Fran O’Sullivan will be distressed over Crafar decision.

Written By: - Date published: 5:36 pm, February 15th, 2012 - 64 comments
Categories: Media - Tags: , , ,

Now there is a surprise (not). The Crafar farms sale doesn’t conform to the economic benefits required under the OIO’s act. I guess that Fran O’Sullivan is going to be distressed. “Anonymous” authors here actually knew what they were talking about, and the decision by the OIO and government was not in conformance with the Overseas Investment Act.

The NZ Herald in a rare act of informational political reporting says

The High Court has effectively overturned the Government’s decision to grant Chinese company Shanghai Pengxin permission to buy the Crafar dairy farms.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson and Associate Finance Minister Jonathan Coleman two weeks ago signed off on the Overseas Investment Office’s recommendation that the application to buy the farms by Shanghai Pengxin’s subsidiary Milk NZ be accepted.

A consortium of rival bidders led by merchant banker Sir Michael Fay lodged an application for a judicial review of that decision.

In his decision released this afternoon Justice Forrie Miller said the application for a review was granted.

Read the full decision here.

“The ministers’ consent to overseas investment to be made by Milk NZ in the Crafar farms is set aside. I direct that the ministers reconsider Milk NZ’s application.”

Justice Miller’s decision appears based on his view that the economic benefits to New Zealand of Shanghai Pengxin’s purchase were overstated in the Overseas Investment Office’s recommendation.

Relevant legislation was intended to allow overseas investment in farm land only where that investment was likely to benefit New Zealand.

As I was pointing out when opining on Fran O’Sullivan’s ridiculous shill for the government‘s wishes, the OIO and government case didn’t look like it conformed to the requirements of the OIO’s enabling act.

But what is interesting in her diversion article was a following paragraph…

To my mind the deal provides much greater upside for New Zealand than many of the other farms sales which have gone to foreign interests in recent years.

Ah yes, that is the crux of the actual question that Red and many of the 700 odd comments on his post were asking. It is also the question that Fran in my view seems to wish to avoid addressing at all costs.

Fran  smeared every opponent of the Crafar farms sale to Pengxin with this  bit of ignorant bullshit

The Crafar decision is a victory for economic rationalism over blind xenophobic nationalism. Long may the former reign.

Ah yes, Fran could see it that way if you don’t think about the actual legislation. However anyone who had actually read the damn act and understood it could see that the decision didn’t met the requirements of the legislation.

Of course one of our authors taking strong exception to her daft smear got the usual nasty response from the governments’ favourite shill.

The Standard is reputed to have been started by a bunch of Labour Party activists. Most posters won’t sign their names to their comments because they are frightened they will be held responsible. They are frankly cowards.

I finally branded them the “Ku Klux Klan” of the internet world on Twitter. A bunch of lily-livered word jocks who hide behind their virtual cloaks of anonymity.

But I would have engaged them directly in the argument if they had signed their names.

Yeah right… She equates an author with the entire site and indulges in some gratuitous denigration and then gives a completely spurious reasoning to not answer the arguments.

In my view the reason that she didn’t engage was because the arguments she was using were at best questionable. She simply didn’t like having that pointed out to her.

Like far too many other poorly prepared and informed journalists I have seen over the years, she was far too susceptible to being spun by the government and didn’t use her frigging brain. And like many journalists she just doesn’t like being criticised in public. She didn’t “engage”  because the arguments she used in her articles were poor, not suited to the real debate that needed to happen over Crafar farms, and were just damn wrong. Look at the judge’s decision….

I’m afraid that having access to a printing press or having the ego to become a talking head for broadcast media doesn’t confer miraculous analysis powers. Many people outside of the beltway, including the many of the authors and commentators on this site, have been highly educated. Many like myself have spent large amounts of time either involved in or spent time thinking about politics.

Unlike politicians, their minons and the wannabe media egos like Farrar and Slater; most  bloggers  are just not reliant or even interested in the media goodwill. In fact most of us have jobs that have very little to do with the segregated wasteland that is the beltway that Fran and most political media types inhabit. We don’t have to pander to those fragile egos in the way that the more dependent sycophants of the political spectrum do.

