This will be my last post on the Standard (and probably any other blog) for a while at least – not too sure when Ill be able to post again, but it wont be until well into the New Year at least (perhaps when everthing has settled down) — my personal circumstances look set to change in a rather dramatic way, and it is because of that I wont be in a position to contribute to this blog. Its been great chatting to you all, and I have enjoyed reading the thoughts of everyone here, though the right wingers always seem to want to put the boot in all the time.
I think the left is in pretty good shape at the moment, and 2014 will see a Sixth Labour government, that is probably more to the left than Clark’s one was, though how far to the left remains to be seen. It all depends on how the asset sales referendum pans out, and the outcome of the PoA dispute. I see both of these as defining issues in this country — public/collective v individual/private, and security v flexibility.
So, on that note, Farewell, Merry Christmas, Happy new year, and hope to catch up with you all in the New Year some time.
Cheers to you, millsy, hope the change in circ’s is not a negative one and I look forward to being amused, bemused and occasionally confused by you again in the near future!
Does this mean the end of posts from EDDIE on pain of his expulsion from the Labour Party?
For this to happen to a loyal Labour Party member who has done nothing but ably stand up for the party on line, while John Tamihere after continually slanging off Labour in the MSM, is welcomed back as a member and embraced as a long lost prodigal son.
Yes kind Lefty souls, I’m bugging out too, returning at some future date (hopefully not too far away). IB has highlighted some reasons why, and the stuff he is talking about isn’t kidding around. The miserable and ill-conceived pressure they are putting on Cunliffe and his supporters in caucus, well they are now turning that on to ordinary party members as well. Organisations which find themselves in this state, well what more do I need to say.
I shan’t be back for a wee while unless there is good reason 😎
It is probably for the best at present CV. My abject apologies for not having the energy/time to talk to you (work is hectic).
Well, as I’m not a member, I guess I remain free…..
I never care.
Quite frankly the party could do with my skills far more than I need the party. I’ve pretty well withdrawn from party activity over recent years as the environment has become more toxic.
But I’d advise anyone who has used a pseudonym on Red Alert that could compromise them in real life to expect problems. The system operators over there are quite compromised, don’t act responsibly, and have been that way for some time. Quite simply they are not operating in a way that makes it safe to leave comments there unless you have cast-iron anonymity. Treat it like you would Whaleoil’s site.
Which incidentally, is why you don’t see Red Alert on our feed
Actually, it wouldn’t ruin my life to be outed, especially as I am semi-retired. It might be a bit tricky at work, but probably not totally damaging. My preference for a pseudonym is partly because, personally I’m a fairly shy person.
Some people see it as a contradiction, that I can be very talkative and confident in a teaching or discussion context. But socially, I am often the quiet person in a group. I don’t enjoy being the centre of attention.
Tempted as I am to suggest that maybe your father in law has finally snapped and told you to log off and go get a job, I’ll restrict myself to saying I too will miss your contributions, CV. You maintained an excellence balance between quantity and quality in your comments and there will be many a chastened rightie feeling relieved that you are signing off. Hope its not for too long.
ps: I’m looking forward to the inevitable post from PG on your departure over at Yawn NZ. What greater tribute could there be?
Nope. This is an actual problem. There was a threat of “outing” by a MP that came up during the lobbying at conference. Subsequently it was raised by the same MP in the NZ Council as part of the lobbying to push Tamihere’s membership through.
It fits the same pattern of behaviour as Shane Jones demonstrates. A caucus that does things less by focused strategy and more by stupid intimidation.
I’d advise people to think carefully before putting comments at Red Alert if your identity can in anyway be traced back to you. I guess that is why the comments are dropping like a stone over there.
To be honest I struggle to see why there is a reticence amongst those in the know to name said MP. Should we not all know the character of those that are possibly going to be representing us next term?
(Sorry, I’m not singling you out Lynn, it was just your post I replied to).
It is quite a specific assertion of fact. To make it you’d have to be fairly confident that you have people who are willing to testify to its veracity. In this case that would probably happen.
There is little point naming the person(s) when what is actually required is a change of collective behaviour by caucus in the way that they handle a blogs and their net presence. In particular the malfeasant transfer of information that should be private out of Red Alert and matching it with other information, like comments on this site.
But there is a rather nice effect in not naming the person(s) concerned. It effectively throws the uncertainty about who did the malfeasance back on the whole of caucus – which is actually where the responsibility lies.
And it is probably a whole lot more effective for caucus to deal with their own.
There was a threat of “outing” by a MP that came up during the lobbying at conference. Subsequently it was raised by the same MP in the NZ Council as part of the lobbying to push Tamihere’s membership through.
You have to be fucking kidding! You’re saying a Labour MP threatened to out Colonial Viper and others because they were writing things the unnamed Labour MP didn’t like… And that the same threat was made to ensure John Tamihere was granted admission by the New Zealand Council of the Labour Party?
Am I missing something here? How exactly is threatening to out Colonial Viper (unless he/she is a Labour party MP which I doubt) going to influence a party decision and why would the New Zealand Council of the Labour Party give a shit?
There is little point naming the person(s) when what is actually required is a change of collective behaviour by caucus in the way that they handle a blogs and their net presence.
Labour has been collectively saying they will out bloggers who are also members of the Labour party if they speak out against the party? I think you have lost it 1prent. That’s ridiculous! Can you actually point to some evidence of this?
It effectively throws the uncertainty about who did the malfeasance back on the whole of caucus – which is actually where the responsibility lies.
I have to disagree there… The responsible person is the one making the threats if that is actually the case?
The problem here is that nothing will be resolved unless you name the person you allege has threatened to out party members and/or bloggers. There’s nothing wrong with saying who this is, because they’re a public person and it will be something they said that’s on the record. Highlight exactly what they said 1Prent and allow the the public to decide.
Seems you have marsman, better go on the run and sleep with one eye open like CV.
This shit STINKS and will really damage the Party once the MSM run with it.
What FOOLS this bunch of Brown Shirts are in conducting a witch hunt. Once Hooten and his ilk put their spin on it I see a new poll showing a low 20% support for Labour very soon.
Don’t stray too far. There’s that old saying “what goes around comes around” and I think there are a few people in the Labour caucus who are going to find out in due course how very true that saying is.
I also think I may know the identity of the person who has turned on you and that person will pay a price for objectionable behaviour…
This is no good CV. I’m sure you have your reasons but this is just not on. If a party can bully it’s members into silence it has no place in a democratic Country.
A damned shame, but highly reflective of the state of affairs with the NZLP currently. I too know the identity of the person involved in this, and there will be future consequences no doubt. Will be interesting to see what happens for me, blogging under my own name, in the future.
Let me say this very clearly: If I wanted a bunch of neanderthal, authoritarian control freaks to govern me I’d vote National.
Seriously, Labour? Targeting and threatening individual party members to silence them?
Anyone on the left who’s been thinking about supporting/voting Labour should be thinking really hard about this. What use are they going to be to us in govt? What good can possibly come from electing them if this is how they respond to criticism when they’re in opposition?
Do you really think this bunch of cunts can be trusted with the full power of the state?
Fuck that. Labour deserve to keep losing if they think this is what democracy looks like.
To be fair to Labour, there is no evidence presented that supports the claim of bullying. A few people are hinting about dark dealings, but nobody’s fronting with the facts. Name and shame, I reckon.
Nah but I’m done with pretending that every. single. one. of these bullshit events is either an isolated incident, part of a teething period, or a mishap unlikely to reoccur, and totally unrelated to a serious cancer embedded in the power structure.
How about you TRP? Are you done with keeping your head up your arse?
What events, felix? All we have is some vague accusations about an unnamed individual MP having a brain fart and possibility unrelated matters concerning a couple of individuals ceasing blogging that are being conflated into the size of a cow. I’m asking for people to put up some evidence to back their claims. The people making the claims are all anonymous, so there should be no comeback on them opening up.
What’s the worst the Labour Party can do to an off-message member anyway? Stop sending the begging letters? Stop asking them to stand on street corners waving signs, or doorknocking, or spending evenings calling for votes? It’s terrifying stuff, indeed.
I’m talking about pretty much everything the Labour leadership has done for the last four years. And at every turn, the refrain is the same: ‘Give them a chance’, and ‘They probably didn’t mean it’, and now your new hilarious one ‘Where’s the evidence that they’re a pack of untrustworthy morons apart from everything they say and do?’
I have no reason to doubt what Irish and Lynn and CV are saying. The Labour leadership, on the other hand…
Thanks for answering the question though, looks like you’re going to need your meals sent up there.
Thanks for clarifying felix. I thought you were talking about the specific events of the day, but apparently you were citing the vibe.
Interesting arse fixation, btw. Are you getting help for it?
You’re in denial, felix. But misinterpreting my position on this matter and the wider question of the leadership of the party over the last four years makes you feel good about yourself, its fine by me. I like to spread a little sunshine everywhere I go.
Apology accepted. For the record, I never denied anything; the whole thrust of my questions was to establish the truth. I now know the facts, via a private source, but I still don’t know why the Standard won’t publish the full story, because it really is appalling behaviour by a half witted bully of an MP.
However, I’m going to assume the lack of detail is to protect the victim/s and leave it at that. But you should know that this incident leaves me very angry indeed and I firmly believe the MP concerned should be de-selected and expelled from the party.
