Key’s vicious cycle

Written By: - Date published: 12:19 pm, April 21st, 2012 - 94 comments
Categories: brand key - Tags:

If anything has marked John Key’s tenure as PM it’s his use of his personal brand to run his cabinet. While other PMs have used their popularity in this way, few have relied on it so heavily. And it’s offered him significant freedom from the deal-cutting and internal-politicking that’s more usually required for a leader to maintain control. Throughout his first term the deal in cabinet was clear – John calls the shots because John get you the votes.

If freedom from the bog of internal politics is the upside of Key’s brand-based control then the downside is how quickly that control slips away once the brand starts to lose popularity. And make no mistake, Key’s popularity is slipping. As I understand it the Nat’s internal polling has him slowly but surely tracking down since late last year. Which goes some way to explaining why he has not had the power to reign Collins in over the ACC debacle or to stop the infighting that has marked National’s second term so far.

Of course this loss of control tends to lead to more damage of Key’s brand, he looked weak on ACC from dithering over Nick Smith, he’s been damaged by Joyce’s mishandling of the convention centre deal, and now he’s had a minister release a letter that contradicts his claims around Crafer farms.

I don’t think life is going to get any easier for Key over the course of the term but there’s no alternative for the nats – it’s not like their caucus is full of appealing potential leaders. That said, John might not be that appealing either by the time 2014 rolls around. And if he doesn’t bring National popularity then just what does he offer the party that other senior MPs don’t?

94 comments on “Key’s vicious cycle ”

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  1. captain hook 1
    21 April 2012 at 1:08 pm

    the thing about a brand is that is supposed to smell, taste, feel the same everytime but the key brand is starting to decompose and smell like a dead mackerel in the moonlight.

    • seeker 1.1
      21 April 2012 at 4:42 pm

      lolz -brillian observation and analogy.No wonder we keep saying ‘it stinks’ about everything he touches!

  2. SHG 2
    21 April 2012 at 2:15 pm

    Today’s New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows increasing support for Prime Minister John Key’s National Party 49.5% (up 5.5% since March 12 – April 1, 2012).

    Support for Labour has fallen 4% to 26.5%

    [lprent: Cut’n’paste and not providing the link. I wonder why? Looks at the trends (chart is a link).

    Oh yeah. Single polls are largely meaningless.

    Banned for four weeks for cut’n’pasting, not providing a link, trolling, and therefore wasting my time. ]

    • Colonial Viper 2.1
      21 April 2012 at 2:23 pm

      Yep. Dropping like a stalled plane.

    • ochocinco 2.2
      21 April 2012 at 2:34 pm

      How does banning someone for four weeks like that help our cause?

      We on the left (and particularly in Labour) have got a reputation as being whining, negative, crybabies. It’s amazing considering how we have emerged from the working class who were definitely not that.

      Banning someone for pointing out how HORRIBLY we are doing is exactly the wrong thing. We need more people telling us how badly we are doing so we stay motivated.

      We are 23% below National. That’s not something to hide, that’s something to remember, to embrace, to obsess over. Just as Darius had someone tell him every night at dinner to “remember the Greeks” we need to “remember the polls.”

      We are losing. We cannot lose because NZ *CANNOT AFFORD* another 3 years of this current clique of 3rd world dictators.

      Next time someone says something negative about us, take it, absorb it, and say “we’ll do better.” because we have to. We have to claw it back 1 % at a time, tooth and nail, until we win. No worker, no sportsman, no artist ever got better by ignoring the critics or being defensive. Defensiveness is the refuge of losers and if history has taught us anything,. it is that we on the left are not losers (who hoisted the flag over the Reichstag?)

      I’m a long time lurker, new poster here, but I’ll tell you this: we need to start embracing the positive and stop being circle jerk that refuses to accept alternative viewpoints. When someone like that nutbar Cameron Slater is more willing to accept alternative views than we are, then something is wrong.

      So, lprent, here’s what I recommend: every time a troller, or a a right-winger (fascist) posts here, embrace them, engage them, learn from them. Ignoring or belittling your enemy is a proven poor strategy.

      23%. We need to be 23% up on NAtional.

      [lprent: How does banning someone for four weeks like that help our cause?

      Well my cause in terms of banning is pretty strictly the running of this blog – including behavior in the comments. It is laid out in the policy – including our views on cut’n’paste, not linking, and trolling.

      It is about the fifth time since yesterday I have seen exactly the same tactic as SHG’s being used. It is a standard trolling tactic that rears its ugly head periodically – usually from people like SHG trying it on again. It is a selective picking of numbers or facts from a source without linking to it. It is a pain if the tactic spreads because it means that you can put any crap up and claim it as “fact”. If you want to rely on something, then damn well link to it or say why you cannot.

      Now that has nothing much to do with the left. It is a standard of behaviour expected on any useful on-line forum, and has been since I first started using them in the 80’s. It is simply a bad behaviour because it drives out people who actually have arguments with some backing and links. Given a choice (and as sysop I have the choice), I prefer people who link to those who claim facts without supporting links..

      My approach is that I’ll let a few slide, start warning, and then start banning. The length of banning tends to be related to if they have done this type of crap before. SHG has been here for years.

      The rest of your arguments have no relationship to the running of this site. They mostly appear to relate to a mythical left that I have never seen (and I’ve been around it for decades). ]

      • McFlock 2.2.1
        21 April 2012 at 4:01 pm

        Labour is 23% below national. The broad “left” (incuding centrist labour) are about even with national. And national’s on an upswing result on a downward trend.
            
