Judith’s very bad two days

Written By: - Date published: 8:12 am, September 2nd, 2021 - 50 comments
Categories: act, covid-19, david seymour, grant robertson, greens, Judith Collins, labour, Media, national, Parliament, same old national, the praiseworthy and the pitiful - Tags:

Parliament, or at least limited members of Labour, National, Green and Act MPs is now meeting.  And the experience has been totally underwhelming.  A well run Zoom meeting would have achieved more.

On Tuesday National’s problem was that they went for the knock out blow in Parliament.  Each attack was easily parried away.  Chris Hipkins and Jacinda Ardern chose to try and talk National through the intracices of mass distribution of a highly unstable vaccine that needs refrigeration at very low temperatures and where the supply has to be managed.

It was a waste of time but it provided a couple of brutal slap downs.  For Collins:

Hon Judith Collins: Did the Government ask Pfizer to slow down delivery of vaccine so, as her COVID response Minister told Newstalk ZB in June, “We don’t end up with a whole lot sitting in the freezer.”, and is her Government now asking them to speed it up again, as her associate health Minister told media yesterday?

Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The member is sharing factually and misleading information. We have over 10 million doses of Pfizer for our country’s roll-out. That is more than the number of people who are even eligible for a vaccine. What the Minister for the COVID-19 Response was referring to was, as we reach the point where all of those vaccines are delivered, how can we ensure that we see no wastage for the fact that we have more doses than we have people who are eligible to receive them, and we have expiries for vaccines for the RNA vaccine that are, at best, four months. I wish that the member would pay more attention to the detail of the Minister’s statements, rather than misleading people.

And for David Seymour there was this zinger from Chris Hipkins:

David Seymour: How can he be satisfied that the current alert level 4 orders are working if he doesn’t know how many inter-bubble transmission cases there have been, and the whole point of a level 4 is for people to remain within their bubbles to the extent possible?

Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Perhaps if we were doing this via Zoom, rather than with all the distractions of the parliamentary debating chamber, the member might have listened to my previous answer where I addressed that.

Then yesterday things did not start off well for Judith.  She went full blast on Breakfast’s Indira Stewart who asked her some pretty tough questions which is strange because Judith just wanted to get Parliament sitting so that she could do the same.

This is without doubt the most damaging interview of a senior politician that I have ever seen and I have seen a few.  Well done Indira Stewart who did something really important, she kept her cool and she asked short but precise questions.

The questions were perfectly reasonable ones to ask, why did Collins insist Parliament meet in person, did she get tested before travelling to Wellington from a Covid hot spot and which parts of the Pacific community had she met.  The response from Collins, coincidentally appearing by zoom, was incredible.  She did her usual version of giving back double.  Her problem is that it did not make her look strong, just weird and out of control and certainly not the sort of leader you would want to look after the country in the middle of a global pandemic.

What did Judith do after this?  She then accused Stewart of having a political agenda, thereby drawing further attention to her train wreck of an interview and ensuring that even more of New Zealand would have seen it.

Then onto Parliament where Collins’s questions were again battered away by Jacinda Ardern.  Like this one:

Hon Judith Collins: Can she rule out having to delay vaccine appointments that have already been booked due to an anticipated shortage of vaccines?

Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Actually, that is incorrect. It is not that we have had a shortage of vaccines; it’s that we’ve put in additional surge capacity to allow a considerable increase in vaccinations. Through this period that we’re in now and leading into over September, we’d always planned around the supply that we had, which would have enabled us to, on average, deliver about 50,000 doses a day or 350,000 across the course of the week. When the outbreak started, we saw, of course, as you may expect, some demand lift, and we decided to then increase the capacity to provide surge vaccinations. That has led to over 500,000 doses being delivered a week. What we’re now seeking to do is meet that additional demand by seeking additional supply. Our goal, if we are unable to do that is, as much as possible, maintain the bookings that we have, but also, in those areas where there is big surges in demand and it is particularly high needs for us to vaccinate, keeping that additional surge capacity in Auckland and the upper North Island.

