That is one of John Armstrong’s columns that wins my vote!
And his last lines especially so: “That is not sufficient excuse, however, to remove the stench of something rotten in the state of New Zealand’s democracy.”
Don’t get me started on the simpering Armstrong, his column strike rate is 99 to one in favour of the torys. Like an old farm beast presented with a salt lick he can’t help himself.
Does he really deserve kudos for stating the obvious months after the fact?
Ouch! But the more important thing to note is note the negativity towards national, but that this is a scathing attack on both Key and National by someone like John Armstrong.
When the right leaning opinion writers start in with attacks like this, the party is over. I would expect to see more and more negative press from nationals opinion writer supporters in the coming months. They smell blood in the water and know change is very likely come the election. So gotta get in good with the possible new leaders of nz before the changing of the guard.
So, we have national mp’s “retiring” this year by the truck load, we have polls developing a downward trend for National, and now we have the right wing opinion writers turning on the government.
OK well you stick to that story. There is a horde of Labour MPs who I am sure most contributors to this blog would love to see “retire”. It would be renewal.
You think the National powerbrokers were saying to those MPs who left “Oh god don’t go. It will look like rats leaving the ship. Panic panic.” For at least 8 of the MPs it was totally the opposite.
By all means root for your own team but you might like to think before you try to portray this situation as a negative. It is nothing of the sort.
If some these guys decided to “retire”, tell me with a straight face that most commentators here would say “oh no”.
You can get as pissy as you like, but it is one of a serious of indications that National will struggle to hold on to power, which is why they are doing deals with parties that cannot even get 0.1% in the polls.
And as for your list, if they all left within the same timeframe as National has been losing MP’s, yes that would be something to worry about for Labour and wether they want them gone or to they would be stupid to ignore why all these MP’s are suddenly “retiring”.
And lastly, I would take any one of those labour mp’s over almost any national mp any day of the week, and twice on a Sunday.
It needs to be seen in the context of Simon Lusk’s indiscreet remarks about National Party MPs trading on their time in parliament to build lucrative business careers, and the party’s practice of paying for favours with directorships.
bloody hell.!…i have to agree with sryland on this..(‘renewal’)
..as would many here..
..if they were being honest..
..you really wouldn’t like to see that (named) coven of neo-lib retreads/apologists/followers/operators/poor-bashers unceremoniously ushered to the door..?
I’m happy to see them go, just not sure whether the “churn” that occurs between National Party dim bulbs and boards of companies is in anyone’s best interests.
Whether the Labour party needs rejuvenation or not has no relevance for why the National party seem to think they need ‘rejuvenation’ (if it is not Nats jumping off the ship because they can’t bare the stench).
If this economy is as shit hot as the msm-and-Nats would have us believe – if they have done such a brilliant job of economic management and governance as they continually falsely present to the public I-mean-tell-us – why would they feel the need to get rid of so many MPs?
Sure rejuvenation is a good thing – however the numbers of MPs leaving National is more than a normal amount required simply for a bit of a ‘freshen up’.
Meg’s comment still stands because your response doesn’t address the point she correctly makes.
Some choose retirement and others have retirement thrust upon them.
It’s a good time to choose to come into politics in the National Party. Two or three terms to learn the ropes in a cruisy way as an opposition MP whilst those who have retirement (willingly or unwillingly) will cruise onto the directorships and the rewards for being faithful servants.
And for those National MPs staying on who really have their electorates at heart, they have the comfort and solace of their fellow MP who also took an early retirement when confronted by the mysogyny of Brash as National Party leader- “That you can actually do more for your electorate when in opposition.”
I don’t think this column is too significant, JA styles himself as a constitutional watchdog.
Note he went against the press bully pack in defending Nicky Hager in 2011 following the otherwise disgraceful reaction to Other People’s Wars. On Hager’s book: ”With the help of well-placed informants and thousands of leaked documents, Hager exposes the cynical manner in which the Defence Force has purposely misled the public by omission of pertinent facts and public relations flannel.”
He can be quite sincere in his own way, but he’s also inconsistent and petulant. He reminds me of Peter Dunne in the moral hypocrisy stakes a wee bit.
Perhaps she should devote her time to telling us why, given her key role on Labour economic policy formation, she supports the retirement age going up to 67 rather than making sure everyone knows that the Labour party hates pretty girls in bikinis.
Perhaps the clue is in the description of her role as a “feminist commentator”.
If she was a trade unionist and union-blogger as well as a Labour candidate, should she be prevented from being a union-commentator in the media, because she has some other role in the party?
What else should she give up to devote her time to her “key role on Labour economic policy formation”, gardening, hockey, drinking….?
Why do you think the media went to Deborah Russell in particular for comment? Because is a LABOUR CANDIDATE as well as a feminist. She is being set up as the time bomb that will explode by saying something stupidly PC during the election campaign.
Labour candidates are expected to be just that – Labour candidates, not feminist commentators (or union officials). They are expected to show a certain degree of self-discipline and circumspection, especially in an election year. If she doesn’t accept that party discipline around what she says in public trumps her feminist views then she shouldn’t be a candidate.
The line “…why do they need to mess that up with white women in bikinis..?” is particularly politically stupid. Why introduce race? That is insane. Why make it clear that to the Labour party pretty women in bikinis “mess things up”?
Imagine if this story came out in, say, September. “Labour hates pretty white girls in bikinis” is a fish in the barrel stuff for the populist right wing media. Deborah Russell’s political stupidity is a ticking time bomb for a party that is very vulnerable to this type of dogwhistle attack.
If Russell can’t display enough discipline, or is so arrogant/stupid she couldn’t see she was being baited by a media clearly hoping for the story it got, then she should step down as a candidate.
There are probably loads of Labour candidates that have other interests that they comment on in public. Maybe they should be give a list of subjects they are allowed to talk about.
The thing i noticed is that the descriptor of her being a labour candidate seemed a ‘by the way’ sentence in the middle of the article – it wasn’t front and centre or even emphasized at all.
That’s probably because Russell has been a go to feminist commentator for a lot longer than she has been a Labour party candidate. I would think that there is some obligation or custom to mention that the commentator you are using is also a political candidate. But like you, I don’t think that she was asked to comment as a Labour bod.
Personally, I will be upfront about what I think of Deborah Russell – and that is I think Labour needs a capital L liberal, middle class, feminist, soft left palace intellectual in parliament like it needs a hole in the head.
Russell isn’t just some earnest but lowly list candidate. She chairs the Labour Party policy formation committee. It has been put about that her economic and intellectual credentials have her earmarked for rapid promotion to lofty heights in any future Labour administration. The media knows this. She needs to be mega-careful about what she says in public in election year.
She needs to be mega-careful about what she says in public in election year.
I’m sticking my neck out here and saying that Sanctuary has a point. Unlike most regulars here I’ve spent 40 years involved in the Labour Party both within the inner circles and later observing from the periphery. There’s virtually nothing that has happened in recent years that I haven’t seen in some form or another before. I’m not going to name them but I recall two high-flying Labour women activists who at some point or another fell into a trap laid for them by the media. Their political opponents had a ball and they were left high and dry. But one political high flyer never fell into the trap and look where she ended up… PM of NZ for nine years and probably the next General Secretary of the UN.
I don’t know Deborah Russell but she sounds like an highly intelligent and competent candidate. All the more reason why she must watch what she says in public and who she says it to. The media will be training their guns on her and looking to trip her up before the election.
Edit: I see Sanctuary has summed it up at 2.2.1
I think that the media will frame things, and ask particular candidates particular questions framed in a particular way in order to get a specific answer that will then generate heat rather than light that will sell papers both immediately and as part of a narrative.
That is exactly what they will do and the stronger the candidate the harder they will try.
But she didn’t say that she ‘hated pretty girls in bikinis’ – as Sanctuary implied. She didn’t indicate anything even close to such sentiments. There was nothing wrong with her comment which was, like the article, focused on Air New Zealand’s rubbish branding.
I know that what she said is true Bill. But my linked comments courtesy of Sanctuary are also true. Therein lies the dilemma. Already there’s heated debate on this site and that’s without media provocation.
“Personally, I will be upfront about what I think of Deborah Russell – and that is I think Labour needs a capital L liberal, middle class, feminist, soft left palace intellectual in parliament like it needs a hole in the head.”
Pity then that you didn’t just lead with that instead of trying to wrangle something she was doing as a feminist into her failure as part of Labour.
Bill
Sanctuary is referring to what will be strategic comment by a core Labour Party official. Like it or not, she is one and her first responsibility is to further the Party’s standing in this most important election year.
When you have a leadership role you cannot cause confusion or distract from the group’s mission which will be to influence, gain acceptance and support for those purposes.
Comment needs to be carefully tailored to advance Labour’s
rise throughout the year to a successful election. There is a line that needs to be understood, in releasing stories that will interest but not give fodder to those in opposition who will minutely study them for suitable points to inflate so that they can ridicule that person in the present, with an ongoing taint.
Winners think and act in a strategic way when they are concentrated on achieving their goal. If Labour wants to win they will have to drive carefully and skilfully and not have their leaders give opportunity to others to damage their image, and the message.
weka
I don’t know. You can decide for yourself. I am making the point that uttterances have to be judged from a number of points, all of them having to be favourable to Labour, while Ms Russell is a leading light in Labour. And the opportunities for RWNJs to find some idiot thing to grab and exploit at any time this year, need to be minimised. Fin.
Do you think bullies need you to do something for them to grab and exploit before they’ll bully you?
This is the whole problem in the Labour caucus: if we offend bigots they won’t vote for us: well newsflash, dearies, bigots also respect strong leadership, and if you can’t step up then perhaps the Labour movement needs more caucus members that know how to stand up to bullies.
OAB
Please stay back in your corner, I’m a snivelling coward.
I’m interested in a great election finish not wasting my energy arguing endlessly with dickheads and time-wasting mischievous, malicious and partisan self-interested greedies.
That is why I suggest that people high up in Labour save their energies for comments that advances Labour, not idle chit-chat that is on the edge of being provocative, for the sake of it.
I don’t waste time running around on this blog after the busies that hang out here except to poke a little fun. I suggest if you consider yourself smart, you do the same.
But the time-wasting dickheads are going to stick it to you whatever you do. When they do, they reveal their rotten National Party underbelly and you skewer them and leave them in the sun to dry.
OAB
You do sound as if you have got a strategy worked out. So good for you. It has a sound of pig hunting, getting the dog to hold the pig while you do the knife work. Could be dangerous!
I’ll just run up a tree and cower. You have seen how fierce the animals can be, almost felt their hot breath on our cheeks and their teeth grating by our ears already over some contentious issues. So my advice holds.
Imagine if this story came out in, say, September. “Labour hates pretty white girls in bikinis”
laughed out loud.
1. Russell was a feminist commentator way before she was a Labour candidate. Her public profile may well have been a factor in her selection.
2. Equality is Labour policy and philosophy. Are you suggesting party members keep quiet about issues related to the philosophy and policy of the party in case people find out?
Equality is one of Labour’s “true loyalties”. Should the party give up on it too? Or should they just never mention it or enact legislation promoting it?
Sanctuary
+100 The ability to filter outspoken comments so as to ‘keep this for a private rant’ and what is going to ‘hold up to minute scrutiny for derision-fodder by the opposing side’ is a precious jewel not possessed by just every female, or male. Labour may have to give Deborah some texie-sexy crosby-crooning tips.
Is she being influenced by Deborah Coddington’s performances that have made her name and who is now a go-to person for the media knowing that she will have a bright opinion on anything? Perhaps it’s the influence of the name, it conveys some cultural effect perhaps?
Something metaphysical? (Trivia for today: Deborah means bee.)
And I think just saying made a very good suggestion – that Labour candidates should be given a list of subjects they are allowed to talk about. Because this is a really important election and not just an opportunity to run stream of consciousness, sort of Bridget’s Diary, confidences.
Being a bit reductionist there Sanctuary. Are you saying that all mps can and ought only to comment on matters directly associated with their portfolio? Of course, if every time a female Labour mp responded to an issue of sexism or racism, people of the left were to jump up and down telling them to stfu – then, if I was a right wing media publication, I’d make it policy to ask Labour and Green mps – specifically women – what their thoughts/opinions were before getting out the popcorn while elements of the left did my hatchet job for me.
I think that the media will frame things, and ask particular candidates particular questions framed in a particular way in order to get a specific answer that will then generate heat rather than light that will sell papers both immediately and as part of a narrative.
And @just saying “… Maybe they should be give a list of subjects they are allowed to talk about….”
Yes they should be told what they can speak about in public. This is called “staying on message” and “party discipline”.
ffs Sanctuary – staying on message is about staying on message when there is a particular line and not being sidetracked from it. Is DC guilty of that here? Can’t see how party discipline applies here either.
DC? But I don’t agree – Thematically, Labour needs to start setting the agenda with battles it can win, not reactively taking the bait on a narrative they’ve already lost.
Thought your stream of consciousness was taking you to David Cunliffe Bill. Got to keep on track eh or misunderstandings that confuse the discussion arise.
I think Sanctuary’s point should be read in the context of a media that will do no favours to the left.
As we all should have learnt by now here at TS, discussing anything to do with gender or sexuality is a minefield. When a hostile media invites Labour MP’s to wander about said minefield during election year – you are entitled to apply even more skepticism than usual.
Nah – you miss the point. Anything to do with sex in the public arena is fucked up these days. If it ‘s fucked up for Air NZ to brand like this, it’s fucked up for DR to open her mouth about it.
The ‘public arena’ – in this case Mathew Dearnaley’s NZ herald piece – is stating that Air New Zealand’s branding is fucked up. DR merely concurs.
I take the point about mps not walking into media traps. But that’s not the case in this instance – there is no trap. Besides, do we want people feeling intimidated and unwilling to offer reasonable or thoughtful opinions when asked – note, I’m saying reasonable or thoughtful; ie, that avoid offering up any ‘off the cuff’ snippets for sound bite hell roastings.
Personally I don’t usually see much point in using sex to sell things. It gains attention very efficiently but often as not it creates the wrong kind of response. Sex probably creates more uncomfortable responses than positive ones.
And fair enough when your crammed into economy class, with your personal space already uncontrollably invaded, many women and not a few men, probably don’t need the whole nasty, squishy and messy business of sex arising so to speak. (And modern research shows clearly that women are as physiologically aroused by sexual images as much as men- they’re just usually a lot less aware of it.)
But the risk with dragging DR into it is the unspoken sub-text – along the lines of ‘another bloody egg-head feminazi condemning all us men for having a sex drive’. Probably not a net win.
But the risk with dragging DR into it is the unspoken sub-text – along the lines of ‘another bloody egg-head feminazi condemning all us men for having a sex drive’. Probably not a net win.
