John Key’s Groundhog day II

Written By: - Date published: 8:53 am, August 22nd, 2014 - 88 comments
Categories: john key, national - Tags: ,

Another day and more bad press for National over dirty politics. John Key is now claiming, without irony, that an assault on our democracy is occurring. There is, but not from the sources that he claims.  The attack on our democracy has come from the National Party who has politicised the public service, abused its relationship with the press, and fed sensitive information to an attack blogger who has then smeared away to his heart’s content.

A Herald Digipoll has recorded a significant drop in support for John Key and a significant gain for David Cunliffe in the preferred PM stakes.  It appears that more and more citizens are realising that the attacks on Cunliffe are part of a dark ops smear campaign from within the Beehive.  As David gets more public exposure I expect support for him to grow.  And if he performs as well as he did in this Herald video interview then he and Labour will do well.

Yesterday there was a lot of analysis of Key’s knowledge that sensitive information concerning Phil Goff was declassified and handed to Cameron Slater.  I thought that we had the smoking gun proving that Key knew about the OIA release by the SIS to Cameron Slater.  But Enough is Enough pointed out that the evidence was not quite there.

A plain reading of the letters released by Tony Manhire Felix Marwick yesterday clearly suggested that Key, as opposed to his office, had been briefed on the decision to release the SIS documents to Cameron Slater.  But then Ombudsman Beverley Wakam and former SIS chief Warren Tucker came out and claimed that the language used in both letters is a particularly Wellington form of English and that it meant Key’s office was briefed and not him personally despite the clear plain english used.

So can John Key honestly claim that he did not know about the decision to declassify and release sensitive and politically loaded SIS documents to Cameron Slater?

The Herald has reported this morning on the following video which is from a press conference back in 2011.

Key is quoted as saying:

What happened is Warren Tucker didn’t come to me, he went to his legal adviser and his legal advisers told him this is the process they have to follow and when he was going through that process it was at that point he told me he’d release it because he has to tell me that under the no-surprises doctrine.”

Another aspect to the story that is now very clear is that Tucker released the document to Slater only because Key had referred to the document publicly.  Tucker’s letter to Slater says “the [NZSIS] would not normally release such information because disclosure may breach the confidentiality of advice tendered by officials. In this case, however, the existence and some of the content of such briefings have already been made public.”

So Key’s claim that Slater’s OIA request did not come over his desk has to be wrong.  And his role in the actual release needs to be investigated further.

Of course this debate avoids the bleedingly obvious.  By refusing to do anything except conceding reluctantly that Collins’ actions were unwise Key is effectively sanctioning the Dirty Politics exposed in the book.  People should lose their jobs, starting with Collins, and continuing with chief of staff Wayne Eagleston and continuing with Jason Ede.  Their continued presence on various payrolls shows what Key thinks about their tactics and behaviour.

88 comments on “John Key’s Groundhog day II ”

  1. Enough is Enough 1

    Gone by lunchtime….

  2. redfred 2

    ooooohhh come back Fisani

  3. Craig Glen Eden 3

    Key is stuffed and Cunliffe was back to his old self in the Herald Intereview yesterday, Cunliffe was superb in that interview, his ablility to answer questions with clarity and detail reminded me so much of Clark. Should he repeat this kind of performance on TV I think things will change for Cunliffe and Labour.
    I have spoken to a number of West Auckland folk who are self confessed Labour through and through who told me they didnt have confidence in David Cunliffe because of the negativity that came from within Labour attacking Cunliffe. Yesterday I was able to say check this video out. Two of them said they would because they had been waiting to see if they were going to vote because they thought Labour and Cunliffe had no chance. The two that said they would look at the video both had Labour voting partners they said felt the same. Both people one male and female said if they thought Cunliffe was as good as I had said in the interview that they would vote for him, so who knows the election may get very interesting.

  4. ianmac 4

    So that is what a smoking gun looks like! Incredible!
    Either Key was lying then or Key is lying now. Cannot both be right.
    And remember the amazing confidence Key has shown in denying the accusations recently must be another form of his ability to laugh and lie at the same time. Amazing!

  5. Craig Glen Eden 5

    That video is very damaging for Key in light of what he has been saying to he media the last few days. The journos in this clip must be pretty pissed now. For those of us who love politics on the left it seems like its a beautiful day, winter is drawing to a close.

    • Kiwiri 5.1

      at that point he told me he’d release it because he has to tell me

      John Key, on any day and for his next stand-up, will try to figure out which furniture or office content he will pretend to be (or not to be) in the PM’s Office: chair, desk, telephone, stapler, flight ticket to Hawaii, paper-weight, ……….

  6. Heck Funk Joy 6

    So, if the head of the fish is rotten, what does it say for the body?