Ardern has the perfect way of handling Collins.  She keeps her cool, yet chides Collins for any spin and at the same time shows she, Ardern, is on top of the details.  Collins was left floundering.

Then on to the general debate where Robertson absolutely monstered Collins:

Collins response was coup inspiring.

My major concern is that the last couple of days may be for Collins what this facebook post was for Bridges.

The difference is that back in April National’s large caucus really thought that it was born to rule and that the Government benches were just around the corner.  Nowadays you can tell that their morale is shot.  I have never seen such a bad day in the House for National.  All of their questions were brushed away and their speeches were appalling.

Chris Bishop was the only one who showed any spine and any sense of what opposition means and I sense a run for the leadership by him is building.  Interesting times …

50 comments on “Judith’s very bad two days ”

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  1. ianmac 1
    2 September 2021 at 9:03 am

    I do hope Collins stays on. The country needs her don't you know?

    • Ghostwhowalksnz 1.1
      2 September 2021 at 5:08 pm

      A Queen St Tax lawyer at the helm can only lead to 'good things'… for the rich listers

  2. JanM 2
    2 September 2021 at 9:16 am

    I think these childish displays of vitriol coupled with her clumsy attacks on the few capable mps in her party are clear demonstrations that she knows she is on her way down and out. It looks to me as though rather than try and mount opposition to get rid of her, her fellow mps are wisely going to just wait until she implodes. Sadly for those of us who do not want to see the resurgence of National, this shouldn't take long 🙄

  3. Ad 3
    2 September 2021 at 9:37 am

    Hey thanks for that Robertson speech – truly excellent, and great to see Collins in the frame squirming throughout.

    Recommended watching for anyone with 5 minutes to spare.

  4. Patricia Bremner 4
    2 September 2021 at 9:37 am

    That picture of her alone, standing, reading from notes… I agree Micky.

    You are out of your depth Judith, believing your own spin about the current situation.

    Clearly you have attackers without and within, caused by your 'give double what you get'.

    Your inability to quell your combative nature and pose reflective questions shows in your blaming others. 'The interviewer had a political agenda." and "Jacinda Ardern could have over ruled that"

    There is a growing swell of frustration about the National Party, and Act is benefitting from that and from the loss of New Zealand First.

    Judith represents a demographic which did well before covid, but the new digital age is proving a challenge and her stresses are exacerbated by this.

    Her choice of support people is indicative.. "the old guard" Her time has passed.

    • Frank Macskasy 4.1
      5 September 2021 at 12:02 am

      Her choice of support people is indicative.. "the old guard" Her time has passed.

      Indeed, and I think you've hit it on the head, Patricia.

      It strikes me that the Nats are fighting a political game from last decade – if not last century – and have clearly not grasped the reality that a global pandemic has changed the psyche of Aotearoa by leaps and bounds.

      The old hyper-individualism – the cousin to neo-liberalism – has, by necessity, been largely swept away. New Zealanders look overseas and see disaster in New South Wales, Fiji, Inidia, UK, Brazil, etc, and they shudder at what could befall us.

      So we either act in solidarity and stay alive (hence the rancour shown at MIQ absconders or city-dwellers buggering off to holiday "baches" during a L4 lockdown) – or we all do our thing; Delta sweeps through; and we end up with a death toll in the thousands. And with a hospital system that collapses and would not even be able to treat a broken limb.

      The Nats don't get this. For them, individualism and the free market are still their DNA. But Kiwis have moved on and Nats have been left behind.

      The sad thing for the Nats is that they had younger, Millenial talent who might've understood that they they were being washed out with the receding tide. But those folk retired from Party politics, leaving – as you put it – "the old guard".

