Knuckleheads – nothing to fear?

Written By: - Date published: 7:12 am, July 12th, 2013 - 51 comments
Categories: accountability, Media, national, Parliament, Spying - Tags: , ,

The knuckleheads (tm John Key) in the parliamentary press gallery are concerned about their privacy:

Parliamentary press gallery raises concerns over swipe card data

Representatives from the parliamentary press gallery have raised concerns with Speaker David Carter over Parliamentary Service releasing the swipe card information of a political reporter.

Press gallery chairwoman Jessica Mutch said the press gallery was worried that journalists could be monitored while working in Parliament.

“We can’t operate in an environment where our every move is tracked and that information is made public – that would make our job around the precinct difficult,” she said.

…Ms Mutch said they were hoping for a formal agreement from Mr Carter to protect press gallery journalists.

Surely if knuckleheads have nothing to hide, they have nothing to fear?

No?

Want privacy?

Well if it’s good enough for knuckleheads, surely it’s good enough for the rest of us too. Ladies and gentlemen of the media – how about doing a better job about raising the alarm about the government’s GCSB spying bill, its sell out to America, and its attacks on our privacy? Just a thought.

51 comments on “Knuckleheads – nothing to fear? ”

  1. One Anonymous Knucklehead 1

    *Dons battered fedora and trenchcoat, presses record*

    Well, I’m not a journalist, but I can honestly say this will do nothing to stop us reprinting your press releases, Prime Minister. We’ve got nothing to hide.

    • Tom Gould 1.1

      How the media whip themselves into a frenzy when there is even the slightest hint their extensive privilege will be impinged, but as you suggest, hardly a peep if the State wants to validate spying on everyone else. As an example of how fundamentally broken the fourth estate is these days, this must be it. Although, post the UK hacking scandal, maybe they see the benefits in spying on people unlawfully? Especially if there are papers to be sold and money to be made?

  2. rosy 2

    Nothing to hide, nothing to fear?
    Orwell or Kafka?
    Surveillance or information processing?

    Both matter, but is the instinctive surveillance argument the best one for discussions about privacy? What do we fear most? and what is more important in terms of personal freedom?

    Why privacy matters even if you have nothing to hide.

    When the nothing-to-hide argument is unpacked, and its underlying assumptions examined and challenged, we can see how it shifts the debate to its terms, then draws power from its unfair advantage. The nothing-to-hide argument speaks to some problems but not to others. It represents a singular and narrow way of conceiving of privacy, and it wins by excluding consideration of the other problems often raised with government security measures. When engaged directly, the nothing-to-hide argument can ensnare, for it forces the debate to focus on its narrow understanding of privacy. But when confronted with the plurality of privacy problems implicated by government data collection and use beyond surveillance and disclosure, the nothing-to-hide argument, in the end, has nothing to say.

    Arguing for privacy based on ‘nothing to hide, nothing to fear’ leaves a great hole in the argument for why privacy matters, according to Daniel J. Solove (in 2011). A Kafkaesque discussion provides stronger grounds for arguing against data collection, he thinks.

    Another metaphor better captures the problems: Franz Kafka’s The Trial. Kafka’s novel centers around a man who is arrested but not informed why. He desperately tries to find out what triggered his arrest and what’s in store for him. He finds out that a mysterious court system has a dossier on him and is investigating him, but he’s unable to learn much more. The Trial depicts a bureaucracy with inscrutable purposes that uses people’s information to make important decisions about them, yet denies the people the ability to participate in how their information is used.

    The problems portrayed by the Kafkaesque metaphor are of a different sort than the problems caused by surveillance. They often do not result in inhibition. Instead they are problems of information processing—the storage, use, or analysis of data—rather than of information collection. They affect the power relationships between people and the institutions of the modern state. They not only frustrate the individual by creating a sense of helplessness and powerlessness, but also affect social structure by altering the kind of relationships people have with the institutions that make important decisions about their lives.

  3. North 3

    Oh how the vainglorious beltway bubbies cry……..

  4. freedom 4

    Surely the press gallery tracking story is a shell game distraction from the recent requests for more information on the ever growing number of commercial lobbyists who appear to have increasing access to Parliament buildings and its occupants. I would imagine the long list of lobbyists would be of far greater interest to the public.