    There will be decent people within the National Party membership, however, are there also people that act in the same dirty way as John et. al. Couldn’t be possible could it?

    Would it be possible for ex employee of the state service commission & a National party paid member to be willing to ‘look’ around in certain Governments files in order to gain contract work?

    Would it be possible they have nice cushy roles within an SOE? due to their political affiliations.

    Would you trust the SSC for oversight if this is the type of employee they manufacture.

    I wouldn’t.

  7. ianmac 7

    So Tucker had intended to release to Slater on the same day that he received the request. Even worse!
    He said Dr Tucker told him about Slater’s request for the documents on July 26, the day he received it.

    Mr Goff said Dr Tucker said he intended to release that day, “and I hit the roof”.

    He had told Dr Tucker it was “unbelievable that you would contemplate doing anything like that – that draws you right into the political arena”.

    He said Dr Tucker then agreed to delay the release for a week.
    At the end of David Bennet’s article:
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11312590

    • Anne 7.1

      Someone will correct me if I’m wrong but:

      Dr Tucker talked about communicating with “the Prime Minister” and the “Leader of the Opposition” then yesterday he corrected that by saying… when referring to the Prime Minister it means I contacted the office and not necessarily the PM himself. We now know he spoke directly to the Leader of the Opposition, Phil Goff on the 26th July 2011, but we also know John Key was holidaying’ in Hawaii at that stage.

      I hope someone with the time and expertise is able to put a full time-line on all of this, because I suspect it will spell out a revealing story. For starters:

      There is no way Dr Warren Tucker and his senior staff would normally contemplate responding positively to an OIA request on the same day it was received, and yet we now know from Phil Goff that is what was intended. Normally information of that nature is automatically refused anyway. The inevitable conclusion is that Dr Tucker was being ‘coerced’ to immediately expedite the request and the coercion was coming from someone in the PM’s Office – one of his press officers?

      Why the need for such a rush? The answer to that suggests that the PM and his staff wanted the whole Goff smear operation to be done and dusted before Key arrived back in NZ. That would give Key “plausible deniability should he face awkward questions.

      • karol 7.1.1

        Looking for info on that, I found that the story arose because the SIS had (allegedly) leaked ino to the press about the Israeli spy story. There were allegations that Key had tried to cover that up.

        At that time in mid-late July 2011, Key was in the US and did a visit to Obama.

        So that was the context in which Goff then questioned why he hadn’t been informed of the spy investigation.

        • Anne 7.1.1.1

          Yes, a very interesting context indeed and I would not be surprised if, during his sojourn in Washington, Key was asked to close down the story… a request he may well have passed on to the SIS. The inquiry should clear all of that up, but of course it won’t happen until after the election.

          Something I always do is try to imagine how Helen Clark would have handled the matter. She and her staff would not have been involved in any urgent request for the release of sensitive information to a left-wing blogger in the first place. So, there would have been no story!

    • politikiwi 7.2

      …which dovetails interestingly with Slater’s annoyance with the delay (which is very evident if you read the book).

      One possible explanation is that Slater was told Tucker would authorise the release post-haste, but the plan to do the release on the same day was derailed by Phil Goff’s objections, and he had to wait a week.

      It wouldn’t be unreasonable to think Ede gave Slater the wording for the OIA request (there’s clear evidence it happened in other cases), got Tucker to agree to immediate release and told Slater that it would be released immediately, and also what would be in it as Slater infers in the book he already knows what’s in it. The carefully orchestrated plan went sour when Goff hit the roof, resulting in a delay which Slater clearly didn’t expect, although anyone with even a vague knowledge of how the SIS handles OIA requests would’ve been prepared for a 20 day wait from the outset.

      This stinks. It really does.

  8. tricledrown 8

    Key is as cunning as a drain pipe rat just focusing on him riding out the flak which is obviously his strategy while dog whistling his support is drowning out opposition policy !
    We need Cunliffe Norman Turei to ignore Keys lies for now let the new sMedia do their job and just focus on talking about our POLICIES!
    The Standard should just set up a separate “Toxic Dump”site to deal with Keys lies and Corruption.
    And keep the Main Focus on our policy and leadership
    Not let nationals pollution damage our streams here on the Standard !
    Lynn I hope your listening!

  9. coolas 9

    “What happened is Warren Tucker didn’t come to me, he went to his legal adviser and his legal advisers told him this is the process they have to follow and when he was going through that process it was at that point he told me he’d release it because he has to tell me that under the no-surprises doctrine.”

    Key can’t continue saying it was his office, not him personally, who were briefed. Maybe he will claim that when he says ‘me’ he really means ‘they.’ And we can all shake our heads in disbelieve that such a slimy creature his risen to the top of NZ politics.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 9.1

      Yesterday he told John Campbell that ‘people go to jail for that sort of thing’.