        I’ll take that result over NACT being near 60% and labour being on 33.

        • ochocinco 2.2.1.1
          21 April 2012 at 4:35 pm

          I’d rather win by 30 than have to kick a last minute penalty.

        • KJT 2.2.1.2
          21 April 2012 at 6:20 pm

          Unfortunately, Labour, is still way to the right of even Holyoak or Muldoon.

          The only “left” left in Labour are those whose loyalty, and maybe, hope, prevents them from defecting to the Greens or Mana.

          So long as Labour refuses to give us a valid alternative to Neo-Liberal capitalism, they are part of the problem, not the solution. NACT Lite.

          Only a complete clean out and a new direction is going to save the Labour party from irrelevance.

          They need to give the million non voters something to vote for.

          The few months before the election campaign gave us false hopes that Labour is back.

          Not to be. Unfortunately.

      • ochocinco 2.2.2
        21 April 2012 at 4:39 pm

        I just feel that both this site and NRT (especially NRT) are just nasty, bitchy, and far too into bridge burning rather than bridge building. There’s that old saw that “leftists are nasty people who do good things” and “rightists are the opposite”, and sometimes it just seems to be the case.

        Maybe I just exploded on your ban because it’s just so frustrating to see a complete inability on the various left-wing political blogs to CONVERT casual visitors. It’s this continual preaching to the converted, circle-jerk approach that I believe is why we’re 23% down.

        I read Kiwiblog, NRT, TheStandard, Bowalley Road, Whaleoil on a daily basis (usually) and a few others more infrequently. We’re just as nasty as the right on our blogs, we’re just as stubborn and pig-headed, and we shouldn’t be. We should be BETTER because we ARE deep down.

        You get a lot more flies with sugar than vinegar and we need a lot of flies to take back the treasury benches.

        [lprent: We don’t try to ‘convert’ people. Your precepts are stupid and as politically ignorant as your conclusions. Perhaps you should read the about and the policy.

        BTW: it does not surprise me that you read whaleoil daily. I recognized the particular style of ideological political innocence and stupidity. ]

        • KJT 2.2.2.1
          21 April 2012 at 6:23 pm

          Kiwiblog just as nasty?

          I need a bath after I have been there.

          The racism, bigotry and sheer ignorance is mind boggling. Even our RWNJ trolls, usually, have something to say. PG and James excepted, of course.

          • Pete George 2.2.2.1.1
            21 April 2012 at 7:09 pm

            KB can be just as nasty as here, but often in a different way.

            ochocinco haas a valid point, I’ve been surprised how unwelcoming it can be here if you’re deemed to not fit the right description and if you dare question issues and politics that can sometimes be quite wanky.

            But…I think the most and worst abuse at KB and here doesn’t come from National/Labour people, it comes more from the fringe fanatics. I doubt the ones who do it here don’t care if it puts people off Labour because they want to build their own extremes, and don’t want anyone who won’t buy their bullshit unquestioned.

            [The Standard is a left wing blog. It will always be an ‘unwelcoming’ place for right wing bullshit. Especially the kind of neo-liberal, free-market ‘the price of everything and the value of nothing’ market extremist fundamentalism that has dominated this country since the 1980’s. There are many of us who’ve spent much our adult lives in a near constant state of despair as we’ve watched one government after another demolish or sell anything of public value they can get their hands on. The Standard is one of our refuges from the madness; we will react badly when it intrudes.

            If you feel that having your arguments constantly pulled apart by us is ‘nastiness’ that’s your problem not ours. Come back with a better argument next time.

            At the same time the moderators here do try to minimise the amount of overt trolling, sexism, racism and pointless abuse. That’s the kind of nastiness almost no-one likes and it gets dealt to.

            Bottom line; bring some constructive value to the debate and you’ll be allowed to say pretty much anything you want; but you can’t whine if it get’s torn to shreds either…RL]

            • KJT 2.2.2.1.1.1
              21 April 2012 at 7:18 pm

              National/UF people are not, fringe fanatics?

              The lunatics have really taken over the asylum.

              • ochocinco …
                21 April 2012 at 9:46 pm

                Well, no, because at 50% there are more of them than us at 27%
                You don’t seem to get it: they outnumber us. If we want to win we have to convince THEM to become US and simply belittling them will not do it at all.

                • McFlock …
                  21 April 2012 at 10:00 pm

                  “We” are not on 27%.
                  NZ is not a two-party state. National are on 49% because they have no friends. I actually like the fact that the left in NZ are represented by more than one party.

                  • ochocinco …
                    21 April 2012 at 10:11 pm

                    I don’t. I find the Greens dangerous, Mana more so, and I don’t really know whether I’d trust them to run the country.

                    Labour is the party that counts: solid social-democrats who won’t scrap the NZDF or turn NZ Police into a bunch of hippies.

                    • felix …
                      21 April 2012 at 10:18 pm

                      Hmm. If you don’t want to share power the numbers are pretty bleak for you. You’re talking about almost doubling your vote, with almost all of the gain coming directly from the Nats.

                      Good luck with that.

                    • McFlock …
                      21 April 2012 at 10:25 pm

                      I don’t trust the Greens or Mana to rule alone either.
                          
                      But I think a coalition of all of them won’t go too far off track.

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      21 April 2012 at 11:22 pm

                      I find the Greens dangerous, Mana more so, and I don’t really know whether I’d trust them to run the country.

                      I trust the Greens and Mana more than I trust Labour. In fact, I trust Labour about as much as I trust NACT these days.

