of what I usually see when I go into KB’s comments section, I describe it as the sewer. It is a site that appears to me to cater to close to the lowest common denominator in its comment section, and is usually pointless to read.

DPF, in my opinion, facilitates it by writing dog-whistle posts designed to elicite exactly that response.

In short, you have to engage your brain here, while I view it as being discouraged at KB.
sweeetdisorder 99

7 December 2008 at 10:16 pm

Oh, and another thing AYB, who the feck are you; just some anon blogger.

Farrar is known, has a face, a name and is sought after for his opinion on radio, tv and print. And you are again, mister anon.

You have some gall to call out Farrar when you stand behind your shield.

It might pay to remember about those in glass houses…………
lprent 100

7 December 2008 at 10:22 pm

Ah sd, if all else fails and you have nothing worth saying, then there are always the ultimate shields of the wingnut. Righteous indignation, implied threats, and meaningless phrases.

One of the main reasons to be pseudonymous here is to avoid being stalked by the media for quotes (as well as Cam’s crowd). From what I understand when the main posters decided that we had to have someone for the media to talk to, SP/Clinton lost. Not everyone has the ego problem that makes DPF want to do those things on the media.

BTW: for some reason it was considered that I wasn’t politically cautious enough – ie too blunt
burt 101

7 December 2008 at 10:27 pm

lprent

burt: So you want to avoid the topic of the
” the standard was running “for a short period’ on a Labour party funded server’

No not at all. I’m happy to discuss it further but you are splitting hairs and I’ve been over it in detail and been banned before for pursuing answers.

So I’ll ask another question and run the gauntlet again. Did Labour declare the donation and the gift to the activist? Is so then when? If not, why not?

Without a clean paper trail showing the monies received/gifted being openly accounted for all we can really say is the server resources were being paid for via a donation made to Labour.
burt 102

7 December 2008 at 10:35 pm

all_your_base/lprent

I also agree with George that this sort of post undermines the credibility of the standard.

With all due respect, there is always going to be more negative than positive consequences for the standard every time the “on the PS payroll” angle is trotted out.

Or have I misunderstood some grand trading places where DPF moves into the inner sanctum and denies it and you guys are now on the outside so you are going to take over DPF & Whaeloil’s position and sink to the level you describe as disgusting?
lprent 103

7 December 2008 at 10:38 pm

burt: I’d guess that it is/will be in Labours declaration, and probably the ISP’s accounts. Why are you asking me?

It isn’t a server that I have any control over. Therefore there is no paper trail. There isn’t even a e-mail trail because it was organized verbally when I was moaning about the server loads.

There is a link to an invoice for the server we’re currently on in the About. I put it up last month after ginger asked about the sites cost. Incidentally that was also the first time any person from the right had asked politely about this sites finances.

Usually it has just been accusations from the wingnuts – which is what you got banned for. If you’d asked politely then I would have provided. It is not as if I have a duty to disclose the finances of a privately held blog. For all of DPF’s ponticating in his comment above, he never bothered to simply ask – it would have probably interfered with his smear.

BTW: It isn’t hair-splitting – there was no transaction, and we were on a shared server for 3 weeks. Approximate costs – peanuts
sweeetdisorder 104

7 December 2008 at 10:38 pm

Lprent

“One of the main reasons to be pseudonymous here is to avoid being stalked by the media for quotes”

Weak, but never the less a plausible answer. You might want to ask other bloggers and see how much stalking they get. May be time to review that policy.

But you see that without real names to identities then you (not you personally) have created the question who are these guys and who they do work for. Until you (again, not you) name names, this question will always be present. Once you throw in alleged stories of 9th floor involvement then it becomes more and more difficult to show independence from any direct labour party associations.
lprent 105

7 December 2008 at 10:54 pm

sd: The point I’m making is all of those stories about 9th floor are alleged. There is and has been no proof.

The opinions of the posters here are what they write, done in their free time, and not on their employers behalf.

Of course there is always the edifying example of that obnoxious clown Cameron Slater with my previous employers to discourage anyone from considering doing the same. No doubt some similar stalking of employers would then ensue in exactly the way that arsehole did with me – see link, link and link

Tell me, would you feel comfortable with that happening to you? Of course the fuckwit was as usual wrong at almost every level and lying to boot. Oh and DPF as usual was along for the ride.
sweeetdisorder 106

7 December 2008 at 11:04 pm

Lprent

Well, that is the perception. Its up to the standard team if they want to change it, otherwise nothing else is going to change.
lprent 107

7 December 2008 at 11:08 pm

sd: Incidentally, that behavior by Cam with my previous employers are why I’d be extremely unhappy if anyone else here does want go public.

There would be virtually no remedy against the type of stalking behavior that Cam followed without going through a very long (and expensive) defamation court case. It would be a hell of an effort to probably get nothing more than an enforced apology. Which is of caurse why the pathetic idiot does it.

Hopefully that defamation case that he got caught in earlier this year will provide some case law.

I would even prefer the comments on here to be psuedonymous as a matter of policy. Stuff put on the net is liable to be around for a very long time. Which of course is why most people commenting here (and everywhere else), and most posters prefer to remain psuedonymous.

Besides in the end knowing who you are doesn’t really help much in evaluating the veracity of opinions.
Robinsod 108

7 December 2008 at 11:08 pm

I wouldn’t worry Lynn – the problem the right have is they think they own the internet. It was ticking along so nicely for so long with Farrar doing his wee thing and the various actoid losers abusing anyone posting from the left (or even the centre) into submission…

Problem is they don’t own the internet and the Standard drives them crazy by reminding them of this. Every. Single. Day. That’s why they have to pretend to themselves that the Standard is professionally run – because that’s the only way they can rationalise the fact that their nasty little blog-world could be taken off them…

They are essentially petty little bullies. I wouldn’t indulge them if I were you Lynn. In fact all of the ones I have identified – thanks to Cameron’s security breach – have been little nobodies…

There are two or three that work as National party staffers and there may be an interesting story behind how their salaries and/or living costs were funded – I’m still looking into that – but for the most part they are impotent punters as is demonstrated by how upsetting they find the Standard.

Oh and righties? I know a couple of the Standard guys and they ain’t on the payroll – they’re just smarter and better company than you bunch of festering sores and it shows in their posts…
Tim Ellis 109

7 December 2008 at 11:10 pm

Goodness me. What a slow news day it must have been. Storm in a teacup, and frankly I can see that people on both sides need to lighten up a bit. I understand that some of the Standard’s posters are sensitive about revealing their identities for whatever reason so it was a bit hypocritical for AYB to try and smear DPF in this way. From what I can gather DPF took the smear in good humour and AYB appears to have a bit of egg on his face. Trying to justify it based on “oh but he did it first” just looks lame.

Right, are we past the petty infighting from both sides now? Have we all got it off our chests?

Oh Robinsod, I suspect I’m a little old for you to be my father and my mother died many years ago, but that was an amusing response!

For those of you on the right who think that differing opinions aren’t accepted here, I manage to comment quite freely here by not being too obnoxious. Remember who owns this site. It’s their home. They seem to welcome genuine debate but really you wouldn’t go into somebody else’s home and start abusing them and expect them still to serve you a cup of tea.
illuminatedtiger 110

7 December 2008 at 11:18 pm

For what it’s worth Bomber’s NZ Blogosphere rankings hasn’t been kind to either of them. While Farrar may still have the top spot Whaleoil has slipped a number of points.
sweeetdisorder 111

7 December 2008 at 11:24 pm

Lprent

there are lots of left wing bloggers who use their real identities..Trotter, Jordon Carter, Tony Milne. Everyone knows who they are and what they are. They seem to live a normal life free of stalking. Same on the right side.

It seems to be only the standard gets this kind of attention.

“I would even prefer the comments on here to be psuedonymous as a matter of policy. Stuff put on the net is liable to be around for a very long time. Which of course is why most people commenting here (and everywhere else), and most posters prefer to remain psuedonymous.”

Yet, loads of other bloggers seem to be okay at having their identities out there. Granted, there are cases where people feel they have to vent, but are in a position that if their identity was known it may have consequences. This sort sort of answer leads us back, with regards to a left wing blog, to the bloggers at the standard, and alleged conenctions to the labour party.
lprent 112

7 December 2008 at 11:28 pm

TE: The short answer is no.

