Irascible: The Herald and Key duck, scuttle and run as Donghua Liu story loses credibility

Written By: - Date published: 2:19 pm, June 28th, 2014 - 35 comments
Categories: john key - Tags: , , , ,

Reposted from The Irascible Curmudgeon.

John Key - spy vs lieIt looks like the powers that be on the Herald’s editorial board are starting to realise that being a paid shill for the Key owned National Party is not as wise a move as they thought. Particularly as the realisation that the allegations fed from John Key and  those around Donghua Liu are proving to be a quicksand that is sucking the already doubtful credibility of the paper as a crusading, principled record of fact away from it.

The self parodying editorial (27.6.14) was the beginning of the duck strategy and, today, the normally rabid Key adoration puffer, Fran O’Sullivan, began to drop the blame for the fiasco on Key’s desire to extract utu on Cunliffe for daring to reveal the extent to which National Party cabinet ministers have been prepared to go in the quest for largesse from foreign property speculators and “investor immigrants”. Her comments (Irascible’s italics) that:

It was lack of discipline when he recently fuelled the journalistic flames on the so-called Donghua Liu donations scandal from the comfortable distance of the US.

He appeared to have forgotten a basic rule of politics — don’t fan the flames of scandal unless you are sure where it will finish up. It’s understandable that Key was tempted to indulge in some gotcha politics himself after a torrid month where he had to put Judith Collins on Cabinet leave after the Oravida affair and ask for Maurice Williamson’s ministerial resignation after he intervened in a police matter involving the Chinese business investor.

It must have been pure utu to watch while the proverbial was thrown back all over Labour after Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse informed Key there was an 11-year-old pro forma letter in the files that showed Cunliffe wrote to authorities on Liu’s behalf over his residency application.

The Prime Minister wasn’t the direct source of the Liu “revelations” (I use that word advisedly as many of the more hyperbolic Liu claims have since proved to be a mirage).

Herald investigative journalist Jared Savage, who broke the story which led to Williamson’s resignation, had already sought Liu’s immigration file under the Official Information Act. But it isinstructive in that it was sources close to National who shopped the story of Liu’s anonymous donations to Labour elsewhere after Woodhouse had accessed the file.

National has not played a straight bat on this story.

Woodhouse has yet to explain why he initially told porkies by denying he had informed Key about the Cunliffe letter — something that may have been literally true but skated over the fact he had told the prime minister’s staff about the letter (and one from former Labour MP Chris Carter) and his office had provided both letters to Key’s office.

While Cunliffe was obviously stitched up over the Liu letter, the political donor’s subsequent “misstatements” have left thoughtful people wondering whether it was indeed Labour that had proven tricky — as National’s meme invites us to believe — or the governing party.

… reveal some deep disquiet emerging within the party political PR machine behind Key and the National Party.

"Smile, Wave, brain-fade, scuttle and run" The stategists in confrence?

“Smile, Wave, brain-fade, scuttle and run” The stategists in confrence?

The history of the Donghua Liu scandal is revealing, as commented on in earlier postings and by other commentators, because of its obvious links to the scandal spreading blog sites closely connected to the Ninth Floor of the Beehive and the readiness of The Herald to swallow without due diligence the statement given it by, to quote Fran O’Sullivan, those close to National … after Woodhouse had accessed the file.

And, now, as the allegations begin to unravel and there is colder, closer and more focused examination of the apparent deliberate anti-Labour campaign being waged by the opinionista in The Herald the classic Key strategy of “smile, wave, brain fade, scuttle and run” is being followed in an attempt to extricate the news-sheet from the  mess it helped create.

35 comments on “Irascible: The Herald and Key duck, scuttle and run as Donghua Liu story loses credibility ”

  1. Gruntie 1

    Last Sunday, by 3 of my close family members, one a Green voter and 2 NActs tried to smear the shit all over Lsbour and David Cunliffe – I asked for their evidence of any wrong doing by DC – haven’t heard from them yet – still waiting for an apology. I will never buy another Herald as long as I live, and I’m looking forward to those arseholes putting up a paywall – hope they burn in the gutter.