                    • felix …
                      21 April 2012 at 11:29 pm

                      Me too Draco, but I wouldn’t trust ANY of them completely.

                      And thanks to MMP I shouldn’t ever have to.

            • KJT 2.2.2.1.1.2
              21 April 2012 at 7:51 pm

              “”There are many of us who’ve spent much our adult lives in a near constant state of despair as we’ve watched one government after another demolish or sell anything of public value they can get their hands on. The Standard is one of our refuges from the madness; we will react badly when it intrudes.””

              Exactly.

            • Pete George 2.2.2.1.1.3
              21 April 2012 at 8:09 pm

              RL – not everyone here is as reasonable – albeit also staunch – on arguing valid points as you.

              I do stir at times – try to provoke reactions and debate – but I also often try to introduce current issues and points of views that could be argued and debated, there’s usually plent of scope for that, but more often than not responses to me are “pointless abuse”. I could give plenty of examples but don’t see the point.

              You may not notice it or care about it but it happens often me and others. And I often hear from others elsewhere who simply can’t be bothered commenting (or silent reading) here because of the levels of “pointless abuse”. Same thing that keeps reasonable people away from Kiwiblog.

              I’ll probably get accused (again) of squawking about getting attacked – if I didn’t want to deal with being attacked I wouldn’t come here and I wouildn’t have persevered at KB. That’s not what I’m trying to do, I’m just saying that there’s a lot of crap that gets accepted on blogs, sometimes to the detriment of trying to do something worthwhile in the political arena.

              Much of the negativity in politics generally and on political blogs is counterproductive. Some of the same people that practice it then complain about low voter turnout. Go figure.

              [It’s not the purpose of moderation to skew the debate or declare ‘winners’.

              Think of The Standard as a sort of neighbourhood pub, loud, noisy and sometimes a little heated; and for that reason it’s smart to leave an easily pricked ego or delicate sensitivity at the door. The bouncers are just here to ensure everyone has a safe time and goes home happy … one way or another….RL]

              • felix …
                21 April 2012 at 8:32 pm

                Weird, isn’t it Pete?

                You’ve been posting your thought-provoking, current events related, sensible reasoned points of view on blogs for a couple of years now, yet it seems that almost no-one ever believes that you’re doing any of those things.

                Even though you’re doing those things all the time. Right in front of them.

                Now I’m not for a moment saying that it’s impossible for you to be right and almost everyone else on pretty much every blog in the country to be wrong about what you’re doing. It’s not impossible at all.

                But the election results do suggest that it’s unlikely.

                • Pete George …
                  21 April 2012 at 8:58 pm

                  I don’t claim any of the felix, it’s just more of your “sensible reasoned points of view”.

                  You’re proud of your nitpicking to thought provoking ratio here?

                  • felix …
                    21 April 2012 at 9:08 pm

                    Seriously, Pete?

                    You don’t claim to post thought-provoking, current-events related, sensible reasoned points of view?

                    In the comment just above mine you claimed at least one of those things. Do you think I couldn’t find dozens of examples of the others? Really?

                    This, Pete. This very behaviour you’re exhibiting here. This bald-faced lie, this flat denial of what you just typed in your previous comment.

                    This is the source of your problems on the internets.

                    • Pete George …
                      21 April 2012 at 9:32 pm

                      I was a bit sloppy there because I usually can’t be bothered taking much care responding to you, not worth the extra time. You don’t usually want to debate ideas, you want to score little victories. That really works well, doesn’t it. I guess you feel ok about it.

                      What would this place be without you felix?

                      Good night.

                    • felix …
                      21 April 2012 at 10:10 pm

                      Actually Pete I am discussing ideas, they’re just not ideas that you’re comfortable with and you’re reacting badly to that as you so often do.

                      You can call it sloppy if you like, doesn’t change the facts though. The facts is you’re very quick to spit out insults and get defensive and cry “poor me” but very, very slow to address the substance.

                      And you just admitted it, which you’ll probably deny now.

                      See why I (and virtually everyone else you interact with, who are quite possibly all simultaneously wrong about you) don’t think you’re being honest about your intentions?

                    • RedLogix …
                      21 April 2012 at 10:55 pm

                      felix… you’re playing with your dinner again.

                    • felix …
                      21 April 2012 at 11:23 pm

                      tastes funny…

                  • McFlock …
                    21 April 2012 at 9:12 pm

                    Pete, debate on a blog doesn’t need to be “provoked”. It either happens or everyone moves on to the next post.
                         
                    The fact that you passive-aggressively try to direct and skew the debate that does occur, while frequently claiming not to have a firm belief on anything specific, is the point that you miss about much of the scorn and contempt directed at you.

            • ochocinco 2.2.2.1.1.4
              21 April 2012 at 9:51 pm

              Look, if there is anybody on here who hates the right, it’s me.

              I have family members killed by the Nazis in Eastern Europe during WW2. Strung up (and they weren’t even Partisans) and hung in public.

              At the same time, you can’t win by belittling or simply denying arguments. You have to realise the right doesn’t do what they do because they’re evil, but rather because they *honestly believe* that what they are doing is the right thing. Obviously they are wrong but we have to convince them step by step and that is a slow, cautious process akin to teaching 3 year olds.

              There’s also a touch of arrogance when you talk about “torn to shreds”, as if academic superiority is somehow only something we leftists have. As a published academic with over a dozen articles/monographs in 4 continents, I realise that for every “torn to shreds” there’s a counter-argument just as strong.