I realize that DPF would probably like to put this smear technique behind him. But personally it will take quite a while before I work the accumulated irritation about his appalling behavior out of my system.

In the spirit of mutual deterrence, I rather like the idea of turning the dog whistle tactic back on him. In the long run, it is only by having the tactic equally accessible to all sides that it will start being regarded as being unusable. I have to thank a_y_b for highlighting it again.

I doubt that it will ever be much of a site focus, if only because DPF has been around the nets almost as long as I have, but when the opportunity arises….

Cam of course is another matter. I consider that his particular brand of bile is something that should not be tolerated. I’ve seen that kind of crap help destroy usenet.
Robinsod 113

7 December 2008 at 11:33 pm

sweeetd – that’s ‘cos it’s only the standard that lays down the hits on the National party and its bloggers and ‘cos it’s only the standard that has gone to second biggest blog in its first year and a half. who are you?

But while we’re on the subject of identities – how about you tell me who you are? I mean it seems a bit rich to have you bleating on about everyone else when you’re also anonymous… So why not like – just tell us… After all there are plenty of other commenters who use their real names so why not you?
lprent 114

7 December 2008 at 11:35 pm

sd: The difference is that all of the people you’ve referenced have public profiles that they’re trying to enhance (as is DPF, Hooten, and maybe Clint Heine?).

The bloggers here are not trying to do so. This is something that we do in our spare time and is meant to be separate from RL. I’d have to ask the motivations about why people want to know the identities. It has bugger all to do with evaluating the opinions, they become pretty clear very fast. As far as I can see there is only one possible motivation and that is to do a Cam style stalk. But I guess that is what the national smear research unit want, so that is why there is this insatiable obession on the topic.

As I said, just look at Cam’s stalking of my previous employer.
Robinsod 115

7 December 2008 at 11:39 pm

I’ve gotta say Lynn – it’s got a bit dull around here lately. Even the trolls are being polite… At this rate I may have to go elsewhere to satiate my taste for ridiculing the right!
Tim Ellis 116

7 December 2008 at 11:45 pm

sd,

I think there are probably genuine reasons why some people don’t like posting under their own names. It gives them a degree of freedom to express what they would really like to say without having to be called on it, for sure. You would think that people who have the courage to post under their real names moderate their behaviour accordingly. DPF is pretty moderate and so are Tony Milne and Russell Brown, to name a few. I haven’t seen Matthew Pilott here for a while, but he’s a very thoughtful guy with some strong arguments who adds a lot to debate.

On the other had, exceptions to the rule appear to be Chris Trotter, who doesn’t seem to have a self-moderation setting in his brain, and Matthew Hooton. I liked the contrasting mix on that combined blog because they frequently came up with such preposterously extreme arguments. Perhaps I’m getting a bit conservative but Cam is a bit much for me, and not just his political opinions. It tends to be the little things that annoy me in his case. He did a post a while back with a photo of a triple-bunked room as a model for an ideal prison. When I saw that photo all I could think of was Auschwitz and I was just appalled.

Among the anonymous bloggers, I don’t have any idea who Dancer is, but s/he comes up with thoughtful, moderate posts that stir debate, often with new insights on issues that aren’t often covered. Lew is a highly intelligent, structured, logical debater who is a real challenge to talk through issues with. Gomango, on the other side, is also very interesting to read.

I enjoy the debate here. I think I’m coming to the view that anonymous or not, each commenter and poster has a certain identity, with various degrees of authenticity (some being more a projection rather than a reality), and what they contribute to debate has less to do with who they are or what their background is, but how seriously they engage others. It seems to me to be a bit of a cop-out to shout somebody down with “oh you would say that because you work in the Prime Minister’s office” or “yes that’s what we expected of a National Party stooge”. I don’t care what a person’s background is and from my observation it has little to do with the content of their argument. It’s just lazy to dismiss what people say by shouting CROSBY-TEXTOR! or COMMUNIST!

I think we can all judge who is here for serious discussion, and who isn’t. Those who come by throwing around allegations about other people and try to disrupt really say more about the weakness of their own argument than they do about the other person.
illuminatedtiger 117

7 December 2008 at 11:49 pm

Well you’re always welcome back with us ‘sod 🙂
sweeetdisorder 118

7 December 2008 at 11:57 pm

Lprent

I disagree with your conclusions as to why posters at the standard want to remain anon. But, I can see we will have to agree to disagree on that one.

Robinsod

Firstly I think AYB can respond for himself, don’t you?

“But while we’re on the subject of identities – how about you tell me who you are?”

Sure, my name is Steve, I am a Sagittarius and I like long walks on the beach. I don’t belong to any political parties but have an interest in politics. I like 80’s music and have traveled extensively. Anything else you would like to know I am sure you can dig through my rubbish to find out.

“that’s â€˜cos it’s only the standard that lays down the hits on the National party and its bloggers and â€˜cos it’s only the standard that has gone to second biggest blog in its first year and a half.”

In my opinion the standard was, to a part responsible for labours loss; the constant theme of attacking Key. so, from my pov, keep on doing what you are doing, it is doing the opposite from what you desire.
lprent 119

8 December 2008 at 12:00 am

‘sod: I suppose that it is a problem. However I prefer to read comment that is readable. Of course you could post at your own blog?

TE: “I think I’m coming to the view that anonymous or not, each commenter and poster has a certain identity, with various degrees of authenticity (some being more a projection rather than a reality), and what they contribute to debate has less to do with who they are or what their background is, but how seriously they engage others”

Exactly. That is what has happened in every net comms channel I’ve ever been on from the fumbling attempts to get inter-university comms running in the early 1980’s (and the intra-university multi-player star trek games at 3am) to the current blogs.

I’m pretty harsh at moderating on some types of commentators purely because I’ve seen the cumulative effects of their behavior destroying some forums. Others get a lot of leeway (like the ‘sod or sweeetd or burt have in the past). While they often appear cranky and act very close to trolls, periodically, they contribute with ideas of value (like the ‘sods Guest post analysis of Wisharts book).

Besides I prefer not to moderate, it is a lot of persistent work.

Talking about persistent work, I’d better finish this caching plugin… (and the washing)
Tim Ellis 120

8 December 2008 at 12:01 am

I realize that DPF would probably like to put this smear technique behind him. But personally it will take quite a while before I work the accumulated irritation about his appalling behavior out of my system.

LP I realise this has hit a raw nerve for you and it is your blog so you can do whatever you like, but trying to use the blog to exercise your frustration just looks petty and it doesn’t do you justice. Mutual deterrence doesn’t work in blogging, because no matter what you do, there is always somebody out there crazier than you who will try to virtually mug you when you’re walking down the street and least expect it. Mutual deterrence might have been a good idea in the cold war when only two powers had a large nuclear arsenal where they could assure each others’ total annihilation. It made them careful. Blogging is much more democratic than that. It’s the equivalent of gifting nuclear warheads to everyone. When you do that you know that not everyone will behave appropriately. Some people will set the bugger off.

Turn the other cheek. If you need catharsis, go to the driving range and whack the cover off a golf ball. Evidently you have got very annoyed with Cam so you have two options. You can either dip into the sewer with him, or act like an adult. If you do the former you won’t be dignifying yourself. If you do the latter then he’ll get bored with winding you up and ignore you.

Moreover as much as this feud might be important to you (and granted it is your blog), I just don’t think it makes interesting reading for others. It just looks petty. You guys do a really good job filtering out the most obnoxious behaviour here by setting a good standard of debate. I can’t speak for others, but I don’t come here to read about what nasty things LP has to say about CS today in retaliation for what nasty things CS has said about LP the day before. I know you’re a reasonable person LP, and I listened to you on publicaddress radio a few weeks back and had a new level of respect for your contribution to the blogosphere. You’ve obviously done some fantastic work setting up this forum. Don’t undermine it by letting others get under your skin.
illuminatedtiger 121

8 December 2008 at 12:05 am

How the hell was The Standard responsible for Labour’s loss? I think you’re making blogs out to be a bigger influence than they are. If blogs had any real influence on elections National would be down to 25% on the count of Farrar alone.
Tim Ellis 122

8 December 2008 at 12:06 am

LP wrote:

Others get a lot of leeway (like the ‘sod or sweeetd or burt have in the past).