  10. adam 10

    Interesting to see Key, put down that journalist. He was a master of the put down. I hope journalist in this country, keep seeing Key for what he is. I think they will, as they have been treated with a striking measure of disdain.

  11. politikiwi 11

    You mean Toby Manhire, right MS? Not Tony Manhire?

    [Oops – now corrected. If you ever needed proof that my work is my own and not fed by Wellington PR supremos … – MS]

  12. unsol 12

    I don’t think Key will be gone by lunch time & I think he will probably survive this & go on to win the next election. Sorry lefties, but until Russell, King, Mallard, Hipkins, Cunliffe & Goff etc are out of politics you’re losing before the campaigns even start. You need more fresh faces & you need to have a 21st century Helen that knows who to effectively communicate your policies to the masses. And I very much doubt Ardern is the woman for the job!

    But make no mistake, there will be causalities – Slater will be cold shouldered if he isn’t already (plus he’s busy back-pedalling & distancing himself from the Nats faster than I can type anyway…for example, just look at his anti English post today. Funny cos it’s not like any other party would have him!)

    And Collins will be gone for sure- she’s too toxic now….what’s the bet she was the person (being a lawyer) who advised Slater of the right question to ask in order to get that OIA accepted? My guess is Fairfax were denied because they didn’t know the right question. Admittedly the media aren’t always the sharpest tack in the box, but still, I bet knowing the exact question comes down to inside info….especially since Slater knew the outcome before he even got the info.

    The whole thing wreaks of corruption & for what – yep, Goff lied but the sky didn’t fall in & plus we all knew he wasn’t going to last the distance anyway so why sink to this level of muck raking? For blog ratings? And if so, why?

    Why is helping Slater so important to the Nats as let’s be honest, he is not that effective….the elections have always been close & we had the lowest turnout ever last time so I wouldn’t really call that good bang for ones buck.

    I just don’t get why a bunch of well educated successful people in their own right would want to associate with let alone support an uneducated – albeit smart – narcissistic bludger born with a large silver spoon in his mouth & an even bigger sense of entitlement. Especially since he makes it obvious he doesn’t like most of them!

    The whole thing is weird & annoying as its creating more disconnect & undermining our democracy.

    • Craig Glen Eden 12.1

      I dont think he will be gone by lunch time but this is the beginning of the end. Key has now showed himself to be a liar Hager has produced the facts and Key fell over his own lies. In doing so he has stuffed Tuckers reputation Tucker is no longer a retired SIS civil servant he is a partisian hack who knows he personally told Key of the OIA and its release and produced a letter that said he had and then said oh no but when I said Informed the Prime Minister I really meant his office. Then to make matters really bad the Ombudsman got involved and it is now clear she has been lied to and has been made to look partisan. So we will have a drawn out inquiry during which time Key is a lame duck and all the political Journos even Armstrong and O’Sullivan know it. You will of coarse get smucks like Smith, Williams and that idiot Hosking still cheering Key on but lets face it unless Key is caught in the middle of an indecent act they will still support him. I raise my glass Cunliffe will be the next PM hopefully with a cabinet full of Green Party Ministers who will support a progressive Prime Minister.

    • BLiP 12.2

      . . . I just don’t get why a bunch of well educated successful people in their own right would want to associate with let alone support an uneducated – albeit smart – narcissistic bludger born with a large silver spoon in his mouth & an even bigger sense of entitlement. Especially since he makes it obvious he doesn’t like most of them . . .

      These so-called “well-educated and successful” people don’t want to associate with Cameron Slater or even be seen to be associating with him and his crew. What they want is to use him and his ilk to to distance themselves from the practise of dirty politics. Nicky Hager explains it well in his book. Here’s a snippet from Chpater One . . .

      The idea was that Key, as party leader, would be presented as friendly and positive, while other people did the attacking . . . They [Cameron Slater, David Farrar, Matthew Hooten, Simon Lusk, Carrick Graham, Cathy Odgers, Russell Beaumont, Nikki Kaye, “Adolf Fiinkensein”, “Gooner”, “Insolent Prick”et al] would become the new experts in negative campagning – the same kind of politics described in The Hollowmen but with new tactics and technology. They would overturn the traditional relationship between politics and news media by providing blog platforms they could spread news unconstrained by the media standards of accuracy, fairness and balance. They also offered a deniable channel that could be used over and over launch attacks for politicians who wanted to keep their hands clean . . .

      . . . geddit?

      I’m not sure that this whole thing is “weird” but agree that it is “annoying” for those exposed, but itis certainly all about creativing division and undermining democracy. Watching it play out is also frustrating because there has been no actual analysis of the main questions arising from it. The current focus on Cameron Slater and specific incidents as detailed in Dirty Politics seems to be missing the wider point and full cast of characters involved in this. There certainly will be casualities but I suspect their sacrifice will be more about putting heads on pikes rather than a full scale resolution. Such a resolution will require Labour and its own tendency towards the practise of dirty politics to be acknowledged and stymied as well.