              • RedLogix …
                22 April 2012 at 12:01 am

                There’s also a touch of arrogance when you talk about “torn to shreds”, as if academic superiority is somehow only something we leftists have.

                What get’s ‘torn to shreds’ is the same old vacous slogans and ‘free-market fundamentalism’ we’ve seen refuted over and over. Is it ‘arrogance’ when some first year student puts up lazy, uncritical thinking and you ‘tear it to shreds’? When they don’t know any better it’s good manners not to be condescending and arrogant about it… but when they should know better by now?

                On those occasions when a right winger manages a decent argument they almost always get a decent attempt at an engagement.

                Again… I agree with your fundamental sentiment. Persuasion and slow step by step reasoning is the civilised correct way to proceed. Unfortunately it doesn’t work when the other person isn’t playing by the same rules. You only get laughed at.

            • Vicky32 2.2.2.1.1.5
              22 April 2012 at 5:43 pm

              At the same time the moderators here do try to minimise the amount of overt trolling, sexism, racism and pointless abuse. That’s the kind of nastiness almost no-one likes and it gets dealt to.

              Except that you really don’t! QoT and his/her big brother/sister  Felix get away with the most mind-bending sexual abuse – why?
              I have a blog. I remove effing and blinding and personal insults. It saddens me that Standardistas seem to get their jollies from abusing people personally!

              Billy, don’t be a hero…. or as I would put it “People, don’t be such cliches”….

              [lprent: It was decided very early on that the moderators weren’t there to guard people’s language. We really don’t care much, we really don’t have the time, it doesn’t usually affect te points in someones argument and it is self regulating anyway.

              Similarly personal insults generally won’t attract moderator attention if they are personal and have a point. Denigrating groups wholesale does – especially if there is no point. Personal insults without a point for the abuse do as well.

              It seems to work for the purposes of this blog site. ]

              • RedLogix …
                22 April 2012 at 7:23 pm

                That’s an interesting question and it’s taken me a while to cobble an answer. It comes in several parts:

                1. The simplest explanation is that what we aim to do is trim off the worst excesses and tolerate all sorts of shoving and jostling in the middle. If we tried to intervene in everything someone thought questionable the site would get hopelessly bogged down and no-one would come here.

                2. Think of The Standard as a large noisy neighbourhood pub. It’s not a workplace, a court or a church. People usually behave differently in different contexts.

                3. QoT and felix contribute enormously to the debate at many levels; and when you see them abusing someone it’s usually done with method and purpose. It doesn’t give them a free pass, but they’re way smart enough to know perfectly well what won’t be tolerated.

                I know that’s not a neat and tidy answer; but it is how we run the site and it’s what works for us.

      • Vicky32 2.2.3
        22 April 2012 at 5:36 pm

        They mostly appear to relate to a mythical left that I have never seen (and I’ve been around it for decades). ]

        I think the problem lprent, is that the left represented on the Standard is largely what of the RWNJs called ‘champagne socialists’. From what I have read here, Standardistas are mostly white, male, Green party supporting and comparatively wealthy. (Not everyone here is male of course, but I assume that most are – from your own figures, 95%).
        That would be why you find the idea of strong working class left people ‘mythical’. You think we’re all beer-guzzling morons, Homer Simpsons (an American analogy as a non-American one would probably mean nothing to you.) Standardistas tend to be very patronising about non-wealthy people, beneficiaries and minimum wage workers, assuming we’re all too dim to speak for ourselves. Some are, most are not. You all have the spare time and the money to consider identity politics of far greater importance than anything else, hence all the abuse of we who consider that identity politics should come last, not first.

        • RedLogix 2.2.3.1
          22 April 2012 at 5:52 pm

          Just for the record, while am indisputably guilty of being white, male and comparatively well off, I’ve always seen the class issue as coming first and foremost.

          The identity politics thing to me at least was always a logical consequence and cocommitment of a broad social justice agenda… not the cutting edge of it.

          At the same time I cannot abide overt racism, sexism and bullying. The only joy of moderating this place is that I get to do something about it from time to time… however modest an action that is in the wider scheme of things.

          • Vicky32 2.2.3.1.1
            22 April 2012 at 5:56 pm

            The identity politics thing to me at least was always a logical consequence and cocommitment of a broad social justice agenda… not the cutting edge of it.

            Yes, good on you! You are not one of the people who makes me tear my hair out – you are fair-minded…
            🙂

            • RedLogix 2.2.3.1.1.1
              22 April 2012 at 6:05 pm

              Maybe that’s because we both have an experience of religion in some form… as distinct from being stoutly athiest.

              People forget that many of the first Labour Party meetings were held in Bapist Church halls, that the Temperance Movement, Suffragettes and slavery Abolitionist before them were also rooted in a strongly liberal Christianity that arose in reaction to the evils of the first wave of industrialisation, globalisation and merchantilism of the 1800’s.

              In recent years I’ve become deeply opposed to the rise of fundamentalism (all religions and movements are blighted by it) in the Churches, yet I retain a deep and abiding respect for the inner core of what faith and humility are supposed to be all about.

              I fail to live up to it often enough… but it’s why I believe in the left. It’s not just enough to have a consecrated individual… I seek the consecrated society.

              • Vicky32 …
                22 April 2012 at 6:16 pm

                yet I retain a deep and abiding respect for the inner core of what faith and humility are supposed to be all about.
                I fail to live up to it often enough… but it’s why I believe in the left. It’s not just enough to have a consecrated individual… I seek the consecrated society.