I agree. Sometimes they come off as a group of hecklers at a meeting. They generally aren’t very abusive (although sometimes are) and are often very amusing. I find them entertaining and a few times ‘sod has made a dig at me because I’ve been a bit pretentious or long-winded and he’s brought me down to earth and I’ve laughed out loud.
lprent 123

8 December 2008 at 12:22 am

TE: It is not so much of a feud as an obligation. If the type of behavior is not made costly. then it will result eventually in real problems as it escalates. I’ve seen it before in other forums and it is part of the inherent nature of the net.

This time it impacted on me and this site. Next time it could impact on someone who is less able to take care of themselves. It is better to stop it now with a controlled escalation. In this case it means turning the tactics on the perpetrators. The history of the net is replete with this type of conflict. Another area that this type of problem is being fought out is in places like the social networking sites, eg bebo. Previous examples are things like viruses, spam, denial of service attacks, RPC’s, usenet forums, etc

BTW: Do you have a link to the publicaddress radio thing – I don’t think I’ve ever heard myself on radio? Russell Brown was a bit short so I filled a gap. Found it… Here. That was interesting. Definitely not one of my major skillsets
r0b 124

8 December 2008 at 1:28 am

Definitely not one of my major skillsets

I thought you did just fine!
Rex Widerstrom 125

8 December 2008 at 1:32 am

Funny you should mention what happened to other fora, Lynn.

I saw nz.politics (to which I used to contribute) turn into an unusable flame pit, and thanked the dieties when blogs started appearing. No one who finds The Standard interesting and stimulating wants to see it meet that fate (and your moderating is the only thing standing between the blog and and a sewer outfall, I appreciate that, and commend you on the work you put in to keeping it usable).

So maybe it’d be a good idea if a_y_b didn’t set off exactly the sort of thing you claim to condemn by writing inflammatory, poorly researched, ad hominem posts, then.

What Whaleoil did in relation to yourself was totally unacceptable, IMHO. But as Tim Ellis says, choosing to go for a quick dip in the same sewer might make you feel better, but doesn’t do much for your overall standing. Having said that, I know how you feel – I’m probably lucky I’m several thousand miles away from Ron Mark and am not about to waste an air fare on him, or I’d have done something pretty undignified too (and probably ended up being shot by the DPS).

Tim Ellis: Since we’re trying to douse the fire with sugar water, I should mention I find you to be someone whose arguments are always worth reading and considering, and in particular your comments above are very apt, I think.
Tigger 126

8 December 2008 at 9:24 am

Farrar reminds me of one of those people who would love to be a politician but simply don’t have the skills – sort of like an uncle I had growing up who was always going on about how boobies and chicks but who was hopeless with the ladies.
relic 127

8 December 2008 at 2:19 pm

Spot on Tigger, reminds me of Trevor Louden on New Zeal sniffing his way through the underwear of the left, always outside looking in, destined never to know what it is really like at the centre of the action.
Kimble 128

8 December 2008 at 3:47 pm

So we are all in agreement then?

The evidence AYB presented is worthless and his entire post is nothing more than easily discredited speculation. It makes him and everyone who agrees with him look like fools.
Kimble 129

8 December 2008 at 3:59 pm

“In my opinion the standard was, to a part responsible for labours loss; the constant theme of attacking Key…”

Perhaps responsible isnt the right word. Certainly the attitude and character of The Standard is reminiscent of the attitude and character that caused people to turn away from Labour.

The muck-raking was a big part of it, and that is almost all that The Standard is; it is just one big muck raking group blog. It wasnt a pro-Labour site, it was always simply anti-National.

The Standard is just a gossipy little fart of a site that never provides any discussion of alternatives, it never takes a position that is the opposite of Labour policy (even on blatantly corrupt policy).

Labour was out of ideas mid way through their second term. The Standard started out with no ideas and regressed from there.

Its posters exhibit the sort of arrogant incompetence people associate with the last Labour government.

Eventually you have to stump up with more than “its all Nationals fault”. Labour didnt realise that and were doomed because of it. The Standard will never realise it and that is why it will remain nothing but an echo chamber.

[lprent: Curious, if you believe all of those things, why do you keep coming back, over and over again? Have a written flatulence problem perhaps? If you ask, I could assist in helping you to resist the temptation. It really is little effort (rather like the level of thought you put into your comments).]
Phil 130

8 December 2008 at 5:39 pm

…why do you keep coming back, over and over again?

Why do people slow down when going past traffic accidents?
lprent 131

8 December 2008 at 7:13 pm

Looks like we’re getting under the skin of a certain puerile blogger. As per normal he can’t resist lying

Lie: “The self rated best sysop in the world”
Never said it, never would. There are always going to be better sysops.

Lie: “You would think with the lack of blogging a_y_b would have had time to update the site since he managed to keep his job, albeit in a different office now that has a view that isn’t quite so appealing.”
a_y_b is still in his origional office that he has been working in since I’ve known him. He is one of the few authors on here that I do know. Of course if you lie the first time, then a liar has to keep following the same stupid line.

Ok I stand corrected – he does not lie all of the time.
Partial truth: “I have been banned from responding because Lynn (that surely is a girls name) thinks I am technically illiterate and because I am a creep.”
Yes I do think that he is technically incompetent and a creep. The latter appears to be a common perception. However he has been banned because he wastes my time and I don’t think he adds anything to this site. The mere fact I detest him helps admittedly.
Jum 132

8 December 2008 at 10:02 pm

David Farrar
December 7, 2008 at 1:55 pm

You just had to use the word ‘key’ didn’t you. Did you get paid for that?
Jum 133

8 December 2008 at 10:16 pm

burt re your need to know
December 7, 2008 at 10:27 pm

re my need to know

Tell me who donated money into National’s secret trusts. It was Key and NZBusiness Roundtable wasn’t it. He bought his Act-place in National.
Jum 134

9 December 2008 at 8:19 am

Phil
Re December 8, 2008 at 5:39 pm

People go slow past traffic accidents out of respect and care for the injured, dead and dying.

Anyone not doing that are the very people who caused them. Which group are you in?

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What’s the time Mr Seymour?

Mr David Seymour crawling up to the ceilingThe sun don't shine the sun don't shine the sun don't shine at allMamma Pappa say you should go to school, I don't know what forNow that I've grown up and seen the world and all its liesSong: Southside of Bombay"Ake, ake, ake" ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

5 days ago
Submit to defend te Tiriti!

The Justice Committee has called for submissions on National's racist and constitutionally radical Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill. Submissions can be made at the link above or by post, and are due by Tuesday, 7 January 2025. But I'd get in quick, in case National grows a spine ...

No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant

5 days ago
We need to talk about Kevin

All happy families are alike; each unhappy family has a Drunk Uncle Kevin in there somewhere. If your Kevin is anything like the ones I know, he was getting along happily enough without having to think too much about the Treaty Principles Bill apart from bloody good job, onya guys ...

More Than A FeildingBy David Slack

5 days ago
The hikoi

Like everyone else (everyone who wasn't there, anyway), I've spent the morning watching the hikoi march on Parliament. The pictures are astounding: parliament grounds and the surrounding streets are full, and there are still people backed up along Lambton Quay. The police are estimating 35,000 people, and that's a floor ...

No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant

5 days ago
Why Govt & NZ Inc should boycott & regulate Facebook

The CEOs of Westpac NZ and Kiwibank say Facebook is rife with fraud but reporting scam ads gets no response. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, November 19: The ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

6 days ago
How should we talk about change?

A better world isn’t just possible, it’s desirable. And that’s how we should frame a lot of our conversations around making a greater Auckland. As an example take urban climate action. A climate friendly Auckland: Is free from congestion Enables people to travel how they choose Is filled with ...

Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp

6 days ago
AMA + Holiday Webworm Merch!