It’s like the marketing department of Hell Pizza. “Oh, what, we gratuitously offended another oppressed group in our quest to look edgy, and it’s blown up in our faces? Oh, that was just one random guy on our team. Honest. A completely different random guy to the random guys we blamed for the last dozen or so gratuitously-offensive fuckups.”
Having once been on the receiving end of bullying behaviour by people in positions of power and/or influence, I know how hard it is to name and shame. These bullies can be in a position to destroy a person’s personal life, career or business and get away with it because others are too scared to stand up to them.
It is up to the Labour leader – or someone else in a very senior position – to swiftly stamp it out.
TRP: There is more than sufficient evidence. At least for me.
The lobbying at the conference which is where this round of it seemed to have started was pretty intense and I’ve had quite a four people independently describing it to me.
The NZ Council debate is something that I have had several direct and indirect sources on.
And the leakage problems from Red Alert were something that I described (ummm) last year in a post after the rumour started flying around that the outing leakages were coming from here.
I’d have to say that Red Alert would have to now be considered to be a complete and utter failure because some numpties never bothered to learn about net culture.
Ok, did I understand that right – the people who run Red Alert are using things like IPs and email addresses to out commenters using pseudonyms? eg the sysop is passing those details on to caucus or other people high up in the Labour party, and that information is being used to harass or in some way control members?
Nah, it’s more that some MPs are spending a large amount of their time trawling through blogs, and Facebook etc, and then intimidating members based on what they say, particularly if it doesn’t agree with them. I don’t know if its an overt strategy or policy of NZ Council, but it’s certainly a policy of about 3-4 core MPs, and there may even be a a rogue one in there who can’t help themselves.
It’s not beyond fixing, but the methods to fix it might be quite challenging.
Nah, it’s more that some MPs are spending a large amount of their time trawling through blogs, and Facebook etc, and then intimidating members based on what they say, particularly if it doesn’t agree with them.
Don’t they have better things to do? Like, say, being an effective opposition?
If you have more than enough evidence, why aren’t you posting it? This guilt by accusation stuff is more suited to WO (or, in recent days, NZF). If there is some substance, lets see it. My apologies to all who don’t get where I’m coming from, but if there is bullying, then the bully needs to be named and shamed. If you do not confront the bully, you are enabling the bully.
Dude, that is beyond weak. Put up the evidence, if it exists. I’m starting to think it doesn’t, because I can see no logical reason why it has to be hidden. There is no downside to having the courage of your convictions, Peter. and the last time I looked at the policy of The Standard, making assertions without being able to substantiate them is considered poor form.
Nope, the ball is in your court. You’re the one making the claim, its up to you to back it up. You won’t, or, more likely, you can’t.
And the name on your passport is not ‘Peter’. That may be one of your names, but only Cher, Madonna and God can claim to be recognized on a single name. And the latter can’t even do that, because He doesn’t exist. So yes, your excuses are weak, ‘Peter’, but as you say the name of the MP has been mentioned already, you can show us how not weak you are by confirming it.
Just for the record: my response above was to a comment from ‘Peter’ that he had the evidence, but he wasn’t go to release it and that the the ‘ball was in their court’. He has since chickened out and deleted the statement, replacing it with the ‘religion’ comment instead. So, it appears that Peter is both a semi-anonymous coward and a fantasist.
Hilarious. Most people who’ve hung around the Labour Party know who I am. But for the record, my name is Peter Wilson, I was a former party member, LEC member, Otago University youth branch founder and president, Otago/Southland Labour regional council chairman for three years. I’ve chaired list conferences, fought on four campaign committees, including two as campaign manager in tough tory blue country. I have also worked in paid employment for a number of MPs, including the MP in question today.
If you do not confront the bully, you are enabling the bully.
Don’t mind if I do, TRP. You called Peter a “semi-anonymous coward”, attacking him for being anonymous and inferring that such cast doubt on his credibility. He told you exactly who he is, and that he has the credentials to know what he is talking about.
Peter, you, IB and LP are all credible people as far as I’m concerned. And that makes your inability to back up your claims all the more puzzling.
You pretend to have faith in their credibility while calling them all liars? Sweet. All the people you have named have told you the situation – they are reluctant for a variety of reasons to post what they know publicly.
You might disagree and think there is no legitimate reason for withholding this information, but last time I checked trying to bully people into doing things that make them uncomfortable is a bad thing.
I’ll tell you why I think this is nothing more than fantasy Blue…
The lobbying at the conference which is where this round of it seemed to have started was pretty intense and I’ve had quite a four people independently describing it to me.
That’s a damn slow grape vine 1prent has got growing there… Wasn’t the conference like three weeks ago?
and that he has the credentials to know what he is talking about.
There’s an unwritten rule in blogging, and moreso in journalism, that you need to be able to verify and back up your claims. That’s the basic difference between good journalism and propaganda.
Without some evidence of these claims, they remain mere speculation and therefore best ignored.
Being that the MSM hasn’t picked up this story either confirms that there’s no actual evidence to base these claims on, being that Labour would likely make a formal complaint to the Press Council if such claims were published in the MSM and were untrue. They don’t have the same opportunity with blogs though because those publication laws don’t apply. However there’s such a thing as good ethical standards with blogs, and I have to agree with Te Reo Putake that such baseless claims are more suitable to WO. Slater might have a large readership, but how much credibility does he actually have? Hint: the answer is not a lot.
Te Reo Putake is correct, IB, LP and PW are all credible commentators… However they do their credibility no favours at all by making claims they cannot back up with evidence. The blogger’s who have posted on such things as if they’re fact are also in danger of losing their credibility. Clearly attempting to damage Labour with unsubstantiated gossip isn’t worth the damage caused to your own standing.
Point missed, blue. There is no reason why the evidence should be suppressed. Therefore, it is possible, even likely, that the evidence does not exist. IB, LP and PW are credible people, hence my amazement at their singular failure to back up their position. It’s not bullying to ask people who are slagging off the Labour Party by claiming bullying to prove it. It’s their claim and at the moment, it looks like total BS.
If, as you say, there are a variety of reasons why their claims cannot be substantiated, they should say so. Peter wasn’t a coward for his anonymity, he was a coward for deleting a comment he wrote, then later regretted. He remains a credible person, in my eyes, just not as credible as he was a few hours ago.
I pulled that last comment on reflection actually, I had already received cease and desist messages privately. I don’t have the time for a legal battle, and I know that the people involved might push it that far. There are other ways of handling it.
Should this actually be what is happening, it would seem to indicate there is much deeper problems flowing through those who masquerade, and so called NZ’ers!
I have to agree with Felix, this stinks, its not isolated, nor is it in anyway in the interests of NZ, or its people!
Why would you be a member anyway? I’ve noticed a change of tone/content of your posts over about the past month or so, and actually wondered if someone else was writing for you…
Just when I thought NZ cricket had the most retarded governance in NZ, Labour appear to have trumped even them with this latest buffoonery.
CV just come back under another handle you did it post loota do it again and keep applying the blowtorch I don’t agree with you most of the time but you are entitled to your opinion – damn their eyes one and all the troughing sacks of shit.
CV just come back under another handle you did it post loota do it again and keep applying the blowtorch I don’t agree with you most of the time but you are entitled to your opinion – damn their eyes one and all the troughing sacks of shit.
Yep. Please do, but take a while first. In fact I’ll give you permission to use as many pseudonyms as you wish.
but I’d suggest a few things to do. You’ll have to shift your writing style between the identities. Your IP’s are quite distinctive, it’d pay to get them changed.
In the meantime there are a few people who just made it to my rather short shit-list for damage to the local net.
Perhaps we show solidarity with CV by including Viper in new pseudonyms.
Clare has him in her sights and Tim Barnett et al will execute on her wishes.
Don’t doubt the seriousness of the behaviour of Curran Hipkins Robertson and Ardern.
They are all graduates of the Parliamentry Party offices.
Controlling from the centre is what they were trained to do.
That is why they found the membership’s behaviour at conference so repugnant.
That is why they have failed to develop RedAlert.
That is why they cannot cope with the Standatd.
That is why they choose Shearer as their Leader.
That is why we are loosing out in electorates associated with them.
That is why we will loose the 2014 election unless we put matters right immediately.
Knives knives everywhere where to hide our friend CV but amongst his friends.
I fictional poem…
I knew a girl called um Clare.
All fat and old and well a haggard wellywood drunk was she.
Played with her raincoat and and her pet duck.
Upto no good, just one of the old hasbeen.
Fly here there and even to pari on a whim.
Tooted jee me lucky.
Well she was nt that bright and um um ahhhh a lot
But at the start it was no I’m not interested in knives and now after years trained by the best of the left poor dear Clare come back for the rest.
Rest in peace cv.
CV, come back alive and well, have enjoyed you over the years. I killed Bored for a different reason (but very similar: got fed up with fighting totalitarians on my own side), his spirit is allowed out of Purgatory for very limited haunting opportunities. Have a superb Christmas.
Isn’t it funny though, only last week people were talking about how bloggers were cowards for not giving their real name and here we have a situation in which a political party is bullying its members into silence and threatening to “out” them in an attempt to stifle dissent. What’s next? You can only vote if you give your name of the party or person you will be voting for?
What it proves is that in order for a democratic society to function it is of the utmost importance to get this dissent out regardless of the manner in which this is done and that includes anonymity.
