Greenwald on the GCSB

Written By: - Date published: 12:06 pm, September 13th, 2014 - 155 comments
Categories: john key, national - Tags: , ,

Key resignation

Glenn Greenwald is in the country and has created a splash by alleging on TV3 that the GCSB is heavily involved in spying on our neighbours as well as engaging in mass surveillance of ordinary New Zealanders.  Greenwald is the reporter who was trusted with the Edward Snowden data, taken from the NSA in America.  No specifics have been released yet.  No doubt some details will be released during Monday night’s Kim Dotcom meeting.

The Herald reported last year …

Prime Minister John Key says he and the head of GCSB would resign if the spy agency were found to have conducted mass surveillance.

He made the comment to reporters at Parliament in the light of assurances that the changes to the GCSB Act 2003 would not mean mass surveillance of New Zealanders.

Asked if he and GCSB chief Ian Fletcher would resign if there were mass surveillance, he said yes.

“But the facts of life are it won’t happen.”

It will be interesting to compare this statement with the Greenwald revelations.

Stuff has reported on the interview.

“The government made a variety of statements in connection with the new spying law that it wanted and was enacted last year to try and assuage the fears of New Zealanders about what the government was doing, including  things like we don’t engage in mass surveillance and we don’t target New Zealanders indiscriminately unless they’re involved in terrorism or cyber crimes and the like.

“And one of the things we wanted to do was investigate the truth of those statements and do the reporting that would let the New Zealand citizens know whether or not their government deceived them about what their spy agencies are doing and I can tell you – although I can’t tell you what the reporting is yet – I can tell you there are serious questions about whether the current government was at all truthful with its citizens in connection with that bill.”

Greenwald commented on the use of metadata by the Government.

Greenwald said he knew for certain that the New Zealand government engaged in “extraordinary amounts of analysis of metadata”. ” Meaning whose talking to who, for how long, where they are when they speak, on a massive indiscriminate scale not just internationally but of New Zealanders as well.”

New Zealand spent an “extraordinary amount of resource” for a country its size on electronic surveillance and “every single thing that the NSA does…involves NZ directly. They are full fledged allies of this effort.”

Of further concern is the potential effect the revelations may have on relationship with foreign nations.

“New Zealand spies on a variety of countries on behalf of the US.  That’s the reporting we are still working on,….but I can tell you for certain….the NSA is incapable of accessing certain countries because of hostile relations they have with those countries and they use a variety of allies including New Zealand to spy on those countries for them.”

Asked if that might include China, Greenwald responded: “The GCSB spies on both hostile countries and allies for the US and the United Kingdom as well. Countries that probably New Zealanders would expect…..and [others] New Zealanders would say ‘why are we spying on countries like this in a western democracy’?’.

The TV3 video is not up yet but I will add it when it appears.  Meanwhile Twitter is having a lot of fun.

https://twitter.com/Megapope/status/510565391832055808

 

155 comments on “Greenwald on the GCSB ”

  1. karol 1

    I wonder how much Team Key knew or guessed that Greenwald may be dumping something explosive on Monday?

    The reason Key will only debate for a half hour against Cunliffe?

    • Anne 1.1

      And the reason for the black ops campaign… to so discredit the opposition parties and Cunliffe in particular that the sheeple will go into denial even if it’s revealed John Key is a secret NSA/CIA agent sent back to NZ to lay the ground work for a complete US takeover of the country. Oops… its already happening – TPPA.

      • cogito 1.1.1

        As per the well known quote: ‘There are none so blind as those who will not see. The most deluded people are those who choose to ignore what they already know’.

        Describes the majority of Kiwis unfortunately…

      • Rosie 1.1.2

        Lol Anne, I was joking yesterday about NZ becoming another state of the USA perhaps being the thing that Key is referring to when he comes out with that most curious statement “We are on the cusp of something very special”

        • Rich 1.1.2.1

          That would imply citizenship. I don’t think Key would think that suitably ‘cusp of something special’ for most of us. No, I would be thinking plantation rather than senate or congress.

          • Rosie 1.1.2.1.1

            Hence the joking Rich.

            Jokes aside, Key has repeated this phrase twice (at least to my ears). When you consider the Nat govts eagerness in regard to TPPA, the passing of the GCSB and TICS Act’s last year and the selling of our employment legislation to Hollywood, “being on the cups of something special” sounds incredibly ominous.

            I would be sincerely interested in what Key means by this statement.

    • the shitstorm should be at tornado-level by wed..

      ..if everything goes as hoped..

    • Rosie 1.3

      “I wonder how much Team Key knew or guessed that Greenwald may be dumping something explosive on Monday?”

      Exactly, one can’t but help wonder.

      I had initially thought that three debates was adequate and wasn’t going to watch the last one, but everything could change by then and the discussion may deviate drastically from it’s original intended path.

      Maybe Key will even pull out all together if Monday night’s evidence/information is damning enough? Really hoping the info is absolutely rock solid, and there is no way he can squirm his way out of it in his usual flippant manner.

      What a strange time our small young country finds itself in.

      • Zorr 1.3.1

        If Glenn Greenwald is involved, it’s his credibility on the line. He is the consummate journalist and I seriously doubt he would risk his professional career over something that wasn’t completely rock solid.

    • bearded git 1.4

      Cunliffe should publicly offer to debate the GCSB issue for the extra half hour

      • ExStatic 1.4.1

        Cunliffe has a big problem. This was going on well before this National government. Previous Labour governments have done exactly the same and Cunliffe has been a minister.
        Only the Greens can be relied on to cut this spying out.

        • Tracey 1.4.1.1

          clark was mi ister in charge of sis and gcsb and by all accounts, unlike key she didnt delegate.

          Cunliffe can only be pm with the greens. He cant just keep the status quo and this is one thing i dont believe the greens will compromise

        • phillip ure 1.4.1.2

          @ exstatic..