    • Vicky32 1.1

      They are deffo putting up a pay wall, I had an online survey about it the other day, asking which perks I would pay for, and what was the lowest price I’d pay for a monthly fee…
      Vicky

  2. tc 2

    Imo you give the herald far too much undeserved credit.

    they played their role as they do not question or fact check any nat minister and especially the pm, business as usual for granny.

    now they will do like key and diffuse, bluster, spin and drop it all together once the published hand wringing is done.

    Granny is a tawdry shill for this nasty corrupt govt caught out playing their game any contrition is another charade.

  3. Paul 3

    I will not buy this rag again.

  4. karol 4

    Herald on Sunday issues an almost and weak apology – buried amidst an article, and under a misleading heading – not good enough. It should be as big front page news as their nasty smear campaign.

    “Labour and Liu: Businessman clarifies spending”

    First the article recaps the smear campaign as though they had no real hand in the smear. Then this:

    We regret reporting the $100,000 was for wine only.

    Labour has said it has no record of any payments from Liu, and that the Yangtze River trip and rowing donation are separate from the party. Labour leader David Cunliffe wishes to make it clear the alleged donations, if they did occur, were six years before his leadership began.

    • veutoviper 4.1

      As you say, an almost and weak apology. lost in the depths of the Politics section, And with no name to the article.

      They also appear to stand by the statement that Liu contributed about $100,000 – including the donations to the HB Rowing Club ($2k) and the Yangtze river trip ($50k) which were not donations to Labour.

      BUT, in today’s ‘clarification’, they make no mention of the claim by Liu that the Herald originally reported, that Liu had made similar payments to National as he had to Labour. The only Liu donation declared by National is $22k in 2012. So were is the rest?

    • Chooky 4.2

      Labour Party has very good grounds for suing imo….and the rest of New Zealand will be behind them!

      ….Labour needs to take a very hard stand on this Chinese Lui corruption in the National Party… or either the mud will stick on Labour where Lui, Key and the Herald have illegitimately tried to smear them

      ….. or Labour will appear weak!…and no one wants to vote for a weak Party…least of all the New Zealand working class male!

  5. NZJester 5

    Strangely one person has not yet ducked for cover as Rodney Hide just put up a story advocating for the Police to be brought in to search for the illusive Liu donations the Herald was unable to find any evidence about.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11283826
    He seriously wants the police to search to see if any trace can be found of a Liu donation to Labour.
    What does he expect the police to do if they did happen find a donation? Does he seriously want them to prosecute someone even though no law would have been broken? Lets have the police stop investigating actual crimes and have them search for evidence about something that if proved would not be in any way illegal.

    • veutoviper 5.1

      Haven’t yet read Hide, but this (now somewhat dated) post by Andrew Geddis at Pundit addresses the legal situation and why the Police should noat be involved. In brief, the donations law in place in 2007 had a six month limitation even if any donations were in fact illegal.

      http://pundit.co.nz/content/maybe-it-was-a-bottle-of-armand-de-brignac-nebuchadnezzar-champagne

      The amended legislation that came into force in late 2008 is much stricter in relation to the amounts and declaration of donations etc, so if there were any improper/non-declared donations by Liu, these could be ones that he has supposedly made to National. According to the earlier reports by the Herald, Liu has said that he has made similar donations to National as he made to Labour – yet the only reported/declared donation to National is $22k in 2012.

      • Grumpy 5.1.1

        As I see it, the call to involve the police is nothing to do with electoral law, it is because if Liu is correct and he has given Labour money, and if Labour is correct in that they have no record of it, then there is a possibility of theft. I would have thought Labour itself would be calling in the police in these circumstances.

        • Chooky 5.1.1.1

          Liu cant prove it ..or he would have already…he is lying….and the police have better things to do with their time!