    • colin 12.3

      Discouraging voters is part of the aim. By turning it into a personality contest reducing any and all political debate on actual issues less people care enough to vote. This feeds into National’s hands as they mover further away from what most people actually want in a government of this country. That breeds resentment of the kind you see chanting from Christshurch for Dot Kom. But they fall back on dirty tricks campagin in the media to get less people to vote for him anyway because the divisions in the Labour party has stopped Cunlife coming out with any chance of a deal. More people switch off because it looks like the alternative is even worse, calling Dot Kom a nazi for channeling the strong anger at Key’s handling of Christchurch.

      Except the right, because shaved head neo-nazis, red neck farmers, angry middle aged businessmen and old people will still vote National no matter how bad the dirty tricks are. On the other Labour can’t seem to run their own house let alone a coalition thanks to the dirty tricks campagin from Slater. It’s worked very well, the question really is will the middle class voters who thought Key was mr clean actually change their vote over this and will Cunlife look credible enough to bring out support for him but also for those to the left of him?

  13. Chris 13

    “No, I didn’t know back in 2011 the precise details of the request but my office was told and that is what I was referring to back then. This is completely consistent with what I’ve been saying all along.”

  14. appleboy 14

    BM???? Fisiani?????

  15. TE 15

    John Key “There’s no more faith in thee than in a stewed prune”
    and all your loyal followers “They are hare-brain’d slaves”
    Hope he is packing as we type… Biggest smiley face

  16. Colonial Viper 16

    Need to keep apply continuous eroding pressure to the John Key edifice of lies.

  17. tricledrown 17

    True CV but he is taking all the limelight and not giving any room for any other party’s policy
    We have to watch we don’t slip on Whale Oil and into gutter politics as well!

  18. ianmac 18

    Seems odd to me that there is only brief mentions on MSM as far as I can find today.
    NZ’s reputation in the World is at risk. Should it be proven beyond reasonable doubt that that Key is lying, will have much wider impact than a few votes here or there. Just before an election is especially significant but so it is for all of us.

    Mr Key could resign as PM for health reasons and Mr. English or Mr Joyce or Judith Collins could be a caretaker PM???

    • Man in a Barrel 18.1

      Presently (1.57pm Friday) Stuff is running a story under the Headline “Video contradicts Key.”

      Given that Stuff initially played this affair dismissively and sympathetically to the Nats I begin to hope that the NZMSM has finally tired of being played for fools and, worm-like, is turning.

      I also wonder if this might be indicative of a nascent putsch shaping up in the Nats which the press are getting the scent of, and want to be on the right side of. If that’s the case expect senior Nats to start turning on the irredeemably wounded like Key and Collins in order to secure their place in the purged, wholesome new Party.

  19. tricledrown 19

    CV National have a very Slick Advertisements while we are looking at the Whale Oil slick the Dog whistle is under the left’s radar!
    We need to get back to pushing policy Cunliffe Russell Turei have untarnished reputations now they need to say we are not getting involved in this Nasty Mess of Nationals own making we are only interested in getting regional Development Housing shortages fixed,Child poverty sorted!
    Any questions about Key should be batted away by saying the Media is finally doing its job properly we have housing regional development and child poverty policy to deal with!

  20. Red Rosa 20

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11312402

    Is there some sort of Israel/Key/Slater/SIS/USA connection?

    After all, the Slater OIA request arose from circumstances around the Israeli ‘tourists’ (?) treatment in ChCh during the February EQ. The Key/Tucker response, Phil Goff’s interview (remember he said he was sworn to secrecy) are getting deserved attention, but maybe how all this began needs to be looked at too?

    Is Key taking orders from Washington or Tel Aviv on this? It may go much deeper than a simple coverup of nasty blogging links. Key has proven very touchy on this topic, right from the start, and could be under real pressure to conceal some very dodgy doings.

    We know the Israeli PM phoned him within hours of the EQ. His Washington visit has been mentioned earlier on this site – does that tie in? The whole DotCom legal process is essentially being dictated by the FBI.

    If JK is playing with the big boys, no wonder he now looks gray and dead scared.