Hi,It’s AMA time again — so anything that’s on your mind that you wanna ask, ask away in the comments. This is one of my favourite things to do with full Webworm members, who are the heart of this community of Worms. Journalism? Documentary making? Short Poppies? Cats? Podcasting? What ...

David FarrierBy David Farrier

6 days ago
Discount Code for Webworm Merch!

Hi,So there’s a bunch of new stuff on the Webworm store (www.webworm.store) — just in time for the Holidays. Read more ...

David FarrierBy David Farrier

6 days ago
Trying to defuse the tension

There were urgent moves yesterday at Parliament to try and defuse the tension building up over ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill. The Bill’s author, ACT leader David Seymour, told reporters that he understood the Justice Select Committee met yesterday to discuss how long it should take to consider submissions on the ...

PolitikBy Richard Harman

6 days ago
An Irritable NZ Pawn – David Seymour Admits Treaty Principles Bill will clear the way for deve...

This morning I discovered a post I’d written 10-11 months ago, lamenting how New Zealand’s ACT Party and their foreign and local surrogates would play out anti-Māori propaganda - which I believe they have long prepared for.At the time, it was a plea for action and readiness from my fellow ...

Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui

6 days ago
Gordon Campbell On The Hikoi Arrival, And Tyler Childers

Politicians like to bang on all about the need to heal society’s racial/economic divisions, but in their actions they’re more keen on stoking those divisions, with the Treaty Principles Bill being the classic example. The Bill seeks to dilute the Crown’s responsibilities to Māori at the same time as it ...

WerewolfBy ScoopEditor

6 days ago
Socially Backwards and Fiscally Forwards: the False Ideological Divide and the “Conservative” Li...

Nearly two weeks on from the US election, and we are still mentally wrangling with the results. How did this happen? Which voter demographics went where? What did the Democrats do wrong? Meanwhile here in New Zealand, we’re left wondering how this will apply to us and what this means ...

Sapphi’s SubstackBy Sapphi

6 days ago
Kaamos: Accepted

I appreciate that A Phuulish Fellow has been fairly quiet recently. That’s a combination of two things – comparatively little in the way of relevant material to discuss (at least until The War of the Rohirrim comes out next month), and my general work on The Secret Non-Fiction Writing Project. ...

A Phuulish FellowBy strda221

6 days ago
Here’s how governments could fix their Paris climate commitment failures

This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Governments around the world face a conundrum. Virtually none are on track to meet their Paris climate commitments. That includes the United States, which committed to cut its emissions at least 50% below 2005 levels by 2030 but is only on track for 32-43% cuts ...

Skeptical Science

6 days ago
Unstoppable.

Too Big To Fail: Forty-three years after the 1981 Springbok Tour protests, Maori defenders of te Tiriti, by their own efforts, and using their own resources, are poised to descend on the capital with upwards of 100,000 followers at their back, and no force in front of them even remotely ...

Bowalley Road

6 days ago
Katherine Trebeck – An Alternative Economic Narrative

The era of neoliberalism has been destructive on so many levels, with a huge growth in wealth and privilege for the one percent. A hollowing out of the state; fraying of the safety net; inadequate government investment in infrastructure; and continued environmental degradation has resulted in damage on a vast ...

Fabians

6 days ago
In a Manner of Speaking

In a manner of speakingI just want to sayThat I could never forget the wayYou told me everythingBy saying nothingOh, give me the wordsGive me the wordsThat tell me nothingOh, give me the wordsGive me the wordsThat tell me everythingSongwriter: Winston TongNext Tuesday, the subscription price for Nick’s Kōrero will ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

7 days ago
Monday 18 November 2024

The NZNO have announced a nationwide strike for December over its pay dispute with Health NZ, who have put a 1 per cent cap on pay rises. The Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti and Treaty Principles Bill remain front and centre in the media, with the impacts of the Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke-led ...

NZCTUBy Jeremiah Boniface

7 days ago
Shipley warns Seymour’s bill is ‘inviting civil war’

The divisive Treaty Principles Bill is not just a risk for the National Party, it’s a risk to civil order and unity, warns a National Party grandee. Photo: Getty ImagesKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

7 days ago
A clearer network for the City Rail Link?

This post was originally published on Linked In by Nicolas Reid. It is republished here with permission. Auckland is now just a year or so away from having the keystone of its urban rail network complete. As I wrote about here, the City Rail Link will be a literal game changer for ...

Greater AucklandBy Guest Post

7 days ago
National’s support base is wobbling

If ACT leader David Seymour intended the Treaty Principles Bill to drive a wedge into National’s support base, he may well already be succeeding. By midnight on Thursday after the Maori Party haka in Parliament, National MPs were being deluged with emails and messages from their members calling them out ...

PolitikBy Richard Harman

7 days ago
2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #46

A listing of 33 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, November 10, 2024 thru Sat, November 16, 2024. Story of the week Our Story of the Week is completely "meta" (no, not that Meta). It's about our exploring how ...

Skeptical Science

1 week ago
Grifter Eftpos Tamaki at it again

..Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Self-appointed “Bishop” and proto-fascist, Brian Tamaki was at it again on 16 November, blocking Auckland’s southern motorway, SH1.This time, the target of his ire wasn’t the Civil Unions Act; covid lock-downs; mask mandates; or ...

Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy

1 week ago
Rip up a bill, lead a haka are words to live by

I cannot stop grabbing people by the lapels, or shoulders, or similar, and raving at them about the tiny miracles in my ears.I can hear again! There could not be a more satisfied customer in all the world.In a noisy cafe I am even catching words that Karren cannot, she ...

More Than A FeildingBy David Slack

1 week ago
Unintended Consequences

Take the baitYou pay the priceIt's much too lateFor good adviceYou know and I know that our good things' throughBecause there's consequences for what we doConsequences for me and youWriters: Kevin Robert Hayes, David Nagier, Bonnie Adele Hayes.Fallout from the first readingOne News began last night by saying that tens ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

1 week ago
Thank you, driver!

Today, Saturday 16th of November, is Auckland Transport’s Bus Driver Appreciation Day! Saturday 16 November marks the third annual Auckland Transport (AT) ‘Bus Driver Appreciation Day’, and this year we are encouraging all of New Zealand to thank their driver or let the bus go first if you are in ...

Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland

1 week ago
Totally Normal: Holiday Edition

Hi,If I was to accurately sum up my mental state over the week, I’d just say that I got a huge fright from my own shadow.I’d nipped out for an 11pm neighborhood stroll, just to calm down after a day of stress and screens. The Cure and Fazerdaze’s new record ...

David FarrierBy David Farrier

1 week ago
We Are Not Listening

The current rise of populism challenges the way we think about people’s relationship to the economy.We seem to be entering an era of populism, in which leadership in a democracy is based on preferences of the population which do not seem entirely rational nor serving their longer interests. ...

PunditBy Brian Easton

1 week ago
More lawlessness from National

On Tuesday, sick of government stonewalling, the Waitangi Tribunal issued a rare court order, ordering the Minister of Health to release unredacted documents within 48 hours showing its reasoning for disestablishing Te Aka Whai Ora, the Māori Health Authority. The government's response to the lawful order of a court? Yeah, ...

No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant

1 week ago
National’s tyrannical “foreign interference” law

Yesterday, under cover the the biggest political fight of the year, National quietly - covertly, even - introduced anti-foreign interference legislation. The bill is the product of a years-long work-program aimed at countering shit like this and this, and there's unquestionably a need to do something to counter foreign states' ...

No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant

1 week ago
The Haka Represents The Best Of Us

A few months ago, I was in an audience watching a Haka-Kapa and as I watched children dance and sing and sway and shout and beat, I couldn’t help but think “The Haka represents the best of us.”Yes, yes - there will be a thousand voices that rush forth to ...

Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui

1 week ago
Adding up the climate cost

St Mary’s Bay housing left hanging: Climate risk is systemically underestimated in the climate scenarios used by central banks, and a new report warns 10,000 houses are set to become uninsurable in Aotearoa. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

1 week ago
Auckland chafing at Bishop’s housing intensification orders

One of the major problems the Government has in implementing its ‘going for housing growth’ strategy is that it isn’t giving much funding help to councils. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

1 week ago
Friday 15 November 2024

The Treaty Principles Bill continues to dominate political news, with it passing its first reading in the House. Parliament was briefly suspended and Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke suspended for 24 hours after leading a haka that was joined by opposition MPs and the public in the gallery. Willie ...