“But the risk with dragging DR into it is the unspoken sub-text – along the lines of ‘another bloody egg-head feminazi condemning all us men for having a sex drive’. Probably not a net win.”
How do you think Russell could have expressed her view differently? Or are you suggesting that any discussion from a feminist perspective by a Labour candidate or MP is off limits until… when exactly?
“along the lines of ‘another bloody egg-head feminazi condemning all us men for having a sex drive'”
So, we know that that’s not what Russell said, and instead is a parody of what some people think some voters in NZ think. If you think that fear of that reaction from Labour voters is a good reason for Russell to shut up, then you are essentially saying that feminists have no reason being in the Labour party. I agree that Labour need to be careful, but there is a line beyond which Labour should stand its ground. Otherwise, why not just stay a middle class neoliberal party, wait another 3 years for NACT to fall apart and then they can be govt again for a bit.
Yes I did think about what you have said. And it is a valid counterpoint to the view I’ve expressed.
1. The intersection between politics and the personal can be extremely fraught. For instance the S59 Reform debate. Every reason to enter these debates cautiously.
2. I know that the ‘egg-head feminazi’ line is a parody, but it’s one with real resonance all the same.
3. Still I agree it’s not a reason for DR to shut up. But it is a reason for her to be pretty smart about what she says and how the media will portray it.
“1. The intersection between politics and the personal can be extremely fraught. For instance the S59 Reform debate. Every reason to enter these debates cautiously.”
True, although the issue today isn’t even in the same galaxy as that in terms of how it might affect Labour or the left.
“2. I know that the ‘egg-head feminazi’ line is a parody, but it’s a real one all the same.”
Yes. I wasn’t trying to get you to see it as a parody. I was pointing out that Labour has to push back at some point, not retreat and let the bigots have their way.
“3. Still I agree it’s not a reason for DR to shut up. But it is a reason for her to be pretty smart about what she says and how the media will portray it”
As far as I can tell the only reason we are even talking about this is because Sanctuary needed a reason to have another go at Russell who he dislikes as a candidate for Labour. If Russell had actually done something stupid then we might find some value in offering the advice to be smart about what she says.
It’s not like there aren’t plenty of other examples of Labour needing to sort it’s PR shit out. Why the focus on Russell for something so minor? (that’s not a rhetorical question).
I have no idea if Russell will be a good candidate for Labour or not. Nothing in this conversation today has made me any the wiser.
Well, seeing that ad reminds me of why I avoid ads as much as possible – ad blockers on my browser; recording TV & skipping through ads. Too much sell of the glossy lifestyles, and the colonising gaze of the tourist industry on the “pristine natural” environment, and exotic “foreign” locations – foregrounded by idealised white women livign the luxury lifestyle.
Subtext, rl? – ie feminism is unacceptable?
I don’t get why it’s unacceptable to comment on the gender angle of the neoliberal commodification of everything by people on the left, when about every other aspect of neoliberalism is fair game for left criticism. It just seems to be colluding with one aspect of turbo-charged capitalist spin. It’s deeply interwoven with the whole agenda.
I recall there being some headway made on the way advertising uses impossible ideals of white female attractiveness to sell almost anything. Then along came neoliberalism with lines about feminists being anti-sex – and promoted a commodified version of “feminism” – ie assertive women, within the narrow confines of conforming to old ideals of feminine beauty.
Myself, I just try to ignore the whole dire advertising industry. By why get so exercised about someone pointing out what’s wrong with such ads for our national airline?
If the Labour people just keep concentrating on getting elected and talking about the things they need to talk about, in the way they need to, and don’t listen to you and just saying they will get there.
Hopefully they will be both. After all, if you don’t reflect NZ you won’t get elected to government, and if you don’t reflect the party you won’t be selected to run.
Do you think Deborah Russell’s views on bikini clad woman would represent the views of the majority of labour party members.?
From what I’ve seen and read I’d say they would do, therefore what she said, is what she should be saying because she’s there to represent the views of the labour party members.
Dr Russell, who is Labour’s candidate for Rangitikei, said she was also annoyed Air New Zealand was spoiling a celebration of Pacific culture.
“They seem also [in the video] to have some lovely scenes of fabulous Pacific men and women – why do they need to mess that up with white women in bikinis?”
Absolutely appropriate and fair comment, no? And not a comment on women wearing bikinis per se.
The point of the Air New Zealand ad is that it is cast at the holiday aspirations of a cross section of New Zealand cultures, hence the ‘white women’ along with the appearance of an Asian woman and one from the Indian sub-continent,
That’s the target audience and it is intended to show the ‘beautiful NZ holiday makers among the equally happy ‘natives’,
My view is that creating any sort of furore about such advertising is counter-productive to any notion of equality anyone’s trying to put forward, shall we ban the bikini and have only those gorgeous swimsuits of the early 1900’s as the only allowable beachwear,
The whole argument is simply one of whether we think that we have the right to impose our views of what other’s should wear???…
If we are dominated by a media that sexually objectifies women and shows them as something to be acted upon then it should not come as a shock that over 1 billion women on this planet today have survived rape and violence.
I think a point which has been missed above is that Deborah is running in Rangitikei, an electorate held by National with a 10,000 vote majority, and which she’s a new candidate for. It can’t hurt for her to get media profile as she tries to make inroads on that majority. And her comments are very mild, I saw far angrier things being said all over Twitter about these videos.
I watched the video about the ad. I thought they could have used a cross section of Kiwi actors instead of models from some American magazine, but that’s par for the course for the advertising industry. Women do wear bikinis at the beach in Rarotonga, and other items of clothing. Men often go topless and wear lavalavas, but the target audience is unlikely to look much like the models. It does look a bit like beautiful white people gracing happy nobel savages with their presence.
Overall though, I found the video less annoying than the Hobbit rubbish they normally put on, which seems a celebration of corporate welfare and neoliberal union busting. I think Deborah Russell could learn that it is not necessary to personally fight every skirmish in a war, and that attempting to do so makes her a target more often than necessary.
I’m a man, my views on this may be flawed, but I’m not Sealord Jones. They’re not that flawed.
Maybe, but even then, my experience of journalists is that they choose whom they ask questions of depending on the answers they want. I did find it a bit strange that she was worried about sitting next to a man who might be leering at the video. It made me think a bit of thought crimes, and I would suggest that many men can even go to the beach or a swimming pool without “leering” and the connotations involved in that. Of course, I suppose that if the video hadn’t been made, the issue wouldn’t have come up.
Tony invited John to the g20 to showcase australasia. But thinks removing nz products is ok. Perhaps John will embarrass Tony by mentioning it in every meeting at the g20 and every press conference. Cue tui.
Professor of Political Communication at Goldsmiths College, University of London, on David Cameron and changes to the health system.
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So when Jim Anderton is gifted a virtually uncontested seat in Christchurch and brings in Alliance MP’s that’s a good thing. What hypocrisy. Get over it. Stop making excuses for losing again. Have faith in The Cunliffe. He is the Messiah of the Left.
Gee Fisi always needs to be fact checked. The Alliance and Labour battled it out for this seat in the 1990s and it was not “virtually uncontested”. In fact Labour has stood candidates against Anderton every election.
Anderton won it under his own steam. There was no Epsom type shenanigans here.
in some ways, it’s possible that labour would have fought Wigram less hard in the 1990s if it had been held by a nat incumbent with similar electorate support. Never underestimate the motivational power of bad blood.
More stupid lies from FizzyAnus – you really should apologise FizzyAnus for your deceit – poor person you can’t help your stupidity so no apology sought there:
Firstly Jim Anderton won his seat under his own steam as MJ says. No cup of tea bullshit.
Secondly in that election The Alliance polled more than 10% of the Party vote. The Alliance was in parliament anyway FizzyAnus without the need to ride on Anderton’s coat tails. Even if Anderton hadn’t won his seat the Alliance would still have been in parliament. Check it out in the following link FizzyAnus.
Remember also, Fisiani, that Anderton had already won this seat as a Labour candidate and was returned as an MP. He’d already got credit as a serving MP in Sydenham. One helluva difference from the dirty rats that Epsom voters were told to swallow in Hyde and Banks.
Anyway, good to see you here, Fisiani. As I’ve said before, when you come into bat for the Blue team, I know they’re six runs down in the ninth and facing defeat when they have you as a pinch hitter.
Phillip, on the surface, at first reading, John Armstrong’s comment appears to strike the right note, obviously you have bitten, and, on first reading i tended to agree with Armstrong’s ‘rotten stench’ argument as far as the obvious attempt at ‘gerrymandering’ the result of the 2014 election by Slippery’s National Government,
Think a bit deeper tho Phillip, has Armstrong suddenly taken ‘the pill’ which has given Him a blinding rush of ‘electoral purity’, if not, then what really is the intent of this particular piece of ,(quite clever),Jonolism,
Take it as a ‘given’ that Slippery WILL attempt to ‘gerrymander’ the outcome of the 2014 election and is likely to have some success at doing so,
Who then is Armstrong appealing to when He decries such interference in the ‘vote’, YOU Phillip, you, me, and the broad left are being asked to sit still in our little comfort zones by Armstrong, the Herald, and, by obvious deep association with the former, the National Party, and not dare think of attempting to counter the ‘gerrymandering’ efforts of Slippery the Prime Minister,
Should we do so, relax in our coma’s in the knowledge that WE have taken the supposed moral high ground the payment for our saintly behavior is likely to be awakening to a third term National Government which is oh so fine if your in the position of being financially secure but the growing underclass of have not’s can neither eat or pay the rent with the ‘moral high ground’,
Ohariu, Epsom, Waiariki, these 3 electoral seats, two of which will be a feature of National’s attempt at a ‘gerrymandered’ election result are open to having such interference in the democratic process countered by both Labour and the Green Parties convincing as many of their supporters as possible to electorate vote for the National Party candidates,
In my opinion to do anything else is stupid, a demand to spend another 3 years as opposition…
Phillip, probably an easy ‘fix’ would be to move the thresh-hold for gaining representation to 3-3.5% and ditch the MP’s that can coat-tail off an electorate seat until the party vote has also reached that level,
i am not entirely in favor of such a solution as that disenfranchises a reasonably significant % of voters,
The left would serve it’self far better to educate it’s voters in how best their vote in a particular electorate would serve the interests of gaining the Treasury Benches,
Epsom 2011 was the classic example of this, both the Labour and Green candidates gained enough votes each that had they convinced half their respective voters to vote for the National candidate John Banks would have been but a memory instead of the current pus stain having to be forced from office by private prosecution…
Think as far as Epsom goes Labour’s David Parker is as guilty as the Green Party’s David Hay in collecting electorate votes in 2011, had either convinced half their voters to vote ‘strategically’ for the National candidate Banks would have been defeated,
The difference, the Green Party hierarchy ‘spanked’ David Hay,(which was the reason for His brief burst of publicity as a leadership challenger), meanwhile the elusive David Parker might just get to be the next Minister of Finance although i would suggest that is probably conditional on Him waking up His fucking brain should He again contest the Epsom electorate…
Perhaps SSLands if you stopped whining like a beaten female dog someone might take more notice of you,
On second thoughts scratch that no-one has any interest in the ravings of a minor bean counter employed by a little firm of tax lawyers to count other peoples money 9 to 5 every week of His miserable life as a slave to both His employer and the system He so slavishly promotes….
I am with you on Armstorng’s ‘surprise’ article today, being a cynic. Leopards don’t change their spots. A bit of an attempt to use reverse psychology, methinks.
This remark at the second to last paragraph of Armstrong’s piece is the give-away, IMO
Now that voters are far more conscious of what might be required of them, Key’s desire to be more direct and transparent is the right call.
VV, Aha, and Armstong’s use of the Reid-Poll data is another giveaway of His underlying motives, in a previous comment last year,(sorry i havn’t got a link),Armstrong directly stated that Reid-poll deliberately asked leading questions in an effort to get respondents to supply the required answer thus being able to ‘skew’ poll results,
Had the Reid-poll asked Labour/Green voters ”if National’s ‘gifting’ of electorates would lead to a third term National Government at the 2014 election, should Labour/Green engage counter measures,like advising identified Labour/Green voters in those electorates to vote FOR the National Party candidate”, i am sure that the poll would have told another story,
My view is that Labour/Green should in the Ohariu, Epsom, and any seat National attempts to ‘gift’ Craig’s Conservatives, take such measures as necessary to counter such ‘gerrymandering’,
In the face of National obviously hell bent upon such electoral tactics i am also of the belief that Labour/Green should take a serious look at the Waiariki electorate with a view of simply beating Slippery the PM at His own game ensuring that the Mana Party win that seat thus adding 1 more seat to the ‘lefts’ total…
Actually I agree with you both Bad and Veuto it’s just that early morning I was pretty bowled over by those comments from KeyHasCharismaMan.
One swallow does not make a summer of course. In fact as I read the article it did occur that “Now that voters are far more conscious……..Key’s desire to be more direct and transparent is the right call.” was almost congratulatory of Key.
Yes, the sensible and thoroughly justified counter to KeyStench must be to encourage all Labour/Green voters to vote National in Epsom and East Coast Bays, and Green voters to vote Labour in Ohariu. Apply the same approach in Waiariki as you suggest Bad.
Yes veutopiper that sentence reared up and hit me in the eye too. On the one hand he was throwing everything including the kitchen sink at John Key and then suddenly he’s saying John Key made the right call. Weird.
Can you imagine him being so ‘forgiving’ if the boot had been on Cunliffe’s foot? Nah, not a show.
Just read the last few paragraphs of Armstrong’s article. It’s all a kowtow to John Key and National and how good it will be that National will be transparent about its gerrymander.
No one knows better than Key that giving voters a nod and wink as to how they should tick the ballot can come badly unstuck – as in the case of the Epsom “cup of tea” with John Banks which partially derailed National’s election campaign in 2011.
Using such exercises as symbolic means of communicating how people should vote had some value when voters had to be gently prodded to tick for the first time the name of someone not from their favoured party.
Now that voters are far more conscious of what might be required of them, Key’s desire to be more direct and transparent is the right call.
He’s pretty much saying there that now that National voters understand what National require of them then it’s alright for Key to tell them outright who to vote for.
The latest meeting with Tony Abbott again shows up Key as useless not a cracker for NZ he lacks any courage when it comes to sticking up for this country hopeless
Don’t be unkind to Jokeyhen. Perhaps he and Abbott couldn’t get out and play golf together? That is when you have a chance to get away from the minders and really talk, perhaps have a wee wager about concessions on whether you can get a hole in one. Perhaps Jokeyhen is just not up to the game. He has done his best, and got some concession, good for him the wee feller.
We know we only have to ask Australia for anything we want, and they will say… not today.
