Lying Key

Written By: - Date published: 7:21 am, March 6th, 2014 - 126 comments
Categories: Media - Tags: ,

Martyn’s got a post up over at the daily blog documenting some of the blatant lies Key has told that have been repeated without criticism by the media:

1: Key claimed on Firstline that Cunliffe had been to TVNZ for a Labour Party meeting at the height of the Shane Taurima affair when no such thing ever happened. David Cunliffe never went to a Labour Party meeting at TVNZ. Never happened.

2: Key claims at his post cabinet press conference that Unite Union secretly donated to Cunliffe and that’s why Matt is Chief-of-Staff. That never happened, Unite didn’t donate to Cunliffe’s leadership bid.

3: The claim in Parliament today that Kim Dotcom is one of the anonymous donors. I’ve talked to sources, they all say that never happened either. One week the media are trying to claim Kim Dotcom is too broke to pay contractors, next week they are claiming he his secretly donating money.

It’s got to the point where Key can say pretty much whatever the fuck he wants and certain parts of the media will publish it verbatim and unquestioningly while Cunliffe is engaged in a massive conspiracy because he said “all parents” in a big picture speech, or is hiding his wealth because he had a go at Key in defense of the Salvation Army.

126 comments on “Lying Key ”

  1. RedLogix 1

    I’ll quote verbatim a comment from ‘Tom’ in the comment thread below that Daily Blog post:

    Cunliffe is trapped. He’s a good guy and I like him, as do many other New Zealanders. However, the people who “matter” in New Zealand have decided that he won’t be allowed to win, and he won’t be, because they have the power to do that.

    I don’t think that there’s anything he or anyone else can do about it. What’s going to happen between now and the election is an endless stream of stories like this, with increasing calls for Cunliffe to resign or be toppled. I’d love to be wrong, but nobody here or anywhere else seems to have a realistic suggestion.

    As for those of us who tend to the left, we should remember that playing a rigged game legitimises it. If it gets worse, people should seriously think about boycotting the election.

    I’ll go one step further – it’s obvious that Labour has traitors in its ranks as well. Mc Cartens appointment has unleashed a deluge of panic attacks on Cunliffe from the people most anxious about it. We are neck deep in a vicious battle with greed, privilege and snobbery.

    There is only one possible realistic suggestion. The Left must start acting like a real political force, and take action in unity. Nothing else matters anymore.

    Trotter is right. Failure now is failure for another generation.

    • Tautoko Viper 1.1

      +1 RL It is no good us sitting on our hands and taking the falsehoods as inevitable.
      Time to commit to action. Every person who wants to get rid of this lying, cheating, out-for-the-rich-only government needs to look at how they can contribute. Collectively we can win. We need to put the lower priority issues to one side and concentrate on the big issue- getting National OUT of office. (Most of the side issues cannot be addressed with this Govt, so step 1 is to get them out.)
      Make a pledge with yourself to take some positive action to achieve this. Wishful thinking, or even worse, thinking that anything you do can’t make a difference- (which is the whole purpose of the current attacks on Labour/Cunliffe to ramp up the non-vote helplessness) is not good enough.
      Come on, all you decent minded people who care about others and the environment, we are going to rise up and climb over the M$M barricades and WIN!

    • One Anonymous Bloke 1.2

      +100

      There are some on the Left who seem to think all they had to do to win the war was change the NZLP leadership election rules.

      Now the enemy is firing back it’s time to give up, apparently.

      • geoff 1.2.1

        Well Said, OAB.
        And what else needs to be said is this… Even if Labour loses the election I would not vote for a leadership change again.
        Right now we’ve got a properly leftwing leader, we’ve got a committed membership and affiliates. We only have to settle some internal MP problems and then convince the electorate that National doesn’t have any answers to the big problems facing most kiwis, that National will only care about those things to the extent that it will get them re-elected, and finally, that Labour/Greens/Mana actually do have some good answers to those problems.
        If it takes another 3 years then so be it.
        (Not that I’m giving up on winning this election yet.)

    • weka 1.3

      “There is only one possible realistic suggestion. The Left must start acting like a real political force, and take action in unity. Nothing else matters anymore.”

      Ae. So how we going to do that? Maybe it’s time to start taking the conversation on ts further.

      Tom:

      “As for those of us who tend to the left, we should remember that playing a rigged game legitimises it. If it gets worse, people should seriously think about boycotting the election.”

      Stupid beyond belief. Without any appreciable strategy from the left a boycott is pointless. It might satisfy personal ethics, but it will also just play into the hands of the people who want the left disinfranchised.

      It’s that small but large enough number of people that don’t vote that gift the government to NACT. Even if there were a substantial boycott, say 50%, who would give a shit? You think that NACT will? Or that the MSM will finally get a conscience? I would guess we would wring our hands for a term to two and by that time it will be too late.

    • xtasy 1.4

      RL –

      A pretty realistic assessment, coming close to how I see things!

    • Sosoo 1.5

      Traitors in the ranks?

      If all this resulted in the tarring and feathering of Trevor Mallard, it would all be worth it. 😉

  2. Jimbob 2

    You’ve missed the point. Key can say whatever he likes in the vacuum left by cunliffe’s issues with transparency and the truth. These are accusations he wants answered but I doubt there are many people left in NZ who believe anything cunliffe says anymore.

    • karol 2.1

      FFS, John Key is the one who is totally slippery with the truth. Yet the media have never put him under the scrutiny that they put Cunliffe under.

      The accusations against Cunliffe in contrast, are just a series of beat-ups.

      • framu 2.1.1

        “The accusations against Cunliffe in contrast, are just a series of beat-ups.”

        that happened looooooong after key starting making shit up

      • Anne 2.1.2

        The accusations against Cunliffe in contrast, are just a series of beat-ups.