    As I no longer have a landline I am heavily restricted in my access to the ongoing story. I may have missed any references to it but in the reporting I have seen it is the media’s movements and not the swathes of lobbyists that seem to be the only topic of interest.

    • Molly 4.1

      That was my first response to this story as well. Seems like the words “big picture” don’t actually mean anything to the press gallery. Depressingly apparent from their twitterings from their nest.

  5. locus 5

    Nearly every country in the world recognises a right of privacy explicitly in their Constitution. At a minimum, these provisions include rights of inviolability of the home and secrecy of communications

    This report written by Privacy International provides a good summary of the many resons why NZ must never ever let the US inspired changes in legislation proposed for the GCSB Act get into law

    What we need in NZ is something as simple as this:

    Constitution of Russia. Article 23
    1. Everyone shall have the right to the inviolability of private life, personal and family secrets, the protection of honour and good name.
    2. Everyone shall have the right to privacy of correspondence, of telephone conversations, postal, telegraph and other messages. Limitations of this right shall be allowed only by court decision.

  6. AmaKiwi 6

    Labour, Greens, NZ First: Here is an issue you can win votes on.

    A US poll shows that opposition to government spying “predominated among nearly every subgroup, regardless of political party, gender, income, education or age.”

    “The concerns about privacy and government power raised by the N.S.A. disclosures do not break down along conventional ideological lines, with libertarian-leaning Republicans and Democrats alike questioning the surveillance.”

    EVERYONE is opposed to government spying. Only National supports it.

    You can win votes across the entire political, gender, income, education, and age range by vigorously opposing government spying. Don’t limit your attacks to the details of the GCSB bill. Pull whatever media stunts you need to make yourselves champions of privacy.

    The right to privacy is popular with EVERYONE. Here’s your issue. Go for the jugular!

    source: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/11/us/poll-shows-complexity-of-debate-on-trade-offs-in-government-spying-programs.html?ref=global-home&_r=0

    • Draco T Bastard 6.1

      The big question is: What should be private?

      IMO, peoples use of the states resources shouldn’t be, their private lives should be. But then we have a cross over between private and public due to the need to use the states resources to maintain life.

      • weka 6.1.1

        “peoples use of the states resources”

        Like what? I immediately thought of WINZ benefits, but I assume that’s not what you mean.

        • Draco T Bastard 6.1.1.1

          No, the actual resources taken from the environment. Food, iron, wood, electricity etc. Money itself is not a resource but it does represent the use of those resources which is why money would need to be traced which is why peoples claim that we need to go back to a cash society is also bunk. What they’re really asking for there is not to be held to account (which, IMO, puts them with the corporations and other RWNJs that don’t want regulation).

          Now, some people will say that some of those aren’t state resources. Food is an obvious one as it’s grown by the farmer but that food needs to get it’s nutrients from the ground and those nutrients are limited. They can be replaced but doing so uses even more resources which then also need to be accounted for as well.

          As I say, these are not a privacy issue as those resources belong to all of us and all of us should have a say in their use especially considering that over-use, which is what exponential growth must bring about, is unsustainable.

          What should be private?
          We’ve seen that corporations are learning a hell of a lot about people from their use of resources and the people quite often don’t even know that the corporations are gathering that data but, at the same time, we really do need that data so as to use the limited resources we have responsibly. Which brings up another question: Should the corporations have that data or the government?

    • David H 6.2

      “The right to privacy is popular with EVERYONE. Here’s your issue. Go for the jugular! ”

      But they won’t, they are too busy fighting each other to give a rats arse about the rank n file general public.

  7. Rosetinted 7

    Sing? Beautiful, beautiful brown eyes, I’ll never love blue eyes again.

  8. felix 8

    Hey journos. Where were you for the last 5 years while Key systematically fucked the rest of us over?

    Kissing his arse, that’s where.

    • King Kong 8.1

      Grrrrr. I’m angry too.

      Damn you journos. When are you ever going to write the deranged and fantastical, extreme left side of the story.

      The country is burning, the fire of revolution swells in the breast of the throngs of down trodden, yet not a peep from the press.

      • Rogue Trooper 8.1.1

        swamped. (have you seen the rain we been havin’?).
        “And I wonder, still I wonder, who’ll stop the rain”.

