Reay wants deadly quake building complaint dismissed
A man whose company was responsible for designing the six-storey Christchurch building that collapsed in the February 2011 earthquake, killing 115 people, is trying to halt a disciplinary process, claiming he has suffered prejudice.
The complaint against Reay was first raised in December 2012, after the release of a Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission report, which found Reay breached the 1986 IPENZ Code of Ethics.
But..but..he's 82 ! Yea now he's 82. Been trying to dodge this ..for years. Those poor people… crushed. 115 killed.
Dr Alan Reay, who owned Alan Reay Consultants, has been criticised for giving his inexperienced structural engineer David Harding “sole responsibility” for designing the Canterbury Television (CTV) building when he knew the engineer lacked the necessary experience.
Some take MAGAism way too seriously, but the political fruitcakes do need to be monitored just in case, as the Christchurch Mosque massacre tragically showed.
Act wants the return of semi-autos along with mounting attacks on workers rights and benefits–voters will keep an eye on them hopefully on Oct. 14!
CTU has made a few submissions on immigration-related policy and legislation in recent years and have been consistently in favour of measures to eliminate exploitation.
Recommendation 7 recommends not tying work visas to employers.
One thing that did come up in this quick check was that the current accreditation model was intended to reduce exploitation because it could be used to remove access to migrant labour (by revoking accreditation) and CTU supported that but also made comments about resourcing needing to be sufficient to actually carry out the enforcement. Obviously that hasn't happened to date.
It is a flawed strategy–don’t use your opponents image for starters–from an organisation that has been very low profile for decades apart from the Helen Kelly period. The NZCTU excels in being subservient to State Sector affiliates & “welcoming” anything and everything that the Labour Caucus deigns to announce.
The NZ working class have long needed a fighting class left central labour organisation since the demise of the NZ Federation of Labour in 1987. But this is not an easy build given the substantial collapse of private sector union density since the Natzos first union busting ECA in 1991. Sure FIRST Union, Unite, Etū, Maritime and Dairy Workers have done some great work, but a Mick Lynch ain’t going to happen at the CTU while the PSA and friends are in charge.
NActFirst have ECA mkII well in train–a blatant attack on the NZ working class in favour of capital. Rather than attack Baldrick, the ad could better have led with the Natzos hit list of minimum wage etc. etc. etc. and a call to arms and defence of the gains made since 2017.
I absolutely agree with yr final paragraph. Some enjoy easy potshots at Luxon over his appearance, they come across as shallow and petty. Go him for his conflict of interest in being a landlord and proposing making landlording more profitable.
Your mention of Helen Kelly and thinking about Ardern, I doubt this CTU ad would have got approval from either of them.
I'm sure the ad, billboards and other sundries cost a pretty penny and it seems squandered. Kinda fitting.
It's a sliding scale. Something like Citizens for Rowling in 1975 was clearly a misstep – a group of liberal intellectuals who were pretty much right in what they said about Muldoon, but clearly gave the impression of talking down to voters. The condescension of it was grist to the mill of Muldoon and his so-called "Rob's mob", which was an earlier incarnation of "Waitakere Man". And it made no difference to the election result.
The CTU ad is not so clear cut. It's a trade union organisation with members who have legitimate interests, not a self-appointed group of supposed thought-leaders. The ad plugs into a commonly noted fact that many people are not really comfortable with Luxon in the way they were with Key.**. It is well-timed by following the grubby fiasco of letting foreign buyers back in. It gave Hipkins a chance to point out that the Taxpayers Union is a National Party front. It was a lead-in to discussing the implications for workers of National's policies. It provoked a response from National which will now make them look hypocritical if they respond with similar ads – I suspect these are already sitting in the pipeline – and they may be thinking about whether they need to pull some of them or not.
The only thing about it that crossed a line was how it made use of Luxon's unprepossessing physical appearance. In that feature alone I think it started to look like some of the unsavoury stuff that comes from the right. It's a common tactic though, for example the NZ Herald subtly uses pictures of Hipkins suffused in an orange wash, while Luxon is mostly crystal-sharp and making decisive hand-gestures like a man in the act of 'getting things done' (not spouting inane, scripted lines). So overall I'm not certain it was a misstep.
** Key's supposed likeability always baffled me. I am probably odd or unusual, but after seeing Key on the telly I always felt like I should be hosed down with antiseptic for my health's sake.
And many others..incl me ! sir Key always struck me as not as affable/likeable as he purported. A fake even….with quite a strange sleazy component. That poor Waitress for one….
Yes, sir Key seemed “off” for sure, even Winston asked if “the carpet matched the curtains” and introduced the nation to a new kink…trichophilia–hair fetishism.
“Shonkey” (rhymes with “Jean Qui“ a friend said), certainly had twin turbo boost support from Finance Capital one way or another in his political affairs. The off shore Trust debacle for instance…there is quite a trail there that so many NZers seemed totally oblivious to.
