Nat revolt over Crafars sale

Written By: - Date published: 9:15 am, March 4th, 2012 - 70 comments
Categories: election 2014, john key, national, privatisation - Tags:

Remember the hagiographies after the first hundred days of National’s first term? In the second term, things couldn’t be more different. The Sunday-Star Times has printed dozens of emails it obtained (a leak?) that were sent to Key opposing the sale of Crafar farms. Many of them are brutal comments from former National supporters. Key didn’t even provide comment for the article.

But Russel Norman, Winston Peters, and David Shearer (in that order, tellingly) all weigh in on why the Crafars issue is hurting National so much. Shearer links National’s determination to sell the farms to Pengxin to its asset sales policy and corporate kickbacks that have legislation for sale – building a picture of a government that will sell everything we have. Norman and Peters talk about Key’s duplicity, how he promised not to make us tenants in our own land then did exactly that, and how he isn’t governing in the nation’s interest but for his own personal aggrandisement.

It’s a devastating combined attack. Many of the points of Key’s character and his government’s objectives that we have been talking about for years manifested around this one issue.

But it’s the emails from National supporters that really do the damage. You should read the full article but the ones that particularly caught my eye were farmers lamenting that foreign buyers are putting farmland out of reach of their children. The likes of Fran O’Sullivan seem to think that foreign zero-interest capital fueling our rural property bubble is a good thing but ordinary Kiwis know that higher prices don’t mean higher wealth production – it just leaves us poorer and more indebted in the long-run.

There is a real sense of betrayal in many of the emails from (now former) National voters who feel they were duped at the election by Key keeping quiet about Crafar farms. This sense of outrage will only grow as the extent of the government’s involvement in Landcorp’s proposal to lease the farms from Pengxin, made before the election, comes to light.

Many of the emails question whether Key will listen, whether he really cares about the public good, whether he even cares about re-election. I would say he doesn’t. National has fallen 10% in the Roy Morgans in the last five months. Re-election ain’t going to happen and Key doesn’t care about the health of the National Party once he’s gone. So, Key will do whatever the hell he wants for the next two and a half years. And he’ll get many more angry emails from former supporters as a result.

70 comments on “Nat revolt over Crafars sale ”

  1. uke 1

    Link doesn’t work: should be Heartland Backlash
     
     

  2. Lanthanide 2

    One thing that caught my notice was that the farms were advertised in Singapore and Hong Kong as being able to be purchased individually, whereas back in NZ the receivers were only willing to entertain bids for the entire portfolio as a whole.

    I’m sure we could have had individual farms sold off to individual NZ interests by now had they been willing to sell them that way to people in this country.

    • ianmac 2.1

      Yes Lanth. Wondered if it was a ploy to keep NZs out so that “new” money would be in? And if the farms had been sold individually in NZ maybe Mr Key would have been saved angst.

      • Colonial Viper 2.1.1

        The most damaging aspect of this is one that the SST article covers.

        Through the OIO, Key’s officials would have known that Asian buyers of the Crafar Farms were being favoured over NZ buyers. Foreign buyers were offerred more flexible commercial terms than NZ buyers – i.e the ability to buy the farms separately instead of in one block.

        NZ farmers were not given that option. Many of Crafars neighbours would have happily snapped up a couple of hundred hectares each, if they’d been given the chance, but they weren’t.

        This is the absolute killer blow, and when it becomes known to rural NZ in general, Key is over.

      • Kotahi Tane Huna 2.1.2

        “New” money into the National Party from Pengxin you mean?

    • Ed 2.2

      Do you have a reference for that advertising in Singapore and Hong Kong? I was very surprised that the receiver was able to justify to creditors insisting on selling them all together – surely the banks would have preferred them to be available to as wide a group of purchasers as possible?

  3. Colonial Viper 3

    Knowing a few of these passionate rural types, I doubt that the negativity towards Key is going to stop at emails. I suspect that Key is going to start getting earfuls at face to face National Party meetings and events throughout provincial NZ.

    • muzza 3.1

      They need to take a leaf out of the French Farmers protest manual, and get rolling those flaming hay bales down parnell rise!