We vote anonymously because that safeguards us from being manipulated into voting the preferred candidate from the biggest bullies and we should be free to criticize anonymously for the very same reason because that is the only way we can voice our concerns when there are idjits like this “anonimous” MP throwing their weight around trying to bullyi everybody into compliance and I for one hope someone will out the bastard because he has no place in a democratic party
I’d like to think we could get to a place where it’s free to criticize or praise, within reason, without the need for anonymity for fear of repercussions or censure.
Yes, that would be nice but seeing as you don’t use your own name either it seems to me you are realistic enough not to wait until such times come to pass
Recent news in the Guardian, and elsewhere, about how trade union members. left wing bloggers and others who do not have the right political views, in the UK, have been blacklisted and denied employment.
CV leaving us – Nooooooooooooooooooooo. And what is the good reason pray? You can’t desert us making vague comments like that. First Bored and now you. I keep hoping that someone will read and accept some microcosm of what I say so I keep on throwing my pearls before the troops, or should I say rose petals for them to trample on? (My opinion.)
You have been part of a revolt trying to puncture the complacency of centrist Labour, no wonder they find us revolting. The punctured balloon is now rushing round the room making a loud farting noise. Someone needs to be around to blow up a new balloon. Keep some breath for after Christmas and New Year and start the 2013 fun CV.
The “madness” is coming from the other side of the fence.
There are enough democratically inclined MPs in the Labour caucus to put this loopy behaviour to rest once and for all. Please do it? Then members will have little to complain about – including me.
The alleged Labour caucus mole/s need to go away and have a good hard think about freedom of speech and what democracy is.
I have been outspoken regarding wanting Cunliffe to be leader and Shearer to be deputy leader because this is my personal view on the Labour party easily winning the next election. Shearer needs to come out and say that intimidating bloggers is intolerable and to sort out the caucus mole/s.
I have always supported the Labour party on election day and the Labour party needs to learn that they have my loyality even though the leadership issue has not gone as I wanted it to.
It is going to be a bit lonely without CV and Millsy and I miss Vicky32.
I ‘m pretty appalled by this LP caucus leadership behaviour. I will continue to vote Green until Labour become a truly democratic left wing party again. It’s a bit worrying, though, as to what sort of government leadership the Green Party could end up in coalition with.
Indeed, sorry to see you go CV and Millsy – hope you’re back soon. And my sympathies for you in what you seem to appear to be implying you might hypotheically – so to speak – be enduring. Or not.
Why not just adopt a new moniker til the heat is off? I recently switched from using my real name in protest against the criticism of “anonymous bloggers” 😀
Be prepared for some ritualised “jumping in” though – this place is a bit like the Headhunters, after all 😉
This is frankly shit, CV. Not your decision, but being made to feel it’s one you have to make because some people who should be champions of democracy (since they live and die by it) have decided they can’t handle criticism.
There’s plenty we don’t agree on but you’re usually (i.e. when not disagreeing with me :P) a damn fine commenter on this blog and your presence will be missed.
Once legitimacy is lost no matter what tactics are employed whether bureaucratic or violent. For leaders who lose their legitimacy in the eyes of their people it is only a matter of time.
Such desperate tactics are not those of strong leadership, (no matter what the MSM tell us) but of weak leadership.
Kia kaha CV. Ka whawhai tonu matou, Ake Ake Ake
I know that you will heed the words and example of Rewi Maniapoto and continue fighting on the battle ground of your choosing.
More like on the barracades.
Wave the standard fly it high.
Here come all the vipers united and determined.
A collective you will see, a movement of justice of faith of friends and of power.
Once small growing big,
Live long cv and prosper
Quite possibly. I see that Labour Party Mayor Len Brown and his council are still determined to evict the Maritime Union from the Ports of Auckland. This despite the union making massive concessions in wages and conditions.
Oh did they now.
well if we get a oil induced big mother crunch it might be the barricades to get some progress.
Can’t see any of this shower ( labour ) working thru a crisis.
Another angle is that upon the TS it would appear that most um members are agreeing on one main thread – that we need a new direction focused on real and meaningful change and betterment for people that is a holistic systematic approach…a new way.
A new way forward, progress that is linked to green, brown and red ideology. Blue is dead.so
This is our barricade where we have raised the flag and where our voices get heard.
We learn as a group, we debate and comment freely, and in a growing manner we are becoming more heard.
History and recent event have shown that united voices, a movement, can cause change.
So to the barricades I say.
Disclaimer. TS is a blog, has no opinion or motive but solely as a vehicle for individual to express themselves in a legal and considered manner.
But like minded individual historically have shaped events, challenged the status quo and there works deeds and action in a collective manner created a focal point of change.
CV – I am bothered! This is a shocker to me. Your posts have been amongst the most respected ones I read on TS. I know I am not at all easy, and I have my health and other issues too, deservedly at times having been criticised by some.
I am shit worried about what is going on in Labour and the left as such.
Yes, I find it hard to believe what is going on.
Hang in there, same as millsy and others, never give up, as the challenge must be taken on the bloody chin. They are bloody asking for it.
I repeat: It is time for a NEW left party, inclusive enough and robust enough, to take on the challenge from the rotten right of spectrum NatZies. Take a break and think about it, all yours that have politics of fairness and justice at heart. It must be dared and done, we get nowhere with the present lot!
Thanks for your comments the other day. I’m pleased you’re having a better day. Hang in there.
I’m thinking the option may not necessarily a party in the traditional sense but a coalition of independent left wing politicians where each vote is similar to every vote being a conscience vote.
This might allow a much more diverse range of left-wing views in parliament.
I’d be happy to have such left-wing diversity in parliament.
A headline gleaned off of this morning’s National Radio, Starbucks the international coffee chain have agreed to pay more tax in Britain,
The interesting bit here is that Starbucks have ‘agreed’ to pay more tax, what this is really highlighting is that the Neo-Liberal thieves of international business are sharing the bed with the Neo-Liberal weaklings of British politics,(guess who’s on top),
Wouldn’t the proper headline be that Starbucks had had all it’s profits of the past decade seized by the British Government and had been ordered to pay it’s fair share of taxation in the future,(you can bet the same rorts have been, and are, happening here in New Zealand),
Yesterday’s headline from the same place, (Radio NZ), told of a couple of the bigger electronic manufacturers who had been spanked by the European Union for ‘price fixing’ on Cathode Tubes, (apparently the most expensive bit in ya TV or laptop),
The participants in that particular rort have apparently been for the past decade artificially bumping up the price of that particular piece of electronic gear in a little closed shop price fixing scam much the same as the banks were ‘fixing’ the interest rates they charged,
We are all as consumers effected by these multi-national rorts from tax avoidance to price fixing, its you and me that pay for this criminality, this is the true face of so called ‘self regulating’ business be it local or international…
The report I saw on Al Jazeera this morning, identified customer feedback as the reason for the change: meaning, I guess, Starbucks are afraid of losing customers and will pay as little extra tax as they can get away with.
The revelations led to calls for a boycott of the store and protests at its branches, and the company’s Chief Financial Officer Troy Alstead was called to give evidence to a parliamentary committee.
Starbucks repeated on Sunday that it had always complied with British tax laws and blamed its low tax payments on a tough operating environment in the UK.
However, a spokeswoman added in an emailed statement that the public mood had caused the company to reconsider its tax arrangements, which include intercompany royalty and interest payments that reduce the UK unit’s taxable profit.
“We have listened to feedback from our customers and employees, and understand that to maintain and further build public trust we need to do more,” she said.
bad12
Further to that google was implicated. They and other similar coys do not intend to change their payment regime as it is legal. The politicians trying to encourage big business to their shores!
And big business will just fill up their longboats with loot and return to their bases with it. And do what? They have visions like Kubla Khan no doubt – In Xanadu did Kubla Khan, A stately pleasure-dome decree:
Yeah, i am sure that far more than just Google and Starbucks are involved in that particular tax-scam,
Here we have the Neo-liberal apologists doing the hand wringing thing describing tax-avoidance as ‘immoral’ but not illegal so what can they do,
The above was basically the ‘Hairdo from Ohariu’s’ response to questions put to Him recently on New Zealand’s estimated 7 billion dollars of annual avoidance and evasion of due taxation which Dunne as Revenue Minister in quite a few Governments has happily overseen,
When faced with such an attitude from Government Ministers anyone suddenly robbred of the power of speech except for the muttered word f**k would have to be forgiven because when you count the numbers we would have NO Government debt problem if those involved in the ‘immoral’ avoidance of taxation were criminalized and made to pay their due taxation….
The commonsense man sure has a lot of people fooled. The electorate think he tries to make commonsense decisions about policy, in fact the commonsense all relates to the question ‘Is this good for P Dunne?’. It’s commonsense to look after No.1, who else will?
Smart trick St Peter.
(you can bet the same rorts have been, and are, happening here in New Zealand),
Considering the fact that NZ has become a tax haven we’ll be one of the countries that all those taxes that the multinational’s aren’t paying are going through.
DTB
Going through. Sounds like diahrroea and that leads to malnutrition because the food doesn’t stay long enough to be absorbed and used by the body. Fast money passing through tax havens has much the same effect on the country I should think.
What effect would such fast money have on our exchange rate? Would it be an advantage to the financial guys here to have a high exchange rate or not I wonder? Would this be one of the reasons why we can never play around with our exchange rate? Presumably if it wasn’t so stable it wouldn’t be so attractive.