                Well put RedLogix, I completely agree with you! A consecrated society, that’s an amazing quote – I may steal it, may I? 🙂

        • Bill 2.2.3.2
          22 April 2012 at 6:10 pm

          Erm Vicky 32… unemployed working class person here who yes, swears a lot but feels no particular attraction towards the Greens or Labour, doesn’t elevate identity politics, has no financial wealth, definately doesn’t represent any ‘champagne socialism’ or whatever and well…posts on ‘thestandard’.

          • Vicky32 2.2.3.2.1
            22 April 2012 at 6:19 pm

            Erm Vicky 32… unemployed working class person here who yes, swears a lot but feels no particular attraction towards the Greens or Labour, doesn’t elevate identity politics, has no financial wealth, definately doesn’t represent any ‘champagne socialism’ or whatever and well…posts on ‘thestandard’.

            Awesome! I am pleased to know that….
            I support Labour (I really don’t trust the Greens!) but otherwise, we are I believe, in accord….I am an unemployed working-class person (I am an ESOL teacher, but that’s not middle class…. 🙂 )

        • lprent 2.2.3.3
          23 April 2012 at 12:30 am

          I referred to his rosy coloured left as being mythical, and particularly his ideals about tactics. I said nothing about working class – but his comments there sounded more like something from the UK than here.

          Your characterisation of a standardista is something that you are completely wrong on in my case. I have family, friends, and just people I currently talk to covering just about the whole spectrum of NZ’s various working groups – including manual workers, pub workers, and damn near everything else. I have had living great-grandparents and grandparents talking about trying not to starve in depressions from the 1890’s to the 30’s. Family members not talking about what they did in several wars except a very few times – mostly after I went in the army.

          Not mention that I have been a farm laborer, factory worker, soldier, barman in public bars and nightclubs, factory manager, teacher, tech, (etc etc) and eventually programmer.

          Which is why I think that he was politically idiotic and you are mistaken.

          There are a range of people who author and comment here. Many clearly have have at least as diverse a range of backgrounds and family as I do (especially the many older ones) – so I rather suspect that your characterization is more to do with your perceptions than the reality that I see.

          Most would not agree with my views on any single topic – just as they do throughout the left and every where else I ever inhabit. I don’t expect or want agreement. I expect people to argue and then decide what they want to support, and when enough of us do agree that something needs moving then we can start things rolling. Most come here on the basis of agree to disgree.

          But it is daft to think like this fool did that we would want to ‘convert’ people. People will make up their own damn minds and it is usually on an issue by issue basis. Trying to think that people act like sheep or in the same manner is something that I have only observed in sports stadiums and a few evangelical services.

          That in an expanded form was what I was talking about. I have no idea how you got from that to your comment.

          I can’t recall saying that the number of female commentators was as low as 5%, unless you are talking about 2008. I think it is heading towards 20%. However I may have said that the number of comments by females may be as low as 5% – and that I suspected it was between 10 and 15% (and that was largely guesswork). I usually point out that males tend to be somewhat obsessional monomaniacs by genetic predisposition and therefore tend to leave more comments. The site readership is close to 50% according to the stats from outside sources.

    • Pete George 2.3
      21 April 2012 at 5:54 pm

      Is that a banning offence? Does every poll reference require a link? This poll has already been mentioned and discussed several times here since last night, eg:
      http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-20042012/comment-page-1/#comment-461576 (no link)
      http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-21042012/comment-page-1/#comment-461695

      Is a link only required on each post, or on each thread, or is it required on each comment?

      I haven’t seen anyone claiming the poll is good news for Labour.
      Nationals spike is against a recent slight downward trend so could be a one off.

      [lprent: Don’t care particularly about the poll – Morgan has been bumping up and down by 3-5% on each poll.

      I do care about a systematic campaign of doing virtually identical comments across posts, all without links. Next person gets an even larger ban because not linking just smacks of game playing. I like playing ‘games’ too…

      I also care about faux outrage as a tactic. I suggest you don’t use it. ]

      • Pete George 2.3.1
        23 April 2012 at 6:26 am

        It’s not faux outrage, it’s a serious query. This looked like no link = ban, while it’s common for there to be no links (and often complaints by commenters when there are links).

        Some people participate here knowing that the ban button could be hit at any time, it helps to know what constitutes a ban.

        I posted a comment on the TV3 poll last night, it wasn’t easy to provide a suitable link as TV3 were slow to put anything up on their site, and then only linked to video.

    • james 111 2.4
      22 April 2012 at 8:29 pm

      Another poll out today TV 3 poll said they same national over 50% Labour below 30% greens becoming the left party of choice at 14% .

      So as some one said on here the other day Shearer message isn’t getting through, and while all of these things you write about John Key on here may be big in your eyes. The voting public don’t see it that way all ,that’s all that matters in the end

      [lprent: I’d have given a ban for not linking. But I see you picked one up from RL for something else. ]

      • McFlock 2.4.1
        22 April 2012 at 8:48 pm

        National over 50%? Really? Got a link?

        • james 111 2.4.1.1
          22 April 2012 at 8:59 pm

          Its all in the rounding you must be ecstatic with Labours performance

          • McFlock 2.4.1.1.1
            22 April 2012 at 9:06 pm

            Really? You must be a treasury official: only those morons will round 49% up to “over 50”.
              
            I guess the rounding was big in your eyes.