    • Kotahi Tane Huna 3.2

      I suspect the local MPs are already getting them.
      Floor-crossing, seats guaranteed for life salt of the earth that they are 🙂

    • Fortran 3.3

      It has been suggested that Harteveldt of the SST has been conned by Michael Fay’s PR company with these “leaked” emails.

      • Colonial Viper 3.3.1

        When farmers write to the PM complaining about Government actions they tend to make it very clear in black and white who they are and where they are from. The emails and letters will contain the exact names and addresses of the people who wrote them.

        It has been suggested by myself that Harteveldt of the SST has been conned by Michael Fay’s PR company with these “leaked” emails.

        Just to clarify you understand haha.

  4. Policy Parrot 4

    What the hell were these people expecting? The writing has been on the wall ever since the receivers took over the farms from Allan Crafar. The Nats have made it clear that they are in favour of foreign ownership, since the early 1990s.

    Now, just because it’s now farms that are being hocked off, the rural brigade is up in arms.

    I say again, what were they expecting? That farms would be somehow different? That National would actually stop sales that it is philosophically in agreement with? Struth! Gimme a break!

    • Lanthanide 4.1

      They bought into the lie of That Nice Mr Key hook line and sinker. And now the rest of us are going to have to live with the consequences: sale of state assets that National themselves have admitted don’t stack up financially.

    • Richard Christie 4.2

      > “Now, just because it’s now farms that are being hocked off, the rural brigade is up in arms.”

      ^ This

      • McFlock 4.2.1

        But when they came for the beneficiaries, rural nats weren’t beneficiaries.
        And when they came for the community education classes, rural nats weren’t in comunity education classes.
        and so on.
            
        Them that fails to learn from history, and all that.

    • Policy Parrot 4.3

      A little OTT, but…

      latest Roy Morgan (2/3/12), in contrast to its publisher’s claim, would likely result in a change of government.

      Nat 55
      Lab 38
      Gre 16
      NZF 6
      Mao 3
      Man 1
      ACT 1
      UFU 1

      At the very least, asset sales would halted.

      • Lanthanide 4.3.1

        Given that those numbers add up to over 100%…

        Unless that’s supposed to be 45% for National. Even assuming 45% it comes to 111%

      • toad 4.3.2

        Unless Winston does the dirty, like he did in 1996. And it would be a safe bet Key’s “won’t work with NZF” position would be gone by lunchtime if he needed them.

  5. Shona 5

    Hard to feel ANY sympathy for these drongo National supporters. The reality they are now facing thanks their stupidity and greed my family dealt with a generation ago . After 6 genrations of of being a rural kiwi family my family mostly now live offshore.Those still on the land pimp their superior farm production skills for foreigners and lease land for their stock.
    These people need to know sympathy is in the dictionary between shit and syphillis.

  6. The revelation over the crafar farms and other policies show that key is not operating
    as a pm in the best interests of nz or the people.
    I was not aware that goldman sachs had a nz office,the office is in auckland,Goldman
    Sachs ltd,auckland,there is a Philip Borkin an economist working there and i suspect
    engineering policy etc from there for key,key is an insider,his policy decisions are
    without reason or understanding. Common GS traits.
    English also being vauge and ‘not in the loop’ on policies that he should have a handle on
    explain that there is more to this picture,i tried to understand why key,a wall street
    insider would install such an oxy moron finance minister,well actually he didn’t,
    key has installed one of his own,the above character from GS,(under cover of course)
    The crafar farms,the asset sales,the job losses,the dumbing down of public services,
    privatising everything that shows life,the corporate attack on unions and working
    conditions and pay rates, all of which point to being at war in our own country,
    the war was launched 3yrs before key came to nz from wall street when he joined
    up with the national party and unless nz’ers who care find a way to get rid of this
    traitor, nz and the people will not recognise our homeland.
    I remember the muldoon days,but key is so,so much worse for nz and the people.

  7. millsy 7

    The Crafar farms issue could prove to be for National what the smacking issue was to Labour.

    It will probably go through, but there will be long term damage to the party as a result.