          ..i agree that this didn’t start with key..

          ..labour have their justified degreee of fear over what greenwald might reveal..

          ..the greens and internet/mana are the only ‘clean’ parties..

          ..the only ones who can be relied upon to reform..

  2. dv 3

    I means my office?

  3. cogito 4

    Anyone know if the Dotcom “Moment of Truth” on Monday is going to be livestreamed?

    Also, on same topic, the Radio Live interview with Robert Amsterdam is worth listening to http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Kim-Dotcoms-The-Moment-Of-Truth-pre-show-interview-with-lawyer-Robert-Amsterdam/tabid/506/articleID/54477/Default.aspx

  4. Tom Gould 5

    Even if some chook somewhere has Key on tape saying directly and unambiguously, and in context, and with witnesses with signed affidavits, that he will resign, the Tory machine will already be primed and ready to dissemble and obfuscate and character assassinate, full noise. The spied-upon public don’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell.

    • yeshe 5.1

      Let’s recall the obsequious ‘they’ said that about the nuclear ships coming in as well, until they didn’t.

      If Kiwis discover and see it proven that Key has been underarm bowling to them this whole time, NZ will rise and turn on anyone associated with it, with no mitigating factors. It’s what we do.

      We have seen it before, and I pray to see it again.

      • Tracey 5.1.1

        dont be so sure, many kiwis believe this idea of nothing to hide nothing to fear so look at my emails…

        • yeshe 5.1.1.1

          I agree many believe that .. but a majority didn’t and protested before the new law passed. I think if the deception is proven ? Very different story then.

          Have we become trained to absolute apathy ? Ugh.

          My vain hopes again coming through … let’s see what this way comes in the next couple of days …

          We might get to see some major squirm and deny !!

      • Mike 5.1.2

        “NZ will rise and turn on anyone associated with it, with no mitigating factors” Wishful thinking I’m afraid. Kiwis just don’t do what you say they do. If they did we would have already seen this after the Slater affair.

        The NZ and the western public in general are almost completely brainwashed by the phony war on terror, and the loss of privacy associated with the eternal vigilance needed to protect our freedoms and democracy, blah, blah, blah. Hope you’re right though!

        • yeshe 5.1.2.1

          Mike — look on the ‘Slater affair’ as the kindling and fire starter giving hot glowing embers to what is being stoked here. There is an unease ready to explode imho.

          The nuclear free issue was the same … no way ever it was going to happen for the whole country, just impossible to imagine … until the Rainbow Warrior was bombed in Auckland, and the country united in a heartbeat that has never trembled. ( Brash tried and was eggy all over the face by lunchtime !)

          I really hope you’re wrong and I am right on this one !! Cheers 🙂

  5. for those interested..i have been a greenwald fanboy for a very long time..

    ..so my greenwald archive is extensive..and stretches back for quite a few yrs..

    http://whoar.co.nz/?s=greenwald

    greenwald was one of the first to sound the alarm about the upcoming great financial crash..

    ..and he and roubini..and a couple of others..are how/why whoar was not far behind them in issuing those warnings..

    ..(i have six plus pages of greenwald links..

    ..and my first link to greenwald was in feb 2007..)

  6. Rolf 7

    That New Zealand is operating as a spying agency for the US spying on China and Chinese business is well known in China, as well as that New Zealand is covering up past bloopers and misdemeanors in China. Even WINZ send out forms for Chinese pensioners who moved back to China and receiving Super in China requiring them to spy on relatives and report income and assets and relationships. This is creating an increasing animosity towards New Zealand and its export, similar to the historical hatred towards Japan, and it is anchored on grassroots level. Don’t buy products from these US lackeys and Quislings. It I poison.

    [lprent: That is an assertion without any backing. You are placed on auto-moderation until you either provide a link to some credible backing or I put you on a permanent ban after a few days.

    I see that you have made similar unbacked assertions before about other topics. Perhaps you should read the policy. ]

    • weka 7.1

      “Even WINZ send out forms for Chinese pensioners who moved back to China and receiving Super in China requiring them to spy on relatives and report income and assets and relationships.”

      Fairly serious accusation that needs some kind of back up.

    • ianmac 8.1

      Thanks OOB. Watched all 3 interviews. Greenwald credible. Cunliffe credible not on Greewald. Key not on Greenwald but very shifty and drifted all over the place.
      Be very interesting Monday night.
      But the National lot with the help of GCSB and interested parties in FBI will have a plan to combat Greenwald. They will have some nasty stuff lined up to discredit him. The Dirty Tricks Brigade have too much to loose.

  7. Valleyman 9

    Key will claim its all lies & a left wing conspiracy also claiming the left are trying to smear the govt. I wonder how his mate Obama will take to being called a liar by key.

  8. Paul 10

    … easy for Key …. what do you mean by mass survellience? … childs play for him to wiggle out of this

    …. the real concern (although not Keys concern) is the undermining of privacy and therefor democracy

    • yeshe 10.1

      It wasn’t me; ekshully, it was my office at the end of the day ….

      Seriously, I think he has used up his ‘wiggle’ room with NZ .. let’s see.

  9. Bill 11

    From ‘the Herald’ on 3rd Dec 2013 –

    Prime Minister John Key yesterday sought another assurance from GCSB director Ian Fletcher that the spy agency had not been involved in wholesale collection of metadata on New Zealanders – and was given it.

    As Greewald has pointed out in his interview on ‘The Nation’ this morning, the crucial word in the above is ‘wholesale’ as that would mean collecting absolutely everything. So, the GCSB and Key can honestly say there has been no wholesale collection of metadata.

    However, on the question of mass collection or widespread collection or indiscriminate collection….

    • Tracey 11.1

      So the minister responsible for nothing cos he delegated it all, might just throw fletcher under the bus…

      I mean a spy boss who lies.. Whodathinkit

    • weka 11.2

      I wouldn’t take wholesale to mean absolutely everything. My dictionary says things like extensive, widespread, mass.