The CTU is not talking to the general voting public. They are talking to their own people. I refer to the factory workers, the road workers, forest workers, cleaners, carpenters, transport workers, port workers etc. etc.
What better way to get the message across than wrapping it in the newspaper with the largest readership as well as hoardings in cities across NZ – assuming they are in places other than Wellington.
The CTU is not talking to the general voting public. They are talking to their own people. I refer to the factory workers, the road workers, forest workers, cleaners, carpenters, transport workers, port workers etc. etc.
IE Me….and many thousands of others..who NAct will standover….and steal from.
The head of the University of Waikato was intimately involved in National's policy of establishing a medical school at the university, and told one of its senior MPs it could be a "present" to a future National government.
Documents seen by RNZ show vice chancellor Professor Neil Quigley went to considerable lengths to help National develop the policy. Quigley was in constant contact with the party's health spokesperson, Dr Shane Reti, in the lead-up to its announcement in July this year.
The university then engaged Anna Lillis, a former press secretary and political advisor to Joyce, to lead its communications strategy about the school.
According to a survey conducted annually by festival volunteers, the average Burner is getting older (the average age last year was 37, compared with 32 in 2013) and wealthier.
[lprent: deleted as simple minded spam with no apparent content.
Gloating by simpletons whilst wanking should wait until after an election. Something that has to be won first.
This is your only warning. ]
I can never understand why Labour cannot encapsulate in a really simple way the fundamentally flawed ideas around neo-liberalism and how such a system sucks wealth into one small corner of the world's population, so that average voters can understand. Instead, it lets the nactoids off the hook by letting them get away with "national's the party with the economic smarts" etc. Surely it's these really basic ideas that need to be at the heart of Labour's campaign.
Now that it's not first thing in the morning, I have re-read yr comment.
There is nothing dumb in observing that this incarnation of Labour is dyed in the wool neo-liberal. To imply otherwise is very shallow thinking.
Little's new Te Whatu Ora is an example. Going for 'efficiencies' in the back office functions, payroll and IT systems. All well and good but still out-sourcing catering, laundry, security, grounds, parking…
Woods and Little and their Approved Employer Scheme. Because, for some reason, we can't train welders and drivers anymore. So subcontract it. Neo-liberal as. Nurses, doctors, dentists the list goes on.
Maybe the onus is on you to demonstrate how they are not neo-liberal.
Latest election polling from Roy Morgan – has ACT on 18% to National's 31% – with the combined right total having enough seats to govern (i.e. not needing NZF or another 3rd party).
In this scenario – ACT with over half of the National total (23 seats to National's 39) would theoretically be in a very strong position in a coalition – in terms of getting their policy enacted. Especially as they've increased 4% (compared to the previous poll by this pollster) – so going up, while National has dropped slightly.
I don't recall a minor party with such a strong position vis-a-vis the major one in a previous NZ election.
Should the polls reverse (as is always a possibility) – the strong performance of the GP is putting them in the same position in relation to Labour.
As others have been saying – the policy platform of the 'minor' parties is more relevant than ever in this election.
I think it was Hooten that observed a few weeks ago about how the two main parties share of the vote was at an all time low. If they both keep trending down as they appear to be the minor parties may not ne so minor in October.
Its traditional for minor parties to do well in polls prior to election day but once people get to vote many slink back to one of the two main parties. The exception to the rule are the Greens who tend to be the other way round. They do less well in pre-election polls but come up trumps on election day.
You have to go back to 2014 to find a significant variation – and that was the GP polling around 2-3% less in the final election than they had in the polls immediately prior. The rest of the minor parties were within the margin of error.
In the 2011 election, the GP again dropped around 2-3% from the month prior polls (or more, if you look at the 2 immediately before election day) – but NZF actually polled significantly higher on election day than they did in any poll apart from the one immediately before election day
I don't see a pattern of all minor parties polling well immediately before election day, and then have a significant difference in the final election result. And, indeed, the only party that this has happened for in the last 12 or so years, has been the Green Party.
Another interesting point is what it (this high vote for the minor parties) does to the electorate list for the major ones.
Given that (apart from Swarbrick for the GP, Seymour for ACT and the TPM winning 2-3 electorate seats) – the vast majority of the electorates will go to Labour or National. So if there are high numbers of party votes for ACT/GP and possibly NZF – it's pretty unlikely that many list MPs from Labour and National will be getting into parliament. If ACT get 23 seats – 22 of them will be list; if the GP get 16 seats, 15 of them will be list. If NZF get over the line, that's another 7, all list. That's leaving only 15 or so list places to be split between National and Labour.
Likely to make a big difference to the government – whichever side wins. At the current polling (and bearing in mind that electorates may switch from Labour to National, 'freeing up' list places) – it doesn't look likely that Rurawhe, Little or Parker will in the next Parliament.