          …the onus is on Key and Liu and the Herald to prove their allegations

          …and Labour should sue for defamation and attempted corruption of the New Zealand democratic process and Election by a false smearing campaign

    • Lloyd 5.2

      I suspect Rodney’s article was written several days ago, or Rodney has been asleep for several days, as Rodney did not ask for the Police to look for the missing $78,000 donation to National.

  6. Bob 6

    So now that Granny has to back off the Editorial bias to save the last shred of credibility, they roll out Hide to drag it all up again. Unbelievable!

  7. freedom 7

    ‘All Blacks All Blacks All Blacks. All Blacks All Blacks All Blacks All Blacks. All Blacks All Blacks All Blacks All Blacks. All Blacks All Blacks. All Blacks All Blacks All Blacks. Boy. we really stuffed up on that Liu fiasco didn’t we?. All Blacks All Blacks All Blacks All Blacks. All Blacks All Blacks All Blacks. All Blacks All Blacks All Blacks All Blacks. All Blacks All Blacks. All Blacks All Blacks All Blacks ‘
    -NZ Herald

  8. cogito 8

    Has anyone else experienced excessive “moderation” while commenting on this story – and others – on 3News? Seems that pointed comments (as opposed to wordy ramblings) against Key get removed and the poster gets banned. Has now happened to me twice. This sort of gestapo behaviour does 3News no credit at all and does absolutely nothing for free speech.

  9. lurgee 9

    It’s pretty sad how desperately some on the left are clinging on to this. It’s stupid, as it is just keeping the story in the news and people will be wondering if there is fire where the smoke is. After all, in the public’s mind, Labour haven’t disproven the allegations. It’s our party and our leader that are hurting the more this story is discussed, not Key and National. It also makes us look small, whiney and constantly reactive.

    The media, as I recall, reported the story of the alleged GCSB tape Shearer made, which turned out to be false, or at least unproven, Stop complaining constantly about media bias. It’s reality. It happens all around the world. Look at what the British Labour Party has to put up with – only ejected in 2010, associated with the economic collapse of 2008, Iraq, 1000% more media bias, Ed Milliband – but they’re comfortably ahead in opinion polls. It only seems to be crippling the NZ Labour party. Why not just admit that it isn’t media bias that has us languishing at 28%. It’s because we’re weak, constantly out-foxed, paranoid and failing to talk up positive reasons for voting for us.

    Look at the number of posts and comments about this story, compared to the recent (positive) policy announcements by Labour. This place is clutterred with dross making Labour look shamefully weak, confused and childishly upset about everything.

    Why would anyone vote for such a party?

    • freedom 9.1

      The Liu story is about influence on our democratic process and Labour is getting many pats on the back for standing up to the Herald’s smear campaign. The public comments that filled the stands plainly show how the public saw through the pre show amateurism and the mexican waves of admonition proves those who think they make the rules have a fight on their hands. Labour’s story has not changed. They have not rewritten answers, twisted statements or trotted out dolled up sycophants to juggle facts like sideshow clowns.

      They have not fabricated flimsy fences to reign in roaming realities. They have stood proudly, they have stood together, they are obviously united when stating what the facts show. If you think they could do more to show how firm a line they currently hold, I am at a loss as to what that might be.
      They cannot control what the media do any more than we can. I am not even a Labour voter but have been impressed by the way they have handled this smear.

      The campaign proper soon begins and the strength shown by Labour this past week was more than just a warm up as they head out onto the pitch.

      The opposition is unsettled to say the least. It is time to see what Labour’s haka has in store.

      • lurgee 9.1.1

        My point was not so much the Labour response as the constant wailing and gnashing on here about it.

        I don’t think the opposition are all that bothered. They are sitting at 45% in the polls and Labour are praying Winston gets back. Labour, you will recall, are the party of the working class, and on a slightly broader definition, the party that (in theory) represents the interests of about 90% of New Zealanders. But they are only getting 30% of the vote. Something is very utterly stupendously wrong, and it isn’t ll down to the obsession hereabouts with ‘media bias.’

