It is interesting how National opposes the appointment of two non-elected Ngahi Tahu representatives to Environment Canterbury on the grounds that it is "undemocratic" when it was National who sacked the elected EC councillors in 2010, replacing them with hand-picked commissioners (including the Rogernome David Caygill). And why did they do this? Because the council was becoming aware that the ground water resources of Canterbury could not sustain any more large dairy farming operatives and were not granting more consents – and the National government naturally couldn't bare to see their farming mates being denied the right to further plunder the water resources.
"Their real fear is that Māori principles of kaitiakitanga will be prioritised, over a quick buck for a few landowners."
Well that is the complete antithesis of my fear. The expectation is (and has been shown to date) is that the outcomes will be unchanged as a result of the reforms and the addition of co governance will add nothing other than additional expense, complication and ill will.
New research from a University of Canterbury PhD candidate has uncovered the presence of microplastics in Antarctic snowfall, shattering the myth that the great southern continent is relatively untouched by humans.
Microplastics, pieces of plastic smaller than grains of rice, were even found in samples taken at remote sites away from human occupation.
Aves told Morning Report said the source of those microplastics included air carrying them, and human footprint.
"It does look like some of the airflow did pass by those bases, and so we have established that human footprint down there. So that is one of the most likely sources.
” Coca-Cola, with more than 500 brands, sells more than 100 billion plastic bottles every year. This equates to 200,000 bottles a minute. Of these, an unrecoverable large part ends up in the environment, and definitely in places where waste is not collected and processed. For the fourth consecutive year, the conglomerate has been declared the world’s biggest polluter, bigger than numbers two (PepsiCo) and three (Unilever) put together. ”
I take yr point about the pollution and devastation wrought by plastics and micro-plastics, I agree entirely.
For me, the inconvenient truth is that responsibility doesn't lie at the feet of Coca-Cola, it is our fault. We have bought all the fizzy, the make-up and polar fleeces that are the cause of the plastic pollution.
Coke, supermarkets and even the pollies will follow where we go.
Peter Dunne lost all credibility with his synthetic drugs debacle. The right tend to trot out failed people and pretend they are left of centre and treat their musings with more respect than statements made by Government ministers.
In evidence now presented in court, some donors told investigators they had been determined that their donations should remain anonymous. Several sought legal advice or assurances from NZ First figures before splitting their totals of up to $50,000 into multiple donations just below the $15,000.01 threshold that would require their names to be declared to the Electoral Commission.
So, evidence of electoral funding fraud, right there. It's illegal to regard these as separate donations, they have to be totalled together (by the party or the Foundation) and reported to the Electoral Commission.
Most said they did not know their donations were going into an account for the NZ First Foundation rather than directly to the NZ First Party – and many did not care, as long as the money went to Winston Peters and the NZ First cause, helped promote their policies.
Again, clear evidence that the intent was a donation to a political party – and thus covered by the Electoral Commission requirements.
Ha! The identities of the accused are suppressed, but not those of the witnesses (despite their evident desire to remain anonymous). Another example of the way that suppression orders in court predominantly benefit the 'guilty' [I know, technically not yet established].
It seems very clear that this money was donated in the very clear expectation that Peters would deliver on legislation/regulation which would benefit the racing industry (amongst others). Pretty blatant political promises of influence. Very much a bought and paid for MP (but an honest politician, in the sense of 'one who stays bought') [Although that element isn't on trial, except in the court of public opinion]
Regarding the electoral bill currently before parliament that allows Maori voters to switch between Maori and general rolls almost at will.
It is embarrassing to admit this but I actually agree somewhat with National's Paul Goldsmith on this one.
To allow switching at any time could drive us towards the jerrymandering antics that go on in the US where county electoral boundaries are redrawn by the party in power (both the Democrats and Republicans do it) to maximise and vote stack.
If an elector can switch between the Maori and general roll at will then exists the danger of political parties conducting campaigns for mass transfers shortly before elections to capture marginal seats.
There would need to be some checks and balances, for example limiting the number of transfers a voter could do in a period of time and/or prohibiting it within a certain time before the next general or by-election.
Compared with other democratic countries, our electoral system is pretty good and we shouldn't make such an alteration just because some intellectuals think it is fashionable.
The only problem I have with it is that it removes any logic for determining the number of Maori seats in the Parliament.