Harder to tell for National – since the majority of their top list places are standing in winnable electorates as well.
In the past, Labour didn't have the high numbers of list seats being taken up by ACT and the GP.
Of the 30 seats they'll get (at 24%) – the vast majority look as though they're going to be electorate seats (safe Labour seats). That leaves very few to come in off the list.
I know it makes no difference in the total number of seats. But it has the potential to make a huge difference in the representation. If the majority of the Labour party in parliament are the electorate MPs in safe seats, rather than a mixture with the list. Just go and have a look at the list-only MPs at the top of Labour's party list. That's a lot of experience that's at serious risk of not being back in parliament.
The same as other elections between 2005 and 2020 and those at risk, Parker and Little do not care – they are there for a third term, not to do another 3 years in opposition and retire in 2026.
So which year would this be then? I've checked back to 2011 – and not seen any evidence.
Are you talking about last century? It can hardly be a tradition if it hasn't happened in the last 20 years……
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Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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). ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
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, ...
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 ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Changes in the May 14 budget will cut the student debt of more than three million people, wiping more than $3 billion from what people owe. The government will cap the HELP indexation rate ...
Asia Pacific Report The prosecutor’s office at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has appealed for an end to what it calls intimidation of its staff, saying such threats could constitute an offence against the “administration of justice” by the world’s permanent war crimes court. The Hague-based office of ICC Prosecutor ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk A women’s union in New Caledonia has staged a sit-in protest this week to support senior Kanak indigenous journalist Thérèse Waia, who works for public broadcaster Nouvelle-Calédonie la Première, after a smear attack by critics. The peaceful demonstration was held on ...
New Zealand Food Safety is monitoring overseas recalls of Indian packaged spice products manufactured by MDH and Everest due to concerns over a cancer-causing pesticide. ...
By Stephen Wright and Stefan Armbruster of BenarNews Fiji’s ranking in a global press freedom index has jumped into the top tier of countries with free or mostly free media after its government last year repealed a draconian law that threatened journalists with prison for doing their jobs. Fiji’s improvement ...
We might be in Invercargill but all anyone can talk about is Gore. Specifically, Salford Street. That’s where three-year-old Lachlan Jones lived, south of the centre of town, between the A&P Showgrounds and the Mataura River. Roughly 1.2 km away from the single level home he lived in with his ...
MONDAY I lined up the latest round of civil servants from city hall against the wall, and signalled for the firing squad to drop their rifles. I stepped up onto a wooden crate to look at the office workers in the eye. But that didn’t feel right, so I found ...
Keen hiker and second-year MSc student Liam Hewson wears two hats when he’s in the great outdoors. “The scientist in me appreciates nature and goes, ‘Oh, there’s that thing and there’s another thing,’ but then the tramper and the outdoorsy person in me thinks, ‘Cool bush.’” Born and bred in ...
After a long and illustrious career as a goal kicker, Dan Carter’s favourite way to unwind is… kicking goals. Why can’t he get enough of it? And what it’s like to watch him do it for an hour straight? A semicircle of people wielding cameras and phones has formed in ...
Dame Susan Devoy takes us through her life in television, including late night ER debriefs, her proudest CTI moment and the show she watches in secret. Quite aside from her four world champion squash titles, Dame Susan Devoy will likely go down in history as one of the best Celebrity ...
Hera Lindsay Bird reveals the best places in Ōtepoti to score more for your apocalypse-prep book hoard.Sometimes I get the feeling I’ve been killed in a car crash, and this second half of my life is just the brain unspooling itself, like one of those episodes of a hospital ...
ThreeNow’s new murder mystery series takes us on a dark, damp journey into the Australian wilderness.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. High Country is ThreeNow’s new Australian eight-part crime drama, set in a remote part of the Victorian highlands. It tells ...
Introducing a new way to read The Spinoff every weekend. After nearly 10 years of being an online magazine, we’re finally embracing the weekend liftout. Despite our best efforts to convince you otherwise, writers and editors at The Spinoff don’t work weekend. It is through the sheer power of technology ...
Tip one: let yourself be nurtured by this big old man. Tip two: don’t ask him to adopt you. So, you’ve arrived at your first session with a new therapist. He tells you to make yourself comfortable and you opt for the tweed armchair, hoping it makes you look like ...
I didn’t know books could open you back up; that there were books that stayed with you, where reading was like a chemical event. I knew nothing.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.Not too long ago, I was listening to the American ...
Former Olympic swimmer James Magnussen has already started training for the Enhanced games, though says he won’t start taking performance enhancing substances until about nine months out from the competition. The Australian world champion was the first athlete to be announced by Enhanced, but he says the organisation has had ...
Everyone thinks he’s dead. Every day they expect his body to be washed up along the coast. Most likely up Karitane way, the way the tide’s running. But nobody’ll be too surprised if his body’s never found. Even in death he wouldn’t have wished for such attention. He would have ...