        Someone will soon correct me if I’m wrong, but one of those beat-up stories is apparently about a bank investment Cunliffe is claimed to have not immediately declared. That is hitting the bottom of the barrel!

        A bank investment is no more than an extension of an ordinary daily working account. For example, someone may have $10,000 sitting in an account which they don’t intend to immediately
        use, so they extract $5,000 and place it in a short/medium term fixed deposit scheme which is attached to their everyday account. At the end of the fixed period it will go back into their current account unless otherwise specified by the account owner. To suggest deceitful behaviour on the part of Cunliffe for forgetting one existed, means EVERY MP should have their savings/cheque accounts thoroughly examined for similar loss of memory. I bet you would find the majority have at some point made exactly the same ‘error’.

        Stop apologising Cunliffe. You’ve done nothing wrong!

        • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 2.1.2.1

          +1 Anne,

          I acknowledge that Mr Cunliffe is experiencing a ‘trial by fire’, (‘a fucked up media’ can replace ‘fire’ here) however I was deeply disappointed to hear it reported that Mr Cunliffe had apologised re the Labour Party Leadership trust.

          Of course, I don’t know whether Cunliffe actually did apologise because I gained this information off TV3 and they appear to simply ‘make shit up’ – however, if he did I don’t think he should have – if he gets advice and makes a decision based on the information he has to hand and it turns out to be incorrect – that is all he needs to say. Apologising in this instance merely feeds the line coming out of Key’s/Textors propaganda advice, which would be along the lines of:

          Call Labour/Greens/Mana ‘Tricky’ repetitively – at every opportunity you get – in this way people will be distracted from how really fucking tricky, incompetent and unreliable you lot (National government) are AND will discourage alot of people who would vote against you from voting altogether, out of disgust at how ‘untrustworthy’ politicians

          I therefore agree with you Anne, and plead with Mr Cunliffe to please think through the ramification of apologising before doing so.

          Don’t apologise, give a clear message as to why what you chose to do had reasonable intent. Don’t allow the ‘politicians are untrustworthy’ meme to continue unquestioned.

    • swordfish 2.2

      Let’s take a bit of a stroll down memory-lane, shall we, Jimbob ?

      Let’s begin with……http://tvnz.co.nz/content/2097819/425825/article.html

      Now, let’s move on to……https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaEXa202Q6M

      Before finishing with……https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeJSFVWKnsE

      (With the last of these, have a wee laugh at John’s body language 0.26 – 0.39 when he realises he’s been caught out).

      Goodnight, Mary-Ellen, goodnight John-Boy, goodnight Jim-Bob.

  3. karol 3

    Add to Martyn’s list the fact that Kim Dotcom has tweeted today:

    I have never donated to the leadership race of @DavidCunliffeMP or to Labor, or the Greens, or NZ First. I support the #InternetParty!

    • One Anonymous Bloke 3.1

      I note he doesn’t deny donating to National.

      • Lanthanide 3.1.1

        Or Labour.

        • Bastables 3.1.1.1

          Did they stop teaching comprehension when you were at school? Or did you just not pay attention then or now?

          “I have never donated to the leadership race of @DavidCunliffeMP or to Labor, or the Greens, or NZ First. I support the #InternetParty!”

          • felix 3.1.1.1.1

            I think Lanth is pointing out a typo, and wondering if it could have been deliberately deployed.

          • Lanthanide 3.1.1.1.2

            Actually I have very good reading comprehension.

            I always wondered at school why we had “reading comprehension tests” because it seemed incredibly pointless to me to read a passage and then get asked jaw-droppingly obvious questions about what I’d just read.

            • burt 3.1.1.1.2.1

              I was never sure which was more jaw-dropping … How obvious the questions were or that there was actually a percentage of the class that consistently got them wrong.

    • Disraeli Gladstone 3.2

      I make a point not to blindly trusted people convicted of fraud and inside trading.

      I doubt Dotcom did donate to Cunliffe. The problem with the trust, though, is that we can’t actually be sure unless all the donors came forward. Something Cunliffe should have thought of.

      Mostly, I’m just sick of people treating Dotcom like some political hero just because he might be able to bring down Key. Ignoring the whole legal issue he’s presently in, Dotcom has been convicted of fraud. He was later convicted for inside trading and embezzlement. Since then, he also decided that rape seems like a fine topic of comedy.

      This is not a good person. If John Key hadn’t ruined his life, Dotcom would probably be one of his biggest supporters this year.

      Sigh.

      (Disclaimer for people who jump on posts without fully reading them: I’m not saying Dotcom did donate. I’m saying he’s a dick, why do we all listen to him.)

      • Enough is Enough 3.2.1

        And he donated to Banks.

        What sort of dickhead would ever give him cash?

      • MaxFletcher 3.2.2

        +1

      • felix 3.2.3

        Hi Disraeli.

        I couldn’t agree more with what you say about Dotcom. He would probably be in National’s election ads wearing a hilarious XXXXXXXL “I’m a Key Person” t-shirt if only he could pull it over massive knife wound in his back.

        This confuses me though: “Mostly, I’m just sick of people treating Dotcom like some political hero just because he might be able to bring down Key.

        Who is doing this, exactly? I haven’t seen much of it around the blogs, certainly not on this one.

  4. The only defence is to stay on message and laugh it off – like water off a ducks back. It isn’t easy and a politician has to have conviction and tenacity to do it – think of Hone – does anything liarkey say affect who he is or what he believes in – NO it doesn’t. The worse thing cunliffe can do imo is engage – that is apologise, backtrack, try to spin and so on. Turn it all into a joke/attack against key – it can be done but maybe not if you are after the same people. Say, “Well he would say that wouldn’t he” (knowing smile or perhaps wink) and just keep saying it. Pick a whopper lie from key and there are plenty to choose from and keep asking about it, “Johnkey (say it really fast for the mics) said he voted to save the whales and yet has been seen eating whalemeat – that leaves a bad taste in all kiwi mouths, which is it johnkey, own up and tell us – are you a whale eater do you partake of the fatty flesh (sorry went abit philu there)…”.