Opining on politics is a small and not all that important part of our lives. That is the reason almost all political bloggers use pseudonyms especially when starting. We’re not interested in ramping up our ego’s with real world attention. Quite simply we write because we want to discuss things without the strange broadcast view of the  main stream media  talking down to readers, watchers, and listeners where we don’t get to discuss their lofty opinions. Also having vindictive arseholes attacking our lives or workplaces with extra-legal attacks because they got upset about something we said (as has happened to me) is not something that anyone enjoys.

So we use pseudonyms to stop the casual readers from treating us as if our lives depended on our blogging (the guru effect)*, and stopping the vindictively obsessed like Whaleoil and his ilk from easily stalking us (the idiot effect), and write so our opinions are just opinions and can be viewed mostly from the strength of their argument.

And the reality is that with the a few notable exceptions like Slater, almost all political bloggers act well within the legal bounds for fair comment. It is certainly what we strive for on this site. We almost certainly know the legal limits better than some puffed up media personalities with their sense of fairness and legality having atrophied from having a corporate legal team vetting their words.

Authors here and in other blog sites can and often do criticize the bloated egos of the 4th estate.  The press had better get used to it and learn from Fran’s example of things not to do in response.

 

* That is the main reason you won’t find my picture anywhere  on the net that I know of. Bad enough getting embarrassed with having peoples heads twist around at Labour party events when they hear my name. It’d be hell if I had my image plastered all over the place like Fran, DPF, and Whale. I’d never be able to sit in meetings playing mindless games  on the pad again without people getting offended by my inattention.

64 comments on “Fran O’Sullivan will be distressed over Crafar decision. ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Macro 1
    15 February 2012 at 5:47 pm

    Well said.
    I actually sold a farm to a Chinese buyer a year or so back. The grass has grown – but not much else.
    Still the regenerating wetlands have been left to get on with their own thing.
    I think it’s called “land banking”.

    • Wayne 1.1
      15 February 2012 at 6:36 pm

      The judge has obviously agreed that the farms will benefit. He only insists that the benefit would have happened under a New Zealand owner anyway. But the rules are the investment must benefit New Zealand. Not that the benefit must be substantially more than what would be the case had a New Zealander made the investment.

      The judge is also ignorant of the fact that the immediate benefit is of course 200 million dollars of Chinese money going in to basically buy the farms off Australian bankers. That is 200 million dollars right at the get go, that will not flow out of New Zealand. And the benefit of foreign investment is of course the fact that it is foreign—-other people bringing money into the country.

      That the judge has so obviously misinterpreted the rules as they stand means his decision will likely be overturned. The irony is the judge has basically admitted that the proposed sale will benefit NZ.

      • Matt 1.1.1
        15 February 2012 at 6:51 pm

        How fortunate we are to have Wayne, the eminent legal scholar, to set those dumb judges straight.

        • Mike 1.1.1.1
          16 February 2012 at 10:44 am

          Hehehe, you beat me to it. I’m sorry to all the Waynes out there but something about some guy named Wayne calling a judge ignorant and saying the judge has obviously misinterpreted the rules just seems to make it funnier.

          I wonder how he gets from 200 mill going to Australian bankers to 200 mill staying in NZ. In actual fact the 200 mill doesn’t really physically exist Wayne, it’s just balance sheet entries enabled by a promise to pay and balanced on the balance sheet by banking sleight of hand.

          And I wonder where he gets the idea that the courts decision will likely be overturned? By whom? Key’s already stated an appeal is highly unlikely.

      • lprent 1.1.2
        15 February 2012 at 6:58 pm

        Jez Wayne. Don’t you read….

        That is just money. It has a benefit to the banks but little or no actual economic benefit to NZ. In fact you just pointed that zero sum game out yourself

        You need to read the actual Overseas Investment Act or the judges decision rather than making simply crap up about your interpretation about how the Act should be interpreted using criteria that aren’t in it. If you read the Hansard debates at the time, your interpretations were never meant to be in the Act. In other words, you are just sprouting idiotic bullshit.

        There is more than enough of that meaningless speculation already in the government and their more compliant media.

      • DH 1.1.3
        15 February 2012 at 7:56 pm

        “The irony is the judge has basically admitted that the proposed sale will benefit NZ.”

        It follows a simple line of reasoning, which is probably why you didn’t get it.

        A/ Foreign bidder invests $50million after purchase – benefit to NZ
        B/ Local bidder invests $55million after purchase – even bigger benefit to NZ

        Foreign bidder wins – loss of $5million, no benefit to NZ

        If the foreign bid is of lesser value than the local bid then there can be no benefit to NZ. If it is of equal value there can be no substantial benefit to NZ.