      • felix 8.1.2

        Yeah KK, that’s exactly what I said 🙄

      • Populuxe1 8.1.3

        Sorry, I had to slip my Les Miserables CD in the stereo for the full effect then.

      • emergency mike 8.1.4

        So you’d be pleased about Campbell Live last night eh? Don’t worry looks like the tide is turning, reportage that John Key is a traitor appears to be going mainstream at last.

  9. vto 9

    The journalists should swap their entry swipe cards to confuse and confound the spooks.

  10. quartz 10

    Attacking the media? No wonder they consider this site the loony left. Which pisses me off because it undermines a lot of the good stuff that’s on here.

    • r0b 10.1

      This post is an “attack”? More like a resigned and futile chiding I would have said.

    • weka 10.2

      “Front Page is New Zealand’s leading independent producer of TV news and current affairs”

      And they think it is appropriate to refer to the largest leftwing collective blog in NZ as the loony left? I suppose balance and impartiality are quaint old-fashioned notions in knuckledhead journalism.

      • quartz 10.2.1

        Richard Harmon is a decent guy. If the Standard is getting this kind of gyp from him I’d guess the problem is the Standard’s reputation more than his bias.

        That reputation is probably due to the number of people from the right and from the Labour party who talk the site down out in the real world, but having this kind of post from a named author is unlikely to help.

        • Anne 10.2.1.1

          Richard Harman is a Tory from the top of his head to the tips of his toe nails. I bet he’s rarely read TS except in relation to himself and “The Nation” programme. He wouldn’t have a clue about the myriad of excellent commentary that appears here on a daily basis.

          I was in the TV medium many years ago and I witnessed the incredible egos – and the arrogance of perceived superiority that goes with it – first hand. They came across as nice guys and gals when fronting the cameras, but see them off camera and it was often a different story. There are always a few exceptions to the rule, and maybe Richard Harman is one of them but he’s still an opponent of those of us who are left of centre.

        • weka 10.2.1.2

          Call me old fashioned too, but I just don’t think that journalists should be using derogatory adjectives in that way. Is he a producer rather than a journo? It still undermines the credibility of the current affairs programmes they make for him to express his personal views like that.

          btw, I fail to see what is ‘loony’ about r0b’s post. In his opinion (shared by many, including myself) the MSM are not doing a good enough job covering the privacy issues currently affecting NZ, and he takes a poke at them for being concerned about their own privacy. What is wrong with that?

      • Populuxe1 10.2.2

        That has more to do with the content of the comments and many of the posts than the actual readership. Size isn’t everything.

    • Rogue Trooper 10.3

      quarrying

    • Rosetinted 10.4

      quartz
      There is such a thing as being too mild-mannered, Superman under his quiet Clark Kent persona had real muscles and willingness to fight for good. You can’t criticise anything, or call for better standards? You’re a bit of a wet doormat aren’t you.

  11. North 11

    Tracking their swipe cards would provide a telling record of their gin-guzzling-jaunts from ministerial office to ministerial office. Useless pricks the lot of them !

    • ak 11.1

      You raise an important point, young Northie, evoking such memories as Garner and Espiner hitting the tiles regularly early in the piece with a certain slippery goober and one J Collins’ deep and meaningful maternal “Paddy”s and “Guy”s among others.

      Now imagine for a second that a certain handful of mediocre individuals had assumed prime and exclusive importance in the task of leading public opinion and that you were in command of unfettered and total information on said individuals – and millions in resources to gather such, with absolute, secret impunity forever – and that your sole aim in life, as demonstrated by your private and public endeavours to date had been the acquisition of wealth and public acclamation, and that you had a rather loose and tenuous grasp of such notions as truth and integrity, would it be too much of a stretch to imagine that you may be tempted to at least stay aware of the movements, intentions, and indeed psychological state of said individuals? And once so tempted and all-informed, take the further small step of using your enormous power and influence to determine their fate?

      Orewa One didn’t drag the Natsy party out of the poll gutter and keep it there all by itself.

      I follow John Campbell’s career with interest.