    Anyway there are plenty of bigbrains that can work this out but are there plenty with conviction and tenacity? Not sure about that one.

    • RedLogix 4.1

      . The worse thing cunliffe can do imo is engage – that is apologise, backtrack, try to spin and so on.

      I think that’s much the same thing as I’m trying to say on the other thread marty. It’s fatal for Cunliffe to give his enemies (and I keep using that word pointedly) any credibility whatsoever.

      Leave the defense up to others.

      • marty mars 4.1.1

        Yep I agree red

      • Molly 4.1.2

        Responding simply but honestly would be a breath of fresh air to an election year that promises to go rancid quite rapidly:

        “That must be some more gossip (rumour) he is trying to spread, because he can’t have any evidence – it is not true”.
        or even better:
        “Really Gower? What kind of evidence did he give you to make you think that was true? I don’t know where this gossip comes from”

        And then getting on with the day job of creating policy and momentum to get the country back on track.

        • geoff 4.1.2.1

          But does Gower and co. actually ever go back to Dave C for comment? I thought the point of this article was that emperor Key says something and then the journalists just repeat it verbatim. What would be a breath of fresh air is if Dave even had a chance to respond.

    • just saying 4.2

      I’m inclined to agree, to a point.

      Any kind of defensiveness is fatal to the left, but admitting wrong-doing and apologising isn’t defensive imo. The parliamentary left need to tighten-up so that it isn’t able to be presented apologising for cock-ups in 90 percent of its media coverage.

      And now is the time to ensure all practices and procedures are transparent, lawful, and demonstrably democratic The financial affairs of every represntative should be scrutinised and ready to be accounted-for. Nothing short of a blitzkrieg will do imo.

      And present the left-wing perspective with absolutely no evasiveness or apology. Ffs, let them say what they will and let’s have this damn conversation already.

      Also, you couldn’t go far wrong by imagining what the Paganiists would do in whatever situation, saying hell no, and doing the opposite.

      • RedLogix 4.2.1

        The financial affairs of every represntative should be scrutinised and ready to be accounted-for. Nothing short of a blitzkrieg will do imo.

        What you say makes sense from our left-wing perspective js – but you might want to anticipate how Paddy Gower would use the information falling out from such a process.

        No-one is Caesar’s wife.

        In the meantime do you anticipate National undertaking such an orgy of self-castigation?

        • just saying 4.2.1.1

          In the meantime do you anticipate National undertaking such an orgy of self-castigation?

          No, there are different standards, and there always have been in my lifetime. It’s just the stakes are higher than ever before, and neoliberalism has skewed our collective perceptions to allow the elites and their enforcers to be much more blatant.

          I don’t think there is anything we can do about the disparity of scrutiny and criticism in the msm

          • Colonial Viper 4.2.1.1.1

            Labour is already far too inwardly focussed. Trying to set it navel gazing objectives, tasks and standards which make it even more inwardly focussed buries the party even further into electoral and historical irrelevancy.

            • TightyRighty 4.2.1.1.1.1

              electoral scrutiny hurts doesn’t it? your saviour DC has his own american bagman now. how does it feel to see your symbol of hope turn so quickly? national hasn’t even done anything, this is all internal.

              you’ll moan about the msm dont’ report things in a favorable light for you, but you’ll miss the point, whats being done can’t be seen favorably, given the history of whats been said by labour. this is a prime example of reaping what you sow.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 4.2.1.2

          Agreed. Let National go looking for H-fees. There’s policy to promote.

    • Ant 4.3

      Yep this is what I think, the back tracking is counter productive. Labour are essentially getting trolled and their response is to always react and feed the troll everytime. They’ve been doing it since HC left. Rolling over for the media, not even trying to contest it. Somehow their comms people have got so flustered that they get all conservative, reactive, and let National and the media dictate their actions.

      National use whataboutery to turn criticism all the time, Labour need to do the same and actually start fighting. That’s one thing National realise that Labour don’t seem to get, if a point is arguable they’ll go down fighting till the end on it.

      • marty mars 4.3.1

        Yep they have got it round the wrong way – instead of trying to be popular by not making waves and being compliant, they need to make waves, stick to the message and that will help them become popular. The trolling meme is very accurate and the comms people need to really think about that – stop worrying about fucking it up – guess what? You are already doing that! Get back on message and stick there ffs – into the hurricane and out the other side!!!

      • greywarbler 4.3.2

        I was pleased to hear Shane Jones make some punchy comments in the House. He is talking about things important to all NZs but particularly those on low wages and I think they would appreciate more of this hard talking stuff. Go for the main object, don’t bother about anyone making snide comments about watching porno, whether sour socks don’t match, even if you swear a bit, get in the way. Just ensure it doesn’t get out of hand.

        Try to keep it clean, don’t be excessive, and leave the middle class sitting on the fence painting their toenails or riding their mountainbikes whichever activity best pleaes them. Let’s get some oomph into Labour, not much time on excuses, reasons, making things right, just constantly talking about vision and policy. Be like Winston, he keeps going to where he wants to be, irrepressible. At present Labour seems mealy-mouthed, half-hearted and middle class. Not yesterday’s cold potatoes, but last week’s.

    • BM 4.4

      That works for Hone because he’s a party of one which no one takes seriously.

      Everyone except a couple 100 or so Maori from up north thinks he’s a racist wanker and should be no where near parliament.
      Cunliffe unlike Hone is actually vying for the top job, it’s Cunliffe vs Key

      The plan you are describing is for Cunliffe to curl into a ball and hope Key doesn’t connect with any vital organs.
      Not a good strategy for a potential PM.