The Cullen fund is the most innovative sovereign fund in the world. Why does that not make me feel confident about the fund? Could be because of this for starters:
Neil Williams, Chief Investment Advisor and Head of Strategic Tilting
Neil joined the Guardians in 2008 from UBS Global Asset Management in London where he was Global Head of Asset Allocation and a Managing Director in Global Investment Solutions. Neil was previously Chief Global Strategist, Executive Director for Goldman Sachs International (London).
Use of the words innovate/innovative can be found all over the various sectors these days, and concerningly the public sector, having been taken over by consultants, is using them braordly.
One can take it as finding new ways to steal, rip off and deceive the public, is all those words mean.
The fund will be in serious trouble, like everything else where the words innovate/innovative, can be seen, heard or read!
When people start using the words innovate.innovative in conjunction with finance then I’d expect that company/sovereign fund to be headed for a crash. The innovation in the finance sector was, after all, a major cause of the GFC.
If you are like me and trying to get your head around the TPP scam, the past two episodes of Citizen A have been worth a watch. Bomber has had Jane Kelsey on, as well as other new guests.
The 29th Nov & the 6th Dec episodes have focused solely on the TPP – stream them here
Also, the last issue of Werewolf focuses on the TPP…Gordon Campbell & Co doing their thing (real journalists)
In my own experience, the lack of instinctive democracy among the Labour hierarchy was demonstrated by Jim Anderton’s approach to running the NLP and the Alliance. Jim and a few others seemed far more interested in building a monolithic authoritarian structure than in actually changing anything. The activists found themselves either burned out or making accomodations, and an opportunity was lost. This behaviour is why the only hope I have for Labour is that they will become a junior coalition partner in a Green/Mana government and learn once again why they exist. My fear is that many of those at the centre of things would prefer going into a government of “National Unity” or some other Bonapartist rubbish in order to keep the radicals at bay.
Anything else I might say on this would purely be idle speculation and possibly highly defamatory. I have no knowledge – directly or indirectly – of the case, but I feel the story itself is important to take note of. I would caution against any speculation here.
Piss off. I reckon it could be Bob the Builder, that ex-MP. Or maybe even that ding-dong Simon Bridges. Or what about Winston Peters or isn’t that goofy weatherman MP Brendan Horan from the Mount?
Ffs, I know some secrets too but I couldn’t possibly tell anyone…..
just as well the internet only exists in the ether eh what.
I did not realise that a 12 year old was assaulted and that they have physical injuries and nightmares, I apologise for my comment as I am against physical violence especially when children are harmed.
personally I don’t see the point to your comments.
Either the guy gets done for something serious and we find out in good time, or he’s not found guilty of anything serious and keeps name suppression because there’s no public interest in knowing that he did or didn’t do something that’s not serious in the first place. And by the nature of name suppression, the guy might just be a provincial used car salesman or gp.
Methinks your linking and thinking is a touch premature.
I remember talking to one of my best friends (a Russian jew) about 12 years ago about the fact that I was anti-Zionist but that it didn’t make me an anti-Semite. He immediately dismissed it and lumped me in with the drive-the-Israelis-into-the-sea brigade (which I am increasingly seeing as more of a figment of Israel’s collective imagination than a genuine goal of Arabic people).
I think though that it’s important that people realise that it’s OK to be anti-Zionist and that they shouldn’t feel guilty about speaking out against the Zionist expansionism of the Israeli state. Succinct but articulate article, unlike this post 😉
Weka previously when I asked you if the Greens would continue to ignore Climate Change during the next election as they had in the previous one. After quoting back to me, my original question, here, after a long winded preamble, you gave your answer stating:
……I just don’t think it’s the job or responsibility of the GP to do this at this point. Time for others to step up.
weka
In response to your answer. I asked you another, and even simpler question:
Who?
Jenny
Weka it’s a simple question. Why won’t you answer?
Weka, if, it is not “the job or responsibility of the Green Party to do this at this point.”
Whoops. I think, in the last half hour, I accidentally published a post I am typing up – report on this evening’s demo in Auckland. Sorry if I caused any confusion.
The hereditary peer, who is not a member of the House of Lords, took the chair of Myanmar and spoke into the microphone against UN climate change protocols.
After a short speech, in which he was booed, he was escorted out of the meeting by UN guards.
He is understood to have claimed there is no global warming in the last sixteen years, and therefore the science needs to be reviewed.
This has me worried, Labour must be very confident if it can start removing members willy-nilly…but seriously as much as I enjoy watching the looney left eat itself (and I do) this turn of events is startling.
One of the things I like about this blog is you can (more or less) say what you think as opposed to redalert which, lets face it, is pretty dull
I’m just not sure whether its more Stalinist or 1984ish in what this un-named MP wants
Not wanting to go into crystal ball gazing but if this goes ahead when Labour are in opposition (I don’t think it will because of the publicity) what would be the next logical step when Labour gets back into power?
Targeting all those who support right wing policies?
Targeting all those who don’t support left wing policies? (but dont support right wing policies)
Targeting all those who dont support the Leaders policies?
And once they target those people what will they do then?
Whispering in the bright bright sun labour elites want a quiet capture of the centre area but the rebellious ignorant shrill members are perceived to be upsetting the plan by speaking freely putting up remits and questioning the established structure and it’s power cliques.how dear they say the elites…we know best you bleet bleet and are sheep sheep sheep but pay your dues cause we need the cash cash cash to bribe the dog so we can drink from the trough trough trough.
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
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 ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
One of the strongest narratives about "our" spy agencies is that they are basically institutional traitors, working for foreign powers (or just themselves), without any control or oversight by the elected government. And today, we have yet another report from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security which explicitly confirms this. ...
“It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April to meet the Prime Minister’s ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday — and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the country’s top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, Māori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellsford, Onehunga, Westhaven marina – Gavin Strawhan walks the meanish streets of New Zealand in his entertaining debut novel The Call, almost sure to roar into the number 1 position on the Nielsen bestseller chart, its front cover bearing a rave from somebody: “A really good and genuinely ...
On a Thursday in February, at Wellington’s Conservation House, the Conservation Authority, a statutory body advising the eponymous department and minister, Tama Potaka, opened its 195th meeting. Under consideration that afternoon was an agenda item written by Tim Bamford, chief advisor in the Department of Conservation’s biodiversity, heritage and visitors ...
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A lengthy response to the recently released draft Government policy statement on transport will soon be delivered from Auckland Council to Minister of Transport Simeon Brown. A submission raising concerns about funding distribution and the plan’s treatment of Auckland passed through the council’s transport committee on Wednesday, despite some councillors ...
The unidentified foreign intelligence operation discussed in a scathing report by New Zealand’s Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) last week appears to be a controversial United States intelligence system. The IGIS report said the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) decision to host a foreign system from 2012-2020 was “improper” ...
As a young gymnast, Aimee Didierjean was always conscious of making sure her underwear wasn’t showing on the competition floor. A peek of a bra strap, or briefs if a leotard rode up, would cost a gymnast points in her routines. “When I was growing and going through puberty, it ...
Jubi/West Papua Daily Repeated cases of Indonesian military (TNI) soldiers torturing civilians in Papua have been evident, as seen in the viral video depicting the torture of civilians in the Puncak Regency allegedly done by soldiers of Raider 300/Brajawijaya Infantry Battalion. There is a pressing need for stringent law enforcement ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In 2023, Anthony Albanese was shooting for the moon, his eyes on the Voice referendum. On one view, he looked like the idealist reflecting his left-wing roots. In 2024, we’re seeing a pragmatic, determined, ...
The House - The principle that all MPs are honourable and that they should be taken at their word has been tested multiple times this week in Parliament. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Helen Dickinson, Professor, Public Service Research, UNSW Sydney Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock Since the review of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) released its recommendations in December, there has been a series of Town Hall events to discuss them around the country ...
This will be my last post on the Standard (and probably any other blog) for a while at least – not too sure when Ill be able to post again, but it wont be until well into the New Year at least (perhaps when everthing has settled down) — my personal circumstances look set to change in a rather dramatic way, and it is because of that I wont be in a position to contribute to this blog. Its been great chatting to you all, and I have enjoyed reading the thoughts of everyone here, though the right wingers always seem to want to put the boot in all the time.
I think the left is in pretty good shape at the moment, and 2014 will see a Sixth Labour government, that is probably more to the left than Clark’s one was, though how far to the left remains to be seen. It all depends on how the asset sales referendum pans out, and the outcome of the PoA dispute. I see both of these as defining issues in this country — public/collective v individual/private, and security v flexibility.
So, on that note, Farewell, Merry Christmas, Happy new year, and hope to catch up with you all in the New Year some time.
Cheers to you, millsy, hope the change in circ’s is not a negative one and I look forward to being amused, bemused and occasionally confused by you again in the near future!
Sorry to see go millsy. Take care. Haere ra.
Eek come back soon Millsy.
Kia kaha millsy
All the best Millsy…What ever the circumstances, you will be well served having has a break from the boards.
Good luck Millsy, hope it all works out well. Having a break is very liberating.
All the best Millsy – I will miss your astute comments.
Merry Christmas Millsy. Hope all goes well.
Ok….
dont bend over for the soap.
just putting it out there.
Kiaora millsy
Look forward to your return. Take care.
Does this mean the end of posts from EDDIE on pain of his expulsion from the Labour Party?