  3. ghostwhowalksnz 3
    21 April 2012 at 2:58 pm

    You are assuming the moderator is some sort of neutral referee, I dont think that has ever been claimed. This is not wikipedia. While contrary personal views and opinions are expected and are common, its seems that cut and paste hand grenades are lobbed straight back

  4. Ordinary_Bloke 4
    21 April 2012 at 3:44 pm

    According to Banks, NZ has taken a major turn to the left ..

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    ACT leader John Banks has pledged to lead an ”electable” party into the 2014 polls.

    The party’s Epsom MP today warned supporters that ”New Zealand has taken a major turn to the left.”

    Around 80 people – including former leader Don Brash and ex-MP John Boscawen – gathered at a Parnell convention centre today for ACTs annual conference and AGM.

    The party is struggling to regroup after the election left it with only one MP and a one per cent share of the party vote. In the final days of the campaign, Epsom voters swung in his favour when he was backed by Prime Minister John Key in a ‘cup of tea’ meeting.

    In his keynote speech, Banks said that MMP is here to stay and that all future governments will be coalitions. He vowed to put the ”re-enforcing steel” into the centre right.

    http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6785559/ACT-party-set-sights-on-2014-election

  5. Ordinary_Bloke 5
    21 April 2012 at 3:44 pm

    According to Banks, NZ has taken a major turn to the left ..

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    ACT leader John Banks has pledged to lead an ”electable” party into the 2014 polls.

    The party’s Epsom MP today warned supporters that ”New Zealand has taken a major turn to the left.”

    Around 80 people – including former leader Don Brash and ex-MP John Boscawen – gathered at a Parnell convention centre today for ACTs annual conference and AGM.

    The party is struggling to regroup after the election left it with only one MP and a one per cent share of the party vote. In the final days of the campaign, Epsom voters swung in his favour when he was backed by Prime Minister John Key in a ‘cup of tea’ meeting.

    In his keynote speech, Banks said that MMP is here to stay and that all future governments will be coalitions. He vowed to put the ”re-enforcing steel” into the centre right.

    http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6785559/ACT-party-set-sights-on-2014-election

  6. coolas 6
    21 April 2012 at 4:31 pm

    While Key Corporation continues to be a whore to business (SkyCity, the Hobbit) and keep taxes low, I reckon their base support, say 40%, will continue. Come 2014 election that wont be enough if the other parties can form a coalition, but it’s gonna be a long painful wait as we see our collective wealth syphoned off and cronyism shamelessly entrenched.

  7. bad12 7
    21 April 2012 at 5:43 pm

    Remove for a moment the electoral aberration of what I would have expected to be a left wing Party supporting, for personal reasons held by 1 of it’s co-leaders, this National Government of shady dealing and what can we deduce by the numbers???,

    Simply put, Slippery and the crew of pocket liners hold the Treasury benches by the slimmest of margins, only the sychophantic ”john key john key john key”chanting ACT MP Banks and the MP for ‘I’ve been everywhere’ Dunne the hairdo from Ohariu are there keeping National in power,

    Talk of a 20% gap between left and right is a mere fiction and down-right misleading to boot, without the support of the Maori Party the actual gap is in fact 2%,

    With both Tariana Turia,(the sole reason for that Party,s support of National),and, Pita Sharples indicating that they will retire at the next election,(2014), there is in fact very little hope for National of a third consecutive term in office,

    The revelations of Slippery and National’s shady dealings with the business community have only just begun to leak out and over coming months such revelations are likely to become an engulfing flood,

    The ‘bean counters’,Bank Economists and the like are soon to come to the realization that the tax hole caused by the National Governments 2010 re-arrangment of the New Zealand tax system deliberately moving the onus of the tax burden onto those with the least income where Slippery, and, the Minister for Guessing Bill English have given no indication as to the means of filling this ‘revenue hole’ it MUST be accounted for by some means,

    There can,given this Governments ongoing efforts to prolong the current economic depression, be no way that the Government revenue from taxation will account for the 1 billion dollar revenue hole, and , this then leaves only 2 means of such a shortfall in Government revenue being accounted for,

    Slippery and English will simply use monies already borrowed above Government needs over the 1st term of this Government to fill the Governments revenue shortfall, Slippery in a major gloat claimed in the middle of His 1st term as Prime Minister to have borrowed this money and as no details were forth-coming,(nor sought by the lazy New Zealand mass media), I can only assume that such borrowed funds are currently stored in the space between Slippery,s frontal and rear lobes,

    The only other means at this Governments disposal to fill the Governments revenue shortfall is to plug it with the proceeds of the 49% part asset sales that is at the heart of this Governments 2nd term economic policy,

    When the mainstream community of bean counters wake up to this little fact and the media gets a whiff of the underlying stench all hell will break loose…

  8. captain hook 8
    21 April 2012 at 5:52 pm

    blockosinco beter be warned he is about to suffer some mindless pointless but very satisfying abuse.
    if he wants to wank online then go and do it over on the whalesh*te blag.

    • ochocinco 8.1
      21 April 2012 at 6:29 pm

      Yes, and that’s why we lost in 08 and 11.

      Everything we do should be aimed at WINNING BACK POWER not having a go at everybody who doesn’t share our own worldview.

      As members of the left we have to be missionaries. We have to go out into the world and turn the rightists to the correct path

      • RedLogix 8.1.1
        21 April 2012 at 7:06 pm

        I agree with the sentiment ocho. I try to keep in mind the fact that 95% or so of the people who read these pages never or rarely comment, and while you may never convince the apparent opponent in the debate… the silent crowd will take their thoughts away with them and usually we can only guess at what judgement they came to.