Google has a collection of suitable words that describe our position vis-a-vis Oz.
Three years on since the revealing Hard Talk interview on the BBC I wonder if Stephen Sackur is interested in revisiting the views expressed by John Key?
I wonder if John Key would have the stones to front up?
Best interview of John Key, I think, perhaps ever.
Stephen Sackur would be a starter, no doubt.
John Key, ah, the moral dilemma, front and lie, or simply just walk away. I think the second option would be his preferred stance.
You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.
Also on Radionz – regular programmes
Knowing is increasing understanding. Knowing about more than the bods in the private media choose to broadcast/publish increases understanding.
They limit your knowledge with their selective choice that is slanted to fish and chip fodder – the shape of face and teeth, the size of breasts, the amount of money made, or lost, or misspent, the fine details of competition in physical activities undertaken, won or lost ie sport, war, and where you can get outside your reality today – films, TV, bars.
Maori life is full of events, people buzzing with ideas, and can restore hope for NZs future if a listener is depressed. Some may have given up on forward-looking activity and creativity but not Maori. They are a powerhouse of what is actually happening in NZ.
What are Maori thinking about, and what do they and their leaders say about the way forward, and back.
Te Manu Korihi
Providing news on Māori issues, Te Manu Korihi features four times each weekday, in Radio New Zealand National’s leading news programmes Morning Report and Checkpoint. A longer weekly edition, Te Waonui, is broadcast on Sunday evenings.
Weekdays at 6:27am, 8:45am, 5:40pm, 6:45pm, and Sundays at 5:35pm
You can also read news text.
and
Te Ahi Kaa
The philosophy of Te Ahi Kaa is to reflect the diversity of Māori in the past, present and future. While bilingual in delivery, the programme incorporates Māori practices and values in its content, format and presentation.
Sundays at 6:00pm, repeated at 1:05am Monday
Rural areas’ happenings, is there anything apart from mass dairying? Lots, and this country doings being broadcast is very enjoyable and fascinating.
7:08 am Country Life
Memorable scenes, people and places in rural NZ (RNZ)
A weekly programme of issues and stories of particular concern to the rural community, and also of interest to a general audience.
Friday 9pm and Saturday 7am
Produced by Carol Stiles, Susan Murray and Cosmo Kentish-Barnes
“Maori life is full of events, people buzzing with ideas, and can restore hope for NZs future if a listener is depressed. Some may have given up on forward-looking activity and creativity but not Maori. They are a powerhouse of what is actually happening in NZ”.
I think the blending of Maori with Pakeha culture is what makes New Zealand special….many New Zealanders only realise this when they go overseas….that New Zealand culture and New Zealanders are unique ….on the one hand a heritage of ferocious fighters, on the other a deep spirituality with the land….. our Mother Papatuanuku …and with this comes a deep sense of belonging…and generosity
I think the early Europeans learned an incredible amount from the Maori spirituality wise….there is a generosity of spirit and inclusiveness, if one is willing to partake….this is how Europeans became Pakehas and proud of it….and of course today many New Zealanders have both Maori and Pakeha blood, or if not blood then spirituality( i know of one Pakeha without any Maori blood but who is more imbued with Maori culture and ways of thinking than many Maori)….so if you insult one half you are insulting the other half yourself
Chooky
Thanks for feedback. You mention how open most Maori were to pakeha, so many willing to share food, give shelter when needed, and misunderstandings, animosity have had to be settled and ways of living adopted that respected that there were two approaches with both being considered. A
I remember one commentator recalling one leader coming to class with the children to learn the English language and other things. Viewing practically that this was useful, there was opportunity to learn here, this big man sat by the children without embarrassment or feeling it diminished his mana.
And so we must all be, for our greater knowledge, wisdom, width of understanding, success and comfort through future changes, problems and trials.
There’s a church, St Michael’s I think, visible from SH 12 between Ohaeawai and Kaikohe, adjacent to a site of battle in which the English suffered numerous fatalities. Decaying corpses of English militia were removed from where they fell and afforded decent and dignified burial in the environs of where the church now stands.
By whom ? By the “savage” ungodly Maori of the day. The “savages” to whom the English were bringing “civilisation” with wholesale plunder and pillage the quid pro quo. That continues with ongoing dehumanisation, demonisation, and impoverishment of Maori. It is all the more beastly for the weasel words which accompany professions of apology, care and acknowledgment.
Living and working in the Hokianga/Kaikohe/Bay of Islands area for the last decade I am humbled as the beneficiary of a generosity of spirit and inclusiveness (Chooky @ 8.1 above) – aroha afforded me on a daily basis by Maori. Quite simply I would not be without my appreciation that “Maori” is magnificent.
Broadly, such “defects” as Ansell (“Kiwi not Iwi”) and his sad ilk identify and carp incessantly about, I see as the defects of Ansell and his sad ilk in the first place.
“This is an historic opportunity for me, as a Māori woman and political leader and for the Green Party, the most consistent voice in parliament for the interests of Maori over the past 15 years.”
@ Warbly. just shifting this little snippet of info, relevant to my point about unionised Vs. non unionised supermarkets, from yesterdays Open Mike, that I put there at 6am (insomina)
Furthermore, there is an interesting article about Union membership on stuff of all places. Robert Reid of First Union has this to say about pay rates for Union members at Countdown Vs. Foodstuff’s stores.
“First has negotiated a collective agreement for employees of Australian-owned Progressive Enterprises which operates Countdown supermarkets in New Zealand, he says.
Strength in numbers has earned Countdown workers pay rates of “high” $15 an hour to “low” $16 an hour; well above the industry norm according to Reid.
Staff of non-unionised New Zealand co-operative Foodstuffs earn around the minimum wage of $13.75, Reid says.”
Foodstuffs North Island HR manager goes on to respond.
Nice link Rosie, adds weight to my long held belief that based upon low wages as the measurement there should be compulsory unionization of parts of the New Zealand workforce…
SSLands, as usual for a brainless turd you have a bad habit of taking two words from a sentence and attempting to skew the debate around the false assumption made from simply concentrating on those two words,
i realize that you are bereft of an intellectual capability other than to copy and paste that which looks to you like it might support some point you are attempting to make and this is the reason you are treated with such deserved contempt,
Until you learn to put forward your point of view in a form other than that of the robotic repetitions of an idiot you will always be classed as an ‘it’…
I’m all for compulsory unionism enforced by the union members. Legislated compulsory unionism allowed a caste of bureaucrats to get lazy and depend on Labour governments for favours, which were seldom given. Then when the first ACT government went into full frontal assault mode on the proletariat, they had no answer. We must learn from that.
The Greens are fanatics. They are not normal people. They are zealots who want to impose their beliefs on us all. They truly want to
1.Ban fizzy drinks from schools
2.Ban fuel inefficient vehicles
3.Ban all gaming machines in pubs
4.Ban the GCSB
5.Ban violent TV programmes until after 10 pm
6.Ban feeding of antibiotics to animals that are not sick
7.Ban companies that do not comply with a Code of Corporate Responsibility
8.Ban ACC from investing in enterprises that provide products or services that significantly increase rates of injury or illness or otherwise have significant adverse social or environmental effects
9.Ban commercial Genetic Engineering trials
10.Ban field testing on production of GE food
11.Ban import of GE food
12.Ban Urban Sprawl
13.Ban non citizens/residents from owning land
14.Ban further corporate farming
15.Ban sale of high country farms to NZers who do not live in NZ at least 185 days a year
16.Ban the transport by sea of farm animals, for more than 24 hours
17.Ban crates for sows
18.Ban battery cages for hens
19.Ban factory farming of animals
20.Ban the use of mechanically recovered meat in the food chain
21.Ban the use of the ground-up remains of sheep and cows as stock feed
22.Ban animal testing where animals suffer, even if of benefit to humans
23.Ban cloning of animals
24.Ban use of animals in GE
25.Ban GE animal food
26.Ban docking of dogs tails
27.Ban intrusive animal experimentation as a teaching method in all educational institutions
28.Ban smacking
29.Ban advertising during children’s programmes
30.Ban alcohol advertising on TV and radio
31.Ban coal mining
32.Ban the export of indigenous logs and chips
33.Ban the use of bio-accumulative and persistent poisons
34.Ban the establishment of mustelid farms
35.Ban new exploration, prospecting and mining on conservation land and reserves
36.Ban mining activities when rare and endemic species are found to present on the mining site
37.Ban the trading conservation land for other land to facilitate extractive activities on.
38.Ban the further holding of marine mammals in captivity except as part of an approved threatened species recovery strategy
39.Ban the direct to consumer advertising of pharmaceuticals
40.Ban sale of chips and lollies on school property
41.Ban any additional use of coal for energy
42.Ban fixed electricity charges
43.Ban further large hydro plants
44.Ban nuclear power
45.Ban further thermal generation
46.Ban private water management
47.Ban imported vehicles over seven years old
48.Ban the disposal of recyclable materials at landfills
49.Ban the export of hazardous waste to non OECD countries
50.Ban funding of health services by companies that sell unhealthy food (so McDonalds could not fund services for young cancer sufferers)
51.Ban healthcare organizations from selling unhealthy food or drink
52.Ban advertising of unhealthy food until after 8.30 pm
53.Ban all food and drink advertisements on TV if they do not meet criteria for nutritious food
54.Ban the use of antibiotics as sprays on crops
55.Ban food irradiation within NZ
56.Ban irradiated food imports
57.Ban growth hormones for animals
58.Ban crown agency investments in any entity that denies climate change!!
59.Ban crown agency investments in any entity that is involved in tobacco
60.Ban crown agency investments in any entity that is involved in environmentally damaging oil extraction or gold mining
61.Ban non UN sanctioned military involvement (so China and Russia gets to veto all NZ engagements)
62.Ban NZ from military treaties which are based on the right to self defence
63.Ban NZers from serving as mercenaries
64.Ban new casinos
65.Allow existing casinos to be banned
66.Ban promotion of Internet gambling
67.Ban advertising of unhealthy food to children
68.Ban cellphone towers within 300 metres of homes
69.Ban new buildings that do not confirm to sustainable building principles
70.Ban migrants who do not undertake Treaty of Waitangi education programmes
71.Ban new prisons
72.Ban semi-automatic weapons
73.Ban genetic mixing between specieis
74.Ban ocean mineral extractions within the EEZ
75.Ban limited liability companies by making owners responsible for liability of products
76.Ban funding of PTEs that compete with public tertiary institutes
77.Ban the importation of goods and services that do not meet quality and environmental certification standards in production, lifecycle analysis, and eco-labelling
78.Ban goods that do not meet quality and sustainability standards for goods which are produced and/or sold in Aotearoa/New Zealand
79.Ban new urban highways or motorways
80.Ban private toll roads
81.Ban import of vehicles more than seven years old unless they meet emission standards
82.Ban imported goods that do not meet standards for durability and ease of recycling
83.Ban landfills
84.Ban new houses without water saving measures
85.Ban programmes on TVNZ with gratuitous violence
bad12 these may be 85 reasons for being a Green Party member but if they were known to the public then the public would never dream of wasting their vote on the Greens.
Lolz, Fish-head has yet to come to terms with the relationship of feeding farmed animals en masse with anti-biotics and the continuing loss of efficacy such anti-biotics have when they are used against infections within the human population,
Answering the query put to Fish-head on ‘its’ behalf i would suggest that ‘it’ is EVERY sort of brain-dead idiot imaginable and a few yet to be thought of…
Right wing fastidiousness over slang and “rudeness” is a fascinating phenomenon. A man who can pass the foulest of employment laws, promote policies that lead directly to increased infant mortality, blanches at a little fuck then lays claim to the moral high ground for doing so.
Fish-head, 12-15% of the public will be doing just that at the 2014 election, voting for the Green Party that is,
(84), Ban new houses without water saving measures, in the year 2040 Fish-head, every house in the Auckland city boundary is going to Need a split water system where the washing machine, shower and out-side water taps will Need to be attached to a 5000 liter tank which collects water from the houses guttering,
Auckland City already is applying for resource consent to considerably up it’s take of water from the Waikato River with major opposition from competing water users such as farmer groups,
The rising population of that city will force either the Council or the individual to make use of the zillions of liters of storm-water currently wasted or face ‘water-blackouts’…
That is a good idea, did you know that Hamilton’s treated sewerage goes into the Waikato River and then it becomes part of Auckland’s water supply. Mmm tasty.
Yes, along with what Taupo and every small town on the River in between had for breakfast,not to mention farm run off,
Along with a fair dose of ‘black-water’ from the Kinlieth Mill just down the road from Tokoroa via it’s exit into the River at Mangakino,
Apparently most of the Waikato River water is consumed in the South of Auckland and while they all aint dropping dead yet there might in 10 or 20 years be some very ‘interesting’ health effects becoming apparent…
As a postscript, i believe the Kapiti district council, having ‘tapped’ out the local resources of fresh water require all new houses to have a 5000 liter rain-water tank as part of the building consent…
“As a postscript, i believe the Kapiti district council, having ‘tapped’ out the local resources of fresh water require all new houses to have a 5000 liter rain-water tank as part of the building consent…”
Ummm yes plus they are building a new dam. Did you think we were all going to rely on rainwater?
It probably means that ACT enablers can write letters to the media then pretend they aren’t from paid hacks by signing false names. I’m assuming that being ACT enablers, their English skills failed at “waive”.
??? building a new dam SSLands, guessing you to be close to sixty you will be lucky to get a sip of water from it befor you end up as trash buried in the ground,
Hope you enjoy the inevitable rates rises which should be quite considerable, even buying the land to be submerged has at least doubled in price in the last few years, imagine what ‘inflation’ will do to the 33 odd million the dam is supposed to cost,
What’s 66 million look like on the rates bill, assuming of course that ‘the dam’ can over-come the hurdle of resource consent, something the former Mayor Jenny Rowan wasn’t so sure about…
I liked this piece from the ACT site (with changes in the interests of accuracy):
The ACT Party has always had a strong focus on law and order, and how to avoid our personal responsibilities. It is the prime responsibility of government to keep its citizens safe from dark skinned South Aucklanders.
With the ACT Party in Government under National, we have ensured that National puts this responsibility at the top of its list. Since ACT has been in Government, we have seen the following:
• 100% of ACT MPs are currently facing criminal charges;
• In fact, every year since David Garrett got his new passport, reported crime has dropped;
• Murder has dropped 36.5 per cent since 2008. Giving Police officers immunity has really helped;
• Serious assault since 2008 has dropped 9.2 per cent. Our new initiative to use the 2007 figures will see serious assaults since 2008 drop to zero.
These trends will make it much easier for SERCO to make record profits. Our transparency in investment initiative will mean that no ACT member will need to declare their shareholdings in private prisons.
