Nat’s Mana strategy: exploit Parliament

Written By: - Date published: 8:28 am, November 3rd, 2010 - 47 comments
Categories: by-election, john key, national/act government, Parliament, Politics - Tags:

National is finding new exploitative ways to try save their by-election campaign in Mana.

Last week, Parliament’s Leader of the House Gerry Brownlee announced that the House will go into Urgency between 16 and 18 November. Urgency is the government’s way of speeding up legislation by enabling the House to sit for longer hours. It was recently used to pass the Hobbit Act.
 
But it’s clear that National has a secondary agenda.
 
Instead of granting Urgency during the first week of the next sitting session, Brownlee chose the second week. This seems odd given that if there were bills that were truly urgent, surely National would take the first opportunity to try and pass them.
 
So why would National call Urgency in the second week?
 
The second sitting week is also the final week of the Mana by-election campaign. Certainly, Urgency will tie up many Labour MPs who were otherwise planning to spend the final few days on the campaign trail in Mana. National will also be aware of Labour’s added difficulty of getting regular supporters to canvass during the working week.
 
However, National’s sole asset in Mana is John Key, who makes rare appearances in the House at the best of times. Urgency will barely stand in the way of Key’s enduring strategy of one-man photo-opportunities.
 
So for the most vital week of the by-election campaign, National will manipulate parliamentary process to help their campaign for Mana.
 
Obviously, this is grossly inappropriate. It’ll be interesting to see what lame bills Brownlee decides are ‘urgent’.

47 comments on “Nat’s Mana strategy: exploit Parliament ”

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  1. outofbed 1
    3 November 2010 at 8:43 am

    Can’t help feeling though, if Labour were an effective opposition they should be sleepwalking to victory in Mana.
    Pains me to say but Hekia winning, might be the kick up the jacksie that labour needs.

    • mickysavage 1.1
      3 November 2010 at 9:02 am

      The only possible way that Hekia could win would be if Matt McCarten took enough votes. I am still shaking my head on that decision.

      • Shane Gallagher 1.1.1
        3 November 2010 at 10:31 am

        Matt McCarten is dragging Labour to the left – I saw the interview on Q+A and he was by far the strongest candidate in terms of presentation and content. Fa’afoi was just a bit middle of the road really – very nice person, as is Jan Logie – but maybe that is Labour’s strategy.

      • Lazy Susan 1.1.2
        3 November 2010 at 12:58 pm

        I was initially puzzled by Matt McCarten’s decision to stand but now think it makes sense. He is saying the things he believes Labour should be saying but aren’t. If he takes alot of votes from Labour the worst that could happen is that Hekia comes through the middle. Not a good result in the short term but will pull Labour to the left before the next General Election. He is testing the water for Labour, exposing National and getting a bit of publicity for Unite.

        • Rex Widerstrom 1.1.2.1
          3 November 2010 at 3:56 pm

          Precisely.

          You’d only be “shaking your head” at Matt’s decision if you equate “what’s best for ordinary people” with “what’s best for Labour in its present form, because we know best”.

          The inability of Labour activists and its leadership to differentiate between the two is what is causing it to slowly decay.

      • Shazzadude 1.1.3
        3 November 2010 at 10:36 pm

        I actually think McCarten will come fourth.

  2. Roflcopter 2
    3 November 2010 at 8:58 am

    She may not win, but a reduction in the vote margin % between National and Labour compared to 2008 election, and whether that reduction is due to Hekia getting more or McCarten carving the left vote, is a rejection of Labour.

    • Marty G 2.1
      3 November 2010 at 9:07 am

      well, it’s not a rejection of labour if the labour candidate wins.

      National’s strategy is to out-perform expectations. They’ve been low-key in the national media hoping that Parata will get a higher than expected number of votes.

      Now that McCarten is in the race, of course, they will attempt to shift the focus to the size of Fa’afoi’s majority, claiming (as rofl does in proto-form above) that a smaller majority is somehow a victory for National over Labour, even if many of the votes have gone leftward.

    • gobsmacked 2.2
      3 November 2010 at 9:21 am

      John Key says it on the radio, Roflcopter says it on here five minutes later. Good dog!

      • Roflcopter 2.2.1
        3 November 2010 at 10:54 am

        Nice…

        Except I posted this opinion on other blogs weeks ago.

        But that’s ok, you just keep on with the name-calling, you do yourself no favours.