        At the same time the only reason why The Standard remains a useful forum is because it is moderated. It’s Lynn’s blog and he set’s the bar. I do a little backup moderation for him from time to time.. mainly to give Lynn a break. None of us who do it make any claim to objectivity, consistency or even rationality. Sometimes we dish out an arsekicking just because a commenter has gotten us pissed.

        And sometimes it’s the cumulative effect of a particular behaviour that gets a reaction. If you had waded through all of seven years and 400,000 odd comments you would have pretty much seen every variation on idiot trolling.. you wouldn’t have much patience with it either.

        • ochocinco 8.1.1.1
          21 April 2012 at 9:53 pm

          Yet imagine if we could be objective, consistent, and rational.

          If we were the saints, what could stop us??

          • McFlock 8.1.1.1.1
            21 April 2012 at 10:05 pm

            The fickleness of human nature.
                
            Talking with tories has long ago demonstrated to me that being objective, consistent and rational does not mean they will be persuaded. So frankly I’m cool with a mixture of debate and general abuse (just for fun).
             

            • ochocinco 8.1.1.1.1.1
              21 April 2012 at 10:12 pm

              I disagree. I think the way to turn a fascist is to constantly address his/her logic. Show them trickle down doesn’t work. Show them how their love of beer/all blacks etc. is best met by the left. Convince them. Step by step!

              • McFlock …
                21 April 2012 at 11:44 pm

                We are talking about people who either haven’t figured it out for themselves or have, but don’t care.
                   
                And pointing out how stupid someone has been does not always persuade them to vote for you.

              • Bill …
                22 April 2012 at 9:24 am

                ‘Trickle down’ does work insofar as it concentrates wealth and power as intended.

                I enjoy a good beer, but have no time for the All Blacks, am not too fussed about pavlova and don’t understand why there is a horse somewhere that hasn’t simply been buried…etc. And I don’t understand what all that has got to do with having left/right political or economic perspectives.

                Would I suddenly become enthused about a corporate sport’s entity witha left wing parliament? Would I find myself salivating at the thought of pavlova? And would a preserved horse carcass become something other than a preserved horse carcass….etc?

              • Kotahi Tane Huna …
                23 April 2012 at 6:40 am

                “…address his/her logic.”

                Actually no. Many Tories lack the cognitive ability to argue logically.

                The linked article discusses strategies to combat racism, and concludes that

                …it might be particularly fruitful for researchers to consider strategies to change feelings toward outgroups,” rather than thoughts.

                I suspect this holds for other right wing attitudes.

          • Draco T Bastard 8.1.1.1.2
            21 April 2012 at 11:38 pm

            Being objective, consistent and rational sometimes means stomping on the offender with little or no warning.

      • felix 8.1.2
        21 April 2012 at 7:24 pm

        Yes ochocinco. Key’s facade is crumbling and his public support is tumbling.

        This wasn’t part of the plan. This terrible tide must be reversed immediately. All hands on deck.

        (And keep them there.)

        • ochocinco 8.1.2.1
          21 April 2012 at 9:54 pm

          If Key’s facade is crumbling, we have to hammer it. We have to analyse the right, identify their centre of gravity, their critical vulnerabilities, and hammer them there.

          We have to go after the weak links. We have to go psyops on people like Collins, Lusk, Slater. Surely we can try some tricks on them? We have to destroy whatever coherence they have. We have to win, we have to.

  9. Adolf Fiinkensein 9
    21 April 2012 at 7:46 pm

    Sooner or later there will be a comment here from Baghdad Bob.

    All his close rellies have had something to say.

    [At your comical and original best again Adolf? …RL]

    • ochocinco 9.1
      21 April 2012 at 9:55 pm

      Finkelstein is the classic example of a horrific, short-sighted, prejudiced right wing blog that even Hitler would have been ashamed of.

      [IIRC Adolf is his real name. The Hitler reference is mis-guided….RL]

      • ochocinco 9.1.1
        21 April 2012 at 10:13 pm

        Misguided? I read his blog semi-regularly and it’s fascist crap 99% of the time.

        People who pretend to be “real Kiwis” but probably never even played rugby (I doubt AF did, and if he did he was probably a winger)

  10. Hami Shearlie 10
    21 April 2012 at 11:10 pm

    Anyone else noticed that all of the “throw away the moral compass” behaviour is happening since Simon Power left the Nats. Bet he’s glad he’s not associated with any of the smelly little deals they’re cooking up at the moment! He was their only real successor to Key as far as popularity goes. Can’t imagine anyone getting warm fuzzies over Joyce or Collins! And I had heard that Hekia is not too popular with her cuzzies in her former hometown. Wonder what others think about this?

  11. chris73 11
    22 April 2012 at 4:05 pm

    I know I’ve been banned but you may want to strongly consider what ochocinco has to say.

    I’m in agreement with what hes saying and someone like him (assuming hes male) using logic not rhetoric is more likely to convince someone like me to vote labour.

    [If you want to try and live up to that then you’re welcome back. Ban rescinded…RL]

    • chris73 11.1
      22 April 2012 at 4:52 pm

      I think what hes trying to do is to get people on here to convince through logical reasoning why left wing policies are better then right wing.

      On here it appears to me that emotive arguements are used first (by both sides) and then logic second

      The problem being is that for a casual or swing voter coming on here (or KB) is more likely to be put off voting for that particular party.

      But I’m just one person spouting my own personal viewpoint for what its worth (which in the scheme of things isn’t much)

    • KJT 11.2
      22 April 2012 at 4:59 pm

      Assuming we want someone to vote Labour.