Council members voted 21 to 4 in favour of Ahluwalia returning to the Laucala campus following a much-awaited meeting in Vanuatu this week. It comes as USP and its two unions — the Association of the University of the South Pacific Staff (AUSPS) and the Administration and Support Staff Union ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicola Henry, Professor & Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Social and Global Studies Centre, RMIT University Shutterstock Following an emergency meeting of the National Cabinet this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a raft of measures to tackle the problem ...
Analysis - A poll showing the opposition is more popular than the government raises questions, politicians go through their 'trial by pay rise' and a Green MP loses her cool in the debating chamber. ...
The entire stretch of Tokomaru Bay on the East Coast will be subject to a joint customary marine title for two hapū, and extending up to four miles out to sea. A High Court judge has found the two groups, who during the case settled a dispute over boundaries for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Hall, Lecturer, Media & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University A longstanding feud between TikTok and Universal Music Group seems to have finally reached an end, with both parties signing a deal that will see Universal-backed music returned to the social media ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Siobhan O’Dean, Postdoctoral Research Associate, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney After several highly publicised alleged murders of women in Australia, the Albanese government this week pledged more than A$925 million over five years ...
Political parties have now fully disclosed the donations they received last year - with National getting more than double the cash of any other party. ...
A Pacific regionalism expert has called out New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters for withholding information from the public on AUKUS military pact. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard de Grijs, Professor of Astrophysics, Macquarie University Bruno Scramgnon/Pexels All systems are “go” for tonight’s launch of China’s next step in a carefully planned lunar exploration program. Placed on top of a powerful Long March 5 rocket, the Chang’e 6 ...
National returned a massive donation the day after a Newsroom story linked the donors to a property being investigated for operating unlawfully as a migrant workers’ hostel. The party’s 2023 donation filings, released on Friday, show it returned a $200,000 donation from Buen Holdings on August 23. That was the ...
Pacific Media Watch New Zealand has slumped to an unprecedented 19th place in the annual Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index survey released today on World Press Freedom Day — May 3. This was a drop of six places from 13th last year when it slipped out of its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Black, Political Historian and Administrator Officer, Australian Historical Association, Australian National University Australia has had its fair share of public record-keeping controversies in recent years. Some have been mere farce, as in the case of two formerly government-owned filing cabinets (containing ...
Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), a United Nations-affiliated organization dedicated to fostering peace through civilian-led initiatives, has issued a statement in response to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. ...
A poem by Tessa Keenan, from AUP New Poets 10. Mātou These days we are a photograph; one of a farm strewn with cows that used to be bright harakeke or swamp. The kids point at it and say the sun sits behind a smudge (left by someone at Christmas); ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (Faber & Faber, $25)The masterful Irish writer ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. Key facts Marriages and civil unions In ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lennon Y.C. Chang, Associate Professor of Cyber Risk and Policy, Deakin University Taiwan stands out as a beacon of democracy, innovation and resilience in an increasingly autocratic region. But this is under growing threat. In recent years, China has used a variety ...
In this excerpt from her new memoir, Dame Susan Devoy remembers her turn as star contestant on the 2022 season of Celebrity Treasure Island. The most anxious time of every day was pre-elimination, when you knew this could be your final day on the show. I felt such contradictory emotions, ...
A week that began in triumph ended in an all-too-familiar disaster for the Green Party. Duncan Greive asks if there’s something in the mission that breaks its best and brightest. A long, strange week for the Green party began with a fantastic poll result. On one level this is hardly ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Vanuatu’s former prime minister and opposition MP Ishmael Kalsakau has stepped down — just two days after he confirmed he was the rightful opposition leader. Kalsakau, MP for Port Vila, confirmed to ABC’s Pacific Beat, and the Vanuatu Daily Post on Thursday that he ...
What’s to blame for the coalition’s choppy start? Six months in, and the mojo meter is in the doldrums. A new poll would put National out of power and sees its leader, Chris Luxon, sliding in popularity. How much is it about policy, how much coalition management and a perception ...
The striking report goes far beyond the proposed repeal of the Oranga Tamariki Act’s Treaty of Waitangi provision, and its impact should be felt far beyond the unique circumstances of the claim it addresses. Earlier this week, the Waitangi Tribunal released an interim report on the government’s proposed repeal of ...
The world has been experiencing a productivity slowdown, from which New Zealand has not been exempt. COVID-19 temporarily boosted labour productivity, but more recently, productivity has retreated. The overall trend since 2007 has been one of slow productivity ...