NZCTUBy Jeremiah Boniface

1 week ago
Weekly Roundup 15-November-2024

Happy Friday, welcome to another round-up of interesting stories about what’s happening in Auckland and other cities. Feel free to add your links in the comments! This post, like all our work, is brought to you by a largely volunteer crew and made possible by generous donations from our readers ...

Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland

1 week ago
Are We The Waiting?

And screamingAre we we are, are we we are the waitingAnd screamingAre we we are, are we we are the waitingForget me nots, second thoughts live in isolationHeads or tails and fairy tales in my mindAre we we are, are we we are the waiting unknownThe rage and love, the ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

1 week ago
The Hoon around the week to November 15

The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate news, including from COP29 this week; on the US Presidential elections, Israel vs Gaza/Iran/Lebanon, Ukraine/Nato vs Russia/North ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

1 week ago
First Tea and Toast, now Milo — why do NZ’s best beverages need so much defending?

Only two months ago, Nicola Willis had to step in to stop Health New Zealand cutting tea and toast for post-birth parents, and now Lester Levy is riding to the rescue with a welcome message for all: our health workers can once again drink Milo, and will no longer need ...

Sapphi’s SubstackBy Sapphi

1 week ago
Gordon Campbell on the folly of making apologies in a social vacuum.

Day One of the Treaty Principles Bill…and everyone got what they wanted, and did what they liked. Heated words were exchanged. Culturally appropriate acts of outrage were performed. David Seymour got to play the victim card. Willie Jackson got kicked out of class. A comically red-faced Mr Speaker bellowed “Order, ...

WerewolfBy ScoopEditor

1 week ago
Skeptical Science New Research for Week #46 2024

Open access notables Microbial solutions must be deployed against climate catastrophe, Peixoto et al., Nature Communications [comment]: The climate crisis is escalating. A multitude of microbe-based solutions have been proposed, and these technologies hold great promise and could be deployed along with other climate mitigation strategies. However, these solutions have ...

Skeptical Science

1 week ago
The PM gets some extremely valuable legal advice for free

You can pay a great deal of money for the services of a KC. So just what would some peerless legal writing from 40 or so of them be worth, do you reckon?Priceless, that’s what. It’s not even the half of it, but this is my favourite part of the ...

More Than A FeildingBy David Slack

1 week ago

Release: Government should be transparent on live exports

Targeted consultation on reinstating live cattle exports by sea won’t allow the New Zealand public to have their say. ...

Labour Blog

3 days ago
NZ’s global climate rankings plummet as Govt removes agriculture from ETS

The Government has passed legislation to remove agriculture from the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) while Aotearoa’s reputation on climate action plummets. ...

Greens

3 days ago
Failed boot camp experiment must end

As legislation to set up boot camps passed its first reading, the Green Party urged the Government to abandon this failed policy experiment for the good of our rangatahi. ...

Greens

3 days ago
Gender-affirming care must centre evidence and health needs, not political posturing

The Ministry of Health has today released an evidence brief regarding the use of puberty blockers in gender-affirming healthcare, amid moves by the government to limit access. ...

Greens

3 days ago
Release: National doesn’t care about manufacturing

The National Government is walking away from our manufacturing sector with constant reports of closures and job losses. ...

Labour Blog

3 days ago
Release: David Parker speech – Piketty, Inequality and Climate Change

David Parker's speech from the University of Auckland's forum on Piketty, Inequality and Climate Change in September 2024. ...

Labour Blog

3 days ago
Release: Youth mental wellbeing no longer a priority for Child Poverty Minister

Louise Upston has revealed her diminished vision for vulnerable youth against a backdrop of snubbed advice, scrapped priorities, shifted goal posts and thousands more children projected to fall into poverty. ...

Labour Blog

3 days ago
Release: National’s lack of climate action taking NZ backwards

National Government’s backward-looking climate policy has seen New Zealand fall seven places on the Climate Change Performance Index to 41 out of 63 countries measured. ...

Labour Blog

3 days ago
Release: Simple reason for drop in emergency housing

When the Government says it has reduced the number of people in emergency housing, what it means is it is stopping people from accessing it in the first place. ...

Labour Blog

4 days ago
Govt’s child wellbeing strategy ‘shallow and shameful’

The Government is turning its back on children by not only weakening child poverty reduction targets, but also removing child mental wellbeing as a priority focus in their Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy. ...

Greens

4 days ago
Release: A historic win for Samoan communities

Labour warmly welcomes the Restoring Samoan Citizenship Bill as it passes its third reading, before becoming law. ...

Labour Blog

4 days ago
Government plan to reinstate live animal exports a “national disgrace”

The Government has taken a giant step backwards by reinstating live animal exports. ...

Greens

4 days ago
Pasifika justice as Member’s Bill passes final reading

Teanau Tuiono’s Member’s Bill, the Citizenship (Western Samoa Restoration) Amendment Bill, has passed its third reading and will become law. ...

Greens

4 days ago
Release: Minister of Education thinks New Zealand ends at the Bombay Hills

The Minister of Education has shown complete disregard for rural communities and their school bus routes in Question Time today. ...

Labour Blog

4 days ago
Economists sound alarm on Government’s slash-and-burn approach

A group of prominent economists has released an open letter to the Government, raising grave concerns about the far-reaching consequences of its fiscal policy. ...

Greens

4 days ago
Release: Smoking numbers up under Costello’s watch

National’s repeal of Labour’s smokefree legislation has taken New Zealand further away from achieving a Smokefree 2025 and a smokefree generation. ...

Labour Blog

4 days ago
Release: Call for Palestine recognition by NZ, Australian and Canadian MPs

Parliamentarians from Australia, Canada and New Zealand have written an open letter to their respective Prime Ministers calling on them to recognise Palestine. ...

Labour Blog

5 days ago
Justice Select Committee opens floor for Treaty Principles submissions

Today, the Justice Select Committee has decided to officially open submissions for the controversial Treaty Principles Bill. ...

Greens

6 days ago
Power of the people on full display as hīkoi approaches Parliament

Today, Hīkoi mō te Tiriti arrived in Wellington, with thousands gathering to march in unity against the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...

Greens

6 days ago
Hypocrisy as Te Whatu Ora contractor bill balloons

Te Whatu Ora’s bill for contracting and consulting staff has ballooned by nearly 20 percent under the National Government, breaking a promise they made during the election campaign to cut contractors. ...

Labour Blog

6 days ago
Release: Growing pressure to scrap Section 7AA Repeal Bill

The newly released Section 7AA Repeal Bill's select committee report is further evidence that the Government should scrap it. ...

Labour Blog

1 week ago
Government’s move to monetise access to nature a slippery slope

The Green Party is voicing serious concerns over the Government’s proposal to charge for access to public conservation land, released today. ...

Greens

1 week ago
Green Party condemns the passage of Treaty Principles Bill

The Green Party condemns the passing of the Treaty Principles Bill at first reading, and is clear that the fight is not over. ...

Greens

1 week ago
Stand Up for Te Tiriti

Te Tiriti o Waitangi is our country’s founding document. It forms the basis of the relationship between Māori and the Crown – and the Aotearoa New Zealand we live in today. ...

Labour Blog

1 week ago
Release: Over 15,000 sign Labour’s open letter to Luxon

As the hīkoi to Parliament continues, Labour has sent an open letter to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in a last-ditch attempt to get him to kill the Treaty Principles Bill. ...

Labour Blog

1 week ago
Fast Track Bill threatens environment, climate and reputation

The fast-track legislation passing its second reading in Parliament is another step towards environmental ruin. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Greens join King’s Counsel in calling for Treaty Principles Bill to be abandoned

The Prime Minister must answer the call from a group of senior lawyers of the King’s Counsel to abandon the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Chris Hipkins’ apology statement to state and faith-based care survivors

...