      But yeah, expect Key to pull out his own dictionary.

    • Molly 11.3

      He’s also left himself another “out” with:

      “Prime Minister John Key yesterday sought another assurance from GCSB director Ian Fletcher that the spy agency had not been involved in wholesale collection of metadata on New Zealanders – and was given it.”

      The GCSB does not have to get involved with the collection of data, if the other members of the Five Eyes Network is doing it for them.

  10. cogito 12

    Key has described Greenwald as “[Kim] Dotcom’s little henchman”.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10495738/Snowden-docs-prove-GCSB-spies-on-Kiwis-Greenwald

    Key is slowly but surely digging his own grave.

    • Sable 12.1

      Almost a little like one of those tedious IQ tests:

      “Greenwald” is to “Dotcom” what “Keys” is to:

      (1) A monkey
      (2) A turnip
      (3) Obama
      (4) Nixon

    • BLiP 12.2

      Dotcom’s little henchman

      I’ve mentioned it before and I will be mentioning it again . . .

      Tory Ideology 101: When confronted with undeniable facts and/or irrefutable logic, apply ad homs

      . . . unfortunately, the fallacy is seldom exposed by the MSM. Still, it is a good indication that John Key has nothing else to fall back on. Usually, he just lies and smiles, leavng the injection of filth into the narrative to the likes of Cameron Slater and David Farrar.

    • Tracey 12.3

      wouldnt it be cool if a reporter asked by way of follow up

      ” henchman as in slater does your dirty work..or something else?”

    • weka 12.4

      “Key is slowly but surely digging his own grave.”

      Who thinks Key already has his bags packed?

  11. BLiP 13

    . . . I can tell you there are serious questions about whether the current government was at all truthful with its citizens in connection with that bill . . .

    Huh? There can be no question about whether National Ltd™ was lying to us in connection with the GCSB bill, and related matters. The serious questions should be about how extensive that lying was and why John Key gets away with it. Here’s a sampling of his lies on the topic to date . . .

    Iain Rennie came to me and recommended Fletcher for the GCSB job

    I told Cabinet that I knew Ian Fletcher

    I forgot that after I scrapped the shortlist for GCSB job I phoned a life-long friend to tell him to apply for the position

    I told Iain Rennie I would contact Fletcher

    I haven’t seen Ian Fletcher in a long time.

    I did not mislead the House (13)

    I have no reason to doubt at this stage that Peter Dunne did not leak the GCSB report

    I called directory service to get Ian Fletcher’s number

    the new legislation narrows the scope of the GCSB

    the GCSB has been prevented from carrying out its functions because of the law governing its functions

    because the opposition is opposed the GCSB law ammendments, parliamentary urgency is required

    the increasing number of cyber intrusions which I can’t detail or discuss prove that the GCSB laws need to be extended to protect prive enterprise

    it was always the intent of the GCSB Act to be able to spy on New Zealanders on behalf of the SIS and police

    National Ltd™ is not explanding the activities of the GCSB with this new law

    cyber terrorists have attempted to gain access to information about weapons of mass destruction held on New Zealand computers

    the law which says the GCSB cannot spy on New Zealanders is not clear

    it totally incorrect that the Government effectively through GCSB will be able to wholesale spy on New Zealanders

    we self identified that there was a problem with the GCSB spying on Kim Dotcom

    the illegal spying on Kim Dotcom was an isolated incident

    The advice I have had in 4 years as a Minister is that in no way ever has there been an indication of unlawful spying

    the Ministerial Warrant signed by Bill English did not cover anything up

    I wasn’t briefed about the raid on Kim Dotcom’s home.

    first I heard I heard about Kim Dotcom was on 19 January 2012

    first I heard about the illegal spying on Kim Dotcom was in 17 September

    I did not mislead the House (14)

    I won’t be discussing Kim Dotcom during my Hollywood visit.

    The Human Rights Commission couldn’t get its submission on the GCSB legislation in on time.

    it would cost too much to for the police and SIS to carry out the spying on New Zealanders that this new legislation will permit

    critics of the GCSB legislation, including the Law Society, the Human Rights Commission, and the Privacy Commission, are all uninformed

    no, I did not mislead the House (15)

    I do not know how Mr Henry is conducting the Enquiry

    no, I did not mislead the House (16)

    the Henry Enquiry had permission to view Ministers’ emails

    no, I did not mislead the House (??)

    we do not spy on journalists

    the passing of phone records to the Henry Enquiry was an error on the part of a contractor

    I wasn’t aware that my own Chief of Staff was instructing Parliamentary Services to hand over information concerning journalist Andrea Vance

    National Ltd™ has never tried to impinge on the role of the media

    I had nothing to do with information on a journalist being handed over to the inquiry into the leaking of the GCSB report

    the terms of the enquiry made it clear to everyone that it was only the phone records of parliamentary staff and ministers that were to be provided

    I have the utmost respect for the media and the role it plays in New Zealand’s democracy

    the Henry Enquiry did not access a journalist’s building-access records

    the Henry Enquiry did not ask for phone and email records

    no, I did not mislead the House (17)

    the Greens are opposed to the GCSB and the SIS even existing

    the GCSB needs to spy on New Zealanders because there are al-Qaeda terrorists in New Zealand

    the GCSB is not sharing meta-data with the NSA

  12. Sable 14

    Oh well no surprise really. I’m sure Labour will be quick to put a stop to it if elected…..LOL

    • Tracey 14.1

      if the only way labour can govern is with help from the greens, they will have to change it… LOL

  13. b waghorn 15

    Considering a large portion of our countries income comes from Asia , if the gcsb / key are spying on them it’s a hell of a gamble just to please the yanks

    • they did say that monday nites’ reveal will create international headlines…

      ..and i wd guess they wd be detailed/proven revelations of our spooks/govt. spying on our friends/allies/trading-partners..