      Cunliffe has found himself in this position because of all the personal insults he threw at Key and the complete lack of respect Cunliffe has shown Key,

      Key can’t stand the man that’s fairly obvious.

      • marty mars 4.4.1

        No mate that is not the plan at all – try reading the comment – hint ‘water off a ducks back’ does not mean roll into a ball and take the hits.

        But I’m pleased a numbnut rightie like you doesn’t like it – that gives me hope.

      • framu 4.4.2

        “Everyone except a couple 100 or so Maori from up north thinks he’s a racist wanker”

        you really need to stop claiming that what you think is what all of NZ thinks

    • Blue 4.5

      Agreed. Whoever is doing David’s media training (and I really hope there is someone doing it) needs a kick up the arse.

      Never explain, never apologise. It’s the golden rule for a reason.

      Explaining is losing and apologising is suicide.

      David needs to learn these things, and if he doesn’t then he’s toast and Labour is toast.

      • Populuxe1 4.5.1

        Never explain, but sometimes apologising can be quite effective if you cover yourself in remorse, ashes and sackcloth and dicover a convenient addiction, either sex, booze or prescription medications. I’m not sure Cunliffe has enough social credit to play the pity card though.

    • felix 4.6

      Yep, general debate was interesting yesterday. Nat after nat used their entire allotted time to speak with great passion about Cunliffe, his house, his trust, his spelling mistakes ffs, etc etc.

      When it was Cunliffe’s turn to respond, he got up and spoke about child poverty.

      The contrast was stunning.

  5. Certain parts? How about the entire propaganda media will do it’s utmost to sell brand Key and lie if it has too. We have no more independent media!

  6. risildowgtn 6

    Well there is a simple answer to this bias

    we take them on whenever and wherever we can

    Twitter is great for calling them out as nothing but Tory scum.

    They dont like it and its great for stress 🙂

  7. Tom Gould 7

    You people really don’t get it, do you? The big chooks are either in the direct pay of tory cronies or their indirect pay. These people are bought and paid for. What do you expect from their reportage and commentary and blogging and tweeting? A simple look at the anatomy of any one of these ‘scandals’ will reveal the fairly simple way these things are put together. The only difference is the Tories and their cronies and lackeys have access big dough, and the left don’t.

    • RedLogix 7.1

      A simple look at the anatomy of any one of these ‘scandals’ will reveal the fairly simple way these things are put together.

      That intrigues me. Thought provoking.

      • Colonial Viper 7.1.1

        Yep TG is quite correct, all these recent attacks against Labour and Cunliffe are cookbook and co-ordinated in nature. And instead of reflexively reacting all the time, the Left need to present NZers with a game changing vision of the next 10 years.

        It’s getting mighty late in the year, a “secret game changing vision that nobody knows about” is of no use whatsoever.

    • framu 7.2

      So the real question is – how do you deal with it?

      no single approach will deal to the whole problem – but a healthy dose of “so johns making stuff up again (glug glug hand motion)” followed by “arent you meant to be a journalist?” seems in order

      labour need to stop engaging these stories as if they have merit and firmly state that its a bullshit story based on unsubstantiated and obviously false claims from key that a three year old should be able to spot, and keep stating this.

      no beating around the bush – no explaining – no apologising – if the lie is spotted, stomp on it – i even think the odd bit of “average bloke vernacular” wouldnt go astray

      and on the internal side – stop making amateur mistakes – stop giving your enemies ammunition. Dont be as good as the nats – be better than them. Why? – because you have to

      • Sosoo 7.2.1

        You’re missing the point of how this works. What is being produced is bullshit in the Frankfurtian sense – the people who are putting it out there do not care whether it is true or not. Denying it or responding to it has zero effect, because they will just move on to the next “scandal”.

        What they want is for the media to always have a running story that associates Cunliffe with negative impressions. The Republicans did the same thing to Kerry in 2004. The stories don’t add up, but over time they engender a constant impression in less engaged voters that the candidate is weak.

        Tom Gould is right: the left don’t have the money or connections to do anything about it. It’s not fair, but then life isn’t fair and politics definitely isn’t. Sometimes there’s just nothing you can do but wait it out.

        • BM 7.2.1.1

          The key is to work within the current system not try and smash it down.

          Change has to be gradual, you don’t come out and pronounce that the financial system we’ve been using for the last 30 years and getting the flick.

          You’d have to be unbelievably naive if you think people aren’t going to come out fighting especially the top dogs.

          • Sosoo 7.2.1.1.1

            You mean like Labour did in 1984? That was change overnight.

            • BM 7.2.1.1.1.1

              Yep and there was a lot of suffering and anger that went on for quite a while afterwards.

              Change needed to be made, but what happened back then should have been done over a much longer period of time.

              They did say we were on the brink of financial collapse so maybe that was the only option we had, as brutal as it was.

              • Sosoo

                I misunderstood you. I thought you were recommending gradualism as an electoral tactic, and my point was that 84 Labour managed to win without it.

                • BM

                  I don’t think any one would have voted 84/87 Labour if they knew what was going to happen.
                  That was baby/bathwater stuff.

                  • Sosoo

                    Muldoon had pissed so many off that Labour could have run as the Gay Liberation Front and still won at a canter.

        • shorts 7.2.1.2

          I agree with the wait it out scenario – Key and co are getting more and more confident in their fabrication of the truth, give em enough rope and they will publicly hang themselves, for good

          the telling and worrying thing is will it happen before NZ voters give them another three years – three years this country may never recover from

        • marty mars 7.2.1.3

          1 Sosoo. Although I differ on the waiting it out bit – that will just build too much momentum into the meme – the gradient will be too steep eventually to get over – better to dig away at it from the start – but not by responding to it rather using pithy one-liners barbed with humor that the public will recognise. I think he has them in him he just has to allow the lines to flow and stop trying to please everyone by being mr goodsort – fuck, practice them in the mirror until they are easy – as I say, they are in there imo. And this would not be a dirtywar but a counter to the dirt already being used, as you outlined.