        Comprenez? No, I thought not…

      • Draco T Bastard 1.1.4
        15 February 2012 at 9:25 pm

        And the benefit of foreign investment is of course the fact that it is foreign—-other people bringing money into the country.

        If we want money all we need to do is print it. Money, after all, isn’t a resource. The farms are which, of course, is why the Chinese government want them.

  2. mickysavage 2
    15 February 2012 at 6:03 pm

    The decision is perfectly rational.  If an overseas entity wants to buy Kiwi land they should have to show that there is a benefit over and above that which future local owners could provide.
     
    Key is wrong to be surprised and you can see him slipping into fudge mode on this.
     
    Mind you I never thought I would be cheering for an event which may result in Michael Fay increasing his wealth …

    • lprent 2.1
      15 February 2012 at 6:28 pm

      Yeah. I wonder if there is any way that he could be stripped of the citizenship of a country that he doesn’t really reside in any more? Can’t think of any offhand…

      I gather that the underlying issue is that the banks are likely to take a loss on the value that his group are offering, so they’re looking at the better heeled offer from offshore. But that depends on an OIO

      I’ve been looking back through the summaries of the OIO decisions for the last few years, and generally been reasonably pleased with what I can see. Mostly people becoming residents, companies that have been here for a while and moving from tenants to ownership with a existing economic track record, and a few quite innovative skills injections like a sheep milking operation. I’d like more information on some.

      But I don’t have a problem with people emigrating here and owning land. That is how the country got a lot immigrants from the Maori’s to the deluges in the 20th. Some do.

      It is the non-resident owners that need to show a benefit to the country above what local owners would provide. Frankly from what I can see of Pengxin proposal, and a few others in the summaries the benefits are more speculative PR than real.They should lease land and prove the concept before permission to purchase is granted.

      • Colonial Viper 2.1.1
        15 February 2012 at 6:35 pm

        Yeah. I wonder if there is any way that he could be stripped of the citizenship of a country that he doesn’t really reside in any more? Can’t think of any offhand…

        At least if he were still a NZ citizen we could try him for treason. If the charge is still on the books that is.

        • Macro 2.1.1.1
          15 February 2012 at 7:06 pm

          Yes treason is still a crime in this country Under the Crimes Act 1961 S 73 and was still a Capital Offence up until 1989, when it became punishable by life imprisonment.

          “Every one owing allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen in right of New Zealand commits treason who, within or outside New Zealand,—
          (a) Kills or wounds or does grievous bodily harm to Her Majesty the Queen, or imprisons or restrains her; or
          (b) Levies war against New Zealand; or
          (c) Assists an enemy at war with New Zealand, or any armed forces against which New Zealand forces are engaged in hostilities, whether or not a state of war exists between New Zealand and any other country; or
          (d) Incites or assists any person with force to invade New Zealand; or
          (e) Uses force for the purpose of overthrowing the Government of New Zealand; or
          (f) Conspires with any person to do anything mentioned in this section.”

          Actually it would be hard to pin any of those on Sir Michael, even though his bid for the farms is little more than a means to furthering his wealth at the expense of others.

        • Mike 2.1.1.2
          16 February 2012 at 10:48 am

          We could charge Roger Douglas and his cronies for treason at the same time. these are the same pr***s that removed the death penalty for treason (NZ’s last crime punishable by death) around the same time they were introducing Rogernomics and selling our country down the drain.

  3. vto 3
    15 February 2012 at 6:48 pm

    Maurice Williamson is being his usual toolself in suggesting that it is incredibly surprising that they have been applying these rules for 7 years and are only now told that different criteria need to be applied.

    The truth is that the OIO has been doing it wrong. Nobody else. And nobody else had a responsibility to tell them how to do it. That is the department that he is responsible for. He has been doing it wrong, nobody else. That is no surprise to me – Williamson has been getting many things wrong for many years. Maybe he should have applied for some direction from the courts years ago if he was not confident that they had been doing it correctly.

    Come to think of it – perhaps all things that Maurice Williamson does in government should be put to the courts to see if he has been doing things correctly. This suggests that he hasnt.