What’s more wasteful than spending $315k on syrup and machine maintenance? Trying to drum up a controversy about it.Cast your mind back to the pre-pandemic idylls of 2019. A “rat” was a disgusting rodent and not a self-administered plague test; the sixth Labour government was in power; and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Professor of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Monash University, Monash University Ken stocker/Shutterstock In the wake of numerous killings of women allegedly by men’s violence in 2024, thousands of Australians have joined rallies across the country to demand action ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Henry Cutler, Professor and Director, Macquarie University Centre for the Health Economy, Macquarie University Oleg Ivanov IL/Shutterstock Waiting times for public hospital elective surgery have been in the news ahead of this year’s federal budget. That’s the type of non-emergency surgery ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantine Panegyres, McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow, Historical and Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne Amna Artist/Shutterstock One of the earliest descriptions of someone with cancer comes from the fourth century BC. Satyrus, tyrant of the city of Heracleia on the Black Sea, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Rose, Professor of Sustainable Future Transport, University of Sydney LanaElcova/Shutterstock Electric vehicles are often seen as the panacea to cutting emissions – and air pollution – from transport. Is this view correct? Yes – but only once uptake accelerates. Despite the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giselle Natassia Woodley, Researcher and Phd Candidate, Edith Cowan University There is widespread agreement Australia needs to do better when it comes to gender-based violence. Anger and frustration at the numbers of women being killed saw national rallies over the weekend and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Graham, Lecturer in Economics, University of Sydney Mark and Anna Photography/Shutterstock As home ownership moves further out of reach for many Australians, “rentvesting” is being touted as a lifesaver. Rentvesting is the practice of renting one property to live ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sukhmani Khorana, Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, UNSW Sydney Netflix The new season of Heartbreak High is garnering mixed reviews. Critics are writing about the racy story lines, comparing it to other coming-of-age series about teenage relationships and ...
Bob Carr intends to launch legal action against Winston Peters and Julie Anne Genter is facing a second allegation of bullying. Both sucked the air out of an announcement on education, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in ...
In 1995, Sally Clark went out on her own in a bold and unorthodox attempt to join an illustrious group of equestrian riders conquering the world. In the days of glovebox road maps, brick cell phones, and the hit song How Bizarre, Clark refused to follow Sir Mark Todd, Blyth ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Beaglehole, Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago niphon/Getty Images The number of people accessing medication for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Aotearoa New Zealand increased significantly between 2006 and 2022. But the disorder is still under-diagnosed and ...
To celebrate the start of New Zealand music month, we look back at the best local tuneage that managed to weasel its way into Hollywood productions. There’s nothing quite like the thrilling zap of recognition when New Zealand weasels its way into a glamorous Hollywood production. Crack open a Tui ...
People trust other people more than institutions. So how can the media gain that trust through journalists without losing what’s important about the institution? Anna Rawhiti-Connell reflects on two years of curating the news for The Bulletin.Amonth ago, armed cops descended on my neighbourhood as calls to “lock your ...
Opinion: PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – are a class of thousands of man-made chemicals used widely in everyday consumer items such as textiles, packaging, and cookware, popular for their water, grease and stain-repellent properties. However, the very properties that make PFAS so attractive to manufacturers are also what ...
NONFICTION 1 The Last Secret Agent by Pippa Latour & Jude Dobson (Allen & Unwin, $37.99)’ This is the hottest book in New Zealand, number one with a bullet in its first week, selling more than any overseas title, and demand is so huge that it’s already been reprinted. A ...
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But..but..he's 82 ! Yea now he's 82. Been trying to dodge this ..for years. Those poor people… crushed. 115 killed.
I heard a passing mention on the tranny this morning (early, I hadn't woken up yet), about this.e
The PTB were more aiming at the engineering governing body and we're trying to hold them to account.
IMO..the Police passed on it….It cant be that 115 people just died…for nothing.
PTB what is this please?
PTB = Powers That Be.
NZ Labour. And the kind of moron we are up against.
A..trump supporting ! fuckwit.
Some take MAGAism way too seriously, but the political fruitcakes do need to be monitored just in case, as the Christchurch Mosque massacre tragically showed.
Act wants the return of semi-autos along with mounting attacks on workers rights and benefits–voters will keep an eye on them hopefully on Oct. 14!
For sure. Not only Chris….but previously Jacinda. And of course Greens James Shaw…attacked in a public street and suffered a fractured eye socket.
After a couple of sleeps I gotta say the CTU ad having a crack at Luxon feels like a mis-step.
Far rather the meagre resources were spent high-lighting why members should support Labour.
A punchy sentence about FTA for example. Or encouraging and supporting folk to vote.
This negative, personal strategy leaves a bad taste and implies people can't work through the issues themselves.
So far the only defence Ive read is 'They do it too…'
Pic in this article for those that haven't seen it
https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/04-09-2023/is-the-ctu-doing-psyops-for-the-national-party
Thanks weka, that helps.
Now that I look at that image on a laptop there is a jarring brutal irony.
Here is the CTU and all it's might having a dubious crack at Luxon.
They appear to be rather mute on the other issue in the image. Namely Michael Woods and Andrew Little's
Migrant Visa ScandalApproved Employer Scheme.Where is the CTU on that? (Not asking you, just getting rhetorical).
they're campaigning, they're not going to attack Labour, they want Labour to win despite the limitations.