    • amirite 7.3

      +1,000 Tom Gould

    • Populuxe1 7.4

      Bombast Bradbury didn’t seem too worried about taking Mana and Dotcom money while supposedly giving “impartial” (snigger) political commentary… Though he’s not really media.

      • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 7.4.1

        Populuxe1

        Can you not see the difference between a blogger who makes clear his political stance writing on a political blogsite and a News information source that is expected to be conveying balanced information on current affairs having a reporter taking a political stance while working for said information source and not declaring such?

        It is a pretty clear cut difference.

        What is so hard for you in understanding this difference?

        • Populuxe1 7.4.1.1

          I said he’s “not really media” and so far today two Standard posts have cited him as though he is reliable. However, on the other had, I could suggest that assuming the MSM is or has ever been impartial is a bit like sticking your hand in the fire and then crying becuase it burns. Either way, you look foolish and hypocritical.

          • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 7.4.1.1.1

            You don’t appear to be able to discriminate between two very different contexts, Populuxe1.

            Your inability to do so, neither makes me look foolish or hypocritical…I’m sorry to have to break the news to you, however it has to be said, that the only person such inability reflects badly on is yourself.

  8. Richard Christie 8

    I think Cunliffe walked into the leadership election trust beat up.

    For the life of me I don’t know why he front-footed it and essentially broke the story unilaterally. maybe he was aware that moves where afoot elsewhere to use the issue.

    But Cunliffe broke no rules. None at all.

    Had it been Dishonest John do you think he would have raised the story?
    And if it was raised it would have been a shrug, – no rules broken, I work within the rules etc…certainly no mea culpa, that just empowers creeps like Gower and his masters.

  9. shorts 9

    Can I ask where the Labour MPs go whenever their leaders are attacked – Goff, Shearer and now Cunliffe get to fight alone, meanwhile what do the bright young things (and old due for retirement mob) do?

    Count their pay and think of their personal future?

    Each and every time the party refuses to rally around its leader I lose faith in the party and those future stars whom seem more intent on job security than anything to do with our country

    Learn from national – across the party attack lines and defence lines repeated verbatim by all

    • karol 9.1

      Ummm… no Robertson and Hipkins were out on the attack against National in the General Debate yesterday, as I posted.

    • Akldnut 9.2

      “Learn from national – across the party attack lines and defence lines repeated verbatim by all”

      +100

      Labour should have been able to see this attack manifesting, and repeated to a man “No rules were broken. None at all” and “This was an internal party election, we have no sway in how our opposition elect their candidates. They would do better by concentrating on how they have failed the people of NZ”.

      Then name some examples.
      GCSB, blah blah blah.

      Finish it with “When John Key and National are making up stories up we will call them on it”

      1: Key claimed on Firstline that David Cunliffe had been to TVNZ for a Labour Party meeting
      That never happened – David Cunliffe has never been to a Labour Party meeting at TVNZ..

      2: Key claims at his post cabinet press conference that Unite Union secretly donated to Cunliffe and that’s why Matt is Chief-of-Staff. That never happened.

      3: The claim in Parliament today that Kim Dotcom is one of the anonymous donors.
      That never happened

      “Front up with some proof or stop making up lies. Comon John Show me the money?”

      Keep repeating the line – make the media ask him, put him on the spot.
      Show him up for the liar he is.

      • TightyRighty 9.2.1

        you think this about breaking the rules. the electorate is not perceiving it that way. they remember the EFA changes and the accusations thrown at national by labour at the time. then they see those same labour politicians acting as if it’s ok to have trusts when it suits them. then they go vote greens or national depending on how “left” they are.

        the media just runs with the electorates mood. they have no obligation to be nice to labour because labour and it’s supporters want them to.

      • BM 9.2.2

        1: Key claimed on Firstline that David Cunliffe had been to TVNZ for a Labour Party meeting
        That never happened – David Cunliffe has never been to a Labour Party meeting at TVNZ..

        How do you know David Cunliffe has never been to a Labour Party meeting at TVNZ?

        2: Key claims at his post cabinet press conference that Unite Union secretly donated to Cunliffe and that’s why Matt is Chief-of-Staff. That never happened.

        How do you know that, certain donators didn’t want to be named, one of them could have been Unite?

        3: The claim in Parliament today that Kim Dotcom is one of the anonymous donors.
        That never happened

        How do you know that, certain donators didn’t want to be named, one of them could have been Dot com?

        • Hayden 9.2.2.1

          Unite and Dotcom have both denied it, so unless you have some evidence to the contrary you should probably accept those denials at face value.

          • felix 9.2.2.1.1

            but but but WHALEOIL SAID!

            Surely you’re not calling Cameron Slater a lying sack of shit (even though he freely admits that the truth is whatever he says it is and believes that it’s ok to make up facts to suit his purposes)?

            Say it isn’t so! That would make BM a complete fricking imbecile!

            • Murray Olsen 9.2.2.1.1.1

              Too late. The atheist god I don’t believe in made BM a complete fricking imbecile. The rest just followed naturally.

              The increased focus of the RWNJs spinning bullshit on this and TDB are making me think that NAct is quite worried about the elections. I hope they have good reason to be, and I hope enough left wingers get elected to keep Labour honest. 30 years of ACT regimes is more than enough.

  10. John 10

    Unite Union could easily have donated to Cunliffe’s campaign. So could Kim Dotcom.

    With secret donations laundered through a trust, we’ll never know who Cunliffe owes favours to.

    • Ant 10.1

      Well we know that Key and Collins owe at least $55,000 in favours to Oravida. That’s how you get international endorsements from a minister.

      • John 10.1.1

        Which is the very reason it’s so dodgy setting up trusts so donations can be kept secret.