The smart money has them on 9.5% – 10.5%? at election time. Their floor support is 7%.
If you seriously think they will get even 12% you can make some real money. Drop a stack on ipredict drip fed over the next 6 months and you will clean up.
And who the hell is “fish head”?
You seem to have that Green Party love of “banning” things. It must be in the water. My assessment is that your regulatory proposal to ban houses is likely to fall over in its RIA:
There is no need to ban anything. Simply price water to recover costs from all users, including farmers, and users can figure out their own water conservation measures. Bring in water metering and charge everyone.
One thing New Zealand doesn’t have to worry about is water. As David Lange famously said in his eloquent tones.
too much stupid from SSpylands – assuming the higher end of of a range is the expectation, that ipredict counts as a reliable predition of reality, that anything from treasury is worth a damn when their predictions are way off even in the six month timeframe, etc etc etc.
fishhead
Runner-up to Blip for list making but not in the same class, so can never come close. But Fishy has been working – you really have. Pity all your stuff is so negative usually and I just don’t bother to read it. If I miss something good, somebody will repeat it amongst those whose comments I do read. But good marks for trying.
What are you like at cryptic crosswords?
You have the fortitude and screwiness to break through those enigmatic clues I would think.
But I have you down as my ACT buddy – you can be the Hamilton frontier for freedom.
The greens have a core support level of about 7%. The extra 5 percentage points have zero clue about Green policies. They are (1) the young and confused and (2) the prosperous wine sippers in Oriental Bay and Kelburn who think the Greens are about making the flowers grow.
If the Greens get into power, this latter group will desert them in a flash once they see what the Greens are about.
“If the Greens get into power, this latter group will desert them in a flash once they see what the Greens are about.”
So how come these NACT lackeys know about all the GP’s evil plans, but the general public doesn’t? The GP are pretty up front about their policies, and have one of the best websites for communicating their values and policies. They are certainly far better than National at being honest about what they want and intend.
I actually had you down as a Mana member. All that misdirected anger and entitlement issues, pure Mana. I thought you would be too scary for most Green Party branches.
It does show how far the Greens have moved from that nice Rod Donald. I worked with him closely on the Overseas Investment Bill. He was a nice guy. He would be spewing looking at the Green Party today and how far it has strayed from its mission into basically a communist party in green drag.
Stupid comment again SSLands, the Green Party has had the same two arms since it’s formation, Green and Social Justice issues have been at its core all along…
Fiss – what a great idea.
On one side of the wall BLiP’s poster, on the other side, a modified version of your list. I like it.
No. 80 for example – ban all private toll roads – I can’t see any New Zealanders being outraged, except a few Nats. Thanks fiss-mog !!
No. 44 – Ban Nuclear Power – in New Zealand – already done, you f**ken moron !!
No he did not. It is a work in progress. They are mostly spot on but some are a little OTT. It is a great concept for electioneering. A four metre high “soon to be banned” list on SH2. Target – the 2.5 percentage points folk from Kelburn and Oriental Bay who vote Green. These are the Green voters with rental properties and who want to make the flowers grow.
To anyone except a goddamn neolib robot like you, a whole chunk of those things aren’t that bad, and a whole chunk more are so outlandish as to be as successful as “the Green delusion”.
Never an answer to BLiP’s LiST, although imitation/flattery and all that. The BLiP LiST is a famous and ever expanding chronologue of the devious mutterings of an effete shifty-eyed US bankster domiciled in HaWhyKey. The BLiP LiST stands on its own. It is read and respected all over The World. It is a taonga Aotearoa which ultimately will be taken from the pages of The Standard and housed in Te Papa as Aotearoa’s Founding-Out Document !
– awaiting replies from printers for quotes
– sent mails’ content:
Hello xxxxxx xxxxxx
I am in need of a quote for some posters, to be used for a nationwide paste up operation that is still awaiting funding. Once there is a price I will have a better idea of when the project can get a green light but at this time I am looking at an April start for distribution.
If you could let me know a price per 1000 posters and per 500 posters
I am looking at a 3 colour poster which at this time involves only text and Q- codes.
if you could quote for A0, A1, and A2 sizes it would be appreciated.
There will be no design services required as you will receive the files in whatever format and with any specifications you require.
Thank you
xxxxxxx xxxxxx
Except for some personal contact info, no other information about the posters was divulged.
Until we have an initial price pool, it seemed unnecessary.
p.s. any one feel like offering legal advice on the PPP concept yet?
Not sure I get the PPP acronym but I’m assuming it’s around the wide dissemination of The BLiP LiST.
Not my area but I’m ruminating on measure of privilege attaching to fair comment, honestly held belief/opinion, matter of public interest ? Surely it wouldn’t display essential malice like (Condom) Ansell’s “Kiwi Not Iwi”. However, lets deal with first things first – how about justification ?
” how about justification ?”
North, would you care to elaborate a bit please?.
Not being a lawyer, I am not following the context of the use of justification.
thank you
thanks, I thought for a minute you were asking what was the justification for delivering published information about incorrect and conflicting statements by our Prime Minister to the voting public of New Zealand?
And I have just been listening to a replay of interviews from Waitangi Day. http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/290651/labours-snubbing-forum-rankles
Sonny Tau of the Maori Leaders Group says that they haven’t got time to talk to Labour and only want to talk to the government of the day. If they included any other political party, they would have to include them all. As Labour is the only other major party, I hardly think that holds water.
Another comment from NACTs on radio was that Paula (Bennett) was up north finalising something apparently relating to Treaty settlements up there. I may not have understood that correctly. But Maori don’t want welfare included as part of their settlements I understand. Settlement is about getting land returned, or money. And often that money will mostly be used up if they have to buy back the land they want. And I think they have legal costs to pay. Getting an economic base is a big job in itself and shouldn’t be confused with welfare concerns.
Then there was a comment from Key that because of the size of the northern tribes, the settlement would be bigger than some. This is directly in contrast with what Maori want, which is reparation for land taken, not amounts allocated on a per head basis. So it sounds as if NACT are trying to play around with the settlement process. If they are not all settled on the same basis then there will be repercussions later. And a feeling of pakeha pollies being tricky and mendacious. Which pakeha have in the past levelled at Maori. The settlements must be done in such a way that this type of accusation cannot be levelled.
People of note – Dr Muriel Newman and Mike Butler. And her chosen quote from Paul Holmes from 2012 is indicative of the deep antipathy to Maori that right wing pakeha often feel.
NZCPR
Dr Muriel Newman is the founder and Director of the New Zealand Centre for Political Research – a public policy think tank she established in 2005 after nine years as a Member of Parliament. Her background is in business and education. A former Chamber of Commerce President, she currently serves on the board of a children’s trust. (Also see Mike Butler Breaking Views blog.)
Her page starts off with this quote from Paul Holmes from 2012. Odious little man. ““I’m over Waitangi Day. It is repugnant. It’s a ghastly affair. As I lie in bed on Waitangi morning, I know that later that evening, the news will show us irrational Maori ghastliness with spitting, smugness, self-righteousness and the usual neurotic Maori politics, in which some bizarre new wrong we’ve never thought about will be lying on the table.”
Muriel Newman is of English origin. Arrived in NZ at the age of 8. My pick is, her parents were ignorant of New Zealand’s history, and inculcated in her mind that Maori were inferior to them as they were from the Mother Country and Maori were not long out of swinging in the trees wearing grass skirts. She’s never ever bothered to research the truth and doesn’t have the ability to empathise with anyone but her own kind of English bred prejudice. She and Alf Garnett would get along fine!
The poor should use a modified plastic bag for a raincoat ??? Ugly minded bitch ! Typical ACT. Hope the maggot’s not troughing on a parliamentary pension. Probably is. “Served” nine years didn’t she ?
This afternoon, the American N*** Party had more than 4,000 followers on Twitter, and at least two of them were influential think tanks.
Until they were called out on Twitter earlier today, the Heritage Foundation and the Cato Institute were both followers of “America’s premier 21st Century National Socialist Organization.”
Food scandal in Britain as testing of 900 samples reveals 38% not as labelled, including use of banned flame-retardant additives.
I wonder what similar testing would reveal here. It’s a shame the Greens have de-emphasised food issues in recent times.
Willis has pledged to go ahead with the debt-funded tax cuts, despite growing opposition from her own supporters worried about appearing fiscally irresponsible. 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 ...
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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. ...
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 ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11198248
The Herald this morning – not before time, in fact well past time, the ever rationalising, ever patient John Armstrong has turned.
This is scathing.
Saw that. So much for “moral mandates”.
That is one of John Armstrong’s columns that wins my vote!
And his last lines especially so:
“That is not sufficient excuse, however, to remove the stench of something rotten in the state of New Zealand’s democracy.”
Don’t get me started on the simpering Armstrong, his column strike rate is 99 to one in favour of the torys. Like an old farm beast presented with a salt lick he can’t help himself.
Does he really deserve kudos for stating the obvious months after the fact?
Ouch! But the more important thing to note is note the negativity towards national, but that this is a scathing attack on both Key and National by someone like John Armstrong.
When the right leaning opinion writers start in with attacks like this, the party is over. I would expect to see more and more negative press from nationals opinion writer supporters in the coming months. They smell blood in the water and know change is very likely come the election. So gotta get in good with the possible new leaders of nz before the changing of the guard.
So, we have national mp’s “retiring” this year by the truck load, we have polls developing a downward trend for National, and now we have the right wing opinion writers turning on the government.
Party’s over Mr Key.
Haha nice try. Party’s over for the lot of you.
Bye.
“So, we have national mp’s “retiring” this year by the truck load, ”
Seriously, you are portraying this as a negative for the government?
It is a sure indication when things are going pear shaped for government, their mp’s start “retiring”.
Even more so when the supporters of said government portray it as “renewal”.
+1 Meg
OK well you stick to that story. There is a horde of Labour MPs who I am sure most contributors to this blog would love to see “retire”. It would be renewal.
You think the National powerbrokers were saying to those MPs who left “Oh god don’t go. It will look like rats leaving the ship. Panic panic.” For at least 8 of the MPs it was totally the opposite.
By all means root for your own team but you might like to think before you try to portray this situation as a negative. It is nothing of the sort.
If some these guys decided to “retire”, tell me with a straight face that most commentators here would say “oh no”.
Ruth Dyson
Phil Goff
Nanaia Mahuta
Damien O’Connor
Trevor Mallard
Moana Mackey
Darien Fenton
You can get as pissy as you like, but it is one of a serious of indications that National will struggle to hold on to power, which is why they are doing deals with parties that cannot even get 0.1% in the polls.
And as for your list, if they all left within the same timeframe as National has been losing MP’s, yes that would be something to worry about for Labour and wether they want them gone or to they would be stupid to ignore why all these MP’s are suddenly “retiring”.
And lastly, I would take any one of those labour mp’s over almost any national mp any day of the week, and twice on a Sunday.
It needs to be seen in the context of Simon Lusk’s indiscreet remarks about National Party MPs trading on their time in parliament to build lucrative business careers, and the party’s practice of paying for favours with directorships.
bloody hell.!…i have to agree with sryland on this..(‘renewal’)
..as would many here..
..if they were being honest..
..you really wouldn’t like to see that (named) coven of neo-lib retreads/apologists/followers/operators/poor-bashers unceremoniously ushered to the door..?
..really..?
..i would..
..phillip ure..
I’m happy to see them go, just not sure whether the “churn” that occurs between National Party dim bulbs and boards of companies is in anyone’s best interests.
@ Srylands
The argument you present is very weak [as usual].
Whether the Labour party needs rejuvenation or not has no relevance for why the National party seem to think they need ‘rejuvenation’ (if it is not Nats jumping off the ship because they can’t bare the stench).
If this economy is as shit hot as the msm-and-Nats would have us believe – if they have done such a brilliant job of economic management and governance as they continually falsely present to the public I-mean-tell-us – why would they feel the need to get rid of so many MPs?
Sure rejuvenation is a good thing – however the numbers of MPs leaving National is more than a normal amount required simply for a bit of a ‘freshen up’.
Meg’s comment still stands because your response doesn’t address the point she correctly makes.
Some choose retirement and others have retirement thrust upon them.
It’s a good time to choose to come into politics in the National Party. Two or three terms to learn the ropes in a cruisy way as an opposition MP whilst those who have retirement (willingly or unwillingly) will cruise onto the directorships and the rewards for being faithful servants.
And for those National MPs staying on who really have their electorates at heart, they have the comfort and solace of their fellow MP who also took an early retirement when confronted by the mysogyny of Brash as National Party leader- “That you can actually do more for your electorate when in opposition.”
Well they’re not leaving because they’ve all suddenly decided to spend more time with their families, S. R.
I don’t think this column is too significant, JA styles himself as a constitutional watchdog.
Note he went against the press bully pack in defending Nicky Hager in 2011 following the otherwise disgraceful reaction to Other People’s Wars. On Hager’s book: ”With the help of well-placed informants and thousands of leaked documents, Hager exposes the cynical manner in which the Defence Force has purposely misled the public by omission of pertinent facts and public relations flannel.”
He can be quite sincere in his own way, but he’s also inconsistent and petulant. He reminds me of Peter Dunne in the moral hypocrisy stakes a wee bit.
Methinks it’s Colin Craig that’s a step too far for Armstrong – he is fairly positive about Whyte & ACT in contrast.
*sigh* I see Deborah Russell is busily focusing on the issues that count.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11198182
Perhaps she should devote her time to telling us why, given her key role on Labour economic policy formation, she supports the retirement age going up to 67 rather than making sure everyone knows that the Labour party hates pretty girls in bikinis.
*double sigh*
Perhaps the clue is in the description of her role as a “feminist commentator”.
If she was a trade unionist and union-blogger as well as a Labour candidate, should she be prevented from being a union-commentator in the media, because she has some other role in the party?
What else should she give up to devote her time to her “key role on Labour economic policy formation”, gardening, hockey, drinking….?
Why do you think the media went to Deborah Russell in particular for comment? Because is a LABOUR CANDIDATE as well as a feminist. She is being set up as the time bomb that will explode by saying something stupidly PC during the election campaign.
Labour candidates are expected to be just that – Labour candidates, not feminist commentators (or union officials). They are expected to show a certain degree of self-discipline and circumspection, especially in an election year. If she doesn’t accept that party discipline around what she says in public trumps her feminist views then she shouldn’t be a candidate.
The line “…why do they need to mess that up with white women in bikinis..?” is particularly politically stupid. Why introduce race? That is insane. Why make it clear that to the Labour party pretty women in bikinis “mess things up”?
Imagine if this story came out in, say, September. “Labour hates pretty white girls in bikinis” is a fish in the barrel stuff for the populist right wing media. Deborah Russell’s political stupidity is a ticking time bomb for a party that is very vulnerable to this type of dogwhistle attack.