      National is in a worse place than Labour was during the Key years. Much worse. At this rate, the Right will be represented by two parties of relatively equal size (ACT and National). And if NZ First ever makes a resurgence, that rightwing vote may be split three ways.

      I seriously doubt Nats will ever get back in power whilst PM Ardern chooses to stick around.

  5. Alan Ivory 5
    2 September 2021 at 9:38 am

    Some weeks ago Chris Bishop was running very good lines on Covid-19, identifying places where the government performance could be improved, and how it could be improved, without sniping or ridicule. It was constructive opposition.
    But this line ran counter to the line Collins was running.
    So we saw Bishop change course and start to run the rubbish Collins wanted.
    Then both Bishop and Willis got demoted. Clearly they’re a threat to Collins and others.

    • mickysavage 5.1
      2 September 2021 at 7:39 pm

      My post tomorrow. I think that Bishop will be their next leader.

      • Sacha 5.1.1
        2 September 2021 at 8:03 pm

        Disposable after the election – that fits.

      • Billyfish 5.1.2
        2 September 2021 at 10:48 pm

        I recall a while back reading , I think on Kiwiblog, a reference to a future nat leader being part of the group just elected that election and being young and some other criteria (sorry for being vague). Of that cohort 2 have left the party in disgrace so only Bishop is left to fulfill the prophecy. Unfortunately he isn't that sharp and will , as mentioned above, languish and fail if elevated too far

  6. Sanctuary 6
    2 September 2021 at 9:46 am

    Collin's has hoped to profit from the sort of exasperating whataboutism and two-sidism you get from the horse race commentators of the gallery's court journalists. She has gambled she would get some publicity and her contextless sound bites would get airtime. She has actually succeeded, but unfortunately she is now in the position the Luftwaffe found itself in 1945 – increased sustained effort simply leads to higher losses.

    Collins mis-reads the public mood at every step and I've concluded she really does actually believe she has has the mood of the public. She has a public persona loaded with all the brittleness of the ever the bully, ever the victim mentality she portrays. If she was running the local pigeon fanciers club she'd wreck it, let alone a major political party. She is self-pitying, whiney, malevolent and cracks easily under pressure whilst demanding not just loyalty but mindless obsequious worship from her colleagues, where being talentless lick spittles is the prime qualification for promotion.

    The publc have seen enough of Collins, the trouble for National is she won't go quietly.

    PS – I reckon Bishop and Erica Stanford will be the ticket to run against Collins, not Luxton who smells to much like a potential disaster (like Muller).

    • Ad 6.1
      2 September 2021 at 10:40 am

      What are you seeing in Erica Stanford? I'm not familiar with her.

      • I Feel Love 6.1.1
        2 September 2021 at 11:56 am

        Bishop? The guy who snap chatted teen girls? Dear gawd.

        • Tony Veitch (not etc.) 6.1.1.1
          2 September 2021 at 3:37 pm

          Bishop? The apologist for cancer? Gawd save us!

          • Billyfish 6.1.1.1.1
            2 September 2021 at 10:52 pm

            And that's gotta be the campaign against him if he gets to be leader. Anti research and bollox wafflee supreme

        • Michael 6.1.1.2
          2 September 2021 at 5:47 pm

          Stanford could neutralise Bishop's sexual gaucherie. She seems smart, poised and to possess reasonable judgment. So a real foil to him. OTOH, she did work for McCully before inheriting his seat, so perhaps she's too good to be true. I think she did a good job hitting Kris Faafoi over visas for nannies (an issue dear to her support base). Not sure if she's capable of more.

      • Sanctuary 6.1.2
        2 September 2021 at 1:28 pm

        Nothing really, beyond she appears relatively normal, looks good from a central casting perspective, seems to come from the liberal wing of the party and was apparently a sufficient a threat to Judith to be part of her caucus meltdown when she had a go at Bishop.

        • Michael 6.1.2.1
          2 September 2021 at 5:49 pm

          "relatively normal" – that's it. Stands out in a caucus straight out of American Horror Story.