    • yeshe 20.1

      the whole mess is so like watergate .. drip, drip drip, then suddenly there is a puddle reflecting something bigger .. +100 red rosa

    • Chooky 20.2

      +100 Red Rosa …you make good points which need more examination…..Hugh Wolfensohn was a previous acting director …he left rather hurriedly as i recall

      http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/133300/former-head-of-gcsb-not-paid-out

      Shortly before Fletcher was appointed, the GCSB was found to have illegally spied on Kim Dotcom, a German national but New Zealand resident.[18] By law the agency cannot spy on New Zealand residents. The GCSB admitted that Hugh Wolfensohn, acting director at the time, knew the organisation was spying on Dotcom. It is believed Mr Wolfensohn was placed on “gardening leave” after it became clear the GCSB had made a mistake in spying on Dotcom.[19] In December, the High Court ruled Kim Dotcom could sue the GCSB for damages.[20] The attorney-general appealed the ruling, but was unsuccessful.[21][22] In March 2013, the NZ Herald reported that Wolfensohn “no longer works for the GCSB intelligence agency as it braces for fresh exposure of its failings”.[23]

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_Communications_Security_Bureau

      http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8524181/Key-denies-any-arrests-from-illegal-spying

    • Mike 20.3

      Is there some sort of Israel/Key/Slater/SIS/USA connection?

      I’m sure there is. I suspected as much long before the Christchurch quake.Glad to hear someone else with the same views.

      Democracy, free speech, peoples rights, values and culture are all being destroyed in the English speaking countries. Deliberately orchestrated. It’s not a “conspiracy theory” anymore. It never was, The “free” press, PC laws and endless propaganda have kept us all in the dark.

      I always thought Australia would be the last bastion of a Government, by the people for the people, but they’ve fallen now. NZ and Ireland seem to be the last free English speaking democratic countries still left standing. A change in Government is the only hope of keeping it that way.

      David Cunliffe is a patently honest man, I just hope he has the strength and moral courage of a David Lange or a Helen Clark.

  21. srylands 21

    None of this is important. It is all just the most bizarre meaningless drivel that will mean nothing to main stream New Zealanders. Somebody was told something about something that nobody cares about 3 years ago and now there is a contest to see if some New Zealand journalists can portray members of the Government as saying something that contradicts something they said or someone else said sometime.

    Yes there is a reason that sounds stupid. It is because that is how you all come across. Mad.

    Meanwhile the rest of the world gets on with important issues. Like attracting FDI from China, improving incentives to work, raising productivity. You know. The things that actually matter to productive people who need to make a living.

    • Which was pretty much what I thought of the many, many Kiwiblog threads devoted to the initial mistake by Goff. I didn’t stoop low enough to look at any of the Whaleoil ones, but no doubt they made the pointless drivel on the Kiwiblog threads look sane. They still strike me as trivially stupid in a way that posts about Key’s office manipulating OIA releases aren’t…

    • mickysavage 21.2

      So attack politics and constitutional impropriety not to mention potential criminal behaviour should be tolerated as long as we are getting more investment from China? Really??

    • MrSmith 21.3

      Why only you and your ilk want to talk about Productivity SS.

      From 1986 to 2013, our measured labour productivity rose 58%, while the average hourly wage rose just 18% after inflation.

      The cost of labour to the employer has decreased 6.6% over the past two decades.

      But we don’t want to talk about this at the moment SS as having to much fun watching that fool Key digging for China.

    • Man in a Barrel 21.4

      What an unbelievably brainless comment from srylands.

      It is absolutely fundamental to any democracy that its Civil Service be free of fear and favour – free of fear it will be punished for doing its job properly, and without expectation of reward for doing its job in a partisan political way.

      The idiot Collins drove a bus through that fundamental principle, and by refusing to take action against her because of it Key has essentially green-lighted it. It is more than ‘unwise’ the attack the integrity and independence of the Civil Service. It’s an adoption of the relationship between Governments and the Administration visible in so many countries, especially in Asia and South America, where the Civil Service is simply a self-seeking and accommodating arm of the Government in power for whatever injustices and abuses of power it seeks to impose.

      And that isn’t important to srylands. I suggest that is because he has grown up and flourished in a country where the Civil Service did its job properly without fear and favour from politicians, and by doing so kept those politicians and Governments in proper alignment with the powers given them by the constitution while at the same time respecting the consitutional limits and brakes on its own powers.

      And the idiot srylands wants to throw all that out with the bathwater.

      Dear God, I sometimes despair of what passes for adults in this country.

      • Hayden 21.4.1

        What an unbelievably brainless comment from srylands.

        You must be new. 😀

      • Colonial Viper 21.4.2

        Dear God, I sometimes despair of what passes for adults in this country.

        Srylands is a foreigner. Never been to NZ, never worked in NZ. A paid political hack, most likely.

        • Man in a Barrel 21.4.2.1

          Oh, right.

          Then I hope he benefits from the free education available here.

          • Pasupial 21.4.2.1.1

            MiaB

            Srylands seems incapable of learning anything, he’s just here to threadjack (click on his name in the comment sidebar to confirm by examining his history; if you have a resilient mind, and many free hours to waste). He must have just come off his most recent ban, as he’s been rather quiet – though I may missed him with my sporadic reading of TS of late.