If Russell can’t display enough discipline, or is so arrogant/stupid she couldn’t see she was being baited by a media clearly hoping for the story it got, then she should step down as a candidate.
What do you reckon Colonial Viper?
There are probably loads of Labour candidates that have other interests that they comment on in public. Maybe they should be give a list of subjects they are allowed to talk about.
Can’t wait for Sanctuary to get upset when Labour candidates support sports teams etc. not relevant to election campaigns.
The thing i noticed is that the descriptor of her being a labour candidate seemed a ‘by the way’ sentence in the middle of the article – it wasn’t front and centre or even emphasized at all.
That’s probably because Russell has been a go to feminist commentator for a lot longer than she has been a Labour party candidate. I would think that there is some obligation or custom to mention that the commentator you are using is also a political candidate. But like you, I don’t think that she was asked to comment as a Labour bod.
Personally, I will be upfront about what I think of Deborah Russell – and that is I think Labour needs a capital L liberal, middle class, feminist, soft left palace intellectual in parliament like it needs a hole in the head.
Russell isn’t just some earnest but lowly list candidate. She chairs the Labour Party policy formation committee. It has been put about that her economic and intellectual credentials have her earmarked for rapid promotion to lofty heights in any future Labour administration. The media knows this. She needs to be mega-careful about what she says in public in election year.
I’m sticking my neck out here and saying that Sanctuary has a point. Unlike most regulars here I’ve spent 40 years involved in the Labour Party both within the inner circles and later observing from the periphery. There’s virtually nothing that has happened in recent years that I haven’t seen in some form or another before. I’m not going to name them but I recall two high-flying Labour women activists who at some point or another fell into a trap laid for them by the media. Their political opponents had a ball and they were left high and dry. But one political high flyer never fell into the trap and look where she ended up… PM of NZ for nine years and probably the next General Secretary of the UN.
I don’t know Deborah Russell but she sounds like an highly intelligent and competent candidate. All the more reason why she must watch what she says in public and who she says it to. The media will be training their guns on her and looking to trip her up before the election.
Edit: I see Sanctuary has summed it up at 2.2.1
That is exactly what they will do and the stronger the candidate the harder they will try.
But she didn’t say that she ‘hated pretty girls in bikinis’ – as Sanctuary implied. She didn’t indicate anything even close to such sentiments. There was nothing wrong with her comment which was, like the article, focused on Air New Zealand’s rubbish branding.
I know that what she said is true Bill. But my linked comments courtesy of Sanctuary are also true. Therein lies the dilemma. Already there’s heated debate on this site and that’s without media provocation.
“Personally, I will be upfront about what I think of Deborah Russell – and that is I think Labour needs a capital L liberal, middle class, feminist, soft left palace intellectual in parliament like it needs a hole in the head.”
Pity then that you didn’t just lead with that instead of trying to wrangle something she was doing as a feminist into her failure as part of Labour.
Given it’s an ad promoting Pacific culture in the Cook Islands, I would have thought race was relevant.
Why? The Island boys on the canoe didn’t seem the least upset.
Sanctuary. You are way off beam here – seriously off beam.
Bill
Sanctuary is referring to what will be strategic comment by a core Labour Party official. Like it or not, she is one and her first responsibility is to further the Party’s standing in this most important election year.
When you have a leadership role you cannot cause confusion or distract from the group’s mission which will be to influence, gain acceptance and support for those purposes.
Comment needs to be carefully tailored to advance Labour’s
rise throughout the year to a successful election. There is a line that needs to be understood, in releasing stories that will interest but not give fodder to those in opposition who will minutely study them for suitable points to inflate so that they can ridicule that person in the present, with an ongoing taint.
Winners think and act in a strategic way when they are concentrated on achieving their goal. If Labour wants to win they will have to drive carefully and skilfully and not have their leaders give opportunity to others to damage their image, and the message.
Yes. But, given that, what is wrong with what Russell said or did?
weka
I don’t know. You can decide for yourself. I am making the point that uttterances have to be judged from a number of points, all of them having to be favourable to Labour, while Ms Russell is a leading light in Labour. And the opportunities for RWNJs to find some idiot thing to grab and exploit at any time this year, need to be minimised. Fin.
Do you think bullies need you to do something for them to grab and exploit before they’ll bully you?
This is the whole problem in the Labour caucus: if we offend bigots they won’t vote for us: well newsflash, dearies, bigots also respect strong leadership, and if you can’t step up then perhaps the Labour movement needs more caucus members that know how to stand up to bullies.
OAB
Please stay back in your corner, I’m a snivelling coward.
I’m interested in a great election finish not wasting my energy arguing endlessly with dickheads and time-wasting mischievous, malicious and partisan self-interested greedies.
That is why I suggest that people high up in Labour save their energies for comments that advances Labour, not idle chit-chat that is on the edge of being provocative, for the sake of it.
I don’t waste time running around on this blog after the busies that hang out here except to poke a little fun. I suggest if you consider yourself smart, you do the same.
But the time-wasting dickheads are going to stick it to you whatever you do. When they do, they reveal their rotten National Party underbelly and you skewer them and leave them in the sun to dry.
OAB
You do sound as if you have got a strategy worked out. So good for you. It has a sound of pig hunting, getting the dog to hold the pig while you do the knife work. Could be dangerous!
I’ll just run up a tree and cower. You have seen how fierce the animals can be, almost felt their hot breath on our cheeks and their teeth grating by our ears already over some contentious issues. So my advice holds.
Here’s a good wild pig story.
http://nelsonweekly.co.nz/fishing-for-wild-pigs/
Imagine if this story came out in, say, September. “Labour hates pretty white girls in bikinis”
laughed out loud.
1. Russell was a feminist commentator way before she was a Labour candidate. Her public profile may well have been a factor in her selection.
2. Equality is Labour policy and philosophy. Are you suggesting party members keep quiet about issues related to the philosophy and policy of the party in case people find out?
“…1. Russell was a feminist commentator way before she was a Labour candidate. Her public profile may well have been a factor in her selection…”
If feminist commentator is where her true loyalties lie, perhaps she step down as a Labour candidate.
Equality is one of Labour’s “true loyalties”. Should the party give up on it too? Or should they just never mention it or enact legislation promoting it?
How about
they just never mention it then enact legislation promoting it?
How about they cower in fear of nasty media bullies?
No, wait…
Because that would be lying.
“If feminist commentator is where her true loyalties lie, perhaps she step down as a Labour candidate.”
Why?
she might scare manly men like Shane Jones?
Sanctuary
+100 The ability to filter outspoken comments so as to ‘keep this for a private rant’ and what is going to ‘hold up to minute scrutiny for derision-fodder by the opposing side’ is a precious jewel not possessed by just every female, or male. Labour may have to give Deborah some texie-sexy crosby-crooning tips.
Is she being influenced by Deborah Coddington’s performances that have made her name and who is now a go-to person for the media knowing that she will have a bright opinion on anything? Perhaps it’s the influence of the name, it conveys some cultural effect perhaps?
Something metaphysical? (Trivia for today: Deborah means bee.)
And I think just saying made a very good suggestion – that Labour candidates should be given a list of subjects they are allowed to talk about. Because this is a really important election and not just an opportunity to run stream of consciousness, sort of Bridget’s Diary, confidences.
Being a bit reductionist there Sanctuary. Are you saying that all mps can and ought only to comment on matters directly associated with their portfolio? Of course, if every time a female Labour mp responded to an issue of sexism or racism, people of the left were to jump up and down telling them to stfu – then, if I was a right wing media publication, I’d make it policy to ask Labour and Green mps – specifically women – what their thoughts/opinions were before getting out the popcorn while elements of the left did my hatchet job for me.
I think that the media will frame things, and ask particular candidates particular questions framed in a particular way in order to get a specific answer that will then generate heat rather than light that will sell papers both immediately and as part of a narrative.
And @just saying “… Maybe they should be give a list of subjects they are allowed to talk about….”
Yes they should be told what they can speak about in public. This is called “staying on message” and “party discipline”.
ffs Sanctuary – staying on message is about staying on message when there is a particular line and not being sidetracked from it. Is DC guilty of that here? Can’t see how party discipline applies here either.
DC? But I don’t agree – Thematically, Labour needs to start setting the agenda with battles it can win, not reactively taking the bait on a narrative they’ve already lost.
It’s groundhog day.
Hope it’s sunny where you are Sanctuary.
The war never ends, because no victory is final.
Yeah. DR, not DC. (Was thinking Coddington for some reason).
Thought your stream of consciousness was taking you to David Cunliffe Bill. Got to keep on track eh or misunderstandings that confuse the discussion arise.
I think Sanctuary’s point should be read in the context of a media that will do no favours to the left.
As we all should have learnt by now here at TS, discussing anything to do with gender or sexuality is a minefield. When a hostile media invites Labour MP’s to wander about said minefield during election year – you are entitled to apply even more skepticism than usual.
Except the negativity was, rightly on this occasion, focused on Air New Zealand and their fucked up branding.
Nah – you miss the point. Anything to do with sex in the public arena is fucked up these days. If it ‘s fucked up for Air NZ to brand like this, it’s fucked up for DR to open her mouth about it.
No possible win.
The ‘public arena’ – in this case Mathew Dearnaley’s NZ herald piece – is stating that Air New Zealand’s branding is fucked up. DR merely concurs.
I take the point about mps not walking into media traps. But that’s not the case in this instance – there is no trap. Besides, do we want people feeling intimidated and unwilling to offer reasonable or thoughtful opinions when asked – note, I’m saying reasonable or thoughtful; ie, that avoid offering up any ‘off the cuff’ snippets for sound bite hell roastings.
Fair enough Bill. No quibble at all with this.
Personally I don’t usually see much point in using sex to sell things. It gains attention very efficiently but often as not it creates the wrong kind of response. Sex probably creates more uncomfortable responses than positive ones.
And fair enough when your crammed into economy class, with your personal space already uncontrollably invaded, many women and not a few men, probably don’t need the whole nasty, squishy and messy business of sex arising so to speak. (And modern research shows clearly that women are as physiologically aroused by sexual images as much as men- they’re just usually a lot less aware of it.)
But the risk with dragging DR into it is the unspoken sub-text – along the lines of ‘another bloody egg-head feminazi condemning all us men for having a sex drive’. Probably not a net win.
Couldn’t be better put…
Looks like an opportunity to me. How hard can it be to turn public sentiment against a bunch of media bullies?
“…No possible win….”
This.
And:
“…unspoken sub-text – along the lines of ‘another bloody egg-head feminazi condemning all us men for having a sex drive’. Probably not a net win…”
This.
“But the risk with dragging DR into it is the unspoken sub-text – along the lines of ‘another bloody egg-head feminazi condemning all us men for having a sex drive’. Probably not a net win.”
How do you think Russell could have expressed her view differently? Or are you suggesting that any discussion from a feminist perspective by a Labour candidate or MP is off limits until… when exactly?
“along the lines of ‘another bloody egg-head feminazi condemning all us men for having a sex drive'”
So, we know that that’s not what Russell said, and instead is a parody of what some people think some voters in NZ think. If you think that fear of that reaction from Labour voters is a good reason for Russell to shut up, then you are essentially saying that feminists have no reason being in the Labour party. I agree that Labour need to be careful, but there is a line beyond which Labour should stand its ground. Otherwise, why not just stay a middle class neoliberal party, wait another 3 years for NACT to fall apart and then they can be govt again for a bit.
I think silence is an insane strategy.
If Labour isn’t going to stand up to media bullies how is it supposed to represent its constituency?
@weka
Yes I did think about what you have said. And it is a valid counterpoint to the view I’ve expressed.
1. The intersection between politics and the personal can be extremely fraught. For instance the S59 Reform debate. Every reason to enter these debates cautiously.
2. I know that the ‘egg-head feminazi’ line is a parody, but it’s one with real resonance all the same.
3. Still I agree it’s not a reason for DR to shut up. But it is a reason for her to be pretty smart about what she says and how the media will portray it.
+1 @OAB
Red,
“1. The intersection between politics and the personal can be extremely fraught. For instance the S59 Reform debate. Every reason to enter these debates cautiously.”
True, although the issue today isn’t even in the same galaxy as that in terms of how it might affect Labour or the left.
“2. I know that the ‘egg-head feminazi’ line is a parody, but it’s a real one all the same.”
Yes. I wasn’t trying to get you to see it as a parody. I was pointing out that Labour has to push back at some point, not retreat and let the bigots have their way.
“3. Still I agree it’s not a reason for DR to shut up. But it is a reason for her to be pretty smart about what she says and how the media will portray it”
As far as I can tell the only reason we are even talking about this is because Sanctuary needed a reason to have another go at Russell who he dislikes as a candidate for Labour. If Russell had actually done something stupid then we might find some value in offering the advice to be smart about what she says.
It’s not like there aren’t plenty of other examples of Labour needing to sort it’s PR shit out. Why the focus on Russell for something so minor? (that’s not a rhetorical question).
I have no idea if Russell will be a good candidate for Labour or not. Nothing in this conversation today has made me any the wiser.
Well, seeing that ad reminds me of why I avoid ads as much as possible – ad blockers on my browser; recording TV & skipping through ads. Too much sell of the glossy lifestyles, and the colonising gaze of the tourist industry on the “pristine natural” environment, and exotic “foreign” locations – foregrounded by idealised white women livign the luxury lifestyle.
Subtext, rl? – ie feminism is unacceptable?
I don’t get why it’s unacceptable to comment on the gender angle of the neoliberal commodification of everything by people on the left, when about every other aspect of neoliberalism is fair game for left criticism. It just seems to be colluding with one aspect of turbo-charged capitalist spin. It’s deeply interwoven with the whole agenda.
I recall there being some headway made on the way advertising uses impossible ideals of white female attractiveness to sell almost anything. Then along came neoliberalism with lines about feminists being anti-sex – and promoted a commodified version of “feminism” – ie assertive women, within the narrow confines of conforming to old ideals of feminine beauty.
Myself, I just try to ignore the whole dire advertising industry. By why get so exercised about someone pointing out what’s wrong with such ads for our national airline?
Bill
Bananarama ‘It’s not what you do, it’s the way that you do it that;s what gets results” They tell it like it is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3sD0i8VYH4
If the Labour people just keep concentrating on getting elected and talking about the things they need to talk about, in the way they need to, and don’t listen to you and just saying they will get there.
Do you think the labour candidates should be a reflection of New Zealand or a reflection of the labour party members?
Hopefully they will be both. After all, if you don’t reflect NZ you won’t get elected to government, and if you don’t reflect the party you won’t be selected to run.
So, lowest common denominators and deep conservatism. Way to go!