          • I Feel Love 6.1.2.1.1
            2 September 2021 at 6:34 pm

            It dawned on me Bishop has a Boris Johnsonesqe-ness to him, ineptitude & boofoonish.

    • swordfish 6.2
      2 September 2021 at 6:12 pm

      .

      unfortunately she is now in the position the Luftwaffe found itself in 1945 – increased sustained effort simply leads to higher losses

      A better analogy would probably be the position the French Womens Auxilliary Balloon Corps found itself in towards the end of the 1870-71 Franco-Prussian War.

      I'd also suggest Collins is in almost precisely the same position as the German High Seas fleet after the Battle of Jutland in 1916, of which an American journalist observed – “the German fleet has assaulted its jailer, but it is still in jail”

      Not to mention a marked resemblance to the situation of Duke Leopold of Austria’s much-prized mercenaries in the 15 November 1315 Battle of Morgarten against the independence-seeking Swiss … of whom Louis X of france exclaimed: “They appear outraged by the ban imposed by the Bishop’s emissaries yet are reluctant to act for fear of Schwyz violence”.

  7. Reality 7
    2 September 2021 at 10:06 am

    Collins type of bombastic vindictive politics is back in the Muldoon era. NZ has long moved on. She is looking ridiculous now.

  8. Byd0nz 8
    2 September 2021 at 10:29 am

    Well I think Collins did a good job with that interview with Indira Stewart, her total ineptness must have inspired more viewers to tune into Parliament sitting time, the more people that tune into Parliament TV and see how useless the opposition parties perform will surely see the current Gvt win the next election with an increased majority.

  9. roy cartland 9
    2 September 2021 at 10:51 am

    TBH I don't get the slapdown in the first example; aren't the two of them just saying more or less the same thing, albeit JC in a flippant and colloquial way, but JA in a measured and detailed way?

    Is that the slapdown?

  10. Tricledrown 10
    2 September 2021 at 11:39 am

    After demoting others for lesser misteps Judith should demote herself.National supporters I know are spewing at how incompetent She is.

  11. gsays 11
    2 September 2021 at 11:48 am

    National have really missed a trick. Instead of going full wing nut and opposing everything they should have used Covid as a bi-partisan opportunity.

    They could demonstrate initiative show their imagination and, who knows, perhaps appear to be fit to govern!

    Instead they are stuck with this ego driven s@#t show.

    • AB 11.1
      2 September 2021 at 12:14 pm

      Doubt that they could do that. They'll be too internally conflicted by the methods needed to fight Covid – state-led action, collective sharing of the pain, and explicit recognition of the mutual obligations and dependencies that bind us all together. Those thing are all pretty lethal to aspirational individualism.

      • gsays 11.1.1
        2 September 2021 at 1:47 pm

        Good point about aspiring individualism.

        If they had a time machine, I wager they would do it differently, even if it were to only improve their individual chances of re-election.

      • Patricia Bremner 11.1.2
        2 September 2021 at 4:07 pm

        Yes they have no real sense of community.

  12. Robert Guyton 12
    2 September 2021 at 12:04 pm

    Aue!

    I tried to resist looking and only managed a minute or 2, but Judith's Collins' appalling performance was so much worse than anything I've ever seem from her, that it's worth saying and having watched.

    Just icky!

    Thoughtful National supporters must be despairing!

  13. Michael 13
    2 September 2021 at 1:59 pm

    Crusher seems to have nipped Bishop's latest plot in the bud, by demoting him and promoting Woodhouse. One problem: that won't be enough to buy Woodhouse's loyalty if he calculates his fortunes are better served by switching to someone else. The glue holding the Nats together, for now, is money from the Party's backers, and muscle from the Dirty Politics crew. The latter are solidly behind Crusher, of course. With Peter Goodfellow hanging on as Party chair, the money might be solidly behind her too. Political donations are tax deductible so immediate pay off not essential. Even so, the money men must be doing their sums?