For this to happen to a loyal Labour Party member who has done nothing but ably stand up for the party on line, while John Tamihere after continually slanging off Labour in the MSM, is welcomed back as a member and embraced as a long lost prodigal son.
Yes kind Lefty souls, I’m bugging out too, returning at some future date (hopefully not too far away). IB has highlighted some reasons why, and the stuff he is talking about isn’t kidding around. The miserable and ill-conceived pressure they are putting on Cunliffe and his supporters in caucus, well they are now turning that on to ordinary party members as well. Organisations which find themselves in this state, well what more do I need to say.
I shan’t be back for a wee while unless there is good reason 😎
Good hunting to you all!
Fuck. Sorry to hear that. Take care CV.
Goodness. It’s sounding like a Purge. Well, as I’m not a member, I guess I remain free…..
Take care,CV.
To those considering how to respond to something like a Purge, reflect on this:
“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
It is probably for the best at present CV. My abject apologies for not having the energy/time to talk to you (work is hectic).
I never care.
Quite frankly the party could do with my skills far more than I need the party. I’ve pretty well withdrawn from party activity over recent years as the environment has become more toxic.
But I’d advise anyone who has used a pseudonym on Red Alert that could compromise them in real life to expect problems. The system operators over there are quite compromised, don’t act responsibly, and have been that way for some time. Quite simply they are not operating in a way that makes it safe to leave comments there unless you have cast-iron anonymity. Treat it like you would Whaleoil’s site.
Which incidentally, is why you don’t see Red Alert on our feed
Actually, it wouldn’t ruin my life to be outed, especially as I am semi-retired. It might be a bit tricky at work, but probably not totally damaging. My preference for a pseudonym is partly because, personally I’m a fairly shy person.
Some people see it as a contradiction, that I can be very talkative and confident in a teaching or discussion context. But socially, I am often the quiet person in a group. I don’t enjoy being the centre of attention.
Tempted as I am to suggest that maybe your father in law has finally snapped and told you to log off and go get a job, I’ll restrict myself to saying I too will miss your contributions, CV. You maintained an excellence balance between quantity and quality in your comments and there will be many a chastened rightie feeling relieved that you are signing off. Hope its not for too long.
ps: I’m looking forward to the inevitable post from PG on your departure over at Yawn NZ. What greater tribute could there be?
Nope. This is an actual problem. There was a threat of “outing” by a MP that came up during the lobbying at conference. Subsequently it was raised by the same MP in the NZ Council as part of the lobbying to push Tamihere’s membership through.
It fits the same pattern of behaviour as Shane Jones demonstrates. A caucus that does things less by focused strategy and more by stupid intimidation.
I’d advise people to think carefully before putting comments at Red Alert if your identity can in anyway be traced back to you. I guess that is why the comments are dropping like a stone over there.
It is quite unacceptable net behaviour.
To be honest I struggle to see why there is a reticence amongst those in the know to name said MP. Should we not all know the character of those that are possibly going to be representing us next term?
(Sorry, I’m not singling you out Lynn, it was just your post I replied to).
Figure it through in legal and political terms.
It is quite a specific assertion of fact. To make it you’d have to be fairly confident that you have people who are willing to testify to its veracity. In this case that would probably happen.
There is little point naming the person(s) when what is actually required is a change of collective behaviour by caucus in the way that they handle a blogs and their net presence. In particular the malfeasant transfer of information that should be private out of Red Alert and matching it with other information, like comments on this site.
But there is a rather nice effect in not naming the person(s) concerned. It effectively throws the uncertainty about who did the malfeasance back on the whole of caucus – which is actually where the responsibility lies.
And it is probably a whole lot more effective for caucus to deal with their own.
“And it is probably a whole lot more effective for caucus to deal with their own.”
Yes, because they’re not just a bunch of self interested troughers……………
1Prent
You have to be fucking kidding! You’re saying a Labour MP threatened to out Colonial Viper and others because they were writing things the unnamed Labour MP didn’t like… And that the same threat was made to ensure John Tamihere was granted admission by the New Zealand Council of the Labour Party?
Am I missing something here? How exactly is threatening to out Colonial Viper (unless he/she is a Labour party MP which I doubt) going to influence a party decision and why would the New Zealand Council of the Labour Party give a shit?
Labour has been collectively saying they will out bloggers who are also members of the Labour party if they speak out against the party? I think you have lost it 1prent. That’s ridiculous! Can you actually point to some evidence of this?
I have to disagree there… The responsible person is the one making the threats if that is actually the case?
The problem here is that nothing will be resolved unless you name the person you allege has threatened to out party members and/or bloggers. There’s nothing wrong with saying who this is, because they’re a public person and it will be something they said that’s on the record. Highlight exactly what they said 1Prent and allow the the public to decide.
Sayonara.
What is to stop ‘Colonial Viper’ simply changing his or her name to
‘Post Colonial Viper’ .. or ‘Battlestar Galactica’ ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Madame_Hydra_Viper.JPG
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonial_Viper
What? Have I just joined a fa**ist Party?
Sorry to see you go CV. Haere ra.
Seems you have marsman, better go on the run and sleep with one eye open like CV.
This shit STINKS and will really damage the Party once the MSM run with it.
What FOOLS this bunch of Brown Shirts are in conducting a witch hunt. Once Hooten and his ilk put their spin on it I see a new poll showing a low 20% support for Labour very soon.
Hope you can return soon CV, you will be missed.
Hi CV
Don’t stray too far. There’s that old saying “what goes around comes around” and I think there are a few people in the Labour caucus who are going to find out in due course how very true that saying is.
I also think I may know the identity of the person who has turned on you and that person will pay a price for objectionable behaviour…
This is no good CV. I’m sure you have your reasons but this is just not on. If a party can bully it’s members into silence it has no place in a democratic Country.
Double eek. Come back soon CV.
A damned shame, but highly reflective of the state of affairs with the NZLP currently. I too know the identity of the person involved in this, and there will be future consequences no doubt. Will be interesting to see what happens for me, blogging under my own name, in the future.
Kia kaha cv
Let me say this very clearly: If I wanted a bunch of neanderthal, authoritarian control freaks to govern me I’d vote National.
Seriously, Labour? Targeting and threatening individual party members to silence them?
Anyone on the left who’s been thinking about supporting/voting Labour should be thinking really hard about this. What use are they going to be to us in govt? What good can possibly come from electing them if this is how they respond to criticism when they’re in opposition?
Do you really think this bunch of cunts can be trusted with the full power of the state?
Fuck that. Labour deserve to keep losing if they think this is what democracy looks like.
To be fair to Labour, there is no evidence presented that supports the claim of bullying. A few people are hinting about dark dealings, but nobody’s fronting with the facts. Name and shame, I reckon.
I’m about done with “fair to Labour”, sorry.
Are you also done with innocent until proven guilty, felix?
Nah but I’m done with pretending that every. single. one. of these bullshit events is either an isolated incident, part of a teething period, or a mishap unlikely to reoccur, and totally unrelated to a serious cancer embedded in the power structure.
How about you TRP? Are you done with keeping your head up your arse?
What events, felix? All we have is some vague accusations about an unnamed individual MP having a brain fart and possibility unrelated matters concerning a couple of individuals ceasing blogging that are being conflated into the size of a cow. I’m asking for people to put up some evidence to back their claims. The people making the claims are all anonymous, so there should be no comeback on them opening up.
What’s the worst the Labour Party can do to an off-message member anyway? Stop sending the begging letters? Stop asking them to stand on street corners waving signs, or doorknocking, or spending evenings calling for votes? It’s terrifying stuff, indeed.
lol,what events?
I’m talking about pretty much everything the Labour leadership has done for the last four years. And at every turn, the refrain is the same: ‘Give them a chance’, and ‘They probably didn’t mean it’, and now your new hilarious one ‘Where’s the evidence that they’re a pack of untrustworthy morons apart from everything they say and do?’
I have no reason to doubt what Irish and Lynn and CV are saying. The Labour leadership, on the other hand…
Thanks for answering the question though, looks like you’re going to need your meals sent up there.
Thanks for clarifying felix. I thought you were talking about the specific events of the day, but apparently you were citing the vibe.
Interesting arse fixation, btw. Are you getting help for it?
Sure TRP, nothing to see here.
Nothing has happened in the last few days or the last few years that would cause anyone any concern about the Labour party leadership.
Keep telling yourself that mate. I’ll have your usual breakfast sent up right away.
You’re in denial, felix. But misinterpreting my position on this matter and the wider question of the leadership of the party over the last four years makes you feel good about yourself, its fine by me. I like to spread a little sunshine everywhere I go.
Oh good, I was hoping I was misinterpreting you and you hadn’t really spent the whole thread denying the bleeding obvious.
Glad to hear it.
Apology accepted. For the record, I never denied anything; the whole thrust of my questions was to establish the truth. I now know the facts, via a private source, but I still don’t know why the Standard won’t publish the full story, because it really is appalling behaviour by a half witted bully of an MP.
However, I’m going to assume the lack of detail is to protect the victim/s and leave it at that. But you should know that this incident leaves me very angry indeed and I firmly believe the MP concerned should be de-selected and expelled from the party.
I didn’t apologise, but that’s only because I’m not the one who was wrong and kind of a dick about it.