Do you think Deborah Russell’s views on bikini clad woman would represent the views of the majority of labour party members.?
From what I’ve seen and read I’d say they would do, therefore what she said, is what she should be saying because she’s there to represent the views of the labour party members.
Only one mention of bikinis in that article.
Absolutely appropriate and fair comment, no? And not a comment on women wearing bikinis per se.
The point of the Air New Zealand ad is that it is cast at the holiday aspirations of a cross section of New Zealand cultures, hence the ‘white women’ along with the appearance of an Asian woman and one from the Indian sub-continent,
That’s the target audience and it is intended to show the ‘beautiful NZ holiday makers among the equally happy ‘natives’,
My view is that creating any sort of furore about such advertising is counter-productive to any notion of equality anyone’s trying to put forward, shall we ban the bikini and have only those gorgeous swimsuits of the early 1900’s as the only allowable beachwear,
The whole argument is simply one of whether we think that we have the right to impose our views of what other’s should wear???…
The problem isn’t the bikinis.
storm in a b-cup for this one..?
..phillip ure..
Perhaps you need to read this:
Your comment enforces that objectification.
I think a point which has been missed above is that Deborah is running in Rangitikei, an electorate held by National with a 10,000 vote majority, and which she’s a new candidate for. It can’t hurt for her to get media profile as she tries to make inroads on that majority. And her comments are very mild, I saw far angrier things being said all over Twitter about these videos.
Yeah, indeed.
I watched the video about the ad. I thought they could have used a cross section of Kiwi actors instead of models from some American magazine, but that’s par for the course for the advertising industry. Women do wear bikinis at the beach in Rarotonga, and other items of clothing. Men often go topless and wear lavalavas, but the target audience is unlikely to look much like the models. It does look a bit like beautiful white people gracing happy nobel savages with their presence.
Overall though, I found the video less annoying than the Hobbit rubbish they normally put on, which seems a celebration of corporate welfare and neoliberal union busting. I think Deborah Russell could learn that it is not necessary to personally fight every skirmish in a war, and that attempting to do so makes her a target more often than necessary.
I’m a man, my views on this may be flawed, but I’m not Sealord Jones. They’re not that flawed.
Maybe the journo asked Russsell after having heard some criticisms of the vid?
Maybe, but even then, my experience of journalists is that they choose whom they ask questions of depending on the answers they want. I did find it a bit strange that she was worried about sitting next to a man who might be leering at the video. It made me think a bit of thought crimes, and I would suggest that many men can even go to the beach or a swimming pool without “leering” and the connotations involved in that. Of course, I suppose that if the video hadn’t been made, the issue wouldn’t have come up.
Tony invited John to the g20 to showcase australasia. But thinks removing nz products is ok. Perhaps John will embarrass Tony by mentioning it in every meeting at the g20 and every press conference. Cue tui.
You are assuming the Key will still be Prime Minister at that time.
Probably will be Cunliffe hopefully.
I thought g20 was next month?
A report on the Brit health system replay from 2012 on RadioNZ.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2532399/aeron-davis-spinning-the-nhs
Aeron Davis: spinning the NHS
Originally aired on Saturday Morning, Saturday 15 September 2012
Professor of Political Communication at Goldsmiths College, University of London, on David Cameron and changes to the health system.
Duration: 24′ 22″
(Has these controls)
Play now
Download: Ogg | MP3
Variously, John Armstrong:
Rotten smell…..
……for so blatantly putting naked self-interest ahead of public interest…….
……should forever be a large blot on John Key’s Government.
……just how manipulative this is all beginning to look.
……”gerrymander”…….
……National has become too blase in turning parliamentary seats into playthings…….
……akin to the “rotten boroughs” of old England…….
……in order to engineer a parliamentary majority…….
……the wider public are justified in feeling they have been cheated.
National’s response…….was cunning but also predictably self-serving.
Justice Minister Judith Collins loftily announced……
…….played on public ignorance……
…….giving voters a nod and a wink……can come badly unstuck……
…….the stench of something rotten in the state of New Zealand’s democracy.
The photograph of the weirdo Colin Craig which heads the article is the icing on Armstrong’s report of his tasting of the bitter cake.
So when Jim Anderton is gifted a virtually uncontested seat in Christchurch and brings in Alliance MP’s that’s a good thing. What hypocrisy. Get over it. Stop making excuses for losing again. Have faith in The Cunliffe. He is the Messiah of the Left.
Gee Fisi always needs to be fact checked. The Alliance and Labour battled it out for this seat in the 1990s and it was not “virtually uncontested”. In fact Labour has stood candidates against Anderton every election.
Anderton won it under his own steam. There was no Epsom type shenanigans here.
in some ways, it’s possible that labour would have fought Wigram less hard in the 1990s if it had been held by a nat incumbent with similar electorate support. Never underestimate the motivational power of bad blood.
More stupid lies from FizzyAnus – you really should apologise FizzyAnus for your deceit – poor person you can’t help your stupidity so no apology sought there:
Firstly Jim Anderton won his seat under his own steam as MJ says. No cup of tea bullshit.
Secondly in that election The Alliance polled more than 10% of the Party vote. The Alliance was in parliament anyway FizzyAnus without the need to ride on Anderton’s coat tails. Even if Anderton hadn’t won his seat the Alliance would still have been in parliament. Check it out in the following link FizzyAnus.
http://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_1996/pdf/4.2%20Percentage%20of%20Votes%20for%20Registered%20Parties.pdf
You’re talking fizzy kaka. As usual.
Remember also, Fisiani, that Anderton had already won this seat as a Labour candidate and was returned as an MP. He’d already got credit as a serving MP in Sydenham. One helluva difference from the dirty rats that Epsom voters were told to swallow in Hyde and Banks.
Anyway, good to see you here, Fisiani. As I’ve said before, when you come into bat for the Blue team, I know they’re six runs down in the ninth and facing defeat when they have you as a pinch hitter.
Where do you get your misinformation. Have you even heard of google?
Phillip, on the surface, at first reading, John Armstrong’s comment appears to strike the right note, obviously you have bitten, and, on first reading i tended to agree with Armstrong’s ‘rotten stench’ argument as far as the obvious attempt at ‘gerrymandering’ the result of the 2014 election by Slippery’s National Government,
Think a bit deeper tho Phillip, has Armstrong suddenly taken ‘the pill’ which has given Him a blinding rush of ‘electoral purity’, if not, then what really is the intent of this particular piece of ,(quite clever),Jonolism,
Take it as a ‘given’ that Slippery WILL attempt to ‘gerrymander’ the outcome of the 2014 election and is likely to have some success at doing so,
Who then is Armstrong appealing to when He decries such interference in the ‘vote’, YOU Phillip, you, me, and the broad left are being asked to sit still in our little comfort zones by Armstrong, the Herald, and, by obvious deep association with the former, the National Party, and not dare think of attempting to counter the ‘gerrymandering’ efforts of Slippery the Prime Minister,
Should we do so, relax in our coma’s in the knowledge that WE have taken the supposed moral high ground the payment for our saintly behavior is likely to be awakening to a third term National Government which is oh so fine if your in the position of being financially secure but the growing underclass of have not’s can neither eat or pay the rent with the ‘moral high ground’,
Ohariu, Epsom, Waiariki, these 3 electoral seats, two of which will be a feature of National’s attempt at a ‘gerrymandered’ election result are open to having such interference in the democratic process countered by both Labour and the Green Parties convincing as many of their supporters as possible to electorate vote for the National Party candidates,
In my opinion to do anything else is stupid, a demand to spend another 3 years as opposition…
Ooops, apologies, my reply above addressed to Phillip, should actually be addressed to North, the …’s fooled me…
@ bad..
..fwiw..i do agree with you..
..re countering keys’ game-playing..
..by lab/grns advising their followers to strategic-vote in those seats..
..(and i wd advise..)
promising to fix that anomaly in mp..
..when elected..
…and painting key/nats/the right as the villains..screwing the system/spirit of mmp..yet again..
..and thus forcing this counter-action..
(but i emphasise..)
..with the accompanied promise of fixing in first term..
..that should both sort that one/’game’ out..
..and help guarantee victory..
..phillip ure..
Phillip, probably an easy ‘fix’ would be to move the thresh-hold for gaining representation to 3-3.5% and ditch the MP’s that can coat-tail off an electorate seat until the party vote has also reached that level,
i am not entirely in favor of such a solution as that disenfranchises a reasonably significant % of voters,
The left would serve it’self far better to educate it’s voters in how best their vote in a particular electorate would serve the interests of gaining the Treasury Benches,
Epsom 2011 was the classic example of this, both the Labour and Green candidates gained enough votes each that had they convinced half their respective voters to vote for the National candidate John Banks would have been but a memory instead of the current pus stain having to be forced from office by private prosecution…
banks should send the greens regular thank you notes..
..as they have done this for him twice..
..banks gained the domination of council in his time as mayor..
..’cos of green vote-splitting/spoiling..
..i hope they have learnt from this history..
..and don’t do it again..
..too much is at stake..
..phillip ure..
Think as far as Epsom goes Labour’s David Parker is as guilty as the Green Party’s David Hay in collecting electorate votes in 2011, had either convinced half their voters to vote ‘strategically’ for the National candidate Banks would have been defeated,
The difference, the Green Party hierarchy ‘spanked’ David Hay,(which was the reason for His brief burst of publicity as a leadership challenger), meanwhile the elusive David Parker might just get to be the next Minister of Finance although i would suggest that is probably conditional on Him waking up His fucking brain should He again contest the Epsom electorate…
@ bad..
..aye..
phillip ure..
Perhaps if David capitalised his personal pronouns he will be a more successful Minister of Finance.
Ladies and gentlemen, we bring to you exclusively in today’s Politics 101 Lecture: Why People Mock Objectivists, Part One: S Rylands.
Emasculation is hard to watch
Perhaps SSLands if you stopped whining like a beaten female dog someone might take more notice of you,
On second thoughts scratch that no-one has any interest in the ravings of a minor bean counter employed by a little firm of tax lawyers to count other peoples money 9 to 5 every week of His miserable life as a slave to both His employer and the system He so slavishly promotes….
I am with you on Armstorng’s ‘surprise’ article today, being a cynic. Leopards don’t change their spots. A bit of an attempt to use reverse psychology, methinks.
This remark at the second to last paragraph of Armstrong’s piece is the give-away, IMO
Now that voters are far more conscious of what might be required of them, Key’s desire to be more direct and transparent is the right call.
VV, Aha, and Armstong’s use of the Reid-Poll data is another giveaway of His underlying motives, in a previous comment last year,(sorry i havn’t got a link),Armstrong directly stated that Reid-poll deliberately asked leading questions in an effort to get respondents to supply the required answer thus being able to ‘skew’ poll results,
Had the Reid-poll asked Labour/Green voters ”if National’s ‘gifting’ of electorates would lead to a third term National Government at the 2014 election, should Labour/Green engage counter measures,like advising identified Labour/Green voters in those electorates to vote FOR the National Party candidate”, i am sure that the poll would have told another story,
My view is that Labour/Green should in the Ohariu, Epsom, and any seat National attempts to ‘gift’ Craig’s Conservatives, take such measures as necessary to counter such ‘gerrymandering’,
In the face of National obviously hell bent upon such electoral tactics i am also of the belief that Labour/Green should take a serious look at the Waiariki electorate with a view of simply beating Slippery the PM at His own game ensuring that the Mana Party win that seat thus adding 1 more seat to the ‘lefts’ total…
Actually I agree with you both Bad and Veuto it’s just that early morning I was pretty bowled over by those comments from KeyHasCharismaMan.
One swallow does not make a summer of course. In fact as I read the article it did occur that “Now that voters are far more conscious……..Key’s desire to be more direct and transparent is the right call.” was almost congratulatory of Key.
Yes, the sensible and thoroughly justified counter to KeyStench must be to encourage all Labour/Green voters to vote National in Epsom and East Coast Bays, and Green voters to vote Labour in Ohariu. Apply the same approach in Waiariki as you suggest Bad.
“One swallow”
Does Armstrong swallow or spit?
Yes veutopiper that sentence reared up and hit me in the eye too. On the one hand he was throwing everything including the kitchen sink at John Key and then suddenly he’s saying John Key made the right call. Weird.
Can you imagine him being so ‘forgiving’ if the boot had been on Cunliffe’s foot? Nah, not a show.
Thanks bad12 for filling in the gap.
“Should we do so, relax in our coma[?]”
Yes I think you should definitely relax in your coma. 🙂
Sod off turd face…
+1
Just read the last few paragraphs of Armstrong’s article. It’s all a kowtow to John Key and National and how good it will be that National will be transparent about its gerrymander.
He’s pretty much saying there that now that National voters understand what National require of them then it’s alright for Key to tell them outright who to vote for.
And Armstrong is way more negative about Colin Craig than he is about ACT or Dunne.
The latest meeting with Tony Abbott again shows up Key as useless not a cracker for NZ he lacks any courage when it comes to sticking up for this country hopeless
@ lionel..
..yes..key is as weak as weasel-piss..
..(“..would you like me to also hold my ankles..?..tony..?”..)
..but in the interests of historical-accuracy..
..let’s not forget it was the neo-lib labour govt of clark that signed off on that ‘deal’ with australia..
..where they stripped away all these rights from new zealanders living there…
..remember how clark was so ‘relaxed’/shoulder-shrugging about that at the time..?
..i do..
..phillip ure..
Don’t be unkind to Jokeyhen. Perhaps he and Abbott couldn’t get out and play golf together? That is when you have a chance to get away from the minders and really talk, perhaps have a wee wager about concessions on whether you can get a hole in one. Perhaps Jokeyhen is just not up to the game. He has done his best, and got some concession, good for him the wee feller.
We know we only have to ask Australia for anything we want, and they will say… not today.
Google has a collection of suitable words that describe our position vis-a-vis Oz.
… solicitor; suitor, beseecher, pleader; applicant, bidder, solicitant; candidate, aspirant, … appellant, party; beggar, cadger, Inf. panhandler, beadsman, mendicant, … Inf. sponge, SI. schnorrer, parasite, leech, hanger-on, user. supplicate, v.
@ greywarbler..
..this saying ‘fuck you!’ from the australians..
..just gets me musing again on the idea of partial-nationalisation..
(..this is the flip-side of key/nationals’ partial-privatisation..)
..where the state ‘buys’ a 51% controlling interest in key industries..
..say..food-retailing..?..banking..?..as just two examples..
..(the cost of buying this controlling share is of course paid out of future profits..nothing is ‘stolen’ from current owners/shareholders..)
..and in food-retailing in particular..
..this 51% control will make it so easy to implement the upcoming raft of regulations designed to ensure what is peddled as ‘food’..is actually food..