  14. coreyjhumm 14
    2 September 2021 at 2:10 pm

    National is a disgrace. We have no opposition. Twice in national emergencies in 2020 and 2021 they have sought to cause division and thought only of themselves. Nzers will not forget this…. A lot of tory friends think all they need is a new leader and they'll be able to govern in 2026.

    Labour in opposition never politicized a national crisis, never hid information about potential covid threats just to attack the govt, never used insider info to attack the health system, make conspiracies… Kiwis will never forget that in their time of coming together national instead of cooperating attacked, attacked the govt, the health system civil servants and rolled their leaders twice because all they cared about is themselves.

    Then in 2021 in the middle of a pandemic demanded parliament sit in person putting the entire country at risk and shout and screech.

    Nzers won't forget this. It's not just a case of the leadership either , the liberal key wing is decimated the rural and bible thumpers who have nothing but contempt for middle moderate nz are in complete control

    I have a lot of tory mates, good honest moderate kind people, I disagree with them on economics and a lot of stuff but they are good people, ever since English left they've been ashamed of the party, they had a glimmer of hope when Muller and Kay tried to take the reigns (Kaye should never have gotten involved, she was one of the few genuinely likable tories ) then their entire lib wing pretty much resigned the wipe out was so bad and they are not focused on rebuilding and winning over the regions or suburbs they are focused on consolidating the right vote and keeping Judith in.

    Every Tory or swing voter I know now despises national now. They think they are dangerous. Former nats who voted lab last year are going to act nzf and top rather than National it's poisoned.

    I know any party can rebound look at Trudeaus libs and Arderns labour but this… This is different… It's like being in war with this virus and they are our weak link.

    I hope national gets it together for the sake of this country, we need an opposition to hold govts to account especially in times of crisis , work together when they can and keep them honest. What I think is going to happen is having one large labour party (for awhile) a medium nat party in the teens % and a bunch of small to medium weird right wing and center parties.

    National needs to get rid of these Looney's who are "just asking questions" and do whatever they can to become a moderate, liberal conservative center right party of the key model, I never would have voted Key but he was about as centerist as a Tory world leader gets…

    Without an opposition labour will never have to deliver on much because there's no alternative, noone keeping them honest noone poses a threat to them.

    Recently I've been really angry with labour but the actions of national … Good grief…

    • Michael 14.1
      2 September 2021 at 5:52 pm

      Good analysis there. National is further to the Right than I've ever known it. Channeling Trumpian politics. I find it revolting but I'm not sure how many others do.

    • Sacha 14.2
      2 September 2021 at 8:10 pm

      The more liberal Nat MPs were taken out in their electorate drubbing, while the churchy and fascist ones made sure they were on the list. Any idea how the party's donors and officials feel about the ascendant caucus faction?

      • KJT 14.2.1
        2 September 2021 at 8:31 pm

        It really does seem that National's owners, sorry, funders, are set on them getting into power on the back of the extreme polarisation indulged in by the US repubs.

        Having had an unfortunate personal glimpse of how the Nat' ms back end works, it seems the nastiness, backstabbing and "born to rule" delusions have been turned inwards.

        Brash with the Iwi/Kiwi was a forunner?

        It doesn’t seem to play as well in NZ. Hopefully?

    • roblogic 14.3
      2 September 2021 at 8:58 pm

      This is what happens to an organisation when it is unable to get rid of toxic leadership like Dirty Politics Judith. The good ones are shunted aside and the amoral power hungry bootlickers worm their way into favoured positions. Anyone who tells the truth is quickly thrown out. The rot comes from the top.

      Can’t say I feel sorry after the shit they pulled to stay in power for the previous 9 years

  15. Stuart Munro 15
    2 September 2021 at 4:12 pm

    Judithulhu's electoral prospects are dead – but she's still dreaming.