It is possible to stick up for the workers, stick it to the accredited employers/labour hire companies without attacking Labour.
CTU has made a few submissions on immigration-related policy and legislation in recent years and have been consistently in favour of measures to eliminate exploitation.
Submission on the Worker Protection (Migrant and Other Employees) Bill
9.5-9.6 continue their general opposition to work visas being tied to employers.
Submission on Modern Slavery and Worker Exploitation
Submission on MBIE's Temporary Migrant Worker Exploitation Review
3.1 continues their general opposition to work visas being tied to employers.
Submission on the MBIE Consultation on a New Approach to Employer assisted Work Visas and Regional Workforce Planning
Recommendation 7 recommends not tying work visas to employers.
One thing that did come up in this quick check was that the current accreditation model was intended to reduce exploitation because it could be used to remove access to migrant labour (by revoking accreditation) and CTU supported that but also made comments about resourcing needing to be sufficient to actually carry out the enforcement. Obviously that hasn't happened to date.
Thanks Craig.
It is a flawed strategy–don’t use your opponents image for starters–from an organisation that has been very low profile for decades apart from the Helen Kelly period. The NZCTU excels in being subservient to State Sector affiliates & “welcoming” anything and everything that the Labour Caucus deigns to announce.
The NZ working class have long needed a fighting class left central labour organisation since the demise of the NZ Federation of Labour in 1987. But this is not an easy build given the substantial collapse of private sector union density since the Natzos first union busting ECA in 1991. Sure FIRST Union, Unite, Etū, Maritime and Dairy Workers have done some great work, but a Mick Lynch ain’t going to happen at the CTU while the PSA and friends are in charge.
NActFirst have ECA mkII well in train–a blatant attack on the NZ working class in favour of capital. Rather than attack Baldrick, the ad could better have led with the Natzos hit list of minimum wage etc. etc. etc. and a call to arms and defence of the gains made since 2017.
I absolutely agree with yr final paragraph. Some enjoy easy potshots at Luxon over his appearance, they come across as shallow and petty. Go him for his conflict of interest in being a landlord and proposing making landlording more profitable.
Your mention of Helen Kelly and thinking about Ardern, I doubt this CTU ad would have got approval from either of them.
I'm sure the ad, billboards and other sundries cost a pretty penny and it seems squandered. Kinda fitting.
It's a sliding scale. Something like Citizens for Rowling in 1975 was clearly a misstep – a group of liberal intellectuals who were pretty much right in what they said about Muldoon, but clearly gave the impression of talking down to voters. The condescension of it was grist to the mill of Muldoon and his so-called "Rob's mob", which was an earlier incarnation of "Waitakere Man". And it made no difference to the election result.
The CTU ad is not so clear cut. It's a trade union organisation with members who have legitimate interests, not a self-appointed group of supposed thought-leaders. The ad plugs into a commonly noted fact that many people are not really comfortable with Luxon in the way they were with Key.**. It is well-timed by following the grubby fiasco of letting foreign buyers back in. It gave Hipkins a chance to point out that the Taxpayers Union is a National Party front. It was a lead-in to discussing the implications for workers of National's policies. It provoked a response from National which will now make them look hypocritical if they respond with similar ads – I suspect these are already sitting in the pipeline – and they may be thinking about whether they need to pull some of them or not.
The only thing about it that crossed a line was how it made use of Luxon's unprepossessing physical appearance. In that feature alone I think it started to look like some of the unsavoury stuff that comes from the right. It's a common tactic though, for example the NZ Herald subtly uses pictures of Hipkins suffused in an orange wash, while Luxon is mostly crystal-sharp and making decisive hand-gestures like a man in the act of 'getting things done' (not spouting inane, scripted lines). So overall I'm not certain it was a misstep.
** Key's supposed likeability always baffled me. I am probably odd or unusual, but after seeing Key on the telly I always felt like I should be hosed down with antiseptic for my health's sake.
And many others..incl me ! sir Key always struck me as not as affable/likeable as he purported. A fake even….with quite a strange sleazy component. That poor Waitress for one….
Yes, sir Key seemed “off” for sure, even Winston asked if “the carpet matched the curtains” and introduced the nation to a new kink…trichophilia–hair fetishism.
“Shonkey” (rhymes with “Jean Qui“ a friend said), certainly had twin turbo boost support from Finance Capital one way or another in his political affairs. The off shore Trust debacle for instance…there is quite a trail there that so many NZers seemed totally oblivious to.
Critics need to appreciate:
The CTU is not talking to the general voting public. They are talking to their own people. I refer to the factory workers, the road workers, forest workers, cleaners, carpenters, transport workers, port workers etc. etc.
What better way to get the message across than wrapping it in the newspaper with the largest readership as well as hoardings in cities across NZ – assuming they are in places other than Wellington.