..and not sugar/fat-laden crap..falsely marketed as food..
..and to counter the sugar-driven obesity-epidemic..
..plus of course..partial nationalisation is the best of both worlds..
..the 51% control means 51% of the profits return to the people..
..but the efficiancies of the industry are retained..
..’cos of that remaining 49% shareholding..
..what’s not to love about all that..?
..phillip ure..
moderation..?
phillip ure..
phillip ure
Like.
If we nationalised Countdown we might also be able to stop them polluting our TV screens with that Masterchef crap.
+1
Your memory is not that good.
http://a.disquscdn.com/uploads/mediaembed/images/829/6179/original.jpg?w=600&h
Three years on since the revealing Hard Talk interview on the BBC I wonder if Stephen Sackur is interested in revisiting the views expressed by John Key?
I wonder if John Key would have the stones to front up?
Either way it would be a great story
(requests have been sent btw)
Best interview of John Key, I think, perhaps ever.
Stephen Sackur would be a starter, no doubt.
John Key, ah, the moral dilemma, front and lie, or simply just walk away. I think the second option would be his preferred stance.
You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.
Also on Radionz – regular programmes
Knowing is increasing understanding. Knowing about more than the bods in the private media choose to broadcast/publish increases understanding.
They limit your knowledge with their selective choice that is slanted to fish and chip fodder – the shape of face and teeth, the size of breasts, the amount of money made, or lost, or misspent, the fine details of competition in physical activities undertaken, won or lost ie sport, war, and where you can get outside your reality today – films, TV, bars.
Maori life is full of events, people buzzing with ideas, and can restore hope for NZs future if a listener is depressed. Some may have given up on forward-looking activity and creativity but not Maori. They are a powerhouse of what is actually happening in NZ.
What are Maori thinking about, and what do they and their leaders say about the way forward, and back.
Te Manu Korihi
Providing news on Māori issues, Te Manu Korihi features four times each weekday, in Radio New Zealand National’s leading news programmes Morning Report and Checkpoint. A longer weekly edition, Te Waonui, is broadcast on Sunday evenings.
Weekdays at 6:27am, 8:45am, 5:40pm, 6:45pm, and Sundays at 5:35pm
You can also read news text.
and
Te Ahi Kaa
The philosophy of Te Ahi Kaa is to reflect the diversity of Māori in the past, present and future. While bilingual in delivery, the programme incorporates Māori practices and values in its content, format and presentation.
Sundays at 6:00pm, repeated at 1:05am Monday
Rural areas’ happenings, is there anything apart from mass dairying? Lots, and this country doings being broadcast is very enjoyable and fascinating.
7:08 am Country Life
Memorable scenes, people and places in rural NZ (RNZ)
A weekly programme of issues and stories of particular concern to the rural community, and also of interest to a general audience.
Friday 9pm and Saturday 7am
Produced by Carol Stiles, Susan Murray and Cosmo Kentish-Barnes
thanks Greywarbler …I like this
“Maori life is full of events, people buzzing with ideas, and can restore hope for NZs future if a listener is depressed. Some may have given up on forward-looking activity and creativity but not Maori. They are a powerhouse of what is actually happening in NZ”.
I think the blending of Maori with Pakeha culture is what makes New Zealand special….many New Zealanders only realise this when they go overseas….that New Zealand culture and New Zealanders are unique ….on the one hand a heritage of ferocious fighters, on the other a deep spirituality with the land….. our Mother Papatuanuku …and with this comes a deep sense of belonging…and generosity
I think the early Europeans learned an incredible amount from the Maori spirituality wise….there is a generosity of spirit and inclusiveness, if one is willing to partake….this is how Europeans became Pakehas and proud of it….and of course today many New Zealanders have both Maori and Pakeha blood, or if not blood then spirituality( i know of one Pakeha without any Maori blood but who is more imbued with Maori culture and ways of thinking than many Maori)….so if you insult one half you are insulting the other half yourself
Chooky
Thanks for feedback. You mention how open most Maori were to pakeha, so many willing to share food, give shelter when needed, and misunderstandings, animosity have had to be settled and ways of living adopted that respected that there were two approaches with both being considered. A
I remember one commentator recalling one leader coming to class with the children to learn the English language and other things. Viewing practically that this was useful, there was opportunity to learn here, this big man sat by the children without embarrassment or feeling it diminished his mana.
And so we must all be, for our greater knowledge, wisdom, width of understanding, success and comfort through future changes, problems and trials.
There’s a church, St Michael’s I think, visible from SH 12 between Ohaeawai and Kaikohe, adjacent to a site of battle in which the English suffered numerous fatalities. Decaying corpses of English militia were removed from where they fell and afforded decent and dignified burial in the environs of where the church now stands.
By whom ? By the “savage” ungodly Maori of the day. The “savages” to whom the English were bringing “civilisation” with wholesale plunder and pillage the quid pro quo. That continues with ongoing dehumanisation, demonisation, and impoverishment of Maori. It is all the more beastly for the weasel words which accompany professions of apology, care and acknowledgment.
Living and working in the Hokianga/Kaikohe/Bay of Islands area for the last decade I am humbled as the beneficiary of a generosity of spirit and inclusiveness (Chooky @ 8.1 above) – aroha afforded me on a daily basis by Maori. Quite simply I would not be without my appreciation that “Maori” is magnificent.
Broadly, such “defects” as Ansell (“Kiwi not Iwi”) and his sad ilk identify and carp incessantly about, I see as the defects of Ansell and his sad ilk in the first place.
(um..!..don’t we have here in nz what is often described as an ‘epidemic’ of suicide ..
..by our young men..?..)
“..Legalizing Medical Marijuana May Lead To Fewer Suicides..
..A team of economists’ newly published report in the American Journal of Public Health –
– suggests states that have legalized medical marijuana –
– may see a reduction in suicide rates in young men..”
(cont..)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/04/marijuana-legalization-suicide_n_4726390.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
phillip ure..
Metiria Turei’s Waitangi Day Speech
It begins:
“This is an historic opportunity for me, as a Māori woman and political leader and for the Green Party, the most consistent voice in parliament for the interests of Maori over the past 15 years.”
https://www.greens.org.nz/speeches/metiria-turei-s-waitangi-day-speech-te-tii-marae-powhiri-party-leaders
Good speech.
@ Warbly. just shifting this little snippet of info, relevant to my point about unionised Vs. non unionised supermarkets, from yesterdays Open Mike, that I put there at 6am (insomina)
Furthermore, there is an interesting article about Union membership on stuff of all places. Robert Reid of First Union has this to say about pay rates for Union members at Countdown Vs. Foodstuff’s stores.
“First has negotiated a collective agreement for employees of Australian-owned Progressive Enterprises which operates Countdown supermarkets in New Zealand, he says.
Strength in numbers has earned Countdown workers pay rates of “high” $15 an hour to “low” $16 an hour; well above the industry norm according to Reid.
Staff of non-unionised New Zealand co-operative Foodstuffs earn around the minimum wage of $13.75, Reid says.”
Foodstuffs North Island HR manager goes on to respond.
It’s worth a read.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/9696643/Are-unions-a-good-deal-for-workers
@ rosie..
..partially-nationalise those bastards..too…
..(hate to be seen as just picking on the australians..eh..?..)
phillip ure..
Nice link Rosie, adds weight to my long held belief that based upon low wages as the measurement there should be compulsory unionization of parts of the New Zealand workforce…
seriously? compulsory unionization? Bring it on please as Green Party policy.
I’d vote for that. I’m surprised sspylands is against it – from a certain perspective it’s just user-pays for the benefits of worker representation.
SSLands, as usual for a brainless turd you have a bad habit of taking two words from a sentence and attempting to skew the debate around the false assumption made from simply concentrating on those two words,
i realize that you are bereft of an intellectual capability other than to copy and paste that which looks to you like it might support some point you are attempting to make and this is the reason you are treated with such deserved contempt,
Until you learn to put forward your point of view in a form other than that of the robotic repetitions of an idiot you will always be classed as an ‘it’…
I’m all for compulsory unionism enforced by the union members. Legislated compulsory unionism allowed a caste of bureaucrats to get lazy and depend on Labour governments for favours, which were seldom given. Then when the first ACT government went into full frontal assault mode on the proletariat, they had no answer. We must learn from that.
Hence the concerted attack on unions since the 80s.
Funeral payout. Free lawyers. Health insurance for under 10 bucks a week…
Srylands employer doesnt give the shop floor that.
The Greens are fanatics. They are not normal people. They are zealots who want to impose their beliefs on us all. They truly want to
1.Ban fizzy drinks from schools
2.Ban fuel inefficient vehicles
3.Ban all gaming machines in pubs
4.Ban the GCSB
5.Ban violent TV programmes until after 10 pm
6.Ban feeding of antibiotics to animals that are not sick
7.Ban companies that do not comply with a Code of Corporate Responsibility
8.Ban ACC from investing in enterprises that provide products or services that significantly increase rates of injury or illness or otherwise have significant adverse social or environmental effects
9.Ban commercial Genetic Engineering trials
10.Ban field testing on production of GE food
11.Ban import of GE food
12.Ban Urban Sprawl
13.Ban non citizens/residents from owning land
14.Ban further corporate farming
15.Ban sale of high country farms to NZers who do not live in NZ at least 185 days a year
16.Ban the transport by sea of farm animals, for more than 24 hours
17.Ban crates for sows
18.Ban battery cages for hens
19.Ban factory farming of animals
20.Ban the use of mechanically recovered meat in the food chain
21.Ban the use of the ground-up remains of sheep and cows as stock feed
22.Ban animal testing where animals suffer, even if of benefit to humans
23.Ban cloning of animals
24.Ban use of animals in GE
25.Ban GE animal food
26.Ban docking of dogs tails
27.Ban intrusive animal experimentation as a teaching method in all educational institutions
28.Ban smacking
29.Ban advertising during children’s programmes
30.Ban alcohol advertising on TV and radio
31.Ban coal mining
32.Ban the export of indigenous logs and chips
33.Ban the use of bio-accumulative and persistent poisons
34.Ban the establishment of mustelid farms
35.Ban new exploration, prospecting and mining on conservation land and reserves
36.Ban mining activities when rare and endemic species are found to present on the mining site
37.Ban the trading conservation land for other land to facilitate extractive activities on.
38.Ban the further holding of marine mammals in captivity except as part of an approved threatened species recovery strategy
39.Ban the direct to consumer advertising of pharmaceuticals
40.Ban sale of chips and lollies on school property
41.Ban any additional use of coal for energy
42.Ban fixed electricity charges
43.Ban further large hydro plants
44.Ban nuclear power
45.Ban further thermal generation
46.Ban private water management
47.Ban imported vehicles over seven years old
48.Ban the disposal of recyclable materials at landfills
49.Ban the export of hazardous waste to non OECD countries
50.Ban funding of health services by companies that sell unhealthy food (so McDonalds could not fund services for young cancer sufferers)
51.Ban healthcare organizations from selling unhealthy food or drink
52.Ban advertising of unhealthy food until after 8.30 pm
53.Ban all food and drink advertisements on TV if they do not meet criteria for nutritious food
54.Ban the use of antibiotics as sprays on crops
55.Ban food irradiation within NZ
56.Ban irradiated food imports
57.Ban growth hormones for animals
58.Ban crown agency investments in any entity that denies climate change!!
59.Ban crown agency investments in any entity that is involved in tobacco
60.Ban crown agency investments in any entity that is involved in environmentally damaging oil extraction or gold mining
61.Ban non UN sanctioned military involvement (so China and Russia gets to veto all NZ engagements)
62.Ban NZ from military treaties which are based on the right to self defence
63.Ban NZers from serving as mercenaries
64.Ban new casinos
65.Allow existing casinos to be banned
66.Ban promotion of Internet gambling
67.Ban advertising of unhealthy food to children
68.Ban cellphone towers within 300 metres of homes
69.Ban new buildings that do not confirm to sustainable building principles
70.Ban migrants who do not undertake Treaty of Waitangi education programmes
71.Ban new prisons
72.Ban semi-automatic weapons
73.Ban genetic mixing between specieis
74.Ban ocean mineral extractions within the EEZ
75.Ban limited liability companies by making owners responsible for liability of products
76.Ban funding of PTEs that compete with public tertiary institutes
77.Ban the importation of goods and services that do not meet quality and environmental certification standards in production, lifecycle analysis, and eco-labelling
78.Ban goods that do not meet quality and sustainability standards for goods which are produced and/or sold in Aotearoa/New Zealand
79.Ban new urban highways or motorways
80.Ban private toll roads
81.Ban import of vehicles more than seven years old unless they meet emission standards
82.Ban imported goods that do not meet standards for durability and ease of recycling
83.Ban landfills
84.Ban new houses without water saving measures
85.Ban programmes on TVNZ with gratuitous violence
Thanks Fish-head, that’s damn nice of you to publish 85 reasons why so many of us are Green Party members,
Keep up the good work…
As a postscript Fish-head, i would suggest that you be fed entirely on a diet of your (21),
Mmmm yummy mad cow disease…
bad12 these may be 85 reasons for being a Green Party member but if they were known to the public then the public would never dream of wasting their vote on the Greens.
well done fisani..!
..for that list of logical/populist-policies/policy-ideas….
..hard to argue against any of them..really..
..eh..?
..or are you really ‘for’ feeding antibiotics to animals that are not sick..?
..and if so..
..what sort of braindead fucken idiot are you..?
..you are ‘for’ all those things..
..eh..?
..you used to astound with yr regular bare-faced displays of yr stupidity/ies @ kiwiblog..
..you clearly haven’t lost that ability..
..phillip ure..
Lolz, Fish-head has yet to come to terms with the relationship of feeding farmed animals en masse with anti-biotics and the continuing loss of efficacy such anti-biotics have when they are used against infections within the human population,
Answering the query put to Fish-head on ‘its’ behalf i would suggest that ‘it’ is EVERY sort of brain-dead idiot imaginable and a few yet to be thought of…
Can you stop with the insulting “it”? You come across like Pol Pot. Oh wait… that explains everything
Can you piss of back to ‘wail-oil’ and then your request will be granted…
You must mean “whale oil”. No I find Whale Oil crude and rude and too foul mouthed.
And stop being rude. Do you get taken anywhere?
Perfectly reasonable to call a bot “it”.
Right wing fastidiousness over slang and “rudeness” is a fascinating phenomenon. A man who can pass the foulest of employment laws, promote policies that lead directly to increased infant mortality, blanches at a little fuck then lays claim to the moral high ground for doing so.
Sad.
oan..
..+ 1..
..they want war..and to fuck over the poor..
..yet they claim some kind of moral high-ground..?
..when they are called out..as a whore..?
phillip ure..