      ..as lackeys/spear-carriers of the americans..

      ..this story has more legs than a centipede..

    • Tracey 15.2

      who knows, we might be doing some spying for China…

      😉

  14. Tracey 16

    Are these guys giving advance previews to ensure that it begins seeping into the consciousness of the electorate before 20th?

    • ianmac 16.1

      Perhaps someone should slip a secret message to Whaleoil saying that at high noon Greenwald has ridden into town and is armed! He will post on it. That way MSM will be sure to explode into a frenzy.

  15. Ok we have a convicted hacker and criminal ( dotcom) , 2 hired well paid left wing mercenaries (greenwood and asterdam) and some guy hiding out in an Ecuadorean embassy on rape charges all trying to influence the nz election so the criminal hacker and thief does not get extradited. Make a good plot for a comedy

    • ianmac 17.1

      Not to mention a reddelusion dwelling in a dark world of doubt, pessimism, cynicism and an all abiding love of the Prince John of Darkness. “But Prince John is the Father of God and he can do no wrong,” wails reddelusion.

    • Tracey 17.2

      which makes you wonder why farrar and hooton are bothering to keep spreading lies, what with no one caring…

      Why hooton supplied hagers street name to someone suggesting some people who wanted to harm hager needed to know where he lived

      Why people so concerned about criminal behaviour will vote for a party that has 17% of its MPs convicted for fraud or deception

      I am pleased to read someone on the right cares so much about victims of sexual assault. I did a basic search and found no posts from you expressing outrage at roastbusters…

    • Paul 17.3

      Greenwald won the Pulitzer Prize.
      He is a renowned international journalist.

      Your source, Cameron Slater, can make no such claims.

      • Tracey 17.3.1

        so thats internationally recognised hager and greenwald as journalists versus slater, farrar and hooton, all paid to spread their particularly warped version of “information”.

    • BLiP 17.4

      More like a tragedy that those heroes should be so vilified by governments and those who benefit from silencing dissent so ably assisted by others such as yourself too craven or lazy to be actively concerned.

      I note that you are reduced to applying ad homs in response to the information being revealed. Such a tactic is an automatic FAIL in debate but I am more worried about what it indicates in terms of your cognitive functioning. Shooting the messenger is a thought-stopping practise which holds you back from discerning the implications the message carries. Perhaps the implications of Mr Greenwald’s message is too frightening for you to contemplate but shutting them out from your consideration and encouraging other to also dismiss them doesn’t make those implications go away. Just sayin’.

      Anyhow, get some help.

    • Little Boy Bleu 17.5

      Redd, I’ll see your ‘convicted hacker and criminal, 2 hired well-paid left-wing mercenaries and some guy hiding out in an Ecuadorean embassy’ and raise it with a no-morals, lying, heartless money trader, a deceitful, shameless sacked minister, a devious, corrupt Govt and a degenerate, money-loving National Party which wouldn’t know compassion if it tripped over it.

  16. No great fan of slater tend to agree with herald writer today he over inflates his importance and influence. Pulitzer Prize or not greenwald is not coming here as an impartial journo, nor can you claim Hagar an impartial journalist. The rest of my post above is just stating fact, You got to admit the whole thing is a bit farcical and thats how most of nz see it, barring the exclusive enlightened hard left prancing about in morale indignation Can you imagine the morale outrage if the right tried to pull a stunt like this

    • Inky 18.1

      If you want to talk about impartial journalists, Reddulsion, how about a comment on the biased BS poured all over Cunliffe since he became Labour leader?

      Do you ever read the Herald political commentators? Are you aware they have had a great deal to do with Slater? Did you not see John Armstrong’s call for Cunliffe to resign over a nothing letter written 11 years earlier?

      Have you seen any commentator call on Key to resign over his many, far more serious and real brain fades?

      You’ve not detected the concerted mainstream media campaign that has pushed the Nats all the way in this election?

      Have you not heard Key’s mate Hosking literally describe Cunliffe as an idiot (this supposed serious political commentator)?

      And have you not seen how after that insult, and other venom directed his way by Hosking, how Cunliffe was forced to accept him as the bloke running the debates?

      Yet you have the nerve to describe GREENWALD as impartial? Spare me!
      I bloody well give up. Your type either never get it or never care.

  17. Come on blip if every one just agreed with each other it would be a pretty boring site I only give advise not insults when responses to.arguements are just tired old cliches or lack any real thought

    • BLiP 19.1

      Come on blip if every one just agreed with each other it would be a pretty boring site I only give advise not insults when responses to.arguements are just tired old cliches or lack any real thought

      Now I am even more concerned. Your comment is insensible, displays that you do not understand the difference between the ad hom fallacy and insults, accuses others of that which it is you do yourself while also, once again, shows you are unable to deal rationally about the subject under discussion.

      I kind of sympathise with you in that what Mr Greenwald is revealing is frightening for those who’s belief system is threatened by it. Fear is a powerful emotion and has been deliberately generated by those who seek to justify the clamping down on our civil liberties. Terrorism is the new spectre used now in place of such previous bogeymen as communists but it is the “big lie” because those who ostensibly are in place to protect us are the ones carrying out the terrorism. And its terrorism on a massive scale, far more subtle than bombs and beheadings. It is psychological terrorism designed to undermine cognitive faculties and replace them with thought-stopping slogans and emotional reactions.

      From a graveyard humour point of view, its kinda ironic that this terrorism is being orchestrated by the Right Wing and the ones most likely to suffer from it first are those wth a Right Wing tendency. The lols don’t stop there. The average person with a Right Wing tendency spouts all manner of platitudes about how the government should not interfere with the lives of its citizens and how, just like the Easter Bunny delivers chocolate eggs, the “invisible hand” of the market will deliver all a society requires. Yet, it is, by a huge margin, those people with Right Wing tendencies who support the government’s ability to monitor and record every keystroke and every phone call each citizen makes. How much more intrusive can a government be?