      • Rogue Trooper 11.1.1

        -“psychopaths get kinda’ tiresome after a while, don’t you think?”- Hans (Christopher Walken)
        -“Some grey place; England? It seemed a lot worse than that”.
        -“you know, writing alleviates (their) suicidal self-loathing, and sh*t”.

        from Seven Psychopaths

      • North 11.1.2

        Thank you Ak @ 11.1 above for tidying up my point crudely made @ 11.

        Oh that your kind application of “young” were as efficacious in stripping away the decades…….as efficacious indeed as the news camera in satisfying the strange Potty Gower that he’s a taonga in the nation’s political life.

        Alas for me and for mine Potty, neither fantasy can be rationally maintained !

        I do however persist with this……..I’m buggered if I’m going to have a bunch of know-all-jargon-jargon-jargon-gin-gin-gin, beltway voyeurs, oftentimes mere kids, purport to command my thinking as to a certain set of facts.

        Resolve is redoubled when unashamed confession of personal failing is deployed to hasten me to the sought conclusion. A case in point……..Potty’s infamous “I’m angry…….”

        I suggest triple-valium.

        Sadly, Fart Estate prevails. Never mind…….invariably the suits are cheap and eminently disposable.

  12. Rogue Trooper 12

    Whose Bill is the GCSB Bill really. The Campbell Live coverage of the Attorney- Generals huddle-down-under was interesting; The U.S Dept. Of Justice under Eric Holder is “out of control”. “Let’s improve extradition” contributes Finlayson.

  13. Mr Interest 13

    I think the real issue here is that you are not allowed to turn surveillance on its head i.e. who watches the watchmen (i.e. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?).

    It would be useful to know what the protocol is by the GCSB and SIS on keeping data on el presedenta et. al???? Sort of like Richard Nixons watergate tapes (on steroids)…… but also covering the years before they came into power (I sure echelon etc would reveal quite a few ‘conversations’). It will be there in the system as John has worked at too high a level.

    One of the useful tools of surveillance is that you can look back into the past data (GPS, phone, computer, facial recognition…blaa blaa the list is endless) and run social network analysis (SNA).

    see here http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2006/05/how_the_nsa_does_social_network_analysis.html

    It will give you something similar to a Muckety Map of interrelationships see here for example:
    Here is a basic SNA done on Merril Lynch

    http://www.muckety.com/Query?name=Merrill+Lynch+&prev=Merrill+Lynch+&SearchResult=5093266&SearchResult=5043037&SearchResult=5001198&SearchResult=5091312&SearchResult=5056553&SearchResult=5019986&graph=MucketyMap

    What Key and chums dont want is the public prying into their past wheeling and dealing….. thats it.

    You see, its all about circularity….

    here is a circular / Catch 22 type problem in that governments use “classified” covers to hide criminal activity (esp. if it is an unconstitutional act) but targets can’t prove any of that BECAUSE it has been classified…. Eg. NSA Whistleblower William Binney in an interview (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuET0kpHoyM) points out that Executive Order 13526 section 1.7 (covering classified status allocation) specifically says that **”You cannot classify information merely to cover up a crime”**. Even if devices or procedures are classified this also applies to them and information on them when they are being used for criminal purposes. So, in theory, by misusing devices, abusing authority and so on the administration not only commits crimes but should open up the information relating to that for public scrutiny…

    One begins to make the conclusion that a large part of surveillance is also about keeping prying eyes out of certain powerful individuals dealings……..

    As for the parliamentary press, well I dont know how much integrity they have, but using national TV news as a benchmark (i.e. most of the news is impotent dribble) I would say not much…..

    One could use this ‘Parliamentary press gallery raises concerns over swipe card data’ to take away focus on the real issue, that is… if the government-Corporates can spy on you, you should be able to spy on them…………………………

  14. Mr Interest 14

    Also a nice article on counter surveillance (unfortunately it highlights why surveillance is really only a one way street in favor on you know who).