  4. vto 4
    15 February 2012 at 6:53 pm

    Regarding Fran O’Sullivan and her crappola opinion that people commenting should sign their names to their personal political opinions ……….. has she ever wondered why voting is done in a booth and is confidential?

    Have the reasons for confidential voting ever crossed her simple mind? And that perhaps those reasons apply here?

    Given her similarly brainless piece on Chch’s rebuild last week, which simply forgot that the last earthquakes were only six weeks ago and insurance is still not available, it seems that her pieces are simply never fully informed.

    What a waste of space.

  5. mickysavage 5
    15 February 2012 at 7:13 pm

    Gawd I have just watched Key in Parliament saying continuously that the decision was because Ministers had to follow the law.  Does he not understand that the ruling is that Ministers clearly did NOT follow the law?

    EDIT: He is also wrong in that Ministers are not meant to blindly follow advice, they are actually meant to consider advice and then make their mind up.

    • RedBaron 5.1
      15 February 2012 at 7:31 pm

      What mind? It’s a blank space funnelling PR isn’t it?

    • vto 5.2
      15 February 2012 at 7:36 pm

      Note that the decision said “the economic benefits were materially overstated” by the OIO.

      They weren’t merely “overstated”.
      They weren’t merely “overstated but that was of little import to the final result”.
      They were “materially” overstated and that is court-speak for high exaggeration.

      And Key has the temerity to call it “only the judge’s opinion”. Judges opinions are the highest and most considered of all John Key, or do you not understand that?

      He doesn’t understand it. He doesn’t understand much.

    • Jum 5.3
      15 February 2012 at 7:43 pm

      Labour has to find a way to line up on paper the glaring, costly (to Kiwis of course, not him) errors Key has made against the current results of his bungling and corrupt actions and the flimsy excuses he uses to stack up the Hansard so later researchers think he was blameless.

    • RedLogix 5.4
      15 February 2012 at 8:19 pm

      Quite disturbing to see the Prime Minister of this country just making shit up in Parliament. Everyone know he is wrong; so where is the ‘misleading the House’ provision when you need it?

      • Jackal 5.4.1
        15 February 2012 at 8:42 pm

        Good question RedLogix. I think that if the House of Representatives has been misled, it is up to the Speaker Lockwood Smith to refer the matter to the Privileges Committee for investigation. I’ve been waiting since October last year for him to do exactly that concerning John Key’s Standard & Poor’s lie.

  6. Jum 6
    15 February 2012 at 7:34 pm

    What a joke.

    The lawyers that advise the OIO are working on behalf of the investors. The Greens told New Zealanders about that. If they hadn’t told Kiwis this would all have gone under the radar.

    Why didn’t David Shearer say the word ‘lease’?
    Why didn’t Winston Peters say the word ‘lease’?

    What is controlling this whole process and more importantly what is controlling Parliament? It certainly ain’t New Zealand citizens!

    Kiwis need to call for lease only of strategic/valuable and/or productive NZ land.

    More important than any of that, the land should be used for New Zealanders to learn about the land, about sustainability, about caring for animals, about youth having a future. The land, especially the Crafar land, affords that chance.

    Certainly, Fay does not deserve to benefit from it apart from a nod from the New Zealand people that finally he may have done something to benefit New Zealanders rather than his own greed.

    • Wayne 6.1
      15 February 2012 at 8:20 pm

      More important than any of that, the land should be used for New Zealanders to learn about the land, about sustainability, about caring for animals, about youth having a future. The land, especially the Crafar land, affords that chance.

      Sorry. It is about the fact that shitloads of money is owing on the farms and the creditors have the right to dispose of them the way they wish, at least within the limits of the law as currently defined.

      Would you like it if someone told you that you could only lease your house to someone when you in fact really wanted to sell it?

      • lprent 6.1.1
        15 February 2012 at 8:30 pm

        They can, subject to the laws of the land. In this case subject to the Overseas Investment Act.

        You don’t like it? Tough. Get involved in a political party or a lobby group and spend the decades required to change the law.

        Whining about it just makes you look pretty pathetic

      • Colonial Viper 6.1.2
        15 February 2012 at 9:30 pm

        It is about the fact that shitloads of money is owing on the farms and the creditors have the right to dispose of them the way they wish, at least within the limits of the law as currently defined.

        Thanks for raising the fact that banks lent way too much on the farms to start with. Also thank you for raising the fact that Australian banks are the ones who are deciding the future of these NZ farms.