      To use your term, its “arguements” like these which are under discussion and they require real thought yet it is you who is throwing out clichés. That you don’t realise it or cannot face it is really, really sad because we are going to need everyone, including yourself, if we are to resolve the issue and bring government back into line. My idea of a perfect resolution with differ from yours but, together, we can come up with a satisfactory solution if we work together. Idealistic, I know, and beyond your abilities to understand, unfortunately, but never mind. I don’t blame you personally for having been terrorised into a blithering fight/flight state of mind but you might want to consider not interfering in our discussions.

      kthnxbai.

      • Colonial Viper 19.1.1

        Cruelty and injustice, intolerance and oppression. And where once you had the freedom to object, to think and speak as you saw fit, you now have censors and systems of surveillance coercing your conformity and soliciting your submission. How did this happen? Who’s to blame? Well certainly there are those more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable, but again truth be told, if you’re looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror. I know why you did it. I know you were afraid. Who wouldn’t be? War, terror, disease. There were a myriad of problems which conspired to corrupt your reason and rob you of your common sense. Fear got the best of you, and in your panic you turned to the now high chancellor, Adam Sutler. He promised you order, he promised you peace, and all he demanded in return was your silent, obedient consent.

        • greywarbler 19.1.1.1

          Reddelusion 19
          We don’t, most of us, take part on this site because we want to take part in a lively argument. That’s just fiddling while Rome is burning. And it’s risible, indefensible, and deadly self-indulgence which is beyond contempt.

  18. cogito 20

    “Mr Greenwald’s hit back on Twitter, questioning if Mr Key thinks “bizarre ad hominem attacks” will make the facts, or the documents he has, disappear”
    http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/auckland/news/nbpol/1733099110-intelligence-rumours-bubble-away

    High noon…! LIAR KEY IS GOING DOWN.

    • Paul 20.1

      Key is going to struggle to deal with Greenwald if all he’s got are his larrikin jokey approach to issues of civil liberties in this country.

    • emergency mike 20.2

      “Dotcom’s little henchman”?

      haha how pathetic is that? What else John? Does he has a trenchcoat and scar? Bottle of poison in his pocket? How stupid does he think New Zealanders are to be swayed by crap like that about a Pulitzer prize winning journalist?

      Ok don’t answer that.

  19. Paul 21

    John Key in the Guardian.

    “Key has also been accused by US journalist Glenn Greenwald of not being truthful with voters about the government’s surveillance of its citizens. Greenwald previously worked for the Guardian and was instrumental in the publication of the Edward Snowden National Security Agency leaks.

    Greenwald is in New Zealand for an event organised by Internet party founder Kim Dotcom on Monday which is billed as an exposé of the extent of NZ’s role in the “Five Eyes” intelligence pact with Australia, the US, Britain and Canada.”

    http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/13/john-key-considers-prospect-of-forming-minority-nz-government

  20. risildowgtn 22

    Patrick Gower ‏@patrickgowernz 1m

    I have major new developments to do with @ggreenwald, mass spying and John Key – @3NewsNz 6pm. #decision14

    • Paul 22.1

      Sure this isn’t Gower self promoting?

    • weka 22.2

      The last time Gower tweeted major developments it was a half a percent rise in some poll or other for some party 🙄

      • karol 22.2.1

        This time he’d had a long phone chat with Key, and Key is standing firm, and says he’ll release documents to show GCSB doesn’t do mass surveillance of Kiwis – Gower is now Key’s little messenger.

        This tweet from Chris Trotter:

        Key’s release will serve to blunt and/or divert media scrutiny in final week of campaign. That’s all it has to do. Judgement will be tribal.

        • emergency mike 22.2.1.1

          Did you notice in the 3News piece how strongly Gower stressed how ‘crucial’ it was that people grasp that Key was going to produce a piece of paper that would prove Greenwald wrong?

        • Tom Jackson 22.2.1.2

          It depends.

          Key’s problem is that he said all sorts of stuff before June 2013 in response to criticisms of the GCSB over illegal surveillance and Dotcom. Of course neither he nor anybody else could have guessed what Edward Snowden was about to do, so Key no doubt felt free to lie his ass off because he reasoned that secrets would remain secret. The Kitteridge report was also leaked to the media well in advance of Snowden’s revelations.

          If there are Snowden documents showing that the Kitteridge Report and Key’s statements were nothing more than a veil of bullshit, then he’s going to have a tough time of it.

          Remember that one of Greenwald’s favourite tricks is to leak information to extract denials while withholding further information that is then used to show that the denials were dishonest.

        • Zolan 22.2.1.3

          The burden of proof is on Greenwald.
          Key has verbally refuted a specific premise.

          If Greenwald’s case depends on that premise, but doesn’t prove it, then the omission will be glaring to everyone, having been flagged in advance. And any deficiency in Key’s documentation will be cold gruel for critics.

          If Key’s defence is a strawman with no logical relevance to Greenwald’s case, then indeed “judgement will be tribal,” unless the case is impossible to deny or minimise.

          Key’s strategy deflates/diverts most scenarios, and can only backfire if Greenwald proves the refutation false, which of course is not a risk Key would have taken.

  21. karol 23

    So, can we now call Gower, “Key’s little messenger”?

    He says he talked to Key at length on the phone today.

    • Paul 23.1

      Chatted….
      What about interviewing him Mr Gower?
      Asking hard questions.
      Holding power to account.
      That’s what journalists do.

      Courtiers on the other hand….

      • emergency mike 23.1.1

        What’s the bet that Key produces a piece of paper that states that NZ spy agencies are not to spy on NZers. He will waive it around and call it proof that Greenwald is wrong. While ignoring the question of whether other five eyes partners spied on NZers, and NZ’s spy agencies, as five eyes members, just happen to have access to that data…

        • Tom Jackson 23.1.1.1

          When has Greenwald been wrong about this stuff?