    And who knows but with strange aeons even sledging the covid response might win a few punters.

    Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Judithulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.

    • roblogic 15.1
      2 September 2021 at 9:03 pm

      I hope the electorate of Papakura is not R'lyeh. It doesn't have a "hideous monolith-crowned citadel" as far as I know. Perhaps there is a blasphemous cult somewhere in the Hunuas doing repulsive capitalist rituals.

      • Stuart Munro 15.1.1
        3 September 2021 at 6:01 pm

        Rlyeh lies on the Challenger Plateau – we scraped a roughy net over it back in the day, but did not awaken any thing of consequence. I wonder if the world is ready to make of it a tourist destination like Hobbiton – I'm sure our seafood industry could stand the plug. Some of the major players appear to have been on team eldritch horror for some time.

  16. pat 16
    2 September 2021 at 8:08 pm

    Well thats a performance that would make even Puckish cringe

  17. Tricledrown 17
    3 September 2021 at 9:18 am

    My husband is Pasifica,Collins

    My wife is Singaporean. Brash

    That's shows how out of touch Collins is .

    Collins is living in the past her Orewa moment backfired even her parliamentary snarl bully session was out of touch no media outlet covered it .Once you attack the Media as Collins did the Media will not be your friend desperate and flailing is not a good look,maybe it's a strategy to make Chris Bishop look like the good guy.

    • North 17.1
      9 September 2021 at 8:57 am

      In Collins' mind it is quite proper to abuse "Talofa !" to make illusory claim to affinity for and knowledge of Fa'a Samoa. And to say 'So there and fuck you !' to the questioner. Ugly.

  18. peter sim 18
    3 September 2021 at 11:27 pm

    The natz have never accepted MMP. Now reality bites. MMP does not accept natz.

    The wealthy smug "born to rule" capitalist british imperialist class mind set probably still works in Epsom and no doubt in .federated farmer electorates. It may have worked in fpp times. Pandemics, climate change, demographic changes, among other international power plays affect what is achievable.

    Smug natz need to realise that blingsh and shonkey syd holland no longer rule. douglas, prebble, moore are irrelevant.

    The natz were born out of a marriage driven out of desperation.

    The farmers walked to the polling booths to vote for Labour in the 1930's.

    Ever since then they have dumped on Labour ( and the Greens)

    NZ is a small country and along way from historical trading partners. Not all (closer) trading partners are reluctant to restrain power aspirations against small isolated nations.

    Maybe I expect too much of natz politicians.

    The only things that matter to them are PROFIT and GREED, Social welfare (what is that?

    Is it possible that natz politicians could behave like sane rational fair minded adults?

  19. peter sim 19
    3 September 2021 at 11:44 pm

    Pandemics and climate change demand combined government behaviour not media attracting nonsense. The media need no assistance from politicians.

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    The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago

  • Poll results and Waitangi Tribunal report go unmentioned on the Beehive website – where racing tru...
    Buzz  from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example.  This shows National down ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago

  • Listening To The Traffic.
    It Takes A Train To Cry: Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 day ago

  • Comity Be Damned! The State’s Legislative Arm Is Flexing Its Constitutional Muscles.
    Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 day ago

  • Ending The Quest.
    Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 day ago

  • Will political polarisation intensify to the point where ‘normal’ government becomes impossible,...
    Chris Trotter writes –  New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Tuesday, April 30
    TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:30am on Tuesday, May 30:Scoop: NZ 'close to the tipping point' of measles epidemic, health experts warn NZ Herald Benjamin PlummerHealth: 'Absurd and totally unacceptable': Man has to wait a year for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country
    Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Worst poll result for a new Government in MMP history
    Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Pinning down climate change's role in extreme weather
    This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Serving at Seymour's pleasure.
    Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Webworm LA Pop-Up
    Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • “Feel good” school is out
    Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • 6 Months in, surely our Report Card is “Ignored all warnings: recommend dismissal ASAP”?
    Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy. Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    2 days ago