    • QoT 7.1

      The Crafar farms issue could prove to be for National what the smacking issue was to Labour.

      Really? You think 113 MPs will support it, but the lead opposition party will manage to capitalise on it because the media won’t actually report on it accurately? *headdesk*

  8. Julian Haworth 8

    Key, along with other ministers, is coming to the Upper Clutha Ag Show next week. Here is a chance for farmers to vent their spleen. Please spread this around.

  9. Bill 9

    So Winston reckons the sale was a roundabout way to bail out the banks who had loaned money to Crafar. That implies government involvement.

    Then we have this ( Did anyone else immediately think ‘dodgy derivatives’ when they read it?)

    Critics of that bid said the farms could only be sold profitably as a group because there were some poorly-performed farms in the portfolio.

    • ianmac 9.1

      Dodgy derivatives. I see what you mean. And a year or so ago I would have had no idea what one was. The local supermarkets practice hiding dodgy derivatives by making up bags of fruit with a few dodgy ones in the mix.

      • Kotahi Tane Huna 9.1.1

        At least they don’t pack entire acres worth of rotten mouldy crops in sealed boxes with no right of return.

    • seeker 9.2

      @Bill@11.08am

      Again, as I commented to marsman above – at the best, inapproprate behaviour,at the worst,corrupt. Am still leaning towards corrupt.

  10. illuminatedtiger 10

    Bring on Prime Minister Shearer!

  11. The next saga to the story will involve an analysis of the OIO decision to see if on selling the farms breaches the terms of the consent.  If so then the reconsideration by the OIO could be very interesting.

    Nothing springs to mind but the deal with Landcorp may be important.  If this agreement is inconsistent with the sale of the farms then Key is in deep dodos.

    • Kotahi Tane Huna 11.1

      The OIO provided the evidence of the intention to split and resell. If that was in breach of their own consent then I hope the Serious Fraud Office would be taking an interest, but I won’t hold my breath.

      • Lanthanide 11.1.1

        Serious fraud office should have taken an interest in the 2011 National budget that booked asset sales before they were realised and failed to discount the revenue stream.

  12. DH 12

    It’s hard to know what really is going on with National. Start connecting some of the dots and you get contradictory nonsense. This article from Brian Gaynor is interesting;

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10789421

    He bemoans the fact that farms aren’t good stock for the sharemarket because they’re overvalued & geared up for capital gain rather than returns via dividends. They’re only overpriced because foreign buyers have pushed up the prices, Crafar farms are only worth $170mil to Kiwi buyers & at that price they’d probably make a good stock if they were floated.

    Key in one breath says we need foreign investment and in the next breath says we need to sell SOEs to ‘deepen’ the capital markets. If the Govt stopped foreign buyers inflating the prices of assets here then it’s obvious the sharemarket would get deeper by itself.

    It’s small wonder people are starting to get pissed, I think most of us can see the glaring contradictions whether instinctively or actually.

    • insider 12.1

      The crafars paid over 200m for them. Last I heard they were locals.

      • DH 12.1.1

        Rubbish. Crafar owed nearly $200m, he certainly didn’t pay that much for the farms.

      • prism 12.1.2

        How much equity did the Crafars have? And how much was borrowed. It was my understanding that this project was heavily leveraged and they had bitten off more than they could chew.

        • DH 12.1.2.1

          Who knows, the receivers don’t put out a public set of accounts. The reports were it had no effective equity, it was all chewed up by interest owed to the banks. I heard he was paying up to 9% on some of his loans, doesn’t take long to wipe out shareholder capital at that level of interest rates.

    • seeker 12.2

      “glaring contradiction” that’s Key all over, in fact our very own ‘cuckoo in the nest’ (courtesy of Goldman Sachs ???)

  13. Uturn 13

    The emails sent to Key read like they come from a nice bunch, for sure. They’ll still engage with social security bashing, but if they think the Nats won’t come for them next in the same style, and they already have – saying anyone who disagrees is a racist – they’re dreaming. Their self interest is so overwhelming it stops them seeing the big picture. No one and no change of government could help these people help themselves or NZ because as soon as they get comfortable they don’t care anymore. It’s sad, like watching a bunch of drunks complain they’re lying in their own puke n shit, then they pass out, then on waking again they have another drink and complain about their state, then pass out…. on and on and on…

  14. Blue 14

    There sure are some stupid National supporters out there in those green, grassy paddocks.