        • One Anonymous Bloke 23.1.1.2

          There’s a graphic somewhere in the Snowden docs that illustrates the hardware topography.

          The diagram implies that all the surveilled material goes to the NSA prior to being distributed to the partner agencies.

  22. Paul 24

    We shouldn’t be worrying about Nanny State in NZ.
    It’s Big Brother who’s watching you.

    Kind of ironic our right wing friends got so twisted about lightbulb controls and school tuck shop food, yet are happy to accept a surveillance state.

    Can any of our right wing visitors on this site not see the glaring contradiction in their stances.

  23. Potato 25

    Dear Mr Key,
    Don’t bother resigning. Next Saturday, we’ll sack you instead !!

  24. Paul 26

    TVNZ repeats Key’s description of Greenwald as “Dotcom’s little henchman”.
    Not the breaker of the Snowden story or a Pulitzer Prize winner.
    Pathetic news reporting.

  25. Richies McCLaw 27

    Key never said anything. It was his office.

  26. Richies Mcclaw 28

    Key never made any promises. It was all his office.

    • don’t you mean ‘orifice’..?

      • KJT 28.1.1

        Key is probably telling the truth about not mass spying on New Zealanders. He gets the USA to do it for him.

        • phillip ure 28.1.1.1

          somehow i don’t think keys’ ‘henchman’-sneer will be able to wash away what will be revealed on mon nite…

          ..utu-monday..i’m calling it…

          ..and that is group-‘utu’..

          ..we can all share in it…

        • ianmac 28.1.1.2

          That may be his out. We spy on USA while they spy on NZ. Then swap results. Tricky stuff!

        • Tom Jackson 28.1.1.3

          That may well be the case. Won’t fly with the public.

          • karol 28.1.1.3.1

            Didn’t Key once say the GCSB doesn’t get other 5 Eyes agencies to spy on Kiwis for the GCSB?

            • emergency mike 28.1.1.3.1.1

              “Didn’t Key once say the GCSB doesn’t get other 5 Eyes agencies to spy on Kiwis for the GCSB?”

              Yes but if those other agencies went ahead and spied on kiwis anyway, well, that’s not the GCSB’s doing now is it? That they, as 5 eyes members, would happen to have access to that data would just be a coincidence.

  27. Weepus beard 29

    Lisa Owen (3:36): [quoting from the PM] “In terms of wholesale collection of metadata about New Zealanders, that hasn’t taken place. I have asked the agency, the GCSB, and that is the confirmation I have had.”

    GG (3:56): What I can tell you for certain is that the Government does engage in extraordinary amounts of analysis of metadata … on a massive, indiscriminate scale, not just internationally but of New Zealanders as well.

    GG (04:33): New Zealand spends an extraordinary amount of resources for a country of this size on surveillance.

    GG (06:15): One of the most interesting parts of the revelations for me is that it is not just about spying but about democracy and the honesty with which these governments treat their citizenry.

    GG (07:05): There is also a question of democratic subversion – of controlling one’s own citizenry by knowing what it is that they are saying and doing.

    GG (8:18): [terrorism] is the pretext and not the actual reason that this spying is taking place

    GG (08:55): What I can tell you is that the statement that the GCSB made to NZers last year that we don’t engage in mass surveillance aimed at NZers is not truthful.

    Some important points from the Greenwald interview by Lisa Owen.

    This one is particularly worrying to any free, socially responsible person in this country:

    GG (07:05): There is also a question of democratic subversion – of controlling one’s own citizenry by knowing what it is that they are saying and doing.

    • Puddleglum 29.1

      Also interesting is the point at 3:56:

      GG (3:56): What I can tell you for certain is that the Government does engage in extraordinary amounts of analysis of metadata … on a massive, indiscriminate scale, not just internationally but of New Zealanders as well.

      That statement is not about the GCSB (or other government agency) collecting the metadata. Who collects it is irrelevant – what is relevant is that a New Zealand agency of government is analysing information about New Zealanders with no reason to do so.

      How the collection is done is a minor technical matter. Far more substantive is that the NZ government is making use of a massive and steady stream of data about New Zealanders.

      After all, if the GCSB collected the data but never, ever looked at it (or allowed others to look at it) then no harm would be done (apart from a waste of resources). Let’s remind ourselves that the reason for not wanting the GCSB to collect the information is the assumption that it would and could be analysed and then used.

      Greenwald is basically saying that it is being analysed. That’s what ultimately matters, irrespective of how it is collected.

      • Anne 29.1.1

        Any thoughts on which agency is doing the analysing Puddleglum?

        It could of course be another Five Eyes country that’s doing the analysis and then making it available to the GCSB to pass on to the National government. You can be rest assured that in the event of a Labour led government being elected, very little of it would be made available to them. In fact, I doubt they would want it because it cuts right across the principle that people should be allowed to live their lives without fear of interference.

        • Puddleglum 29.1.1.1

          Hi Anne,

          Greenwald refers to ‘the government’ doing the analysis which I presume means an agency of the government. Obviously I don’t know what Greenwald has access to but, from his words, it sounds like the data is made available to NZ agencies (presumably the GCSB) to analyse. (Who collects it is left unsaid by Greenwald – it could be the GCSB itself or, just as likely – or maybe more likely – some other country’s intelligence agency.)

          Just who collects it and makes it available to the NZ government agency(ies) is an open question but, as I argued, a largely irrelevant question (apart from the fact that it would be some agency outside of NZ – which itself is concerning).

          One way or the other, if Greenwald is correct, NZ agencies of government get to analyse a large amount of metadata about ordinary New Zealanders’ communications – communications that New Zealanders would have assumed was private.

          That to me is the worry. On top of that is the extra worry that any detailed analysis could then be fed back to other countries’ agencies for their purposes.