  3. Tigger 3
    3 November 2010 at 8:59 am

    Are you sure Key has time to lollop around Mana? Surely he’s too busy patting spiders and giving school girls hot flashes by making random appearances at their schools?

  4. Bunji 4
    3 November 2010 at 9:12 am

    Asked about her strategy to win a few weeks ago Hekia was heard to respond:
    “Low voter turnout.”

    This would appear to be part of that plan.

    • Lanthanide 4.1
      3 November 2010 at 9:50 am

      Wow, that’s an admission that should be trumpeted as widely and loudly as possible – National candidate seeks to edge in via voter apathy, because if people cared they’d never vote for her.

    • Fisiani 4.2
      3 November 2010 at 11:58 am

      Got a source for that totally made up quote

      • Fisiani 4.2.1
        3 November 2010 at 11:59 am

        Knew it.

        • Mac1 4.2.1.1
          3 November 2010 at 12:05 pm

          You can’t get holier than thou on this one, Fisiani.

          Politicians have the ‘H’ word for that behaviour. Indeed!

        • Bunji 4.2.1.2
          3 November 2010 at 4:15 pm

          I love how you expect a reply within a minute. Some of us have work, sorry.

          • felix 4.2.1.2.1
            3 November 2010 at 4:44 pm

            I love how Fizzy has never, ever, been able to produce even the thinnest sliver of evidence or any corroborating links for anything he has ever posted here, ever, despite being asked many many times.

        • bbfloyd 4.2.1.3
          3 November 2010 at 6:02 pm

          still practicing you maiden speech then fisi? needs more work… try asking paul holmes to write it for you… he’d write a good mouth frothing piece for you… right down your alley.

      • Colonial Viper 4.2.2
        3 November 2010 at 12:09 pm

        So are you saying that Hekia *wants* a higher voter turn out as possible?

        No , didn’t think so.

        • Rex Widerstrom 4.2.2.1
          3 November 2010 at 4:02 pm

          Hmmmm… in her position I would. Surely the lowest turnout would be in the Aotea / Whitby parts of the electorate where people – particularly without a party vote to cast – would think “National hasn’t got a chance, bugger it I’ll stay home”?

          An effective GOTV effort is her best chance. She’d also be hoping every single one of McCarten’s voters turned out, and the Greens as well.

          That’s quite a few people… so my instincts tell me Bunji’s been given mischevious gossip rather than fact (unless of course s/he is telling us it was overheard in teh first person, in which case I’d accept the truth of it).

          • Bunji 4.2.2.1.1
            3 November 2010 at 4:11 pm

            It is admittedly hearsay, but from a reputable source… but I’m most inclined to believe it because it would fit in with her best chances practically. A low turnout, combined with a good Get Out The Vote of her voters could push her over the line if the left is split (thanks Matt). It doesn’t matter to her how many McCarten / Greens voters turn out, just how many Labour voters stay home. Key and Perata have been going to the big Samoan churches and saying: back the Tangata Whenua candidate not the Tokelauan (same old National: divide and rule!); they’ve been pushing the line that Kris is imposed from the Goffice (despite the fact that the majority in any Labour selection panel is from locals); they’ve been pushing the line that he’s not true Labour, just a gun for hire… Anything to reduce the Labour vote, but nothing to push the race into the media, nothing to promote their own candidate and risk motivating Labour voters…

            • Rex Widerstrom 4.2.2.1.1.1
              3 November 2010 at 4:51 pm

              Key and Perata have been going to the big Samoan churches and saying: back the Tangata Whenua candidate not the Tokelauan (same old National: divide and rule!)

              Yuck that really is appealling to the underbelly of motivation. Though to be fair they’re not doing the dividing, that’s a facet of inter-Pasifika relations I didn’t realise till I heard my Samoan friends talking about people from other Pacific islands.

              I’d (naively, I now realise) assumed that what differences there may be would be subsumed by what united them – including being Pasifikans in a predominantly Pakeha/ Maori culture. But the animosity felt by all the Samoans I knew for other Pasifikans outweighed anything they might have felt for people of any other background.

              It’s an ugly scab to pick, in other words, but National didn’t cause it to form.

              If pollywog’s about, I wonder what he makes of it… and whether he thinks it’ll be an effective tactic? Because in my experience, denigrating one minority group to another can cause a temporary alignment of the two (not that I’ve done it, but I’ve seen it happen).

              • pollywog …
                3 November 2010 at 7:35 pm

                Yeah, it’s to my shame that Samoans truly are arrogant in their dealings with other Pasifikans.