        Would you like it if someone told you that you could only lease your house to someone when you in fact really wanted to sell it?

        Finally, thank you for your irrelevant parallel. The Australian banks are still welcome to sell the farms , not lease them, just to Landcorp or a NZ buyer.

  7. ianmac 7
    15 February 2012 at 7:45 pm

    Sorry to say that the OIO will rephrase their decision to include the “advantages” over alternatives in keeping with the Court decision. The Ministers will approve (and save face) and all will be as they intended.
    Williamson said on National Radio after 5pm that there were no other bids lodged therefore no comparisons to what would happen if the Chinese bid was not accepted. (Wot? No other bids?)

    • lprent 7.1
      15 February 2012 at 8:34 pm

      Yep. But according to Fran, this was a Williamson special. It was almost a year whereas the usual longest OIO decision is about 2 months. Williamson had to push the OIO and literally change the rules to get it through.

      Tends to say that this was about as good as they will get without some actual economic value being actually displayed.

    • RedLogix 7.2
      15 February 2012 at 9:39 pm

      Crap. There were at least three other bids I am aware of; one from Landcorp itself, one from a consortium of Landcorp and iwi, and the Fay backed bid.

      The conversation I was listening to some months back suggested that the Minister interfered in the Landcorp bid to ensure it did not suceed. The source was a fairly senior Landcorp manager. Unfortunately I’m not in any position to produce any evidence on this so treat this as speculative.

      • Ross 7.2.1
        16 February 2012 at 7:21 am

        According to the High Court, Fay hasn’t made a formal bid, and the eother offers were apparently too low.

        • Colonial Viper 7.2.1.1
          16 February 2012 at 7:30 am

          The Oz banks have no interest in considering NZ economic sovereignty or long term independence as a factor in their choice of buyer. Quite the opposite in fact, considering who they act on behalf of (Australian investors).

  8. Jackal 8
    15 February 2012 at 7:48 pm

    I wonder if Pengxin want their rather large donations to National back?

    • Jum 8.1
      15 February 2012 at 7:53 pm

      Jackal,

      Perhaps Pansy Wong, Fran O’Sullivan and Jenny Shipley can take them back and get further instructions on how to take over New Zealanders’ financial future.

      Fascinating – we have America and China fighting over control of New Zealand and the treasures of the Antarctic. I wonder who will win. If Key has his way it will of course be his masters of the Fed.

      • Matt 8.1.1
        15 February 2012 at 9:45 pm

        Sorry, is the US fighting to control New Zealand? They barely notice you.

        • Colonial Viper 8.1.1.1
          15 February 2012 at 10:13 pm

          No no no you got it all wrong. This is not about “control” in the Roman Empire sense of the word. We are talking about being a target for wealth extraction.

    • Zeroque 8.2
      15 February 2012 at 9:31 pm

      Is it a fact that the Chinese bid have donated to the Nats in some way? Sorry, I may be a bit behind on this topic.

      • hawk 8.2.1
        15 February 2012 at 10:50 pm

        Yes it would be nice to see some sort of factual evidence to back this statement up.

        Unless I see that I will think that the Jackal is talking shit to appear clever.

        • Colonial Viper 8.2.1.1
          15 February 2012 at 10:58 pm

          Factual evidence lolz let me just reach inside my paper work for all the little trusts and brown envelopes National use to run their campaign financing.

  9. Drongo 9
    15 February 2012 at 8:01 pm

    Couldn’t happen to a nicer woman.

  10. Ad 10
    15 February 2012 at 8:14 pm

    This is a massive victory. It won’t completely turn this government around, or stop them dead, but they will feel the mood turning harder and faster towards economic sovereignty. It really does mean own our own future.

    I agree that anything that supports Michael Fay -that worst of the comprador haute-bourgeoisie- really sticks in the throat. Equally with a Maori group joined as a supporting party against the Government on this, it’s the perfect support to today’s political poll of Maori clearly turning harder against this government on its own asset sales programme. It’s not always true, but Maori interests and patriotic interests can really align.

    With the debate to follow in the coming weeks and months as the Crafar Farms decision goes back to the Minister, and then inevitably challenged again in the Courts, the non-traditional media will struggle to tow the corporatist line as much. If only Red Alert or the Greens site were as alert to the opportunity to blow the public debate wide open as this one is, after a moment like this.