          • weka 29.1.1.1.1

            Or fed to other NZ govt departments. Is that likely to be happening much at this stage?

            • Puddleglum 29.1.1.1.1.1

              Who knows?

              The worry is that the genie appears to be out of the bottle.

              What happens once all this metadata – and/or its analysis – is available is anyone’s guess (or nightmare).

              That, in a nutshell, is surely the essence of the entire worry over such a huge, organised trawl of private communications. It should not be available in the first place.

              • weka

                Well yes I agree, but my concern had been that in addition to the people who will be targeted by the state now (thinking Tūhoe as an example), that in the future the mass collection, analysis and use of across the board of the data is incredibly dangerous in a state moving towards fascism. I’m just wondering if we are further down that track that I had thought. Possibly not, but Dirty Politics has me trusting the state way less than I did before. And NZ for that matter.

                “The worry is that the genie appears to be out of the bottle.”

                But can be put back in presumably. The data could be destroyed when the practice is stopped.

                • But can be put back in presumably. The data could be destroyed when the practice is stopped.

                  Yes, it can be stopped overall.

                  What I should have said is that once any particular metadata set is available and is analysed then where it goes after that is entirely open (could be anywhere and everywhere – i.e., the genie is out of the bottle).

                  I was thinking of specific instances of the data being made available rather than the continuation of the overall practice. That is, ‘the genie is out of the bottle’ in any particular case once the metadata have been made available and analysed.

          • karol 29.1.1.1.2

            Key has said the GCSB has not done any mass “surveillance” of Kiwis.

            Does surveillance” refer to just the collection of data, or does it also include the analysis? I would have thought the latter.

            3 News print version of tonight’s report has an error:

            The man Mr Key calls a “henchman” won a Pulitzer Prize for his work with Snowden.

            “I think it’s preposterous to suggest that I as an American citizen who lives in Brazil am driven by anything other than journalism, and in particular that I’m driven by some desire to influence the outcome of the New Zealand election,” says Mr Key.

            But Mr Key is suspicious of his motives.

            • weka 29.1.1.1.2.1

              Pretty sure that if it’s a word Key is using he gets to define it however he wants 😉

            • Puddleglum 29.1.1.1.2.2

              I agree completely – ‘surveillance’ is primarily the latter (i.e., the analysis).

              For the very simple reason that it is analysis that gives data any meaning.

              To surveil is to ‘overview’ – you can’t view (perceive) without some analysis of the raw data. (from French – ‘sur’ = over; veiller = ‘watch’; from Latin vigilare = keep watch).

              • Colonial Viper

                I agree completely – ‘surveillance’ is primarily the latter (i.e., the analysis).

                For the very simple reason that it is analysis that gives data any meaning.

                There is some sophistry in those arguments. You can’t ignore the many steps integral to the surveillance function and draw easy bright lines here and there and say “this is definitely inside the activity of surveillance, but this is definitely outside of it”. Raw info/data collection is an integral part of the surveillance function. Because of that, targets rightly see the mere collection of info/data as a real threat.

                Think of a spy satellite floating overhead. Or maybe a recon drone. If China or Russia were the targets they would not be saying – that spy satellite and that recon drone isn’t really conducting surveillance. They’re just gathering raw data.

              • One Anonymous Bloke

                I doubt the chilling effect of data collection will be diminished greatly by the small print.

          • Anne 29.1.1.1.3

            Thank-you Puddleglum, I see what you’re saying now. Listening to Key’s weasel words on Q&A this morning adamantly denying the GCSB collect metadata sort of enhances the point.

            A neat arrangement that each of the Five Eyes countries scrolls through another counrty’s meta-data to enable “plausible deniability”, and then passes on the collected information to the sourced Five Eye country for them to analyse as they see fit.

            That phrase PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY again. We’ve been hearing it a lot lately.

      • weka 29.1.2

        Thanks Wp and Pg, very good to have those points an analysis so accessible.

    • Rich 29.2

      Yes the new version of God.

  28. BLiP 30

    Yee Gods!! Does John Key have no shame? While he is denying outright that there was mass spying on New Zealanders, his attempted shaping of the narrative is becoming apparent . Its not “mass spying” it actually “mass protection”. I guess if its “mass protection” then it must be doubleplusgood.

    • emergency mike 30.1

      Yep ‘mass protection’ is hilariously Orwellian. Like they’re not not just protecting a few people from the da turrists, they’re protecting lots of people. Wicked! I hope I’m being uh, ‘protected’.

      • Anne 30.1.1

        I’m sure you are emergency mike as is probably everyone else who posts/comments on this site. Always with our interest at heart of course. 😛

      • One Anonymous Bloke 30.1.2

        It’s nice to have a nanny to watch over us all. No, wait…

  29. Jenk 31

    Did anyone else notice John Key saying that a party with the most votes (ie National) could govern as a minority government if other parties decided to support such a type of govt. ie other parties eg NZ First would be prepared to support the Nats as a minority govt on certain matters of policy ? ? I don’t think I imagined this – TV3 News tonight ? Did anyone else notice this ? Is this a possibility – that the Nats could govern on their own (with 1 Act and 1 Dunne also) and party’s on the cross-benches agreeing to approve budgets, certain bits of legislation, etc ?

    • karol 31.1

      Yes. It was on The Nation this morning. He’s floating that as a possibility if neither block can form a government. But, under MMP, that’s highly unlikely.

      However, It shows that Key is not very confident of a victory. it also shows he doesn’t give a shit for democracy – just wants power.

      • weka 31.1.1

        Although to be fair I’ve seen it mooted for L/GP too.

        Not sure how it works? Isn’t it the dreaded instability, whereby the govt has to negotiate on each piece of legislation as they go?