                It comes from seeing ourselves as the originators and keepers of ‘true’ polynesian culture, such that everyone else is seen as young upstarts. You only have to look at David Tua’s ‘100% Samoan’ t-shirt print to get a feel for how much pride in Samoan culture exists to the detriment of other ‘lesser’ islands.

                It’s widely considered that Maori are our younger cousins, but in relation to the by election, my feeling is Samoans would vote more for a Tokelauan than a Maori and more so a man over a woman.

                It’s seems a last ditch effort by National to campaign within the churches along cultural lines and not something Samoans would give respect to. The whole ploy reeks of desperation so i’m afraid it’s looking like a cake walk for Fa’afoi.

                So how soon will his caring rhetoric evaporate once he gets his snout in the big house trough ???…before last drinks have been called at his victory party i reckon.

                be keen to see what bullshit promises he and Parata trot out tonight on ‘backbenches’, that they have no intention of following through on and to hear McCarten tell it like it is.

                • NickS …
                  3 November 2010 at 11:39 pm

                  It comes from seeing ourselves as the originators and keepers of ‘true’ polynesian culture, such that everyone else is seen as young upstarts.

                  Heh, archaeology fail. While Samoa was settled by the Lapita culture that gave rise to Polynesian culture, that development occurred across multiple islands thanks to trade networks (bar NZ, too damn far, too damn cold 😛 ) for as long as there was stuff to trade.

                  So really, Samoan culture is just one form of the myriad ones Polynesian culture took, as shaped by the environments of the islands people settled on, rather than the “source”, let alone the one true culture. Oh well, it’s not like Western cultures have ever gotten fully rid of the “Heirs of Rome And Greece” myth…

                  • pollywog …
                    4 November 2010 at 12:07 am

                    Archaeology is, IMO, hit and miss at the best of times and always subject to revisionism.

                    Putting aside Lapita ‘source’ culture, uniquely ‘original’ Polynesian culture came into its own in the early years of interaction between Samoa, Tonga and Fiji.

                    …but more than trade, it was also about the royal bloodlines and ruling houses of Polynesia running strongest through Samoa as does the Hawaiki myth of early NZ settlement being Savai’i.

                    Samoa can arguably, by way of holding onto the Pe’a/Tatau and not compromising it for the sake of christianity, be seen as a mark of keeping the ‘true’ culture alive.

                    …even if we don’t know what the symbolism truly means anymore, we can still be prideful and arrogant about our place in the general scheme of Pasifikan culture just by wearing it 🙂

                    • NickS …
                      4 November 2010 at 12:30 am

                      By archaeology I also include Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA migration studies, which place Maori founding populations on Islands south of Samoa 😛 (meh post tomorrow, need to sleep…)

                      But yeah, Polynesia doesn’t have the best conditions for preserving organic evidence, and loss of pottery makes normal methods a bit patchy. Though I’d link to think it’s mostly small revisions thanks to all the old white dudes having mostly died off by now…

                      Samoa can arguably, by way of holding onto the Pe’a/Tatau and not compromising it for the sake of christianity, be seen as a mark of keeping the ‘true’ culture alive.

                      …even if we don’t know what the symbolism truly means anymore, we can still be prideful and arrogant about our place in the general scheme of Pasifikan culture just by wearing it 🙂

                      Heh, that’s actually surprisingly common, useful stuff gets turned into purely symbolic traditions and the roots become lost due to it not being maintained in stories (or writing…) 😛

                      Oh yeah, that post was aimed at teh sentiment 😛

                      And Pe’a are frakking awesome, and I love how it’s only guys who get tattooed due to a mistake.

                    • pollywog …
                      4 November 2010 at 8:36 am

                      It’s my view that the cultural centre of Polynesia was always transcient as new cults of worship became prominent in various locales, subtly changing the core myths. Kind of like the changing of the gods in greek mythology and funnily enough Tonga means south which, conveniently, it is south of…Samoa 😛

                      Yeah i’ve heard some trivial stuff on the Pe’a but it’s a shame no one knows what it truly meant. I’ve always thought the curved bits on the side of one’s torso were star paths tracking zeniths, seasons and currents/tides such that the whole thing became a set of instructions for travel among the islands that only a select few could read..

                      and theres some nice looking Malu around on teh ladies.