        • Chooky 9.1.1.1

          @lurgee

          …you dont think corruption, lying and subversion of our democratic system is important?
          ….you dont think corruption in the National Party is important…grovelling for money from a disreputable Chinese business immigrant who buys influence and lies?
          ….you dont think a smear campaign against Labour by the Herald is important?

          …you think it should be dropped ?!…this is a sad reflection on yourself…because many New Zealanders are disgusted!

          • lurgee 9.1.1.1.1

            This is not about corruption, influence or what-have-you. It is about the glaring hole where Labour’s vision, passion and policies are meant to be, and the continual wailing here about the ‘media bias’ as if that was the reason Labour were so dismally behind in the polls. Still, feel free to carry on missing the point.

            I notice ANOTHER post has been made on this topic since I checked this morning.

            Just. Get. Over. It.

            • Clemgeopin 9.1.1.1.1.1

              But Labour simply can not afford not to react and respond, can they?

              True, we need to focus on our policies too at the same time and more actively from now on.

  10. jaymam 10

    Since you like the picture above (that I supplied) of Key, DPF and Slater so much, I am prepared to divulge how these pictures can be obtained. I do have a valid email address now, but it’s not getting any replies.

  11. Saarbo 11

    “the normally rabid Key adoration puffer, Fran O’Sullivan, …”

    Im not sure if Fran O is a rabid Key adoration puffer, but she is free market adoration puffer, anything that might resemble government intervention she will attack.

    When it comes to the leaders she understands David Cunliffes economic/business skills and provides him with positive coverage…it sticks out in the NZH. I think she also understands that Labour has the economic policies that are more responsible and will leave the nation better off in the long term.

  12. tsmithfield 12

    It seems people here have missed reading this article.

    Note that despite the public comments from Labour that seemed to imply Liu was either lying or wrong, Labour seems to have stepped back from its previous rhetoric. From the article:

    Labour Party general secretary Tim Barnett confirmed that a lawyer for the party had contacted Liu’s legal counsel but was yet to receive a substantive reply.

    “The Labour Party has no dispute with Mr Liu because we have seen no evidence that he has published false information about us.”

    Also, it looks to me that Labour’s attempts to discredit Liu have motivated him to prove his own position in a manner that could prove highly embarrassing for Labour.

    Aucklander Paul Davison, QC, is heading a team of advisers for Liu reviewing the property developer’s records following the comments of David Cunliffe this week.

    The Weekend Herald understands this includes more than 30 photographs taken over 18 months linking Liu to Labour, including a fundraiser at an Auckland restaurant and a trip to China, where he hosted a Cabinet minister in 2007.

    Also a couple of teasing posts from Whaleoil suggest more revelations just around the corner.

    http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2014/06/tick-tick-tick-tick/

    http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2014/06/coming-theatre-near/

    Could be an interesting week this week. Perhaps Labour are going to get what they have been asking Liu to provide.

    • Pascal's bookie 12.1

      roflnui

    • framu 12.2

      “we have seen no evidence that he has published false information about us.”

      maybe because no-ones shown them any evidence and it was the herald who published it?

      usually the first step in bringing in the lawyers is a standard “weve heard you said this – can you send us the evidence so we can decide if further steps are required?”

      and the article linked to is by jared savage – who is neck deep in the creation of the whole bucket of bullshit in the first place. I wont even bother mocking you for using a whale oil link – its too easy

      jebus TS – your argument was rather full of holes

  13. Tom Bradford 13

    “The Key owned National Party”?

    Given that Key is himself likely still owned by Merrill Lynch, that makes the National Party what?

    And the Government of New Zealand what?