            His free-market idiotology is all he appears to require. Thatcher once asserted that there was no such thing as society and he’s never doubted her proclamation. Engaging with him is a total waste of time and effort.

        • srylands 21.4.2.2

          Wow – I thought you were the foreigner last time I looked. What a dick you are.

        • srylands 21.4.2.3

          and also the very fact that you use the term “foreigner” in a derogatory way shows how xenophobic you are. You are scared witless of reason and science so you practice your mumbo jumbo craft on unsuspecting hicks in Dunedin. You do immense damage to people. Yet every time I say something reasonable you spit bile and pull the race card. You are the worst example here of what the left have become in New Zealand.

          I have never been in New Zealand? What a dick. I will be spending ALL of next week in Christchurch. Just let me know where you would like to meet. I am sure you can get off your arse and make the trip from Dunedin for the day.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 21.4.2.3.1

            S Rylands plays the race card then attempts a Rovian strategy, a flailing failure; he must be getting concerned about the election result. Little leeches who sell false beliefs to willing buyers may experience a significant loss of income when the buyer is in opposition.

    • You_Fool 21.5

      and of course the right wingers never spent countless hours typing posts on when David Cunliffe forgot stuff said years in the past, nor tried to paint him as “tricky” over his changes in position over the period of 15 odd years.

      But you are right, there is much more important things to talk about… so what is National’s policy on child poverty again? Are they measuring it? Whats the plan for Christchurch? Auckland housing crisis? Or does taking 0.20c off some nails magically have a whole heap of houses built? Oh, how about free up some land 50km away from the city centre, and then build mcmansions on them and sell them for 1mill + – Yep that solves the problems!

    • emergency mike 21.6

      And the tr0lls and sock puppets who must have been in Hawaii or something for the last week are back.

      They seem to have been sprung back to life by the video of Key saying that Tucker briefed him about the OIA release. Check out the ‘go blue’ comments in the stuff article.

      It’s really impressive how they all consistently have same objections. No one cares about this, we are too busy working to help our families, or: who remembers everything, policy is more important. There’s also a lot of banging on about this mysterious monolithic organisation called ‘the left’ that is behind it all.

      No independent thinking, just repeating Key’s very same excuses. #teamkeyslater still trying.

  22. srylands 22

    What to expect from the media today. Seriously, this is what you are falling for.

    4.30am Hacked emails on Whale Dump

    John Key: “Jason I’m hungry, get me some babies”
    Jason Eade: “Will do boss”

    6.00am: Breakfast TV: “Shocking allegations PM eats babies”

    6.30am: NZ Herald online:-massive headlines “Does PM Eats Babies?”

    10.00am: PM mobbed by hacks as he opens a sock factory in Matamata. Patrick Gower – with deeply furrowed forehead – demands of Key “Prime Minister can you categorically deny that you have ever eaten a baby” John Key – “yes Patrick”

    11.00am: Cunliffe breaks down on camera with John Campbell “The poor little blue eyed things” he sobs.

    12.30pm: The Green Party claim to have a sworn avadavat from parliamentary staffer now in hiding, saying “she noticed empty baby buggies leaving the PM’s office in the dead of night.

    2.15pm: Laila Harre issues press statement saying, “John Key’s use of the word ’Sugar Daddy’ showed a Freudian connection between people and food

    4pm: PM mobbed by hacks as he arrives at a Kiwifruit orchard in Te Puke. Corin Dann asks “PM can you categorically deny you sent that shocking email to Jason Eade”. John Key – “No Corin, I have checked with my office, I did send it. But Whale dump left out one word. It actually read -Jason I’m hungry, get me some jelly babies”

    5pm. NZ Herald online headline “PM concedes he ate junk food”

    And so it will continue the next day. As we head off on tangent after tangent while the rest of the world concentrates on the important task of becoming prosperous.

    • appleboy 22.1

      That effort took effort than facing reality for a moment. Your PM caught telling lies is ‘meaningless” What a stunning admission.

      A true Nat – why be true when you can just spin lies?

      I was wondering when the deafening silence of stunned mullet righties would end.

      • appleboy 22.1.1

        OH and as for Srylandip’s pathetic comment ‘let’s focus on the economy – are you a short man? what you think we can’t focus on the economy AND deal with little matters of integrity?

        To follow your world view, if the economy is all right forget things like truth honesty and integrity?

        My god..the right wing ideology laid bare there.

    • lprent 22.2

      …..while the rest of the world concentrates on the important task of becoming prosperous.

      National? You’re kidding aren’t you.

      All they ever do is to put us into debt and change the economy so it is less viable for the country as a whole (but good for their MPs). That is why our economy have a ridiculous and every increasing over dependence on dairy and insurance payments at present.