  5. The Voice of Reason 5
    3 November 2010 at 11:45 am

    Key admitted they weren’t going to win on Nat Rad this morning. He said not increasing Laban’s majority was Labour’s only worry, because anything less than that result would mean Labour would have failed to give National a ‘blood nose’.

    Translated into english, it appears to mean they know they are going to get a thrashing, but will spin anything less than a total rout as some sort of victory.

    • felix 5.1
      3 November 2010 at 4:32 pm

      Exactly. And that’s why they’re doing it all on the ground with no media fanfare – so if they make a dent at all in the Lab vote they can say “And we weren’t even trying“.

      Which is bullshit of course, they’re trying their very hardest but they don’t want a repeat of Mt Albert where everyone knew they tried their hardest and still got pantsed.

  6. randal 6
    3 November 2010 at 11:56 am

    so keys and his crew are now putting rum in their tea and crying in their beer.

  7. randal 7
    3 November 2010 at 11:57 am

    they will get a thrashing all right.
    excuse the pun but they were the tea party before the tea party was invented and now the voters are going to show them the error of theri ways.

  8. Irascible 8
    3 November 2010 at 3:27 pm

    You mean to say that Key is actually still in the country? I thought he’d smiled, waved, scuttled and run off to see the country’s owners at the Warner Bros Studio while stopping off to have another holiday in Hawaii.

  9. Thomas forrow 9
    3 November 2010 at 5:52 pm

    Gee Matt’s got a good team in Mana ,billboards everywhere.
    I wonder what there target is ? 10%?
    Looking forward to backbenches tonight ;~)

  10. swordfish 10
    3 November 2010 at 5:54 pm

    As I suggested in comments on ‘Mana Campaign Heating Up’ (October, 26 – this site), the chances of Fa’afoi receiving anything like Winnie Laban’s 6100+ majority are fairly remote.

    There are two key factors:

    (1) The inevitably lower turnout. By-Election turnout is always well down on General Election turnout. Imagine Labour’s Fa’afoi receiving precisely the same proportion of the vote as Labour’s Laban did in 2008 (53%) and National’s Parata, likewise, receiving the same percentage as she (Parata) took in 2008 (35%). If turnout is only, say, 60% of what it was in Mana in 2008 then Fa’afoi’s majority would be cut to about 3700.

    This assumes that the fall-off in voter turnout would be relatively evenly-spread in terms of Party support. But many would argue that, traditionally, lower-income Labour supporters are the most difficult to get out to vote. If those staying at home are, indeed, disproportionately erstwhile Labour people, then obviously this majority would be cut even further.

    The only way Fa’afoi could retain anything like Laban’s 6100+ majority is if National’s vote absolutely collapsed (mainly from staying at home) as it did in Mt Albert last year. But Parata is not Melissa Lee and it seems very unlikely to happen. (although I don’t discount the possibility of some Nat voters staying at home because the media has led them to believe – I think wrongly – that Parata has no chance).

    (2) Just as importantly, a huge chunk of Laban’s 6100+ majority came from voters who were not, in fact, Labour supporters. With the luxury of two votes, these 4500 people cast their all-important Party-Vote for a party other than Labour and then went on to give Winnie Laban their Candidate-Vote. With only ONE vote in the by-election, it’s not beyond reason that most of these 4500 will return to the candidate representing the party they gave their Party-Vote to in 2008. (For example, the 1800 Greens who split their votes between Green (Party) and Laban (Candidate) returning to Green Candidate Logie rather than Labour’s Fa’afoi and so on).

    Result: a further significant cut in the majority.

    Labour are going to have to fight to retain as many of these 4500 as possible. (see my comments on October 26 for more details).

    Like Phil Quin at the Irredeemable blog, I have concerns that Mana is more vulnerable to the Tories than many understand. As a Mana voter and Labour supporter (albeit with some Harre/McCarten tendencies), I just can’t stand the idea of a Parata win ! Jesus !, can you imagine the crowing ? !!! Although it’s significantly more likely that Fa’afoi will take it out, I expect the majority to be cut heavily (for the reasons outlined above). And, of course, with the MSM (together with Key/Nats and Right-leaning blogosphere) setting an enormously high benchmark (anything other than a 6000+ majority as supposedly constituting a disaster for Labour/Goff), there is a clear potential, here, for negative momentum in the media regarding Centre-Left 2011 Election chances.