Good point Anne.
IE Me….and many thousands of others..who NAct will standover….and steal from.
I'm one of them too. E Tu. That's why I have a bee in my bonnet on this, I reckon my fees have been squandered.
Whatever..take it up with them. Or NAct if they win…
I'm going hard out to prevent that…
"Whatever.."
I suppose that passes for modern solidarity.
I take yr point about Luxon/Key. Whenever I see Key I reckon you would have to count yr fingers if you shook his hand. Too smarmy for my liking.
As to hypocrisy, that would be anyone who bemoaned dirty politics/Bretheren/Whaleoil but think this CTU effort is ok.
You really see equivalence? Bizarre.
You either play with a straight bat or not.
lol..whatever . I call bizarre equivalence.
So labour bas someone in the office next to the pm feed hit prices to the ctu?
That's what national was doing with whaleoil
Let's not get carried away.
Not for a moment do I think that Hipkins didn't know about the ad.
Maybe you should be telling Luxon, Bishop and the other Nats that.
Luxon has been slogging to cow corner ever since he became leader.
Well this is interesting…
IMO doesnt pass any independence test….
Is'n that the University that paid just under $1million to Steven Joyce for his consultancy services?
Matey..you are so correct. Not even pretty legal. IMO Dodgy as fuck
This is a big issue Psyc. It needs to be pushed into the debate as often as possible, with mention of the million for Joyce too.
Very close to corruption.
Man, I reckon. The very high collusion level of them. Its does really look corrupt.
Who happens to be the sitting chair of the RBNZ.
Rob Campbell….?
https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/about-us/our-people/our-board-members#Neil_Quigley
Oh really? Good on you find that too ! I was kinda gobsmacked with just the Shane Reti Nat connection.
Pretty sure he's the son of former National and later ACT MP Derek Quigley, too.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Quigley
This gets shadier and shadier….there are votes in this for the Left.
There is a power outage where my server is. I just shifted to a different UPS.
Depends on Vector about how long the outage takes to deal with. In the meantime, I have involuntary lunch time. What can I have without power…
Time to raid the fruit bowl?
I would, but there was only a shrivelled apple and a mandarin with a green-blue blemish.
I didn’t have time to shop on the weekend because of work, and my partner was finishing a course before heading offshore with her dad.
Anyone generating sympathy for 60,000 indolent millennial louches at the Burning Man mess?
Mostly amusement.
some of the most satisfying schadenfreude all year.
No.
It is only news because it is happening in the USA.
… the sign of a rainbow.
https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/09/03/multimedia/burning-man-explainer-jtcv/burning-man-explainer-jtcv-superJumbo.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp
Elon Musk and Paris Hilton turned up
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/03/style/what-is-burning-man.html
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=Burning+Man+mess%3F#ip=1
The one in 2022 was the first since 2019 (COVID).
A return to the dust bowl years, the grapes of wrath and the old south. Post Weimar Republic and the Trumpian era.
Carnivale
[lprent: deleted as simple minded spam with no apparent content.
Gloating by simpletons whilst wanking should wait until after an election. Something that has to be won first.
This is your only warning. ]
Havent you got a bridge to be under?
Go on Lynn. Ban me then you [deleted]
[lprent: First rational and responsible thing you have said. Bye. ]
Truth hurts eh Lynn. See ya lol.
You have about as much of relationship with “truth” as Trump does.
What are you worried about? I simply did what you asked for. Banned you on your request after I’d dealt with you spurting spam on my site.
Being a ignorant sexual fetishist isn’t a problem. Stupid spam in the site is. And the truth is that you asked to be banned.
You really are a bit of a knuckle dragger.
thanks. He's been warned before.
I can never understand why Labour cannot encapsulate in a really simple way the fundamentally flawed ideas around neo-liberalism and how such a system sucks wealth into one small corner of the world's population, so that average voters can understand. Instead, it lets the nactoids off the hook by letting them get away with "national's the party with the economic smarts" etc. Surely it's these really basic ideas that need to be at the heart of Labour's campaign.
One of the reasons they don't diss neo-liberalism is that they are the main practitioners of it.
Snap.
Dumb comments like this plays to the "they are both the same" meme.
The policies of the Left are very different to those of the Right being put forward at this election.
Please acknowledge this gsays.
I wouldn't say very different. I see the two main parties as the the two closest aligned parties in Parliament.
And not only dumb….there is this.
Now that it's not first thing in the morning, I have re-read yr comment.
There is nothing dumb in observing that this incarnation of Labour is dyed in the wool neo-liberal. To imply otherwise is very shallow thinking.
Little's new Te Whatu Ora is an example. Going for 'efficiencies' in the back office functions, payroll and IT systems. All well and good but still out-sourcing catering, laundry, security, grounds, parking…
Woods and Little and their Approved Employer Scheme. Because, for some reason, we can't train welders and drivers anymore. So subcontract it. Neo-liberal as. Nurses, doctors, dentists the list goes on.