      I think that you are a bit delusional.

    • Man in a Barrel 22.3

      ” As we head off on tangent after tangent while the rest of the world concentrates on the important task of becoming prosperous.” – syrlands

      I think you meant to write; ” As we head off on tangent after tangent while the rest of the world’s 1% concentrates on the important task of becoming prosperous.”

      “The nature of our growth today is markedly different than in the decades after World War II,” [Stiglitz] says. “There, we had shared prosperity. More recently, what we’ve had is exactly the opposite. … Right now, most Americans are worse off than they were 15 years ago. There has not been shared prosperity.”

      http://www.npr.org/2012/06/05/154345390/growing-economic-inequality-endangers-our-future

  23. dv 23

    “concentrates on the important task of becoming prosperous.

    Nz debt is now
    $85,698,535,811

  24. AmaKiwi 24
    1. The journalists are clearly pissed as hell. It’s evident in the way they aggressively question Key at press conferences and on the campaign trail. At last they are acting like court room lawyers, demanding precise answers instead of settling for platitudes and generalities.
    2. National is now starved for oxygen in the MSM. Whatever “good news” stories they planned to roll out for the election are buried under Collins-Key-Ede-Slater-etc. bad news headline stories.
    3. Today’s poll began the day of Hager’s book release. Many could ignore it for the first few days. But come the next poll the public will have had 2 weeks of solid attacks on Key-Collins which the public will not ignore. I am hearing outrage in my community.
    4. Key’s public persona is being demolished. Mr. Easy Going Nice Guy is now constantly on the defensive. If you have to explain, you’ve already lost the argument.
  25. cogito 25

    Anyone seen this re Slater and his trip to Israel? – http://www.nzherald.co.nz/election-2014/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503581&objectid=11312402

    So according to the Israeli Embassy, Slater is “fair-minded” and “spiritual”.

    • Colonial Viper 25.1

      Matches the fair mindedness and the spirit of the Israeli military attacking and suppressing Gaza.

    • Chooky 25.2

      @ cogito…”according to the Israeli Embassy, Slater is “fair-minded” and “spiritual”.” (!) lol…

      ….that is pretty gob smacking…lost for words….but I guess considering who described him that way…it is NOT surprising

  26. reason 26

    Key is much closer and more hands on with slater than what has come out so far …. thats what I think.

    srylands was telling us all here at the standard how he gives money to whale soil …………… how much money srylands ?.

    Still sticking up for the super creep and king of sleaze?.

    Advertisers are pulling adds from whale sick so maybe he needs the cash even more now.

    But then again the unholy trinity of the booze money, tobacco money and national party money will keep the slugs head above water.

    Oh and I forgot the Israelis give him money or something to be a cheerleader for killing children and innocents in ‘self defense’.

    John Key and slater will have much more time for their chats after the election.

  27. Chooky 27

    +100 reason…and

    ‘Pak’nSave pull adverts from Whaleoil’

    By Martyn Bradbury / August 22, 2014

    “Congratulations for Pak’NSave on making this type of ethical stand. They are showing more moral compass than Canon…

  28. NZJester 28

    The main thing that also puts Key so firmly in the center of this is the justification the SIS gave for declassifying this politically sensitive information and granting the OIA. They granted the OIA only because the information they said had already been made public knowledge. How did this secret and politically sensitive information no one outside the SIS should have known about become public knowledge so that it could be declassified for released in the first place. Well the minister of the SIS named John Key broke confidentiality and used this politically sensitive SIS information in the house to goad the opposition while he had legal protection to do so. John Key no matter how you look at it was ultimately the one one who declassified the information so that the SIS could release this information on his opponent. All roads lead to John Key in this very shady bit of manipulation of politically sensitive SIS information.

    • yeshe 28.1

      1000% nzjester .. let’s hope this ‘original sin’ is covered by the official investigation .. but somehow, i suspect not.

      by any chance, do you what date it was, without me needing to check thru hansard ? be good to have it writ large that it can be noticed.

    • ianmac 28.2

      Good point NZJ!

  29. Bill 29

    Dunno what thread to post this on, but… http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/election-2014/252739/pm-willing-to-go-under-oath-over-documents

    Mr Key said today that when he used the word “me” in the 2011 media conference it referred to his office and he stands by his statement – that his office knew about the document release but he personally did not.

    Coincidentally Radio Head is repeating the refrain ‘You’re living in a fantasy’. Saves me having to articulate a take on it I guess 😉

    • cogito 29.1

      Problem is that he is wriggling out of it with his trademark arrogant smirk….

    • emergency mike 29.2

      So Tucker told ‘his office’ about it under the no surprises doctrine, but his office never told him. Is this how the no surprises doctrine is supposed to work?