+1
@oan maybe he just got confused by those big ol’ jug ears the Aussie Wingnut was sporting.
Stephen Fry on the Joys of Swearing
Evidently Chickentown.
for 36 hours?
“well done fisani..!
..for that list of logical/populist-policies/policy-ideas….
..hard to argue against any of them..really..”
I guess that’s why he didn’t.
Fish-head, 12-15% of the public will be doing just that at the 2014 election, voting for the Green Party that is,
(84), Ban new houses without water saving measures, in the year 2040 Fish-head, every house in the Auckland city boundary is going to Need a split water system where the washing machine, shower and out-side water taps will Need to be attached to a 5000 liter tank which collects water from the houses guttering,
Auckland City already is applying for resource consent to considerably up it’s take of water from the Waikato River with major opposition from competing water users such as farmer groups,
The rising population of that city will force either the Council or the individual to make use of the zillions of liters of storm-water currently wasted or face ‘water-blackouts’…
That is a good idea, did you know that Hamilton’s treated sewerage goes into the Waikato River and then it becomes part of Auckland’s water supply. Mmm tasty.
Yes, along with what Taupo and every small town on the River in between had for breakfast,not to mention farm run off,
Along with a fair dose of ‘black-water’ from the Kinlieth Mill just down the road from Tokoroa via it’s exit into the River at Mangakino,
Apparently most of the Waikato River water is consumed in the South of Auckland and while they all aint dropping dead yet there might in 10 or 20 years be some very ‘interesting’ health effects becoming apparent…
As a postscript, i believe the Kapiti district council, having ‘tapped’ out the local resources of fresh water require all new houses to have a 5000 liter rain-water tank as part of the building consent…
“As a postscript, i believe the Kapiti district council, having ‘tapped’ out the local resources of fresh water require all new houses to have a 5000 liter rain-water tank as part of the building consent…”
Ummm yes plus they are building a new dam. Did you think we were all going to rely on rainwater?
http://www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/Documents/Downloads/Water-Supply/Project-Maps/Maungakotukutuku-Dam-location-map.jpg
P.S. I have put you down for “signwave”. Not sure what it is but it sounded you.
http://www.act.org.nz/?q=civicrm/profile/create&gid=25&reset=1
Don’t say “we” when you talk about us. You’re not “us”.
Also you know fuck all about water tanks. 5000 litres is for rainwater, to be used in the garden, on the lawn, washing the car, etc etc.
Moron.
It probably means that ACT enablers can write letters to the media then pretend they aren’t from paid hacks by signing false names. I’m assuming that being ACT enablers, their English skills failed at “waive”.
??? building a new dam SSLands, guessing you to be close to sixty you will be lucky to get a sip of water from it befor you end up as trash buried in the ground,
Hope you enjoy the inevitable rates rises which should be quite considerable, even buying the land to be submerged has at least doubled in price in the last few years, imagine what ‘inflation’ will do to the 33 odd million the dam is supposed to cost,
What’s 66 million look like on the rates bill, assuming of course that ‘the dam’ can over-come the hurdle of resource consent, something the former Mayor Jenny Rowan wasn’t so sure about…
I liked this piece from the ACT site (with changes in the interests of accuracy):
The ACT Party has always had a strong focus on law and order, and how to avoid our personal responsibilities. It is the prime responsibility of government to keep its citizens safe from dark skinned South Aucklanders.
With the ACT Party in Government under National, we have ensured that National puts this responsibility at the top of its list. Since ACT has been in Government, we have seen the following:
• 100% of ACT MPs are currently facing criminal charges;
• In fact, every year since David Garrett got his new passport, reported crime has dropped;
• Murder has dropped 36.5 per cent since 2008. Giving Police officers immunity has really helped;
• Serious assault since 2008 has dropped 9.2 per cent. Our new initiative to use the 2007 figures will see serious assaults since 2008 drop to zero.
These trends will make it much easier for SERCO to make record profits. Our transparency in investment initiative will mean that no ACT member will need to declare their shareholdings in private prisons.
Silly Bad 11
You seriously think the Greens will get 15%?
The smart money has them on 9.5% – 10.5%? at election time. Their floor support is 7%.
If you seriously think they will get even 12% you can make some real money. Drop a stack on ipredict drip fed over the next 6 months and you will clean up.
And who the hell is “fish head”?
You seem to have that Green Party love of “banning” things. It must be in the water. My assessment is that your regulatory proposal to ban houses is likely to fall over in its RIA:
http://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/guidance/regulatory/impactanalysis
There is no need to ban anything. Simply price water to recover costs from all users, including farmers, and users can figure out their own water conservation measures. Bring in water metering and charge everyone.
One thing New Zealand doesn’t have to worry about is water. As David Lange famously said in his eloquent tones.
too much stupid from SSpylands – assuming the higher end of of a range is the expectation, that ipredict counts as a reliable predition of reality, that anything from treasury is worth a damn when their predictions are way off even in the six month timeframe, etc etc etc.
What runs this bot – a ZX81?
SSLands, ban houses???,this your latest of comments reads like the ramblings of a tired drunk…
Too funny.
2008 – +1.42 %
2011 – +4.33 %
fishhead
Runner-up to Blip for list making but not in the same class, so can never come close. But Fishy has been working – you really have. Pity all your stuff is so negative usually and I just don’t bother to read it. If I miss something good, somebody will repeat it amongst those whose comments I do read. But good marks for trying.
What are you like at cryptic crosswords?
You have the fortitude and screwiness to break through those enigmatic clues I would think.
Perhaps fisiani ALREADY has mad cow disease? Could be the explanation for his comments here?
I ticked yes to most of that list. Perhaps I should join the Greens.
You are a Green Party member?
LOLZ, SSLands, i am stealing my answer off of Joe90, Clueless fuck you need to ask…
But I have you down as my ACT buddy – you can be the Hamilton frontier for freedom.
The greens have a core support level of about 7%. The extra 5 percentage points have zero clue about Green policies. They are (1) the young and confused and (2) the prosperous wine sippers in Oriental Bay and Kelburn who think the Greens are about making the flowers grow.
If the Greens get into power, this latter group will desert them in a flash once they see what the Greens are about.
Nah, you’re thinking of what happened to ACT.
“If the Greens get into power, this latter group will desert them in a flash once they see what the Greens are about.”
So how come these NACT lackeys know about all the GP’s evil plans, but the general public doesn’t? The GP are pretty up front about their policies, and have one of the best websites for communicating their values and policies. They are certainly far better than National at being honest about what they want and intend.
Run rabbit run.
More nzers vote green that act and uf combined.
I actually had you down as a Mana member. All that misdirected anger and entitlement issues, pure Mana. I thought you would be too scary for most Green Party branches.
It does show how far the Greens have moved from that nice Rod Donald. I worked with him closely on the Overseas Investment Bill. He was a nice guy. He would be spewing looking at the Green Party today and how far it has strayed from its mission into basically a communist party in green drag.
He was a nice guy. What about people who co-opt the dead, though, and put words in their mouths? Are they “nice guys”, or are they self-serving scum?
Stupid comment again SSLands, the Green Party has had the same two arms since it’s formation, Green and Social Justice issues have been at its core all along…
Piss off Roger Sowry Lands..
@ fender..
..ew..!..really…?
..(but if so..good to see them in their true colours/masks off..
..as greed-driven/uncaring arsewipes..)
phillip ure..
Fucking tory robots, always making files on people.
piss off, SSpylands
Your imaginary green voting wife might have known him but you insult his memory with your shallow pap.
Clueless fuck repeats…
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2008/10/the_greens_banned_list.html
OMG! It’s not even his/her own work, it’s a regurgitated Farrar wet-fireworks fizzer!
Thanks for the LOL fizzer..
From Bill via the research unit to the boy penguin and latterly the bro-in-law picks and runs.
Not necessarily plagiarism though. fizzy may well be one of David Farrar’s many sockpuppets.
Certainly thick and arrogant enough.
Yep, thought I’d seen it before. I believe it was fully debunked as well.
Fiss – what a great idea.
On one side of the wall BLiP’s poster, on the other side, a modified version of your list. I like it.
No. 80 for example – ban all private toll roads – I can’t see any New Zealanders being outraged, except a few Nats. Thanks fiss-mog !!
No. 44 – Ban Nuclear Power – in New Zealand – already done, you f**ken moron !!
86. Ban (my suggestion, not Green policy) ‘fizzer’ imitations of the famous BLiP (who ALWAYS provides a link).
are you a plagiarist there..fisi..?
..is that yr own work..?
..if not..where are the speech-marks to indicate authorship by another..?
..’cos as you posted it..it reads as yr work/words..
..but it ain’t..
..eh..?
..phillip ure..
Fisi didn’t think up all those bans himself. Where did you get the list from Fisi? Is it an answer to BLiP’s list of John Key lies?
“Fisi didn’t think up all those bans himself.”
No he did not. It is a work in progress. They are mostly spot on but some are a little OTT. It is a great concept for electioneering. A four metre high “soon to be banned” list on SH2. Target – the 2.5 percentage points folk from Kelburn and Oriental Bay who vote Green. These are the Green voters with rental properties and who want to make the flowers grow.
please run that campaign, SSpylands!
To anyone except a goddamn neolib robot like you, a whole chunk of those things aren’t that bad, and a whole chunk more are so outlandish as to be as successful as “the Green delusion”.
This was a party political broadcast from the office of steven joyce.
86.Ban Fishi from polluting our pristine space!
Never an answer to BLiP’s LiST, although imitation/flattery and all that. The BLiP LiST is a famous and ever expanding chronologue of the devious mutterings of an effete shifty-eyed US bankster domiciled in HaWhyKey. The BLiP LiST stands on its own. It is read and respected all over The World. It is a taonga Aotearoa which ultimately will be taken from the pages of The Standard and housed in Te Papa as Aotearoa’s Founding-Out Document !
Arise SiR BLiP……..
@ north..
..heh..!
..+ 1..
phillip ure..
PPP info
Hi Blip & co
– awaiting replies from printers for quotes
– sent mails’ content:
Except for some personal contact info, no other information about the posters was divulged.
Until we have an initial price pool, it seemed unnecessary.
p.s.
any one feel like offering legal advice on the PPP concept yet?
be well
freedom
Thanks freedom.
Have delved into defamation law in the last week or so but am no expert in this field. What about mickey savage?
My offer for dosh remains.
Not sure I get the PPP acronym but I’m assuming it’s around the wide dissemination of The BLiP LiST.
Not my area but I’m ruminating on measure of privilege attaching to fair comment, honestly held belief/opinion, matter of public interest ? Surely it wouldn’t display essential malice like (Condom) Ansell’s “Kiwi Not Iwi”. However, lets deal with first things first – how about justification ?
” how about justification ?”
North, would you care to elaborate a bit please?.
Not being a lawyer, I am not following the context of the use of justification.
thank you
Justification = what is published is true.
thanks, I thought for a minute you were asking what was the justification for delivering published information about incorrect and conflicting statements by our Prime Minister to the voting public of New Zealand?
North
+1 😀
And I have just been listening to a replay of interviews from Waitangi Day.
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/290651/labours-snubbing-forum-rankles
Sonny Tau of the Maori Leaders Group says that they haven’t got time to talk to Labour and only want to talk to the government of the day. If they included any other political party, they would have to include them all. As Labour is the only other major party, I hardly think that holds water.
Another comment from NACTs on radio was that Paula (Bennett) was up north finalising something apparently relating to Treaty settlements up there. I may not have understood that correctly. But Maori don’t want welfare included as part of their settlements I understand. Settlement is about getting land returned, or money. And often that money will mostly be used up if they have to buy back the land they want. And I think they have legal costs to pay. Getting an economic base is a big job in itself and shouldn’t be confused with welfare concerns.
Then there was a comment from Key that because of the size of the northern tribes, the settlement would be bigger than some. This is directly in contrast with what Maori want, which is reparation for land taken, not amounts allocated on a per head basis. So it sounds as if NACT are trying to play around with the settlement process. If they are not all settled on the same basis then there will be repercussions later. And a feeling of pakeha pollies being tricky and mendacious. Which pakeha have in the past levelled at Maori. The settlements must be done in such a way that this type of accusation cannot be levelled.
People of note – Dr Muriel Newman and Mike Butler. And her chosen quote from Paul Holmes from 2012 is indicative of the deep antipathy to Maori that right wing pakeha often feel.
NZCPR
Dr Muriel Newman is the founder and Director of the New Zealand Centre for Political Research – a public policy think tank she established in 2005 after nine years as a Member of Parliament. Her background is in business and education. A former Chamber of Commerce President, she currently serves on the board of a children’s trust. (Also see Mike Butler Breaking Views blog.)
Her page starts off with this quote from Paul Holmes from 2012. Odious little man.
““I’m over Waitangi Day. It is repugnant. It’s a ghastly affair. As I lie in bed on Waitangi morning, I know that later that evening, the news will show us irrational Maori ghastliness with spitting, smugness, self-righteousness and the usual neurotic Maori politics, in which some bizarre new wrong we’ve never thought about will be lying on the table.”
Cos she would never be nasty to anyone who scoffed at the theft of her properties and murdered her ancestors…
Muriel Newman is of English origin. Arrived in NZ at the age of 8. My pick is, her parents were ignorant of New Zealand’s history, and inculcated in her mind that Maori were inferior to them as they were from the Mother Country and Maori were not long out of swinging in the trees wearing grass skirts. She’s never ever bothered to research the truth and doesn’t have the ability to empathise with anyone but her own kind of English bred prejudice. She and Alf Garnett would get along fine!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muriel_Newman
Here’s someone telling it like it is about Muriel Newman:
http://thejackalman.blogspot.co.nz/2011/06/asshole-of-week-award-muriel-newman.html
The poor should use a modified plastic bag for a raincoat ??? Ugly minded bitch ! Typical ACT. Hope the maggot’s not troughing on a parliamentary pension. Probably is. “Served” nine years didn’t she ?
To avoid moderation –link.
This afternoon, the American N*** Party had more than 4,000 followers on Twitter, and at least two of them were influential think tanks.
Until they were called out on Twitter earlier today, the Heritage Foundation and the Cato Institute were both followers of “America’s premier 21st Century National Socialist Organization.”
Just like Key Tony Abbott is a ”relaxed” PM, Fairfax says.
Food scandal in Britain as testing of 900 samples reveals 38% not as labelled, including use of banned flame-retardant additives.
I wonder what similar testing would reveal here. It’s a shame the Greens have de-emphasised food issues in recent times.
This wouldn’t have happened on the day of the Destiny Church “Enough is Enough” march on the New Zealand Parliament a few years ago ?
http://globalnews.ca/news/1128646/rights-group-releases-video-of-russia-anti-gay-attacks-ahead-of-sochi/