Maybe the onus is on you to demonstrate how they are not neo-liberal.
Beginning to think we need a post forecasting NZ after a term of ACT with 20% of Cabinet.
only if it's to scare lefties to stand up and fight for this election.
Latest election polling from Roy Morgan – has ACT on 18% to National's 31% – with the combined right total having enough seats to govern (i.e. not needing NZF or another 3rd party).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2023_New_Zealand_general_election
In this scenario – ACT with over half of the National total (23 seats to National's 39) would theoretically be in a very strong position in a coalition – in terms of getting their policy enacted. Especially as they've increased 4% (compared to the previous poll by this pollster) – so going up, while National has dropped slightly.
I don't recall a minor party with such a strong position vis-a-vis the major one in a previous NZ election.
Should the polls reverse (as is always a possibility) – the strong performance of the GP is putting them in the same position in relation to Labour.
As others have been saying – the policy platform of the 'minor' parties is more relevant than ever in this election.
I think it was Hooten that observed a few weeks ago about how the two main parties share of the vote was at an all time low. If they both keep trending down as they appear to be the minor parties may not ne so minor in October.
Its traditional for minor parties to do well in polls prior to election day but once people get to vote many slink back to one of the two main parties. The exception to the rule are the Greens who tend to be the other way round. They do less well in pre-election polls but come up trumps on election day.
I guess it depends on how far back you go for your tradition.
It doesn't seem to have been the case for the 2020 and the 2017 elections – where the minor parties final election results were well within the margin of error of immediate (as in the month before) poll results.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2020_New_Zealand_general_election
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2017_New_Zealand_general_election
You have to go back to 2014 to find a significant variation – and that was the GP polling around 2-3% less in the final election than they had in the polls immediately prior. The rest of the minor parties were within the margin of error.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2014_New_Zealand_general_election
In the 2011 election, the GP again dropped around 2-3% from the month prior polls (or more, if you look at the 2 immediately before election day) – but NZF actually polled significantly higher on election day than they did in any poll apart from the one immediately before election day
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2014_New_Zealand_general_election
I don't see a pattern of all minor parties polling well immediately before election day, and then have a significant difference in the final election result. And, indeed, the only party that this has happened for in the last 12 or so years, has been the Green Party.
Another interesting point is what it (this high vote for the minor parties) does to the electorate list for the major ones.
Given that (apart from Swarbrick for the GP, Seymour for ACT and the TPM winning 2-3 electorate seats) – the vast majority of the electorates will go to Labour or National. So if there are high numbers of party votes for ACT/GP and possibly NZF – it's pretty unlikely that many list MPs from Labour and National will be getting into parliament. If ACT get 23 seats – 22 of them will be list; if the GP get 16 seats, 15 of them will be list. If NZF get over the line, that's another 7, all list. That's leaving only 15 or so list places to be split between National and Labour.
Likely to make a big difference to the government – whichever side wins. At the current polling (and bearing in mind that electorates may switch from Labour to National, 'freeing up' list places) – it doesn't look likely that Rurawhe, Little or Parker will in the next Parliament.
Harder to tell for National – since the majority of their top list places are standing in winnable electorates as well.
At the 24 poll level – 30 seats (maybe up a few more with the wasted vote re-allocated).
In the past Labour got around 25 seats with that party list vote. Higher or lower based on the Maori electorate numbers.
In the past, Labour didn't have the high numbers of list seats being taken up by ACT and the GP.
Of the 30 seats they'll get (at 24%) – the vast majority look as though they're going to be electorate seats (safe Labour seats). That leaves very few to come in off the list.
It makes no difference to Labour's cjrcumstance, if National or ACT/Green gets the party list seats, when Labour is at 24% in the polls.
It will still be c25 electorates and 30 seats either way.
Though good Greens are at a higher level.
It could mean National will win a lot of electorate seats back (2020) and more (2017-2014-2011-2008). But at a low 31% of the poll.
Labour 25 MP 2-3 ACT 1. National 43-44 electorates – no list seats whatsoever. Maybe some overhang.
I know it makes no difference in the total number of seats. But it has the potential to make a huge difference in the representation. If the majority of the Labour party in parliament are the electorate MPs in safe seats, rather than a mixture with the list. Just go and have a look at the list-only MPs at the top of Labour's party list. That's a lot of experience that's at serious risk of not being back in parliament.
The same as other elections between 2005 and 2020 and those at risk, Parker and Little do not care – they are there for a third term, not to do another 3 years in opposition and retire in 2026.
The New Zealand Party, The Alliance, New Zealand First, so not so unusual Belladonna. It happens at cross roads when big events have clouded choices.
So which year would this be then? I've checked back to 2011 – and not seen any evidence.
Are you talking about last century? It can hardly be a tradition if it hasn't happened in the last 20 years……