      Also, when John Key says “x told me about y,” are we now to understand that x might not have told him about y? Some might call that grossly misleading. Some might say it’s absurd and ridiculous beyond by any reasonable measure.

      What about when he says “I don’t have the details about that?” Does that mean that ‘his office’ doesn’t know about that?

      Now where did I put my fruit loops?

      • One Anonymous Bloke 29.2.1

        Your fruit loops? Or your office’s?

        Clinton quibbled over the meaning of the word ‘is’ – Key quibbles over the meaning of the word ‘me’.

        At that point it doesn’t matter whether his “position is correct”, because his statements cannot be taken at face value by anyone on any subject, and the media are finally in a position to challenge him on it.

  30. Tanz 30

    He looks so guilty. I wonder if for once, he regrets ever becoming PM. Chickens coming home to roost…what timing.

  31. Rob 31

    It certainly looks like the Emperor has lost his clothes
    They say you can tell when he lies
    Yes it’s when his mouth moves

  32. Inky 32

    Get ready for four more weeks of (im)plausible deniability. You’d think the dopey toerag would just shuffle off centre-left stage and spare himself the embarrassment. He and Collins have got more front than Brighton. They’ve been caught dead to rights over and over but cling on like filthy, blood-sucking leeches on NZ’s back. Absolutely no accountability and no shame. Welcome to the banana republic.

  33. Inky 33

    Oops, my bad, of course I meant centre-right, not centre-left.

  34. Rich 34

    Easy mistake…

    More front than where?

    • tc 34.1

      Brighton beach I think as in beachfront.

      You also get melbournians ‘more front than myers’ as in storefront.

  35. emergency mike 35

    Just listened to Key talking about this latest piece of bullshit. To me he sounded reasonably confident that he can lawyer talk his way out of this point regarding the inquiry with the ridiculous ‘me means my office’ line.

    Whether the public will be happy to accept that when John Key says “I was told about x,” that doesn’t necessarily mean that he was told about x, might be another matter.

    However, this particular line of attack is starting to get back to familiar feeling territory. Who knew what and when and what does it mean etc. It’s getting a bit too complicated for the attention span of the average 6 o’clock news punter. We have seen this kind of thing get successfully spun away before.

    The tr0lls are suddenly back out in force on this one. The line is ‘we have more important things to worry about’. I’m starting to feel like we are being baited, like they are happy to argue about this one – back on familiar ground.

    To me the weak points are therefore not so much this, but Judith Collins – why has she not resigned? And Jason Ede, what is his relationship with senior Nats/Key? (Plus Lusk, Slater, and the rest of the sociopthic gang.) These are the two areas where Key looks worried and vulnerable.

    • yeshe 35.1

      and maybe have a look at 28 above .. must not be forgotten where it began and it’s recorded in Hansard. the duplicity is almost academic after that .. it all began with Key in the House. now this is a smoking cannon …

      • emergency mike 35.1.1

        Yes good point there from Jester above. Key brought it up in the house, then Slater got his OIA request on the matter processed in record time while others were denied. Coincidence? u decide.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 35.2

      Collins’ and Ede’s emails and messages have not yet been released. Then it’s the industrial and PR stuff is my guess.

      Do Ede at the conference and Collins on Monday morning? Last last last political material?

    • UglyTruth 35.3

      The tr0lls are suddenly back out in force on this one. The line is ‘we have more important things to worry about’.

      Seriously, you do have more important thinks to worry about. Like how the connection between Slater and Key is symptomatic of a deeper problem, and how by participating in the civil process you are simply giving cover for corruption, with no hope of ever finding a remedy for dirty politics.

      Slater is a pro-Zionist hypocrite, Collins is dishonourable and vindictive, and Key’s evasion puts him in the same position as Bush senior, at the nexus of honourable conservative values and the dark side of western elitism. But these issues are minor compared to the hypocrisy present in conservative tradition that has been present since before Europeans settled here, the hypocrisy of the superficial expression of Christian values (i.e. the parliamentary prayer and the religious role of the head of state) in the context of a secular state which rejects the historical facts regarding the role of deity in democracy.

      • Rich 35.3.1

        Is it the pope you’re talking about? He’s not exactly a democrat. Can you point to me another religion where democracy holds court, you know where the followers (there you go destroyed by words) get to elect their local priest?

        And isn’t the deity a zionist? I’m pretty sure he said if you believe in me you can have all the land that you want.

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    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
    3 days ago
  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
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    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
    4 days ago
  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    4 days ago
  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • 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 ...
    4 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
    5 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
    5 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 ...
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago
  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    3 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
    3 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    5 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 ...
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    5 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 ...
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    1 week 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 ...
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    1 week 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 ...
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    1 week 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
    1 week 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
    1 week 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 ...
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    1 week 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 ...
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    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
    1 week ago
  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research.   “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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