        • Ant 10.1.1.1

          Not really. Openness didn’t stop National giving $55,000 in favours to Oravida.

    • weka 10.2

      I could have donated too, but I didn’t. Do you have a reason to distrust me?

  11. Tracey 11

    thats right john, everyone is a liar, except key. everyone gets secret money, except key.everyone hides stuff but only john key is transparent.

    my god he makesyou look like a fool because you post this stuff and presumably unquestionably.

    • TightyRighty 11.1

      this from the lady who blames all of labours woes on the msm.

    • John 11.2

      Key isn’t the one hiding secret donations, and forgetting to mention he had a trust that owned a house (or a large stash of cash in an offshore account like Shearer).

      The point is, with the secret donations being laundered through a trust, Cunliffe has opened himself up to all sorts of accusations of taking favours.

      And true or false, he’s put himself in a really stupid political position where he can’t defend it.

      Not today. Not at election time.

      • risildowgtn 11.2.1

        nah but hes the one with those tranzrail shares which mysteriously have been sold from within his so called blind trust.. wake up fool

      • shorts 11.2.2

        Key isn’t the one currently having to defend himself over trusts and donations…. that doesn’t mean he is blind (trust) as we’ve seen before

      • felix 11.2.3

        “Key isn’t the one hiding secret donations, and forgetting to mention he had a trust that owned a house (or a large stash of cash in an offshore account like Shearer).”

        Bahahahaha! Of course he’s not, apart from the massive network of National party secret donation trusts and Key’s own personal network of “blind” trusts whereby he can see what’s in one by looking at the other.

        “And true or false, he’s put himself in a really stupid political position where he can’t defend it.”

        The very very worst picture you can possibly paint of Cunliffe, even with your very bent brush, is that he did something on a very small scale that Key does on a massive scale.

        That’s it.

      • Murray Olsen 11.2.4

        Key’s such an ordinary bloke he couldn’t remember whether he had 30,000 or 100,000 Tranzrail shares. In a reasonable world, he wouldn’t have been able to defend that. Why is such a large proportion of our population so bloody thick that they’re grateful he came back from Wall St to help us out? He’ll go down in history as one of the few politicians less honest than John Banks, but he’ll do a hell of a lot more damage first. If we let him.

  12. Bill 12

    He’s a dead eye fish – starting to show signs of clouding. That could be a lie. It could also be the truth. Or it could just be wishful thinking.

    Incidentally, was watching a Chris Hedges interview the other day, where he pointed out that speculation used to be a capital offense. And in the present, NZ votes one in as a PM instead of stringing it up in the breeze. Go figure.

  13. So if the problem is the ‘top dogs’ owning the media then Labour has a solution – ‘cull’.

    Swinging capital gains tax, Robin Hood Tax, close tax havens, close the casinos, remove private contractors from public services, and use the money to re-nationalise assets and fund PSB etc etc.

    That will send a clear message to the top 1% that its ‘game on’ and rally the 99% behind a vision for a new society. Of course there will be blood in the water – the parasites.

    • Akldnut 13.1

      Great call dave , especially blood in the water. The sooner we flick these leeches and take control of our system the better.

      • BM 13.1.1

        You do realize that the majority of the population have no problem with the current system?

        • Te Reo Putake 13.1.1.1

          You do realise the majority actually do have a problem with the system, but they just don’t know that the system can be changed because the system tells them that no change to the system is possible?

          • BM 13.1.1.1.1

            How can you say that?

            Where’s the rioting in the streets?, the poor poll results?, the clamor for change?.

            I see nothing but people getting on with life and trying to make the most of it

            This need for change is only being driven by a small group left extremists who hate capitalism and don’t give a toss about what anyone else thinks.

            • Te Reo Putake 13.1.1.1.1.1

              How can I say it? Because it’s true. Capitalism relies on ignorance and cheap distractions. Bread and circuses have been keeping the majority from questioning their lot for millenia. If we’ve learnt nothing else from 30 years of neo-liberalism it’s that capitalism is the biggest lie mankind has ever known. The experiment has failed, time for us all to move on.

            • gnomic 13.1.1.1.1.2

              Ninny. No guilt about wasting oxygen?

    • Sosoo 13.2

      They won’t even get that far. Helen Clark tried some mild electoral reforms and the pig media went nuts.

  14. e-clectic 14

    One of the root problems for unity on the left is that the left starts from a base of principles and the right starts from a base of power. They know it’s all about winning while we wring our hands about “is it right?”.
    So we need to be clear on our objective and what we have in common.
    The right (+ media) will keep trying to drive wedges between left factions, Labour/Greens, Mana and anyone and so on.
    A key message could be “We are different and that’s healthy and a reflection of our MMP system – but what we are in complete agreement about is that the Key government is not good for New Zealand or for the bulk of New Zealanders”.

  15. Tracey 15

    tightyrighty

    in your imagination maybe. i didnt vote labour at the last election and i wont in sept oct or nov this year.

    john, your selective memory where key is concerned is sad. you will find that i posted about cunliffes trust crap, and suggested that, with permission from the donors, he should reveal who they were.

    i dont blindly excuse labour or their mps at all. unlike you and tightyrighty who rationalise ans justify like spinning tops to avoid admitting mr key lies. where is your demand for proof from key that cunliffe attended a labour party meeting at tvnz, or got money from dotcom? there is none, cos you like him, you enable his crap, seemingly blind to the damage and how foolish it makes you look.

    i thought clark was stupid and dishonest to sign a painting she didnt paint, even for charity. i think len brown should resign. so take your allegations of labour blindness and shove them up your thinking orifices.

  16. xtasy 16

    Remember Key’s earlier “career”:

    http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/close-up-big-dealers-john-key-1987

    “The intrepid reporter heads into “the pit” (trading room) and chronicles the working life of a senior ‘forex’ dealer, 25-year-old squash-playing accountancy graduate, John Key. The “smiling assassin” (and future Prime Minister) is a now-familiar calm and earnest presence amongst the young cowboys playing for fortunes and Porsches in the heady pre-sharemarket crash world: “they’re like addicts who eat, breathe and sleep foreign exchange dealing”.”