      Personally I think they are a lost cause.

      Anyone who still thinks infinite growth in a finite world is possible, or that neo-liberal economics works, hasn’t got the point.

      Voter should be looking for a party with realistic solutions. Greens or Mana.

      • chris73 11.2.1
        22 April 2012 at 5:15 pm

        “Assuming we want someone to vote Labour.”

        Fair point in which case change the name of the party and the advice is still the same

        I mean when I read neo-liberal I switch off because its (to me) a meaningless phrase, now me swtching off isn’t a big deal but its how many others that also switch off that is the problem

        So if greens or mana have the solutions then lets hear what they are

        • RedLogix 11.2.1.1
          22 April 2012 at 5:35 pm

          I mean when I read neo-liberal I switch off because its (to me) a meaningless phrase

          No wonder you have problems round here then. Different people will use the term in various ways depending on what aspect of it they have in mind at the time. But overall “Neoliberalism” does have quite a clear and specific meaning.

          http://www.globalissues.org/article/39/a-primer-on-neoliberalism

          As summarized from What is “Neo-Liberalism”? A brief definition for activists by Elizabeth Martinez and Arnoldo Garcia from Corporate Watch, the main points of neoliberalism includes:

          1. The rule of the market — freedom for capital, goods and services, where the market is self-regulating allowing the “trickle down” notion of wealth distribution. It also includes the deunionizing of labor forces and removals of any impediments to capital mobility, such as regulations. The freedom is from the state, or government.

          2. Reducing public expenditure for social services, such as health and education, by the government

          3. Deregulation, to allow market forces to act as a self-regulating mechanism

          4. Privatization of public enterprise (things from water to even the internet)

          5. Changing perceptions of public and community good to individualism and individual responsibility.

          Or you could always visit that obscure little website Wikipedia…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism

          • chris73 11.2.1.1.1
            22 April 2012 at 7:14 pm

            The power of the word has been lost due to over use and/or mis-use, sort of like the boy who cried wolf.

            If you use a “power” word too often it loses its effect or worse the people using it start to sound like zealots.

            [lprent: which is why when I see a word misused out of context too often, I add it to automoderation. The delay drives people nuts, but means that they only use those words when they absolutely mean it. (and it affords me some amusement to see if they can express what they feel without going into moderation 😈 ) ]

            • Colonial Viper 11.2.1.1.1.1
              22 April 2012 at 7:18 pm

              BULLSHIT

              How can it be overused when neoliberal ideology is being used to shape everything in our political, economic and social relations?

              The reason its all around us is BECAUSE its all around us.

          • Colonial Viper 11.2.1.1.2
            22 April 2012 at 7:14 pm

            People like chris73 like to pretend that their neoliberal ideology isn’t really an ideology at all, framing it as being “pragmatic” instead.

  12. KJT 12
    22 April 2012 at 5:28 pm

    http://www.greens.org.nz/docs/policy

    If you switch off though, when you see Neo-Liberal. I rest my case.

  13. james 111 13
    22 April 2012 at 5:50 pm

    I guess John will still be seen as a nicer person than Helen Clark, and Helens army that led to her and Labours dpwn fall.

    • fender 13.1
      22 April 2012 at 7:11 pm

      “I guess John will still be seen as a nicer person than Helen Clark”

      Thats about as likely as Hitler being seen as nicer than Mother Teresa, or you james being seen as more intelligent than Einstein.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

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

    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    5 days ago

  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago

  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: “What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
    No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago

  • Sad tales from the left
    Michael Bassett writes –  Have you noticed the odd way in which the media are handling the government’s crackdown on surplus employees in the Public Service? Very few reporters mention the crazy way in which State Service numbers rocketed ahead by more than 16,000 during Labour’s six years, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • 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
    2 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
    13 hours ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day 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
    1 day ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
    The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    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

  • Government redress for Te Korowai o Wainuiārua
    The Government is continuing the bipartisan effort to restore its relationship with iwi as the Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Claims Settlement Bill passed its first reading in Parliament today, says Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith. “Historical grievances of Te Korowai o Wainuiārua relate to 19th century warfare, land purchased or taken ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Focus on outstanding minerals permit applications
    New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals is working to resolve almost 150 outstanding minerals permit applications by the end of the financial year, enabling valuable mining activity and signalling to the sector that New Zealand is open for business, Resources Minister Shane Jones says.  “While there are no set timeframes for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Applications open for NZ-Ireland Research Call
    The New Zealand and Irish governments have today announced that applications for the 2024 New Zealand-Ireland Joint Research Call on Agriculture and Climate Change are now open. This is the third research call in the three-year Joint Research Initiative pilot launched in 2022 by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Ireland’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Tenancy rules changes to improve rental market
    The coalition Government has today announced changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to encourage landlords back to the rental property market, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “The previous Government waged a war on landlords. Many landlords told us this caused them to exit the rental market altogether. It caused worse ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Boosting NZ’s trade and agricultural relationship with China
    Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay will visit China next week, to strengthen relationships, support Kiwi exporters and promote New Zealand businesses on the world stage. “China is one of New Zealand’s most significant trade and economic relationships and remains an important destination for New Zealand’s products, accounting for nearly 22 per cent of our good and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Freshwater farm plan systems to be improved
    The coalition Government intends to improve freshwater farm plans so that they are more cost-effective and practical for farmers, Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay have announced. “A fit-for-purpose freshwater farm plan system will enable farmers and growers to find the right solutions for their farm ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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