It’s like the marketing department of Hell Pizza. “Oh, what, we gratuitously offended another oppressed group in our quest to look edgy, and it’s blown up in our faces? Oh, that was just one random guy on our team. Honest. A completely different random guy to the random guys we blamed for the last dozen or so gratuitously-offensive fuckups.”
Name and shame, I reckon.
Having once been on the receiving end of bullying behaviour by people in positions of power and/or influence, I know how hard it is to name and shame. These bullies can be in a position to destroy a person’s personal life, career or business and get away with it because others are too scared to stand up to them.
It is up to the Labour leader – or someone else in a very senior position – to swiftly stamp it out.
Ha, I know of what you speak, all too well. The out of court settlement was veeeerrry nice, but damn it was hard.
(and this is making Brian Edwards look a right tosser now.)
Blinded by the obvious are you or are you looking at the rising son.
TRP: There is more than sufficient evidence. At least for me.
The lobbying at the conference which is where this round of it seemed to have started was pretty intense and I’ve had quite a four people independently describing it to me.
The NZ Council debate is something that I have had several direct and indirect sources on.
And the leakage problems from Red Alert were something that I described (ummm) last year in a post after the rumour started flying around that the outing leakages were coming from here.
I’d have to say that Red Alert would have to now be considered to be a complete and utter failure because some numpties never bothered to learn about net culture.
Ok, did I understand that right – the people who run Red Alert are using things like IPs and email addresses to out commenters using pseudonyms? eg the sysop is passing those details on to caucus or other people high up in the Labour party, and that information is being used to harass or in some way control members?
Nah, it’s more that some MPs are spending a large amount of their time trawling through blogs, and Facebook etc, and then intimidating members based on what they say, particularly if it doesn’t agree with them. I don’t know if its an overt strategy or policy of NZ Council, but it’s certainly a policy of about 3-4 core MPs, and there may even be a a rogue one in there who can’t help themselves.
It’s not beyond fixing, but the methods to fix it might be quite challenging.
Nah, it’s more that some MPs are spending a large amount of their time trawling through blogs, and Facebook etc, and then intimidating members based on what they say, particularly if it doesn’t agree with them.
Don’t they have better things to do? Like, say, being an effective opposition?
But I/S, how can they be an effective opposition if people keep pointing out that they’re not being an effective opposition?
The answer is clearly to silence all critics. Then no one will say they’re not an effective opposition, ergo they’ll be the best opposition ever!
There are increasingly effective search engines out there, these days ..
Hi, LP.
If you have more than enough evidence, why aren’t you posting it? This guilt by accusation stuff is more suited to WO (or, in recent days, NZF). If there is some substance, lets see it. My apologies to all who don’t get where I’m coming from, but if there is bullying, then the bully needs to be named and shamed. If you do not confront the bully, you are enabling the bully.
I have the evidence, as do others. It exists, and if the behaviour doesn’t stop, it may just come out.
Dude, that is beyond weak. Put up the evidence, if it exists. I’m starting to think it doesn’t, because I can see no logical reason why it has to be hidden. There is no downside to having the courage of your convictions, Peter. and the last time I looked at the policy of The Standard, making assertions without being able to substantiate them is considered poor form.
You are free to believe whatever you like, that’s one of the privileges of living in a country that values religious freedom.
Nope, the ball is in your court. You’re the one making the claim, its up to you to back it up. You won’t, or, more likely, you can’t.
And the name on your passport is not ‘Peter’. That may be one of your names, but only Cher, Madonna and God can claim to be recognized on a single name. And the latter can’t even do that, because He doesn’t exist. So yes, your excuses are weak, ‘Peter’, but as you say the name of the MP has been mentioned already, you can show us how not weak you are by confirming it.
Just for the record: my response above was to a comment from ‘Peter’ that he had the evidence, but he wasn’t go to release it and that the the ‘ball was in their court’. He has since chickened out and deleted the statement, replacing it with the ‘religion’ comment instead. So, it appears that Peter is both a semi-anonymous coward and a fantasist.
Hilarious. Most people who’ve hung around the Labour Party know who I am. But for the record, my name is Peter Wilson, I was a former party member, LEC member, Otago University youth branch founder and president, Otago/Southland Labour regional council chairman for three years. I’ve chaired list conferences, fought on four campaign committees, including two as campaign manager in tough tory blue country. I have also worked in paid employment for a number of MPs, including the MP in question today.
That should be enough.
Nope, not even close to enough. I wasn’t asking for your name, or bone fides, I was asking for the evidence. Which you still haven’t provided.
Peter, you, IB and LP are all credible people as far as I’m concerned. And that makes your inability to back up your claims all the more puzzling.
Don’t mind if I do, TRP. You called Peter a “semi-anonymous coward”, attacking him for being anonymous and inferring that such cast doubt on his credibility. He told you exactly who he is, and that he has the credentials to know what he is talking about.
You pretend to have faith in their credibility while calling them all liars? Sweet. All the people you have named have told you the situation – they are reluctant for a variety of reasons to post what they know publicly.
You might disagree and think there is no legitimate reason for withholding this information, but last time I checked trying to bully people into doing things that make them uncomfortable is a bad thing.
I’ll tell you why I think this is nothing more than fantasy Blue…
That’s a damn slow grape vine 1prent has got growing there… Wasn’t the conference like three weeks ago?
There’s an unwritten rule in blogging, and moreso in journalism, that you need to be able to verify and back up your claims. That’s the basic difference between good journalism and propaganda.
Without some evidence of these claims, they remain mere speculation and therefore best ignored.
Being that the MSM hasn’t picked up this story either confirms that there’s no actual evidence to base these claims on, being that Labour would likely make a formal complaint to the Press Council if such claims were published in the MSM and were untrue. They don’t have the same opportunity with blogs though because those publication laws don’t apply. However there’s such a thing as good ethical standards with blogs, and I have to agree with Te Reo Putake that such baseless claims are more suitable to WO. Slater might have a large readership, but how much credibility does he actually have? Hint: the answer is not a lot.
Te Reo Putake is correct, IB, LP and PW are all credible commentators… However they do their credibility no favours at all by making claims they cannot back up with evidence. The blogger’s who have posted on such things as if they’re fact are also in danger of losing their credibility. Clearly attempting to damage Labour with unsubstantiated gossip isn’t worth the damage caused to your own standing.
Point missed, blue. There is no reason why the evidence should be suppressed. Therefore, it is possible, even likely, that the evidence does not exist. IB, LP and PW are credible people, hence my amazement at their singular failure to back up their position. It’s not bullying to ask people who are slagging off the Labour Party by claiming bullying to prove it. It’s their claim and at the moment, it looks like total BS.
If, as you say, there are a variety of reasons why their claims cannot be substantiated, they should say so. Peter wasn’t a coward for his anonymity, he was a coward for deleting a comment he wrote, then later regretted. He remains a credible person, in my eyes, just not as credible as he was a few hours ago.
I pulled that last comment on reflection actually, I had already received cease and desist messages privately. I don’t have the time for a legal battle, and I know that the people involved might push it that far. There are other ways of handling it.
Peter, how could you get cease and desist messages when the LP MP’s don’t read The Standard anyway?? 😉
Rhetorical question mate – just joshing 🙂
TRP.
Some things are better not debated publicly.
So a little bird tells me, MS.
A tolleybird?
It isn’t really Labour that has the problem – the party is trying valiantly to update its century old structures. It is the Labour caucus.
So this is how democracy operates does it!
Should this actually be what is happening, it would seem to indicate there is much deeper problems flowing through those who masquerade, and so called NZ’ers!
I have to agree with Felix, this stinks, its not isolated, nor is it in anyway in the interests of NZ, or its people!
CV, I’d love to have a 101 on this subject. Off the record off course!
Something does not add up here…
Why would you be a member anyway? I’ve noticed a change of tone/content of your posts over about the past month or so, and actually wondered if someone else was writing for you…
Yes, I am CV.
Most of the time it is better to fix a structural problem than to have to try and reinvent the structure. The usual problem is to find a fulcrum.
Just when I thought NZ cricket had the most retarded governance in NZ, Labour appear to have trumped even them with this latest buffoonery.
CV just come back under another handle you did it post loota do it again and keep applying the blowtorch I don’t agree with you most of the time but you are entitled to your opinion – damn their eyes one and all the troughing sacks of shit.
Yep. Please do, but take a while first. In fact I’ll give you permission to use as many pseudonyms as you wish.
but I’d suggest a few things to do. You’ll have to shift your writing style between the identities. Your IP’s are quite distinctive, it’d pay to get them changed.
In the meantime there are a few people who just made it to my rather short shit-list for damage to the local net.
I can help with adding gratuitous expletives to future comments in the name of identity-protection.
+1
Perhaps we show solidarity with CV by including Viper in new pseudonyms.
Clare has him in her sights and Tim Barnett et al will execute on her wishes.
Don’t doubt the seriousness of the behaviour of Curran Hipkins Robertson and Ardern.
They are all graduates of the Parliamentry Party offices.
Controlling from the centre is what they were trained to do.
That is why they found the membership’s behaviour at conference so repugnant.
That is why they have failed to develop RedAlert.
That is why they cannot cope with the Standatd.
That is why they choose Shearer as their Leader.
That is why we are loosing out in electorates associated with them.
That is why we will loose the 2014 election unless we put matters right immediately.
Good idea AV. Lets all be vipers for a day 🙂
Good idea but only a day?