    “John Key and his vineyard investments”

    http://www.3news.co.nz/John-Key-and-his-vineyard-investments/tabid/1382/articleID/157713/Default.aspx

    “Prime Minister John Key once said his blind trust was “so blind I haven’t got a clue what’s in it”.

    “Mr Key put his assets in a blind trust soon after taking power in late 2008. It basically means someone else takes control of his assets. He knows nothing about what’s going on, and therefore is protected against being accused of conflicts of interest over what he owns.”

    Read down the bottom of that article:
    “DISCLAIMER: Patrick Gower was given a bottle of the “PM’s Pinot”, which he was grateful for. He gave it to a relative soon afterwards and well before research on this story began. It had long been drunk when he checked back.”

    http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/key-continues-deny-blind-trust-accusations-3570323

    “Labour claims Whitechapel was set up to mirror the actions of Aldgate in order for the Prime Minister to monitor his investments. However, Key denies any knowledge of Whitechapel or its operations. “I don’t know what’s in my blind trust,” says Key.

    But several links have been pointed out. Whitechapel has investments in wine, dairy and property companies that John Key previously had interests in also. Aldgate and Whitechapel are both names of tube stations in London where the Prime Minister used to live, and the director of Whitechapel works as a lawyer for John Key.”

    Also of interest:
    http://aotearoaawiderperspective.wordpress.com/2008/08/04/john-key-and-the-things-he-does-not-want-you-to-know-part-1-the-attack-on-the-nz-dollar-in-1987/

    http://pundit.co.nz/content/keys-uranium-shares-gone-by-lunchtime-but-what-about-the-rest

    http://www.thepaepae.com/blind-trust-hang-on-isnt-that-a-ruse/24115/

    And this one:
    http://www.converge.org.nz/watchdog/31/08.html

    “However when it was pointed out that our Inland Revenue Department Website says tax avoidance is wrong Dunne went silent and refused further interviews but was backed up by Prime Minister John Key who said Dunne was right. “He’ll be using the absolutely correct technical term. There are two things, going back to my days at university – tax evasion and tax avoidance. There is actually quite legitimate business in New Zealand for servicing foreign trusts”.”

    This is just half an hours brief internet searching on Key and “trust investments” and the likes, and it tells us, who is more “TRICKY” than anyone else sitting in the House of Parliament.

  17. Penny Bright 17

    More John Key lies?

    We shall see………………….

    FYI

    6 March 2014

    NZ Prime Minister
    John Key

    OPEN LETTER / OIA request – re: the alleged ‘conflict of interest’ of Minister of Justice Judith Collin’s perceived endorsement of Oravida milk.

    Dear Prime Minister,

    Please provide a copy of the advice purportedly provided by the Cabinet Office, upon which you are relying, which substantiates your following reported statement:

    Prime Minister John Key said the Cabinet Office “unequivocally .. said no there’s no breach.”

    Yours sincerely,

    Penny Bright
    ‘Anti-corruption / anti-privatisation Public Watchdog’

    …………………..

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11214597

    Collins told Oravida its milk was ‘nice’

  18. tsmithfield 18

    Seems to me that there is too much focus on John Key playing politics. You should be focusing on the enemy within. It seems to me those clandestine forces are doing much more harm to Cunliffes prospects that John Key ever could.

    • felix 18.1

      You mean “Please stop talking about Key and his dodgy dealings, and get back to attacking each other instead”?

      Um no, but thanks for the concern.

  19. Adrian 19

    Why these sudden coordinated attacks on DC ? They look like panic, and is it a coincidence that Keys only lifelines have recently turned out to be lunatic conspiracy theorists and incest approvers. Key also knows what Dotcom knows and that court case is going to be a cracker, if KDC gets to it. He should invest in an XXXXL bullet proof jacket and not fly in helicopters.
    The Nats have done the sums and the polling and are shitting themselves.
    If it wasn’t DC, like Goff and Shearer before him, it would be anybody else who got the job.
    These arseholes would do a hacket job on anyone who got the LP job from the Pope to Ed Hillary and as for that Mary Teresa, what was she doing with all those small children under one roof in Calcutta.

    • tsmithfield 19.1

      See above. Why do you assume National is responsible?

      • Puckish Rouge 19.1.1

        Because the implication, that this is coming from within, is too horrible to consider so any alternative is better

        • tsmithfield 19.1.1.1

          My thoughts as well. The lack of reply from lefties to my question seems to confirm that.

          If this is coming from inside the LP, then obviously, someone has an agenda, and the leaks are likely to keep coming.

          • Hayden 19.1.1.1.1

            *insert Winston Wolf quote here

            Your attempted “pwned” aside, most of these are hardly “leaks”; hell, half of it’s available through Parliament’s own web site, if you care to look and then blow it out of all proportion.

          • Puckish Rouge 19.1.1.1.2

            Willing to sabotage the next election to ensure Cunliffe gets the flick perhaps?

  20. blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 20

    Good one for sharing this information Zetetic.