    • ScottGN 31.2

      Mr Key has been musing on this for quite a while and apart from anything else it tells us that National have never been terribly confident of outright victory at this election.
      Mr Key seems to be saying that, assuming he’s the leader of the party with the most seats in the House after next Saturday he can go to the GG and ask that the new parliament be called and he can test its confidence with the delivery of a Speech from the Throne. He’s hoping, of course, that opposition parties will not wish to trigger a new election (and be punished for it) and therefore they will vote for the Throne Speech and subsequent Budget.
      This is common practice in Canada, which after all is another Westminster Parliament like ours and seems to be where he’s got the idea from.
      It isn’t common in NZ and I think he’s overestimating the opprobrium opposition parties might face if they choose to send the country back to the polls in the first instance.
      It’s also worth pointing out that it’s become the habit of Stephen Harper and the Conservatives in Canada to bundle all sorts of contentious legislation (gun control measures for example or bills about abortion, prostitution or tax) into various catch-all Omnibus Bills that require the Confidence of the House and therefore dare the Opposition to vote them down.

  30. b waghorn 32

    @ jenk
    Must mean key knows he’s fucked if he’s talking about minority government.

  31. emergency mike 33

    First Key says, “There’s no mass surveillance of New Zealanders.” Period. But later in the same interview…

    Journalist- ‘Have we received mass surveillance on NZers from our overseas five eyes partners ?

    Key- ‘I can’t go into that detail because I don’t have the answer to that’.

    So, um, our minister for the GCSB, doesn’t know whether or not they have received massive data on NZers from their 5 eyes partners? Doncha think you should know Mr Key?

    But at the same time, he can state categorically that there’s no mass surveillance of New Zealanders. Hmm, I used to think that John Key was an impressive bullshit artist, but now I’m not so impressed. Do try to get your story straight.

    • emergency mike 33.1

      I also note that the click warriors on Stuff seems to have given up on this 712 comment article. The normal situation of very high scores for the countless people calling Key a liar, and negative scores for people slagging off Greenwald has resumed.

    • Puddleglum 33.2

      I suspect that Key’s ‘wiggle room’ is around who collects the data rather than who has access to it for analysis.

      It doesn’t matter who ‘collects’ it – Key’s assurance was that mass surveillance doesn’t happen. The kernel of this concern is not about ‘collection’ – it’s about analysis and use.

      He needs to be nailed on this – any journalists reading the comments on this post?

  32. Tautoko Viper 34

    Looking back over some of the issues to do with the GCSB and Key, I would like to know the role of Peter Thiel and Palantir and if it involves analysing data collected on NZ citizens.

    The following article discusses Palantir in the US:

    Citizens of the world who were tired of how much of their personal data the U.S. government controlled may soon have to get used to a different dilemma: That same information being controlled by a private company.

    If information is being collected by the GCSB , passed to a private company for analysis, is there not a potential for information to be sold on for commercial reasons?

    • Rich 34.1

      Yes I know nothing about this Palantir, but once I realised what was going on in this country, Thiel and his libertarian fascism with a strong base in elite shittery came immediately to mind. One of their ideas is for an offshore artificial island uncontrolled by any form of democracy and a place where the poor are banned (assumedly with the exception of fly in slaves). Sounds almost like they couldn’t be bothered building their own.

    • Colonial Viper 34.2

      I saw a tweet yesterday along these lines: Peter Thiel was asked if Palantir was a front for the CIA. He replied – no, it’s the CIA which is a front for Palantir.

      Oh, how wonderfully droll, I thought. Gagh.

  33. Valleyman 35

    Key will have received his script from the US government about what to say in response to the Snowdon documents that Greenwald will release on Monday, Key will also be franticly practising his script all weekend so he has it memorised word for word.

    • Colonial Viper 35.1

      The beautiful thing: Greenwald knows exactly what that script says as Greenwald has heard it hundreds of times before.

      • emergency mike 35.1.1

        Exactly, Greenwald has heard it all before here there and everywhere.

        I don’t think ‘henchman’ is going to throw him at this stage.

  34. Inky 36

    Another beautiful thing is Key’s bitchy remark about Greenwald being Dotcom’s ‘henchman’. Because you can be sure that it’s going to be reported overseas and he will have put himself on the radar with a lot more people. Many will know Greenwald is nobody’s henchman and will be thinking, ‘hmm, that sounds pretty defensive. Who is this guy Key and what is this all about?’

    Way to go, John, if you had even the sense of a melon farmer (google it), you’d have kept your stupid yap shut.

  35. karol 37

    Sunday Star Times this morning:

    Glenn Greenwald will speak first on Monday night. Simultaneously his report on NZ and the Snowden documents will be released online on Intercept.

    Dotcom will speak last (after Snowden & Assange via video link). Dotcom’s statement will be short, “incontrovertible” evidence that Key lied about when he knew him.

    SST says Key is poised to release a transcript of the briefing Key got just before the raid on Dotcom mansion, to show that was the first he’d heard of KDC. It shows Key asked if Dotcom was Korean.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 37.1

      The [redacted] answer to his question can now be revealed:

      “No, Prime Minister, remember your briefing in Los Angeles?”

  36. veutoviper 38

    Two IP/IMP releases that are worth reading/watching.

    First, the excellent press release from Harre and Harawira in response to Key’s reaction to Greenwald’s The Nation interview – and in particular Key’s statement that he is going to declassify documents to prove Greenwald wrong. Misusing security information for political purposes ??????

    https://t.co/r4rMrLsmSU

    Second, Laila (Not the Six O’Clock News) in discussion with Robert Amsterdam and Glenn Greenwald on mass surveillance, Key’s reaction to date and related matters. Twenty minutes of my life that I do not regret as it was well worth watching.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYEdaxbfpYc&feature=youtu.be

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    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    6 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    6 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
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    7 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
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  • Trustee tax change welcomed
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  • Minister’s Ramadan message
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  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
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  • Minister to attend World Anti-Doping Agency Symposium
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