I predict a viral video titled “Labour have lost the plot” doing the rounds shortly.
How about a sort of music video from that swing band of eloquent bloggers Colonial Viper, Bored and Marty G. Perhaps some rap or purloined Tom Lehrer.
signing in………..
Me too.
+1
Have a relaxing break, CV. 5pm Fri 7 Dec 2012 and missing you already.
It just astounds me how dumb these MPs have been.
Labour 2012 = Liberal 1912 ?
Knives knives everywhere where to hide our friend CV but amongst his friends.
I fictional poem…
I knew a girl called um Clare.
All fat and old and well a haggard wellywood drunk was she.
Played with her raincoat and and her pet duck.
Upto no good, just one of the old hasbeen.
Fly here there and even to pari on a whim.
Tooted jee me lucky.
Well she was nt that bright and um um ahhhh a lot
But at the start it was no I’m not interested in knives and now after years trained by the best of the left poor dear Clare come back for the rest.
Rest in peace cv.
Colonial Viper
Hopefully your battlestar is simply parked up awaiting new rims.
CV, come back alive and well, have enjoyed you over the years. I killed Bored for a different reason (but very similar: got fed up with fighting totalitarians on my own side), his spirit is allowed out of Purgatory for very limited haunting opportunities. Have a superb Christmas.
Isn’t it funny though, only last week people were talking about how bloggers were cowards for not giving their real name and here we have a situation in which a political party is bullying its members into silence and threatening to “out” them in an attempt to stifle dissent. What’s next? You can only vote if you give your name of the party or person you will be voting for?
What it proves is that in order for a democratic society to function it is of the utmost importance to get this dissent out regardless of the manner in which this is done and that includes anonymity.
We vote anonymously because that safeguards us from being manipulated into voting the preferred candidate from the biggest bullies and we should be free to criticize anonymously for the very same reason because that is the only way we can voice our concerns when there are idjits like this “anonimous” MP throwing their weight around trying to bullyi everybody into compliance and I for one hope someone will out the bastard because he has no place in a democratic party
I’d like to think we could get to a place where it’s free to criticize or praise, within reason, without the need for anonymity for fear of repercussions or censure.
Yes, that would be nice but seeing as you don’t use your own name either it seems to me you are realistic enough not to wait until such times come to pass
Recent news in the Guardian, and elsewhere, about how trade union members. left wing bloggers and others who do not have the right political views, in the UK, have been blacklisted and denied employment.
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread868934/pg1
Maybe we are not anonymous enough.
It common for some employment Agencies here to ask subtle question about unionism etc.
Very sad.
I will miss you.
I too am feeling that chill wind of public outing.
Truly hope you and Millsy come back.
This is just alarming! I hope you are not silenced for too long CV.
CV leaving us – Nooooooooooooooooooooo. And what is the good reason pray? You can’t desert us making vague comments like that. First Bored and now you. I keep hoping that someone will read and accept some microcosm of what I say so I keep on throwing my pearls before the troops, or should I say rose petals for them to trample on? (My opinion.)
You have been part of a revolt trying to puncture the complacency of centrist Labour, no wonder they find us revolting. The punctured balloon is now rushing round the room making a loud farting noise. Someone needs to be around to blow up a new balloon. Keep some breath for after Christmas and New Year and start the 2013 fun CV.
Late to the party, but adding my 2c, hoping you’ll make it back sometime soonish.
Very seldom see eye to eye with CV but his comments are always worth reading, unlike the dead arse policy repeaters often found here.
Kia kaha CV.
Will look into when a particular polly is having her electorate clinic………
I have these wild, radical, ideas about freedom of speech and democracy. Madness, I know but i can’t seem to give them up.
The “madness” is coming from the other side of the fence.
There are enough democratically inclined MPs in the Labour caucus to put this loopy behaviour to rest once and for all. Please do it? Then members will have little to complain about – including me.
Perhap I will accompany you if you wish.
I have my tshirt printed now and a tattoo tut says free CV.
suck. You’ll be missed.
Although my blood pressure might improve 😉
The alleged Labour caucus mole/s need to go away and have a good hard think about freedom of speech and what democracy is.
I have been outspoken regarding wanting Cunliffe to be leader and Shearer to be deputy leader because this is my personal view on the Labour party easily winning the next election. Shearer needs to come out and say that intimidating bloggers is intolerable and to sort out the caucus mole/s.
I have always supported the Labour party on election day and the Labour party needs to learn that they have my loyality even though the leadership issue has not gone as I wanted it to.
It is going to be a bit lonely without CV and Millsy and I miss Vicky32.
I ‘m pretty appalled by this LP caucus leadership behaviour. I will continue to vote Green until Labour become a truly democratic left wing party again. It’s a bit worrying, though, as to what sort of government leadership the Green Party could end up in coalition with.
Indeed, sorry to see you go CV and Millsy – hope you’re back soon. And my sympathies for you in what you seem to appear to be implying you might hypotheically – so to speak – be enduring. Or not.
Good luck, CV.
Oh, and please keep the education on 911 up where you’re going too!
Why not just adopt a new moniker til the heat is off? I recently switched from using my real name in protest against the criticism of “anonymous bloggers” 😀
Be prepared for some ritualised “jumping in” though – this place is a bit like the Headhunters, after all 😉
Will miss you CV. Looking forward to reading your comments again when all this craziness is over. Take care.
This is frankly shit, CV. Not your decision, but being made to feel it’s one you have to make because some people who should be champions of democracy (since they live and die by it) have decided they can’t handle criticism.
There’s plenty we don’t agree on but you’re usually (i.e. when not disagreeing with me :P) a damn fine commenter on this blog and your presence will be missed.
this is the end
beautiful friend
this is the end
my only friend , the end
Once legitimacy is lost no matter what tactics are employed whether bureaucratic or violent. For leaders who lose their legitimacy in the eyes of their people it is only a matter of time.
Such desperate tactics are not those of strong leadership, (no matter what the MSM tell us) but of weak leadership.
Kia kaha CV. Ka whawhai tonu matou, Ake Ake Ake
I know that you will heed the words and example of Rewi Maniapoto and continue fighting on the battle ground of your choosing.
Good luck habibi.
See you on the picket line.
More like on the barracades.
Wave the standard fly it high.
Here come all the vipers united and determined.
A collective you will see, a movement of justice of faith of friends and of power.
Once small growing big,
Live long cv and prosper
Quite possibly. I see that Labour Party Mayor Len Brown and his council are still determined to evict the Maritime Union from the Ports of Auckland. This despite the union making massive concessions in wages and conditions.
Oh did they now.
well if we get a oil induced big mother crunch it might be the barricades to get some progress.
Can’t see any of this shower ( labour ) working thru a crisis.
Another angle is that upon the TS it would appear that most um members are agreeing on one main thread – that we need a new direction focused on real and meaningful change and betterment for people that is a holistic systematic approach…a new way.
A new way forward, progress that is linked to green, brown and red ideology. Blue is dead.so
This is our barricade where we have raised the flag and where our voices get heard.
We learn as a group, we debate and comment freely, and in a growing manner we are becoming more heard.
History and recent event have shown that united voices, a movement, can cause change.
So to the barricades I say.
Disclaimer. TS is a blog, has no opinion or motive but solely as a vehicle for individual to express themselves in a legal and considered manner.
But like minded individual historically have shaped events, challenged the status quo and there works deeds and action in a collective manner created a focal point of change.
.
Sorry to see you go . . . also this.
CV – I am bothered! This is a shocker to me. Your posts have been amongst the most respected ones I read on TS. I know I am not at all easy, and I have my health and other issues too, deservedly at times having been criticised by some.
I am shit worried about what is going on in Labour and the left as such.
Yes, I find it hard to believe what is going on.
Hang in there, same as millsy and others, never give up, as the challenge must be taken on the bloody chin. They are bloody asking for it.
All the best!
I repeat: It is time for a NEW left party, inclusive enough and robust enough, to take on the challenge from the rotten right of spectrum NatZies. Take a break and think about it, all yours that have politics of fairness and justice at heart. It must be dared and done, we get nowhere with the present lot!
Thanks for your comments the other day. I’m pleased you’re having a better day. Hang in there.
I’m thinking the option may not necessarily a party in the traditional sense but a coalition of independent left wing politicians where each vote is similar to every vote being a conscience vote.
This might allow a much more diverse range of left-wing views in parliament.
I’d be happy to have such left-wing diversity in parliament.
Sorry to hear this CV, you & Millsy will be missed, hurry back.
A headline gleaned off of this morning’s National Radio, Starbucks the international coffee chain have agreed to pay more tax in Britain,
The interesting bit here is that Starbucks have ‘agreed’ to pay more tax, what this is really highlighting is that the Neo-Liberal thieves of international business are sharing the bed with the Neo-Liberal weaklings of British politics,(guess who’s on top),
Wouldn’t the proper headline be that Starbucks had had all it’s profits of the past decade seized by the British Government and had been ordered to pay it’s fair share of taxation in the future,(you can bet the same rorts have been, and are, happening here in New Zealand),
Yesterday’s headline from the same place, (Radio NZ), told of a couple of the bigger electronic manufacturers who had been spanked by the European Union for ‘price fixing’ on Cathode Tubes, (apparently the most expensive bit in ya TV or laptop),
The participants in that particular rort have apparently been for the past decade artificially bumping up the price of that particular piece of electronic gear in a little closed shop price fixing scam much the same as the banks were ‘fixing’ the interest rates they charged,
We are all as consumers effected by these multi-national rorts from tax avoidance to price fixing, its you and me that pay for this criminality, this is the true face of so called ‘self regulating’ business be it local or international…
The report I saw on Al Jazeera this morning, identified customer feedback as the reason for the change: meaning, I guess, Starbucks are afraid of losing customers and will pay as little extra tax as they can get away with.