Labour Blog

2 weeks ago
Release: Labour formally apologises to state and faith-based care survivors

Labour joins with the Government in unreservedly apologising for the abuse, neglect and trauma including torture in state and faith-based care and for ignoring the voices of survivors for too long. ...

Labour Blog

2 weeks ago
Green Party stands in support of survivors of abuse in care

Today, the Green Party stands alongside the survivors of abuse in state care and faith-based care as the Government issues an historic apology. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Green Party calls for conscience vote on Treaty Principles Bill

The Green Party has written to the Speaker of the House requesting he enable a personal vote on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Govt move to exclude journalist risks chilling effect

The Green Party is alarmed by the Government’s move to exclude a journalist from covering this week’s apology for the survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Without action, an apology will be empty air

For tomorrow’s apology to survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care to hold any water, the Government must not pursue the same policies that drove the abuse in the first place. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Release: Concerns remain over tobacco interference

Concerns about the tobacco industry’s ability to interfere in government policy making remain, despite the inability of the Office of the Auditor-General to investigate the Government’s decision to halve the excise tax on heated tobacco products. ...

Labour Blog

2 weeks ago
Urgent wake-up call on climate

The Climate Change Commission’s latest advice indicates Aotearoa needs to be stepping up on climate action. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Green MP’s Meme-ber’s Bill set to save the world

Break out the punchlines and dust off your meme folder: Green Party MP Kahurangi Carter’s Copyright (Parody and Satire) Amendment Bill was pulled from the Ballot yesterday. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Release: Poroporoaki: Ta Robert (Bom) Gillies

Kua hinga te manawa kairākau o Te Rua Tekau Ma Waru Tiwhatiwha te po! Kakarauru i te po! Ka rapuhia kei hea koe kua riro! Haere e te Ika a Whiro ki o tini hoa kua ngaro atu ki te Pō ...

Labour Blog

2 weeks ago
Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principles Bill

The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Release: Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principle...

The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...

Labour Blog

2 weeks ago
NZ must pursue independent foreign policy

The Green Party says the need is greater than ever for Aotearoa New Zealand to pursue an independent foreign policy. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago

Child Protection Investigation Unit established

A new Child Protection Investigation Unit is being established to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children in care, Minister for Children Karen Chhour says. “The report released by the Royal Commission into abuse in state care shows us all the risk of not acting immediately when there are serious ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Speech at United States Business Summit 2024

Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Ka mihi ki te mana whenua ko Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. Kia ora and good morning everyone. Thank you Fran and Simon for inviting me here today, and importantly your leadership of this forum over several years now. I want to acknowledge David Gehrenbeck, Deputy ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Record number of submissions received on granny flat proposal

Nearly 2,000 submissions have been received on the Government’s proposals aimed at making it easier to build a granny flat of up to 60 square metres without a resource or building consent, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk say. “This is the highest number ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
District Court Judge appointed

Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Rebecca Guthrie as a District Court Judge. Judge Guthrie was admitted to the bar in 1997 following her graduation from the University of Canterbury in 1996 (LLB, BA). She commenced her legal career in Hastings in 1997 before moving to London in ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Appointments strengthen Predator Free 2050

The latest Predator Free 2050 Board appointments will help to strengthen biodiversity efforts across Aotearoa New Zealand, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says. Mr Potaka today announced two appointments to the Board of Directors of Predator Free 2050 Limited, a key player in the wider Predator Free 2050 Programme. “The Predator ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
New facility in Christchurch will improve the lives of young New Zealanders

Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey today opened Kahurangi, an innovative and much-needed facility for Canterbury’s Child, Adolescent, and Family Mental Health Services. “The new state of the art outpatient facility opened today will be a gamechanger for the way mental health is delivered for young people in Canterbury,” says Mr ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Driver safety screens to be installed on Auckland buses

Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news from the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) that bus driver protection screens will be installed across Auckland’s bus fleet by 2026.“The Government is committed to improving the safety of working environments for bus drivers, and Budget 2024 allocated $15 million of Crown funding over ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Government action provides Southland farmers more time to meet plan requirements

The Government is taking action to ensure Southland farmers and growers are not affected by unreasonable regional farm plan deadlines, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard say.“Cabinet has agreed to provide more time for farmers and growers to comply with regional rules ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Bill reaffirms Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending

The Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Bill had its first reading at Parliament today. The Bill reaffirms the Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending, Minister for Children Karen Chhour says. “In recent years we have seen an unacceptable spike in youth offending. “This Bill makes ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Critical milestones for earthquake buildings review

Fairer, more sensible rules about managing earthquake risks are a step closer with the passing of legislation and the appointment of an independent chair to provide expert advice, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The Government is committed to reinvigorating our cities and regions to support economic growth, ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
State of the art radiology machine for Auckland

People in Northland and Auckland will benefit from a new machine for cancer treatment installed at the Regional Cancer and Blood Service at Auckland City Hospital. The MV5 linear accelerator, or LINAC machine, officially opened today targets cancer tumours with pinpoint accuracy. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says this new, ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Foreign Minister to visit Europe

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Europe for high-level talks with France, Germany and the United Kingdom next week. "Since taking office almost a year ago, the Coalition Government has emphasised the importance we place on New Zealand's traditional and likeminded diplomatic and ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
First arrests made under gang patch ban

Police have made their first arrests under the new gang patch legislation, with two gang members arrested, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “Just before 11 this morning, Police in Wairoa apprehended a gang member for wearing a patch to the supermarket. He has been arrested and will now face enforcement ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Better support for victims of sexual violence

The Government is proposing two major changes to name suppression laws that will put the views of victims of sexual violence first, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “We are committed to restoring law and order and these two proposed changes will help ensure the victims of crime are put at ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Government moving forward with Regional Deals

Cabinet has agreed to invite all regions to submit proposals for Regional Deals between central and local government that drive economic growth and deliver the infrastructure our country needs, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop say. Inviting all regions to propose a Regional Deal that boosts ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
MSA pilot participant update

One of the ten young men selected to participate in the Military-Style Academy Pilot has allegedly reoffended. Children’s Minister Karen Chhour is disappointed but says it would be naïve to think that none of these young men would reoffend. “I’m saddened that this young person has not taken this opportunity ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Fighting for Kiwis in Trade

Delivered at Auckland Trade and Economic Policy School Good morning and thank you Deputy Vice Chancellor Lithander for your warm welcome and for inviting me to open Auckland Trade and Economic Policy School today. A Special thanks to the University of Auckland, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Attendance rates increase, again

Associate Education Minister David Seymour says that school attendance is continuing to rise. In Term 3 of 2024 51.3 per cent of students attended school regularly, an increase of 5.3 percentage points from 46 per cent in Term 3 of 2023. “This Government has prioritised student attendance and it is ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Improving the lives of young New Zealanders

Ensuring New Zealand is the best place in the world for children and young people is the vision at the heart of the Government’s new Child and Youth Strategy, Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston says. “Childhood represents a huge opportunity to set people on a positive path towards living ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Government continues work to reinstate livestock exports by sea

The Government is reinstating the trade of livestock exports by sea while ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare, says Associate Minister of Agriculture Andrew Hoggard.“The Government will introduce legislation changes to reinstate the trade, enhance oversight, and strengthen requirements for exporters to identify risks and manage the welfare of ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Speech to the National Quality Forum 2024

Tēnā koutou katoa – it is a pleasure to be here today. I would like to begin by acknowledging the important leadership role you all play in ensuring a quality health system New Zealanders can trust. There is enormous clinical expertise in this room covering a wide range of disciplines. ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
New Zealand’s COP29 National Statement

Tēnā koutou katoa. Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. New Zealand, and all nations represented here today, are already dealing with the impacts of climate change. Our households, businesses, and economies are bearing the costs of its effects. The choices we make now will shape the severity of these impacts for generations ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

5 days ago
Latest Quarterly Investment Report released

The Government has released its second Quarterly Investment Report (QIR) which shows substantial work still to be done by agencies to improve investment reporting and meet the Government’s expectations, Infrastructure and Acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “New Zealand has significant infrastructure and investment needs. The Government is determined to get ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

5 days ago
New Zealand supporting loss and damage fund

Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced New Zealand will contribute NZ$10 million to the new Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage while at the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. “New Zealand is joining the global effort to address the significant challenge of responding to ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