    Similar to a comment I posted on ‘The Daily Blog’ yet I think there is merit in repeating it here:

    I trust that had Labour been in power we would not have:

    had a dodgy GCSB bill passed
    had a democratically elected authority ‘sacked’ (Ecan)
    had official conservation reports meddled with for private interest and polluting irrigation schemes to be pushed as publically beneficial (and thus publically funded) throughout the country
    Novopay debacle
    Asset sales
    Privacy breaches (likely arising from cavalier culture toward the public coming from ‘on high’)
    retrospective legislation pushed through to protect errors made by the police
    Financial support for poor families needing legal help removed
    Schemes teaching adults, already failed by the system, to learn to read taken away
    Financial support for higher education for people over 40 taken away people to le learning to read
    Schools spending so much time on assessing students that their learning is compromised
    Contracts awarded to overseas companies when NZ companies were available to do the work
    Informative TV stations removed
    Tax cuts for people already wealthy in a recession
    Non response to severely degenerate work safety condition.
    Dodgy response to Pike River Mine disaster
    Minimum wage not going up enough for years
    As bad unemployment levels
    As high debt
    [add more here]

    National have proven themselves to be completely untrustworthy – so all they can do is try and paint Mr Cunliffe, as the leader of Labour, as untrustworthy – in order to distract voters from the real situation going on and the real choice that voters have at the end of this year.

    It is really distressing to see our major media sources joining in on National propaganda and wanting to fool people into voting against their own interests in this way

  21. captain hook 21

    Shifty Key is getting shiftier by the day.

  22. karol 22

    Imagine someone turned up at your house in a disaster, pretended to help clean up for a photo, then left again?

    Tweet from Jonathan King

    • Blue 22.1

      Phil Goff – Rena oil spill. Spent well over 10 min shovelling for a photo op, then left. Guess that was different.

      • Murray Olsen 22.1.1

        Yes it was. The Labour Party replaced Goff as leader afterwards. When will we see Key replaced?

        • Blue 22.1.1.1

          So, they replaced him for the photo op or losing the election? I’m pretty sure you’ve missed the point. I’m sure Key will be replaced if he loses the election too, but Karols comment was focused on getting mileage out of how politicans (only National ones of course) like to have photo ops in disaster zones.

          • Pascal's bookie 22.1.1.1.1

            The really fucked thing tho is that Key’s Ph.Ops in ChCh aren’t even aimed at ChCh voters.

          • Murray Olsen 22.1.1.1.2

            I’d like to think Goff was replaced for trying to use NAct policies to get Labour elected, but I’m not delusional.

  23. captain hook 23

    Key is shifty.
    There are no limits to his avarice and self aggrandisement.

  24. Tracey 24

    not all lies are created equal…

    remember keys denial about meeting with tv3s brent impey?

    then he chanfed it when caught.

    is tv3 doing payback?

    http://thestandard.org.nz/key-caught-in-mediaworks-lie/

  25. newsense 25

    Didn’t Gower run a clip from Key and then go at the end- that quote from Mr Key was incorrect (but we ran it anyway and it’s a bit late now huh?)

  26. fight back 26

    This rightwing govt is the problem and all Labours efforts should be directed in exposing and reiterating the undemocratic actions of this govt and its protectionism of the rich and privileged who are doing their up most to destroy a fair system of govt that should provide the basic human rights to a welfare state and that this focus of the National govt on punitive action on just about everything it does should be made priority no.1 in the attack zone
    This govt is fascist in its bullshit belief that socialism is the road to destruction of a society like NZds and the PM is the no.1 actor in this charade , he benefited greatly from a welfare state but his arrogance is so great he feels that this country cant do without him and his regime, get real boot these frauds to kingdom come Vote him out and take back our country from Wall St, Brussels and London. Iceland did it why not us

  27. Blue 27

    Thanks fb. Did you wipe the spittle off the screen after that one? It was 90% Incoherent gibberish and 10% psychotic.

    • greywarbler 27.1

      With a review like that Blue I thought there must be some fire in fight back’s comment. Lovely rant and very good fight back for the stress levels. But you will do something else won’t you. otherwise it all ends up like an old balloon farting round the room before it collapses under the chair in a corner. We can have that after the Labour-winning election but it’s going to be tough work.

      Blue doesn’t have those concerns of course because he/she doesn’t really care – you know.

  28. Blue 28

    I don’t care? Certainly not about you or the deranged fb. You don’t matter at all.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • EV road user charges bill passes
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April.  “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Bill targets illegal, unregulated fishing in international waters
    New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Reserve Bank appointments
    Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates.  Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Stronger protections for apartment owners
    Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Travel focused on traditional partners and Middle East
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend.    “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says.   Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Keep safe on our roads this Easter
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Cost of living support for over 1.4 million Kiwis
    About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Tenancy reviews for social housing restart
    Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary plan halted
    The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Cutting all that dam red tape
    Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track.  “Dam safety regulations ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Drought support extended to parts of North Island
    The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Passage of major tax bill welcomed
    The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Lifting economy through science, tertiary sectors
    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government announces Budget priorities
    The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.  The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government to consider accommodation solution
    The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government approves extension to Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
    Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                         “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • $18m boost for Kiwis travelling to health treatment
    The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.   “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM’s Prizes for Space to showcase sector’s talent
    The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Concerns conveyed to China over cyber activity
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government.     “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry
    Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function.  The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Brynderwyns open for Easter
    State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Speech to the Infrastructure Funding & Financing Conference
    Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Parliamentary network breached by the PRC
    New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • NZ to provide support for Solomon Islands election
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ-EU FTA gains Royal Assent for 1 May entry to force
    The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union.    “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • COVID-19 inquiry attracts 11,000 submissions
    Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says.  “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Families to receive up to $75 a week help with ECE fees
    Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Unlocking a sustainable, low-emissions future
    A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Chief of Army thanked for his service
    Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders
    25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government commits nearly $3 million for period products in schools
    Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Speech – Making it easier to build.
    Good morning, it’s great to be here.   First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning.  I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Pacific youth to shine from boost to Polyfest
    Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • 2024 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships announced
    ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to Breast Cancer Foundation – Insights Conference
    Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Kiwi research soars to International Space Station
    New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to the New Zealand Planning Institute
    Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Support for Northland emergency response centre
    The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed.  “Northland has faced a number ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Celebrating 20 years of Whakaata Māori
    New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Some commercial fishery catch limits increased
    Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-28T23:00:31+00:00