Or, oooops we got caught rorting the British taxman,(and every English person who HAS to pay tax),
Better roll over and pretend contrition and when the heat dies down we can get back to business as usual…
bad12
Further to that google was implicated. They and other similar coys do not intend to change their payment regime as it is legal. The politicians trying to encourage big business to their shores!
And big business will just fill up their longboats with loot and return to their bases with it. And do what? They have visions like Kubla Khan no doubt – In Xanadu did Kubla Khan, A stately pleasure-dome decree:
Yeah, i am sure that far more than just Google and Starbucks are involved in that particular tax-scam,
Here we have the Neo-liberal apologists doing the hand wringing thing describing tax-avoidance as ‘immoral’ but not illegal so what can they do,
The above was basically the ‘Hairdo from Ohariu’s’ response to questions put to Him recently on New Zealand’s estimated 7 billion dollars of annual avoidance and evasion of due taxation which Dunne as Revenue Minister in quite a few Governments has happily overseen,
When faced with such an attitude from Government Ministers anyone suddenly robbred of the power of speech except for the muttered word f**k would have to be forgiven because when you count the numbers we would have NO Government debt problem if those involved in the ‘immoral’ avoidance of taxation were criminalized and made to pay their due taxation….
The commonsense man sure has a lot of people fooled. The electorate think he tries to make commonsense decisions about policy, in fact the commonsense all relates to the question ‘Is this good for P Dunne?’. It’s commonsense to look after No.1, who else will?
Smart trick St Peter.
Considering the fact that NZ has become a tax haven we’ll be one of the countries that all those taxes that the multinational’s aren’t paying are going through.
Don’t start, I am struggling to not vomit already. 😉
DTB
Going through. Sounds like diahrroea and that leads to malnutrition because the food doesn’t stay long enough to be absorbed and used by the body. Fast money passing through tax havens has much the same effect on the country I should think.
What effect would such fast money have on our exchange rate? Would it be an advantage to the financial guys here to have a high exchange rate or not I wonder? Would this be one of the reasons why we can never play around with our exchange rate? Presumably if it wasn’t so stable it wouldn’t be so attractive.
Our currency is one of the most traded in the world and thus one of the most unstable. Does that answer your question?
4th……
The Cullen fund is the most innovative sovereign fund in the world. Why does that not make me feel confident about the fund? Could be because of this for starters:
Neil Williams, Chief Investment Advisor and Head of Strategic Tilting
Neil joined the Guardians in 2008 from UBS Global Asset Management in London where he was Global Head of Asset Allocation and a Managing Director in Global Investment Solutions. Neil was previously Chief Global Strategist, Executive Director for Goldman Sachs International (London).
And perhaps this
Use of the words innovate/innovative can be found all over the various sectors these days, and concerningly the public sector, having been taken over by consultants, is using them braordly.
One can take it as finding new ways to steal, rip off and deceive the public, is all those words mean.
The fund will be in serious trouble, like everything else where the words innovate/innovative, can be seen, heard or read!
When people start using the words innovate.innovative in conjunction with finance then I’d expect that company/sovereign fund to be headed for a crash. The innovation in the finance sector was, after all, a major cause of the GFC.
If you are like me and trying to get your head around the TPP scam, the past two episodes of Citizen A have been worth a watch. Bomber has had Jane Kelsey on, as well as other new guests.
The 29th Nov & the 6th Dec episodes have focused solely on the TPP – stream them here
Also, the last issue of Werewolf focuses on the TPP…Gordon Campbell & Co doing their thing (real journalists)
The garden can be soothing and productive for fevered polly watchers but you should watch your back! No-one but you will do the damage here if you aren’t careful of strenuous exercise.
Some good advice –
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/5011927/Spring-gardening-is-a-dangerous-sport-claim-doctors.html
In my own experience, the lack of instinctive democracy among the Labour hierarchy was demonstrated by Jim Anderton’s approach to running the NLP and the Alliance. Jim and a few others seemed far more interested in building a monolithic authoritarian structure than in actually changing anything. The activists found themselves either burned out or making accomodations, and an opportunity was lost. This behaviour is why the only hope I have for Labour is that they will become a junior coalition partner in a Green/Mana government and learn once again why they exist. My fear is that many of those at the centre of things would prefer going into a government of “National Unity” or some other Bonapartist rubbish in order to keep the radicals at bay.
And themselves in the House they get paid to feel comfortable in, along with their slippers and tots of alcohol or lattes.
Yes, I love that: “Junior partner”, that is how it perhaps rather should be with the lot that sit on their backsides and cushioned chairs now.
Prominent Tauranga man charged with assault.
Anything else I might say on this would purely be idle speculation and possibly highly defamatory. I have no knowledge – directly or indirectly – of the case, but I feel the story itself is important to take note of. I would caution against any speculation here.
Why is it important to take note of if we don’t know who the man is?
Legally, I can’t even drop hints on what my line of thinking is.
Piss off. I reckon it could be Bob the Builder, that ex-MP. Or maybe even that ding-dong Simon Bridges. Or what about Winston Peters or isn’t that goofy weatherman MP Brendan Horan from the Mount?
Ffs, I know some secrets too but I couldn’t possibly tell anyone…..
just as well the internet only exists in the ether eh what.
You missed the GCSB on the list or an alien from planet Key!
I did not realise that a 12 year old was assaulted and that they have physical injuries and nightmares, I apologise for my comment as I am against physical violence especially when children are harmed.
personally I don’t see the point to your comments.
Either the guy gets done for something serious and we find out in good time, or he’s not found guilty of anything serious and keeps name suppression because there’s no public interest in knowing that he did or didn’t do something that’s not serious in the first place. And by the nature of name suppression, the guy might just be a provincial used car salesman or gp.
Methinks your linking and thinking is a touch premature.
Methinks your linking and thinking is a touch premature.
Except that it has been reported on the NZ Herald website which suggests the man is also prominent outside of Tauranga.
Goodness me, Paul Mabey QC representing two prominent Tauranga professionals in one week!
Unless… ?
Well, as the recent slaughter in Gaza drops off the MSM narrative completely, I thought it might be timely to share this link: http://mondoweiss.net/2012/12/its-time-for-the-media-to-talk-about-zionism.html regarding the distinction between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism.
I remember talking to one of my best friends (a Russian jew) about 12 years ago about the fact that I was anti-Zionist but that it didn’t make me an anti-Semite. He immediately dismissed it and lumped me in with the drive-the-Israelis-into-the-sea brigade (which I am increasingly seeing as more of a figment of Israel’s collective imagination than a genuine goal of Arabic people).
I think though that it’s important that people realise that it’s OK to be anti-Zionist and that they shouldn’t feel guilty about speaking out against the Zionist expansionism of the Israeli state. Succinct but articulate article, unlike this post 😉
Apparently, the sole purpose of capitalism is to make a few people better off while impoverishing everybody else.
Ooooh, look, the GP talking about climate change in a press release. What is the world coming to?
http://www.greens.org.nz/press-releases/nz-criticised-international-climate-change-talks
Wonders never cease
Weka previously when I asked you if the Greens would continue to ignore Climate Change during the next election as they had in the previous one. After quoting back to me, my original question, here, after a long winded preamble, you gave your answer stating:
In response to your answer. I asked you another, and even simpler question:
Weka it’s a simple question. Why won’t you answer?
Weka, if, it is not “the job or responsibility of the Green Party to do this at this point.”
Whose do you think it is?
Whoops. I think, in the last half hour, I accidentally published a post I am typing up – report on this evening’s demo in Auckland. Sorry if I caused any confusion.
British peer ejected from UN climate talks for denouncing protocol
Guess who.
A Green, Labour and New Zealand First coalition has real potential: http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2012/12/the-southland-economic-debate.html
This has me worried, Labour must be very confident if it can start removing members willy-nilly…but seriously as much as I enjoy watching the looney left eat itself (and I do) this turn of events is startling.
One of the things I like about this blog is you can (more or less) say what you think as opposed to redalert which, lets face it, is pretty dull
I’m just not sure whether its more Stalinist or 1984ish in what this un-named MP wants
Mate whole point I think is NO repeats of 84.
bang goes the drum.
Not wanting to go into crystal ball gazing but if this goes ahead when Labour are in opposition (I don’t think it will because of the publicity) what would be the next logical step when Labour gets back into power?
Targeting all those who support right wing policies?
Targeting all those who don’t support left wing policies? (but dont support right wing policies)
Targeting all those who dont support the Leaders policies?
And once they target those people what will they do then?
Whispering in the bright bright sun labour elites want a quiet capture of the centre area but the rebellious ignorant shrill members are perceived to be upsetting the plan by speaking freely putting up remits and questioning the established structure and it’s power cliques.how dear they say the elites…we know best you bleet bleet and are sheep sheep sheep but pay your dues cause we need the cash cash cash to bribe the dog so we can drink from the trough trough trough.