    Hopefully legal teams around the country are drafting up angles to review government decisions coming up about the sale of electricity generation assets as well. Stopping this madness really now look more possible.

    It would be great if there were more political winners to emerge out of this than just Winston Peters. But if he is New Zealand’s most relevant and cutting political opposition, and he is effective, we have to give that to him.

    In the Prime Minister’s office tonight I am sure they will be beginning to plot out the scale of this impending loss in public opinion. It is in the same league as the Motonui discharge decision all those years ago.

    I so want to see them try to smile and wave through this in the next two weeks.

  11. Hilary 11
    15 February 2012 at 8:51 pm

    The ideal solution would be for Landcorp to buy and manage them, applying best practice in farming and using the land to train up young farmers (local and international). That way the land and the stock win, as well as NZers.I’m not sure what Landcorp’s latest bid was, but I think it was more than Fay’s.

    • rosy 11.1
      15 February 2012 at 9:08 pm

      I don’t know why they’re selling them off as a job-lot at all. They’re not adjacent to each other are they?

    • Jum 11.2
      15 February 2012 at 9:28 pm

      If the govt had any real regard for New Zealanders (not the pseudo ones like john key) it would bankroll Landcorp i.e. Kiwi company owned by Kiwis bankrolled by govt ie. Kiwi owned.

      75% then 85% of New Zealanders polled want to retain assets in New Zealand hands/control. Private ownership will always be under the benign guardianship of all New Zealanders in an egalitarian type country.

      We will see who is behind Crafar and how transparent that will be in the next few days. Will it remain in New Zealand hands with people living in New Zealand working it and the profits remaining in New Zealand and adding to the New Zealand economy while the new owners benefit from the present benefits of New Zealand’s guardianship.

      This govt is putting through a bill which reduces to zero any foreign investment taxation so we know which side they are on. Let the plunderers in and let them wipe their feet on New Zealanders’ backs. That’s what NAct wants to do.

      Glad to see Labour oppose that part.

  12. Colonial Viper 12
    15 February 2012 at 11:48 pm

    Fran will be distressed? Must be all those pesky racist xenophobic High Court judges.

    • Mike 12.1
      16 February 2012 at 11:44 am

      Not only xenophobic, but according to dear old Wayne they’re ignorant of the facts and misinterpret the rules.

  13. BLiP 13
    16 February 2012 at 5:21 am

    . . . Unlike politicians, their minons and the wannabe media egos like Farrar and Slater; most bloggers are just not reliant or even interested in the media goodwill . . .

    Nor are we reliant for our income on distracting the public from inconvenient truths.

  14. Ross 14
    16 February 2012 at 7:19 am

    I don’t think Fran will be distressed at all.

    The Government is likely to change the law, possibly to make it easier for foreigners to buy land. Second, Shanghai Pengxin will no doubt demonstrate that there are substantial benefits and the sale will go ahead. Third, the Fay consortium haven’t even made a formal offer and if they were to do so it would almost certainly be rejected.

    • lprent 14.1
      16 February 2012 at 7:51 am

      Trying to change the Overseas Investment Act is what they should have tried in the first place rather than trying to stealthily and sneakily change the rules away from public scrutiny. The process of trying to change the law opens up the debate on the subject with debate in the house, select committees, and the glare of publicity that allows the issue of how and when overseas investment in NZ property is allowed to be debated across the whole of our society.

      The are some unfortunate examples of absentee owners from other countries, questions of repatriation of profits to avoid taxes, and of course the general issue of economic benefit to citizens and residents to consider.

      It won’t be a fast process, and it hasn’t been the last couple of times it has come up. The likely result is unlikely to please Fran and those who think like her. Personally I’d think that there is more likely to be a tightening of the rules rather than a loosening because they look too damn loose at present based on this decision. And I am one of those who is generally in favour of having a reasonably liberal overseas investment policy.

    • rosy 14.2
      16 February 2012 at 8:02 am

      For once I’ll be interested to see what Peter Dunne thinks about this.

  15. Peter 15
    16 February 2012 at 8:02 am

    Great read. Well put. I am amazed that the cheerleaders of the Right resort to avoiding the issues and attacking personalities when they come up against contrary opinions that do not suit their political masters.

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    2 hours ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
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  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
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  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
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  • Taupō takes pole position
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  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
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  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
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  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
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  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
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  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
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