    Key is a Wall Street currency trader, one of the faceless men who regularly shits all over NZ’s exporters, and they elected him PM.

    He told them he loved asset sales and foreign investment, and they nodded their heads along and cheered.

    Now they have a case of buyer’s remorse? Priceless.

    Perhaps they are beginning to understand now how Key made his 50 million dollars. It wasn’t by being nice and smiling a lot.

  15. Kotahi Tane Huna 15

    Wayne to shoot yourself in the foot. There is evidence of racism – from National Party voters – the grown-ups have been making other objections entirely. Not only that but they (the grown-ups) also raised similar objections in prior cases, as you know, having had your nose rubbed in them the last time you failed to debate this with anything approaching reason or logic.

  16. Colonial Viper 16

    LOL Key is going under, racism or not, he’s made a bad call and alienated a key National Party constituency.

    And are you trying to come up with news that parts of rural NZ remain skeptical of foreigners at the best of time? Come on keep up, that’s always been the case!!!

  17. Kotahi Tane Huna 17

    Wayne, in a forum devoted to the issue, despite the fact that no such argument had been raised by anyone present (it being a grown-up venue), you repeatedly made this claim without a shred of evidence. Now you can point to a handful of emails, and you are defining this handful as “much of the outrage”.

    But the fact is that commenters here and elsewhere have authored screeds of debate without basing their arguments on race at all. So no, your point is not proved, and where there is evidence for it, it is evidence of racism in the National Party, something that Standard commenters also point out quite often.

    Unless this is some dewayneged new definition of “much”, that is.

  18. KJT 18

    Then there are the business people who see that selling assets does not make business sense.

    Some of these people are going to start paying closer attention to the real effects of National’s policies, instead of blindly trusting that NACT is “good for business”.

  19. McFlock 19

    Racism bad, unless it targets the “decadent, post-modern West”.
    Got that.
     

  20. Feck some country type National supporters are racist ergo most opponents to a stupid idiotic policy proposal are racist.

    Am I missing something? 

  21. Draco T Bastard 21

    So, Key will do whatever the hell he wants for the next two and a half years.

    Hopefully, it won’t be two and a half years. If National are losing party members then it’s entirely possible that some of their MPs will cross the floor.

  22. DJL 22

    I don’t get why farmers are for asset sales at all, not just land as farms. Don’t they have a high usage of electricity? Are they not worried where thier power bill is going to be at in the years to come?

    • Colonial Viper 22.1

      A lot of rural people and farmers are not for asset sales at all. But they will still vote NAT. Go figure.

  23. Peggy 23

    It is news to me that the Crafar farms were advertised for sale individually in Asia. I haven’t seen it reported anywhere here in New Zealand, despite the fact that I’ve been paying attention to what’s been published. Why wasn’t this fact uncovered by our news media? Asleep at the wheel, perhaps?

    • CnrJoe 23.1

      where have you been Peggy? This is the media.

      • McFlock 23.1.1

        I think I know everything I need to know, because One told me so.
        There’s no place I’d rather be, than the fairy-land of Three.
               
        Their new slogans aren’t so obvious )

    • starlight 23.2

      It wasn’t published in nz because it was ‘hush,hush’,the media were under orders not to
      devulge any information ‘or else’ big chop.

  24. tc 24

    How about farmers having their farms devalued and worthless as a good old boy neighbour decides to mine his as he’s got coastal blocks with mineral value, how’s that working out for them.

    Party for rural NZ, LOL……they thought they’d be looked after, boo hoo, wakey wakey old boys the young Turks don’t give a shit about history or what’s good going forward just make a buck now And bye bye back to Hawaii.

  25. Treetop 25

    Crafar’s legacy will be the fellow who did NZ farming a favour. The chance of Crafar not being able to repay the bank was high and Key saw Crafar’s demise as an oppertunity off shore.