  • Bread, and how it gets buttered
    Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country
    Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    2 days ago

  • Justice for Gaza?
    The New York Times reports that the International Criminal Court is about to issue arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over their genocide in Gaza: Israeli officials increasingly believe that the International Criminal Court is preparing to issue arrest warrants for senior government officials on ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • If there has been any fiddling with Pharmac’s funding, we can count on Paula to figure out the fis...
    Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • FastTrackWatch – The case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Monday, April 29
    TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on Iran killing its rappers, and searching for the invisible Dr. Reti
    span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    3 days ago

  • Auckland Rail Electrification 10 years old
    Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Coalition's dirge of austerity and uncertainty is driving the economy into a deeper recession
    Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Disability Funding or Tax Cuts.
    You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Of the Goodness of Tolkien’s Eru
    April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    3 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #17
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Pastor Who Abused People, Blames People
    Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago

  • Vic Uni shows how under threat free speech is
    The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Winston remembers Gettysburg.
    Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • 25
    She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8.  The universe was ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Is Antarctica gaining land ice?
    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. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Policing protests.
    Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago

  • Open letter to Hon Paul Goldsmith
    Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: FastTrackWatch – The Case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago

  • Luxon gets out his butcher’s knife – briefly
    Peter Dunne writes –  The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • More tax for less
    Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Real News vs Fake News.
    We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Another way to roll
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Simon Clark: The climate lies you'll hear this year
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Cutting the Public Service
    It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    5 days ago

  • Luxon’s demoted ministers might take comfort from the British politician who bounced back after th...
    Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious:  we live in a troubled ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • This is how I roll over
    1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • The Waitangi Tribunal is not “a roving Commission”…
    …it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisition   NOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes –  The High Court ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Is Oranga Tamariki guilty of neglect?
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same? Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Three Strikes saw lower reoffending
    David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Luxon’s ruthless show of strength is perfect for our angry era
    Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • 'Lacks attention to detail and is creating double-standards.'
    TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • One Night Only!
    Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago

  • What did Melissa Lee do?
    It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #17 2024
    Open access notables Ice acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment: In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Maori Party (with “disgust”) draws attention to Chhour’s race after the High Court rules on Wa...
    Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Who’s Going Up The Media Mountain?
    Mr Bombastic: Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
    Bowalley Road
    7 days ago

  • “That's how I roll”
    It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago

  • “Comity” versus the rule of law
    In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Aotearoa: a live lab for failed Right-wing socio-economic zombie experiments once more…
    Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder. In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    1 week ago

  • Water is at the heart of farmers’ struggle to survive in Benin
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére Sosou Market gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • At a time of media turmoil, Melissa had nothing to proclaim as Minister – and now she has been dem...
    Buzz from the Beehive   Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)
    New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago

  • Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...
    Good evening –   Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours ago

  • Accelerating airport security lines
    From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago

  • Community hui to talk about kina barrens
    People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into force
    Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago

  • Mining resurgence a welcome sign
    There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first reading
    The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government to boost public EV charging network
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure.  The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Residential Property Managers Bill to not progress
    The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Independent review into disability support services
    The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Justice Minister updates UN on law & order plan
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Ending emergency housing motels in Rotorua
    The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Trade Minister travels to Riyadh, OECD, and Dubai
    Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Education priorities focused on lifting achievement
    Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • NZTA App first step towards digital driver licence
    The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say.  “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Supporting whānau out of emergency housing
    Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Tribute to Dave O'Sullivan
    Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Speech – Eid al-Fitr
    Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government saves access to medicines
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff.    “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Pharmac Chair appointed
    Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Taking action on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
    Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says.  “Every day, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New sports complex opens in Kaikohe
    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Diplomacy needed more than ever
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges.    “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address, Buttes New British Cemetery Belgium
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