    Who watches the watchmen (i.e. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?)….. a disorganized rabble (similar to the European Revolutions of 1848)

    http://www.stratfor.com/secrets_countersurveillance

    Surveillance

    A large and professional surveillance team can use a variety of fixed and mobile assets, including electronic listening devices and operatives on foot, in vehicles and even in aircraft. Such a large team can be extremely difficult for anyone to spot. A massive surveillance operation, however, requires an organization with vast assets and a large number of well-trained operatives. This level of surveillance, therefore, is usually only found at the governmental level, as most militant organizations lack the assets and the number of trained personnel required to mount such an operation. Indeed, most criminal and militant surveillance is conducted by one person, or by a small group of operatives. This means they must place themselves in a position to see the target — and thus be seen — with far more frequency than would be required in a huge surveillance operation. And the more they show their faces, the more vulnerable they are to detection. This vulnerability is amplified if the operatives are not highly trained.

  15. Saarbo 15

    “I actually don’t think it was a very good submission at all and they need to pull their socks up. If they’re going to continue to be a government-funded organisation they should meet the deadline should everyone else.”

    Quote from John Key responding to The Human Rights Commission’s submission regarding the GCSB spying bill.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10897315

    Is this a threat?

    What an arrogant useless prick he is.

    Good submission from the HRC.

    • Rogue Trooper 15.1

      It is a ‘report’, issued directly to the Prime Minister (4th such instance since 1993); The Human Rights Commission could have made a submission ” but there was a quite short period for people to prepare their submissions…we did seek an extension but that wasn’t granted”.- Gilbert Wong.

      Is Key running around putting out fires now, like Flick The Little Fire Engine, or, “I think I can, I think I can” (do whatever the US pleases) The Little Engine That Could. 😀

    • weka 15.2

      “What an arrogant useless prick he is.”

      Yep. I was quite shocked at Key’s response to the Commission. I guess NACT are now in full “fuck off NZ, we’ll do what we want” mode.

  16. ak 16

    Is Key running around putting out fires now,

    Indeed, my loveable rogue, which is why he and his flunkies so strikingly resemble flailing wet blankets – Shearerbash on maximum as Helenhate-primed freedom worshippers gradually dawn to the fact that some pimply-faced young natsy appointee has full access to their credit-card details and has had for years. Hacks flapping furiously at windmills as 40,000 tonnes of prime rots on the tentacled ones’ docks to mark another cabinet visit….

    • Rogue Trooper 16.1

      ah yes, that meat, stalled in the Motherland, like the news thereof , which finally sailed onto our televisions about 4 days after it was in the online press; We wouldn’t want to startle the natives now, would we Nuthin’ Guy.

  17. BLiP 17

    Tricky one, ain’t it? There’s little motivation for the people to support the media when it has abandoned its Fourth Estate principles.

    • felix 17.1

      Exactly BLiP.

      Journalism I care about. Free press I care about. A functioning fourth estate I care about.

      Remind me why should I give a shit about a glorified spin machine operated by egomaniacs marking time while they wait for a cushy gig on the inside.

      Yeah nah.

  18. Sam 18

    Great report from the Human Rights Commission – only fourth time in 20 yrs they have used this mechanism. About time the PM listened rather than just making veiled threats about their funding!

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8911648/Spy-agencies-probe-needed-Human-Rights-Commission

  19. aerobubble 20

    Isn’t that the problem, that went the criminals are the ones that know how to avoid being watched (because they learn how they were caught in jail), then a new social culture is born that assiduously avoids being watched. Criminals will gain a competitive advantage, as information will and does leak (companies who collect the information will find ways to clip the ticket) and so those who aren’t mindful about their privacy will find themselves at a competitive disadvantage for jobs, for price reductions, for better deals on shares, etc, etc. When one side of a contract has far more knowledge, etc, etc. The laws of business don’t suddenly go away because big brother is watching, rather the ability of insiders to use their data access to make money is leveraged against the common good.

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  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    20 hours ago
  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    20 hours ago
  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    20 hours ago
  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    22 hours ago
  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    23 hours ago
  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    23 hours ago
  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    23 hours ago
  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    23 hours ago
  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    23 hours ago
  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    24 hours ago
  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 day ago
  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    1 day ago
  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    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 ...
    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 ...
    2 days ago
  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    3 days ago
  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    3 days ago
  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    3 days ago
  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    3 days ago
  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    4 days ago
  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    5 days ago
  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

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

    5 days ago
  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    6 days ago
  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago
  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    6 days ago
  • Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
    No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 hour ago
  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago
  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 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
    17 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
    23 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
    24 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
    1 day ago
  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    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
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