5 days ago
Gang crackdown begins at stroke of midnight

The free ride for gangs is over when the clock strikes midnight tonight, with tough new laws officially coming into effect, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell say. “Gang patches will no longer be able to be worn in public. To earn the right to wear a ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

5 days ago
LGFA increases borrowing capacity to support high growth councils

The Government is welcoming the decision by the Local Government Funding Agency to increase access to financing tools for fast growing councils to support greater investment in critical infrastructure, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says.“Communities across the country are facing an infrastructure deficit and significant population growth is projected in ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

5 days ago
Temporary Traffic Management costs revealed

The Government has revealed that over the past three years, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has spent an eyewatering $786 million of taxpayers’ money on road cones and temporary traffic management (TTM), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“When I became Minister, I was surprised to learn that that NZTA did ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

5 days ago
Jurisdiction of Disputes Tribunal to double

Legislation that will double the financial jurisdiction of the Disputes Tribunal from $30,000 to $60,000 has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith. “We need to improve court timeliness and access to justice so that Kiwis and get on with their lives. Court delays affect everyone, the ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

5 days ago
Protecting New Zealand from foreign interference

Legislation that will specifically criminalise foreign interference and strengthen espionage offences has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “It is normal and appropriate for states to interact and work to influence one another. This encourages cooperation and can have mutually beneficial outcomes. “However, the reality ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

5 days ago
Significant milestone for Canterbury Road of National Significance

Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news that the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board has approved funding towards pre-implementation and early works on the State Highway 1 (SH1) Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass Road of National Significance (RoNS). “Reaching this significant milestone is a reflection of our Government’s ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

5 days ago
Health survey results to help drive change

Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says findings from the annual Health Survey highlight the need to continue driving better health outcomes for New Zealanders. The New Zealand Health Survey is an annual snapshot of key metrics measured from July 2023 – July 2024. Findings released this morning include: In 2023/24, ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

5 days ago
Final push needed to get to Smokefree 2025

A renewed effort to get people to quit smoking will build on what has worked to date and target the groups who most need support, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello said today. “The latest New Zealand Health Survey results show the daily smoking rate at 6.9 per cent and we ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

5 days ago
New diplomatic appointments

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced four new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

6 days ago
Next steps for Regulatory Standards Bill

Regulation Minister David Seymour has today announced the next steps in the Government’s plan improve the quality of regulation by opening consultation on a proposed Regulatory Standards Bill. “New Zealand's low wages can be blamed on low productivity, and low productivity can be blamed on poor regulation,” says Mr Seymour. ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

6 days ago
Red Tape Tipline goes live

Minister for Regulation David Seymour has today announced that the Ministry for Regulation’s Red Tape Tipline is now live. “We want to hear about your red tape horror stories. From today, New Zealanders will have a say on how they are regulated through an online portal,” says Mr Seymour. The ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

6 days ago
Youth Parliament 2025 announced

The Minister for Youth Matt Doocey has today announced the eleventh Youth Parliament will be taking place in 2025. “Youth Parliament offers a unique youth development opportunity to young people from across New Zealand to experience the political process and learn about how government works,” says Mr Doocey. “The two-day ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

6 days ago
Police stats show promising change

After nearly a year in Government, Kiwis have seen significant change across law and order with promising early results shown across some Police statistics, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “In August 2023, I told New Zealanders that if they had not started to see a change in public safety within ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

6 days ago
Better coordination of anti-scam efforts

With the launch of Fraud Awareness Week, the Government is committing to new coordination efforts across industry and government to combat online scams, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Online financial scams are a growing problem for New Zealand. New data released today shows that Kiwis lost nearly ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

7 days ago
Minister to consider 7AA select committee report

Minister for Children Karen Chhour will consider the recommendations made by the Social Services and Community Committee in its report back to Parliament on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill. “I want to thank the people who made submissions and those who appeared before the committee in ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

7 days ago
Defence Minister to attend ASEAN meeting

Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Vientiane, Laos. “We need to take every opportunity to engage with our international partners, given the increasingly unstable geo-political situation,” Ms Collins says. “New Zealand has a long-standing commitment to this ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

7 days ago

View from The Hill: Albanese government crumples on misinformation bill and gambling advertising

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra “Big Tech” is celebrating one victory over the Albanese government, but is set to lose on another front. Ahead of the final parliamentary sitting week for 2024, the government has not just withdrawn its ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

49 minutes ago
‘I was so scared’: Abused as children, incacerated as adults

Former inmates are speaking out to demand better mental health care for those currently imprisoned. ...

Radio NZ – political

1 hour ago
Remaining members of ‘Bali nine’ set for repatriation, with conditions

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government is still discussing the details for the remaining five of the “Bali nine” to be repatriated to Australia, Special Minister of Sate Don Farrell has said. The planned repatriation follows the representations ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

2 hours ago
COP 29: Carbon credit trading scheme critisised as ‘get out of jail free card’

The deal reached in the final hours of COP29 has been criticised as a free pass for countries to slack off on efforts to reduce emissions at home. ...

Radio NZ – political

3 hours ago
COP 29: Carbon credit trading scheme criticised as ‘get out of jail free card’

The deal reached in the final hours of COP29 has been criticised as a free pass for countries to slack off on efforts to reduce emissions at home. ...

Radio NZ – political

3 hours ago
Protest photographer John Miller records Hīkoi mō te Tiriti with his historic lens

RNZ News For almost six decades photographer John Miller (Ngāpuhi) has been a protest photographer in Aotearoa New Zealand. From his first photographs of an anti-Vietnam War protest on Auckland’s Albert Street as a high school student in 1967, to Hīkoi mō te Tiriti last week, Miller has focused much ...

Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report

4 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacqueline Peel, Director, Melbourne Climate Futures, The University of Melbourne The petroleum-laden dust has settled on this year’s United Nations climate summit, COP29, held over the past fortnight in Baku, Azerbaijan. Climate scientists, leaders, lobbyists and delegates are heading for home. ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

5 hours ago
All Blacks end of year tour: What we learned

Analysis - There's plenty to talk about including TJ Perenara's statement during the haka, Jamie Wall writes. ...

Radio NZ – political

10 hours ago
‘To love is to move towards freedom’: Parliament’s newest MP makes their maiden st...

Green MP Benjamin Doyle has joined the 54th Parliament a year into its term. Their maiden statement emphasised the need for radical love. ...

Radio NZ – political

14 hours ago
Live: Minister absent on crucial day as climate talks near collapse

Small island and vulnerable nations walked out of climate finance negotiations on Saturday afternoon in Baku, Azerbaijan, protesting a process they say excluded their participation and views.The COP29 talks are now on the edge of collapse on the crucial issue of a new global finance goal, as the summit has ...

NewsroomBy Marc Daalder

16 hours ago
Hīkoi hats: Why are so many people wearing red berets?

For the march to Parliament, many young wahine donned a red beret. It's a pōtae steeped in history and symbolism. ...

Radio NZ – political

17 hours ago
An Ode to .. Erica Stanford

Mean Girl HighSchool swot Jan Tinetti hurries to classAs the bell rings.Slouching against the lockers,Mean Girl Erica lies in waitWith her surly gang of Teen Delinquents.Erica whispers somethingAnd leers horribly at Jan at she scurries past.Jan’s lip trembles,And a hot tear rolls down her face.The Meanies all cackle with gleeAnd ...

NewsroomBy Victor Billot

18 hours ago
Behind the Banner: Inside the hīkoi mō te Tiriti

Over nine days, rangatahi and veterans of past hīkoi walked shoulder-to-shoulder to take their message to Parliament. Ella Stewart and Cole Eastham-Farrelly were there. ...

Scoop politics

1 day ago
Concern Regarding Inconsistent Designation Of Terrorist Organizations

While it is important to maintain strong alliances, it is equally crucial to uphold our Kiwi values of fairness and justice. New Zealand has always prided itself on its commitment to equality and human rights. ...