  11. climate justice 11
    3 November 2010 at 8:46 pm

    read about Matt’s campaign here: Matt’s election tabloid –
    http://www.matt4mana.com/Matt4Mana_A4_web.pdf

    Predictions of 1st,2nd,3rd,4th..?

    left unity?
    Alliance co-leader Kay Murray said the last-minute entry by Mr McCarten, who is backed by the Unite Union which he leads, took the party by surprise.

    “However, the Alliance is backing Matt’s campaign in the interests of a strong left challenge to National and Labour in the by election, despite having already selected its own candidate,” she said.
    http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/alliance-backs-mccarten-over-own-candidate-132214

    • swordfish 11.1
      4 November 2010 at 5:07 pm

      @ climate justice: “Predictions of 1st,2nd,3rd,4th…?”

      My Provisional predictions (gut-feeling, still need to do the sums/think through properly):

      1st Fa’afoi (Lab) (majority: probably between 1200-2200) perhaps 12000 votes

      2nd Parata, (Nat) perhaps 10400 votes

      3rd Logie, (Green) 1600

      4th McCarten, (Ind) 1400

      All others combined, 400

      (Logie and McCarten to fight it out for 3rd place. McCarten somewhere between 1100 – 1700, Logie 1300 – 1900)

      Remember: When comparing with 2008 Party-Votes and Candidate-Votes, = Much lower turnout in By-Elections (and see my earlier comments for reasoning behind majority-size prediction).

  12. pollywog 12
    3 November 2010 at 10:21 pm

    re: ‘backbenches’

    Cracked me up Fa’afoi on his 1st week in parliament saying he’d make a maiden speech about how hard done by (some) Mana residents have it. It’d be like watching an ad for starving kids in Africa where you only care as long as the ad lasts. Its sad, but the feeling i get from watching him is, he’s only in it for himself as a wannabe career politician who’s lined up his opportunity since day one.

    McCarten however is in a class of his own. Love to hear more widespread coverage on the 1% transaction tax to replace GST that Brash was pimping back in the day. Shame he’s not local but you can hear the passion and caring in his voice towards all NZers especially the downtrodden and less well to do.

    Was good to hear Logie acknowledge the cultural bias in the system towards Pasifikan youth. It’d be easier to take her more seriously on all the good shit she said if she didnt smile inanely after dishing out the punchline. She pretty much looked like she’d lost the election already.

    Parata was doing it hard defending the gov’t on all policies so less time to put her own personal views forward and we’re left not knowing if she has any. She cuts a fine figure though and made a damn fine Key apologist, but not much more.

    Du Plessis can just fuck right off ‘cos he seems way out of his depth on local and national issues and is only regurgitating ACT policy like a good lil muppet with rodders hand right up his bum. So what if he’s lived there for 12 years ?…bet he doesn’t live in cannons creek.

  13. social justice 13
    3 November 2010 at 10:58 pm

    http://liberation.typepad.com/liberation/2010/10/matt-mccarten-for-mana-the-return-of-the-left.html
    Matt McCarten’s candidacy in the Mana by-election is one of the most promising developments on the New Zealand left for many years. Not only does this mean that the by-election just became much more interesting, McCarten’s campaign has much wider political ramifications…’

    Good Post on why MrCarten is in the race.

    …’there are a number of factors that make the assumption of a Labour/Faafoi victory less certain. Things can turn around quickly in politics, and by-elections are not normal elections – they’re often a chance for voters to experiment and send unusual messages. Maverick, colourful or under-dog candidates can often come from no where to win. And if anyone meets that criteria – it’s Matt McCarten. He’s certainly got the chutzpah to make things happen in politics, and he’s been achieving the so-called unachievable in New Zealand politics for over two decades now….’

    …McCarten will have a huge support infrastructure that he can tap into. There’s a number of left intellectuals like Laila Harre, Chris Trotter, Marty ‘Bomber’ Bradbury, John Minto, Mike Lee, Cathy Casey, etc, who might be expected to help rally the troops and design a leftwing political platform that will resonate with Mana voters. Maybe even some more Labour/Green partisans like Andrew Campbell and Sue Bradford might also pitch in.

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

  • Road photos
    Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Paula Bennett’s political appointment will challenge public confidence
    The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    2 days ago

  • NZDF is still hostile to oversight
    Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • Winding Back The Hands Of History’s Clock.
    Holding On To The Present: The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • Sweet Moderation? What Christopher Luxon Could Learn From The Germans.
    Stuck In The Middle With You: As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Stronger oversight for our most vulnerable children
    The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago

  • Streamlining Building Consent Changes
    The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.      “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Diplomacy needed more than ever
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