  14. Tautoko Viper 14

    The Herald has a chance to salvage something out of this fiasco if it

    1. Reveals WHO gave the Herald the 3 May Liu “statement”
    2. Finds out and reveals WHO actually wrote the 3 May statement

    because this statement was printed by the Herald in good faith that it was true and accurate.
    The Herald should be directing its venom towards those who wrote and gave this misinformation to them. Both the Herald and Labour are the victims here. The Herald should have checked before publishing so any loss of reputation is not the fault of the Labour Party and needs to be taken on board by the Herald. There is little evidence that this has happened to date.

  15. Clemgeopin 15

    Regarding this Immigration minister, Woodhouse, apart from him dishing out ‘dirt’ on Cunliffe to Key, by way of the 13 year old 2005 letter, another aspect of his behaviour is very shameful and unbecoming: That is that this cabinet minister personally went and met this Liu fellow at Liu’s place in order to take his suggestions regarding immigration rules.

    The more propriety thing would have been to ask Liu to write a submission or at best to invite him to the minister’s office to discuss the issue. How cheap and improper for a cabinet minister to go and meet this party donor instead!

    The following report says this:
    “He even made a special visit, meeting Mr Liu at his hotel — the Boulevard Hotel in New Market, Auckland, the hotel where Mr Liu assaulted his de-facto partner and Mr Williamson interfered in the police case”

    In my opinion, this act alone should be grounds enough to sack this disgraceful minister.
    Don’t you agree?

    Here is the full report of this shameful National episode:

    http://www.3news.co.nz/Woodhouse-discussed-immigration-with-Liu/tabid/1607/articleID/343193/Default.aspx

  16. Tom Gould 16

    There is something sinister and a bit frightening about the new National Party that Key and his cronies have created. We have not seen its like here in New Zealand before, a massively well funded permanent campaign at every level, including character assassination and personal attack, all carefully coordinated using the resources of government, party, business and media. It could be so easily dismissed as a crazy left-wing conspiracy, but the Herald’s over-reaching has cracked the façade. Could this be the beginning of the end for the myth of that nice man John Key?

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    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
    23 hours ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    24 hours ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    1 day 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
    1 day 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 ...
    1 day ago
  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 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
    2 days ago
  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    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 ...
    3 days ago
  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    3 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
    3 days ago
  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    3 days ago
  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    3 days ago
  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    4 days ago
  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    5 days ago
  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

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

    5 days ago
  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    6 days ago
  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago
  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    6 days ago
  • Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
    No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago
  • Sad tales from the left
    Michael Bassett writes –  Have you noticed the odd way in which the media are handling the government’s crackdown on surplus employees in the Public Service? Very few reporters mention the crazy way in which State Service numbers rocketed ahead by more than 16,000 during Labour’s six years, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • In Whose Best Interests?
    On The Spot: The question Q+A host, Jack Tame, put to the Workplace & Safety Minister, Act’s Brooke van Velden, was disarmingly simple: “Are income tax cuts right now in the best interests of lowering inflation?”JACK TAME has tested another MP on his Sunday morning current affairs show, Q+A. Minister for Workplace ...
    6 days ago
  • Don’t Question, Don’t Complain.
    It has to start somewhereIt has to start sometimeWhat better place than here?What better time than now?So it turns out that I owe you all an apology.It seems that all of the terrible things this government is doing, impacting the lives of many, aren’t necessarily ‘bad’ per se. Those things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Auckland faces 25% water inflation shock
    Three Waters became a focus of anti-Government protests under Labour, but its dumping by the new Government hasn’t solved councils’ funding problems and will eventually hit the back pockets of everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 8:06 am today are:The Government ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Small accomplishments and large ironies
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Song of Saqua: Volume VII
    In order to catch up to the actual progress of the D&D campaign, I present you with another couple of sessions. These were actually held back to back, on a Monday and Tuesday evening. Session XV Alas, Goatslayer had another lycanthropic transformation… though this time, he ran off into the ...
    6 days ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago
  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
    The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
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