Scoop politics

1 day ago
New Zealand Government’s Racially Divisive Treaty Principles Bill Passes First Reading

By voting for the bill and allowing it to proceed to the select committee, the coalition parties are enabling ACT—an extremely unpopular party that received just 8.6 percent in the 2023 election—to dominate political discourse, posturing as the party of ...

Scoop politics

1 day ago
Fiji’s Immigration Minister steps down temporarily over ‘unauthorised’ passports for cult memb...

RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Home Affairs and Immigration Minister Pio Tikoduadua has ordered an inquiry into the “possible unauthorised issuance of passports” by immigration staff and “offered to step aside temporarily from role”. In a statement on Thursday night, Tikoduadua said the passports in question were issued to the children of ...

Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report

1 day ago
A 4.45 billion-year-old crystal from Mars reveals the planet had water from the beginning

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron J. Cavosie, Senior lecturer, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University JPL-Caltech/NASA Water is ubiquitous on Earth – about 70% of Earth’s surface is covered by the stuff. Water is in the air, on the surface and inside rocks. ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

2 days ago
COP29 summit runs overtime as finance talks falter over ‘insult’

“Is it a joke?”That’s what Bolivian diplomat Diego Balanza said on Wednesday in Baku, Azerbaijan, when asked by a reporter about the possibility of the new global climate finance goal (the NCQG) landing at just US$200 billion a year. Developing countries have been pushing for a number in the trillions, ...

NewsroomBy Marc Daalder

2 days ago
The Weekend: What would you march for?

Madeleine Chapman reflects on the week that was. When I was a junior writer at The Spinoff, Simon Wilson joined the team as Auckland editor. He’d been the editor of Metro for many years and was easily the most experienced journalist in the room. So if we both happened to ...

The SpinoffBy Madeleine Chapman

2 days ago
Celebrating families who give the ultimate gift

Amy Ng-Thomson’s first time walking up One Tree Hill/Maungakiekie was six months after a lung transplant.“It was a beautiful March day, and I always do it in March now… seeing the blue skies, the views, feeling the breeze, I get the sense that she’s with me every time I go ...

NewsroomBy Davina Zimmer

2 days ago
Short story: Freefall, by Owen Marshall

Gordon was meant to be with him on that hike. It wasn’t high mountain stuff, but it was rugged, and it’s always sensible to have a companion when that far into the back country. They’d planned to do it in two days and knew each other’s capabilities. But Gordon got ...

NewsroomBy Owen Marshall

2 days ago
‘You bring your whole life to watching TV’: Critic Diana Wichtel on a life in review

The veteran reviewer takes us through her life in television, including the allure of property shows, the crushing end of Campbell Live, and the review that got the most hate mail. Having reviewed television for The Listener for over three decades, award-winning critic Diana Wichtel has chronicled the medium through ...

The SpinoffBy My Life in TV

2 days ago
Can poets drive? A sociocultural investigation

Of all the stereotypes about poets, perhaps the most enduring cliche is that poets can’t drive. But what evidence do we have to back that up? A non-driving poet attempts to find out the truth. Bob Dylan said it. Jo Shapcott said it. Wendy Cope said it. Martin Amis said it, ...

The SpinoffBy Hera Lindsay Bird

2 days ago
How to read a poem: selections from Slender Volumes by Richard von Sturmer

The latest in a semi-regular series that breaks down a poem to analyse what it’s really trying to tell us. I’ve been interested in Richard von Sturmer’s work since I saw him perform at Wellington’s LitCrawl years ago. He was compelling, using his whole body to thump out a poem, ...

The SpinoffBy Claire Mabey

2 days ago
‘By golly it slaps’: Arthur Ahbez’s perfect weekend playlist

Psychedelic folk singer Arthur Ahbez shares his perfect weekend playlist. Arthur Ahbez will likely wake up this weekend with breathing exercises informed by Dutch motivational speaker Wim Hof, and perhaps a bit of yoga. That’s an ideal Saturday, but if he can’t get to it, it’s because life’s responsibilities have ...

The SpinoffBy Weekend playlist

2 days ago
Gold medal Black Ferns Sevens take on world again without three champions

The 12th edition of the World Sevens Series (SVNS) starts in earnest next weekend in Dubai. Australia are the defending champions having won the Grand Final in Madrid in May. They also won the 2023 Dubai Sevens, snapping New Zealand’s 41-game unbeaten streak in the process.The Black Ferns Sevens are Olympic ...

NewsroomBy Adam Julian

2 days ago
The Secret Diary of .. Heather and Barry

HEATHER DU PLESSIS-ALLANI was driving down the middle of the road and Barry who was sitting next to me said,BARRY SOPER“Watch where you’re going!”HEATHERBy which he meant of course the idiots driving on either side of us, but mainly in the left lane. And he had a good point. Because ...

NewsroomBy Steve Braunias

2 days ago
Denmark’s uprooting of settled residents from ‘ghettos’ forms part of aggressive plan to assim...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Selma Hedlund, Postdoctoral Associate at Center of Forced Displacement, Boston University History is full of examples of governments using forced segregation against ethnic minorities. From settler colonialists coercing Indigenous peoples into reservations, Nazis forcing Jews into ghettos or the United States ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

2 days ago
Maritime Union joins opposition to live export shipments

The Maritime Union also has zero faith in government assurances of a gold standard for ships used for the trade. ...

Radio NZ – political

2 days ago
Offshore oil and gas ban ‘worst political decision’, Shane Jones says

Shane Jones says the offshore oil and gas ban is "the worst political decision" he has ever been involved with. ...

Radio NZ – political

2 days ago
Andrew Bayly ‘loser’ incident: Frantic texts, thumbs-up from PM, photo of drinking from ...

A series of frantic text messages from Andrew Bayly to government staffers amid scrutiny over his actions at a winery have been revealed. ...

Radio NZ – political

2 days ago
ACT’s David Seymour won’t ‘bow down’ to his hapū leaders

They have pleaded with the ACT leader to stop what they say are abusive violations of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. ...

Radio NZ – political

2 days ago
Former political figure who abused teens loses name suppression

However, his name remains under wraps as he has already indicated he will appeal. ...

Radio NZ – political

2 days ago
Educating young people about social media would be far more effective than a ban – Finland can sh...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Grantham, Lecturer in Communication, Griffith University Shutterstock The federal government’s proposed social media ban for under-16s has sparked widespread debate, affecting millions of young Australians, their families and educators. But will it actually work? While the aim behind this ban ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

2 days ago
Ant stings can be painful. Here’s how to avoid getting stung this summer (and what to do if you do...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Robinson, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland AG-PHOTOS/Shutterstock With the start of summer just days away, many of us will be looking forward to long sunny days spent at the beach, by the pool, out ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

2 days ago
Is using the Future Fund for housing, energy and infrastructure really ‘raiding Australia’s nest...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Crosby, Professor, Monash University Chichimaru/Shutterstock Australia has a seriously big “nest egg”. The Future Fund – our sovereign wealth fund set up in 2006 – now manages about $230 billion. Specifically, its remit is to “invest for the benefit ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

2 days ago
Women are less likely to receive CPR than men. Training on manikins with breasts could help

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Stokes-Parish, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Bond University Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock If someone’s heart suddenly stops beating, they may only have minutes to live. Doing CPR (cardiopulmonary resusciation) can increase their chances of survival. CPR makes sure blood keeps pumping, providing oxygen to ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

2 days ago
The Friday Poem: ‘Boyhood’ by Art Nahill

A new poem by Art Nahill. Boyhood I hate the way the dog cowers when I raise my voice. After all this time together she’s still not sure what I’m capable of. As kids with too much time we sprinkled salt on slugs plucked from summer gardens watched them shrivel ...

The SpinoffBy Art Nahill

2 days ago
The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending November 22

The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Orbital by Samantha Harvey (Jonathan Cape, $26) The slight, superb winner of the Booker Prize ...

The SpinoffBy The Spinoff Review of Books

2 days ago
‘Wanted’ for war crimes over Gaza: Israel’s Netanyahu, Gallant face ICC arrest warrants

Democracy Now! NERMEEN SHAIKH: In The Hague, the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during Israel’s assault on Gaza. In a statement, the ICC said the Israeli leaders had, ...

Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report

2 days ago

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Farrar back on the PS payroll?

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