    I reiterate, lease the farms to whoever is prepared to pay the most cash, (individually or in lots).

    I would like to see a mass of farmers descend on Wellington to ask why they are being treated as second rate farmers on NZ land by the government?

  26. prism 26

    KordaMentha has been the firm with all the control of these Crafar assets which are on the verge of being strategic. Interestingly enough KordaMentha were also involved in our sad debacle with Ansett after that went belly-up in 2001. “By this point, the administration of the company had transferred to newly formed insolvency firm KordaMentha.”

    Here is another example of our money being sucked across the Tasman. When can we be allowed to tie our own shoe laces Mummy? Here is some info about the firm from Wikipedia.

    KordaMentha is an Australian business known for their work as insolvency and restructuring practitioners. They also provide Corporate Recovery Services, Turnaround Restructuring Services, Real Estate Advisory (distressed situations) and Forensic services. The business was formed in April 2002 by Mark Korda and Mark Mentha.[1][2]Contents [hide]
    1 Evolution
    2 Major Engagements

    KordaMentha partners undertook the first Voluntary Administration in Australia, the largest Voluntary Administration in Australia (Ansett Australia with 42 companies, 15,000 employees and >$1 billion assets), the largest Group of Voluntary Administrations in Australia (Stockford Ltd with 84 companies) and more Voluntary Administrations than any other insolvency firm in Australia in 2003.

    By 31 March 2003 KordaMentha had expanded its business with licensed offices in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide.
    During FY05 KordaMentha grew its Perth and Sydney practice with senior partners and staff joining the firm from Ernst & Young.
    KordaMentha now has over 350 staff, with offices in all Australian capital cities, Auckland and Singapore as well as international affiliates in the UK and US.

    • Colonial Viper 26.1

      When can we be allowed to tie our own shoe laces Mummy?

      That’s about it. A projection of NZ as weak, unable to look after itself, incapable of making the right decisions and certainly not trusted to apply its own meagre expertise.

  27. felix 27

    These nats are revolting!

  28. RedBaron 28

    Yeah I’d like to see the farmers turn out in Wellington en masse.

    I’m still laughing about last time, when 4 farmers in black singlets, hats and swannies were jammed in one car protesting their inability to pay taxes. Pity the car was the … latest model Merc …brand new.

    Some of the others brought their tractors – around $200,000 each I believe.

    Good to know that there are fields still uncolonised by spin doctors and PR machines.

    Still it seems that a lot of long time Nat voters have suddenly woken up to the fact that Brand “national” has been taken over by some seriously offshore right wingers.

    and perhaps it’s time for Labour to make it clear to more people, that brand “Labour” owes a lot more to Scandinavian social democrat parties.

    And lastly hands up all the farmers who thought that the repeal of the Land Aggregation & Settlement Act 1920 was a good idea. That was the act that essentially stopped tenant farming taking hold here. Time to put it back on the books. I look forward to the farmimg lobby campaigning for this.

  29. Populuxe1 29

    John Key loves this country so much that he’s going to carve it up into pieces and sell them to his friends…

  30. Tanz 30

    Now that Key is not so popular, he never provides comment. Arrogant and empty.

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    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    1 day ago
  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    1 day ago
  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A StepbyStep Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and thirdparty applications. So, lets dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. Thats why they introduced the Recently Deleted folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Heres how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the Recents tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on Edit. Select Show Recently Deleted. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose Recover to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Heres how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose Erase All Content and Settings. Follow the onscreen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose Restore from iCloud Backup during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore ThirdParty Apps (with Caution): ...
    1 day ago
  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    2 days ago
  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    2 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    2 days ago
  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    2 days ago
  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    2 days ago
  • 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 ...
    2 days 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 ...
    2 days 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 ...
    2 days 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
    2 days 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 ...
    2 days 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 ...
    2 days 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, ...
    2 days 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, ...
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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 ...
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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 ...
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 days ago
  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    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
    4 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 ...
    4 days ago
  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 days ago
  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago
  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 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
    22 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
    22 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
    22 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
    1 day 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days ago
  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 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
    3 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
    3 days ago
  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
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