This is done by using the number of people who nominate that they wish to go on the Maori Roll and then calculating the number of Maori seats that there should be so that all electorates have approximately the same number of people. It is really only feasible at a Census when the numbers are all available.
What is an appropriate method if people can go backwards and forwards at any time?
You're right in that the timing of the roll choice should coincide with the determination of the number of Maori seats. But can this be done outside of a census period? Or is the electoral map only adjusted from census data?
The electorates are determined from the Census data and from the choices made in the Maori Electoral Option.
They are only reviewed after a Census. Thus the revues were held in 2006, 2013 and 2018 because the Census planned for 2011 was postponed and the anticipated review in 2011 was not held.
Thanks. So even if a different system was used to determine the electoral map, there would still be a potential problem with anyone shifting between the Maori and General rolls between establishing the boundaries and the election. I'm also thinking of how someone switching between general electorates would impact this, but my understanding is that can only happen if the voter actually moves address.
I think that the assumption about electoral sizing and boundaries has been, that it's only an approximation (e.g. heavy infill housing within electorates – would change the population numbers), and that people do shift between electorates – but that 'out' and 'in' are roughly equivalent.
The 'risk' with allowing 'at will' shifts between between Maori and General rolls is that it enables deliberate electoral distortion. For example: Multiple people enrolling on the Maori roll just before the census – resulting in another 2-3 Maori seats, then those people shifting to the general roll (in areas where they could influence the outcome – e.g. Rotorua).
Can anyone explain to me why there is a need for people to be able to shift onto and off of the Maori roll, at more frequent intervals?
It could, of course be a personal 5 years (i.e. everyone qualified for the Maori roll can shift on or off once every 5 years) – but, in reality, that would be a huge administrative burden.
Good question. According to this guy, "A Ruapehu district councillor says allowing Māori voters to switch electoral rolls at any time would be a huge step towards removing barriers to voting." In reality nothing is stopping anyone voting, it's purely the electorate your vote is counted in that is chnaging.
And, with MMP, even if your candidate vote is less than useful, you can still vote for your party (with results likely to be influential on the distribution of seats in parliament).
Reality is that there are plenty of Kiwis who feel that their candidate vote is wasted. If, for example, you're a left-wing voter who happens to live in a National stronghold – there's little point in a 2 ticks red campaign – you're going to get a National MP in your electorate – so it's only the party vote which matters (from your perspective).
What is an appropriate method if people can go backwards and forwards at any time?
I don't know how practicable it is from an administrative perspective, but it would be technically possible to 'freeze' the Maori roll 9 months out from a general election – and distribute the Maori seats at that point.
It would prevent the gerrymander possibility of shifts on or off the roll for electoral advantage. But would potentially create other issues (how to handle people turning 18, or shifting electorates (KeriKeri to Invercargill), timeframe required to select candidates, etc.).
TBH, if feel as if this legislation is a solution looking for a problem.
" 'freeze' the Maori roll 9 months out from a general election – and distribute the Maori seats at that point".
That would mean that you wouldn't actually know how many Maori seats there would be, or what their boundaries were, until perhaps 6 months before the election. Setting the boundaries isn't as simple as it seems as it isn't just having the right number of people. It also means keeping communities of interest together.
Here we go again. A clash of cultures or just plain arrogance? In my opinion there are some inaccuracies in this article. It should be remembered cases like this aren't the norm.
''Tommy Murray, whose body was taken from Wellington to the north against his wife's wishes say they were doing what they thought was right and in accordance with their tikanga.''
''When Murray's whānau from Te Tai Tokerau and his daughters and mokopuna from Australia arrived in Wellington, they were concerned about plans he was being cremated.''
Cremation is becoming much more acceptable to Maori, especially urban Maori because it's cheaper… and best of all…you can have uncle Manu resting on the mantle piece. I must say even I found this confronting when I first came upon the concept.
''I do want to thank Sara for loving our cousin. I really do and I do feel for her. I know it sounds strange but those whole customs around mataora, a young wife and we didn't want him to be roaming around Wellington bothering other people because he was in the wrong place.''
That belongs to Maori spirituality and should be handled within Maoridom. It isn't appropriate as an excuse in the 21st century.
''Sara Murray was left distraught and in disbelief the whānau took her husband from their home without any discussion. She recalled it as a forceful and violent process.''
Yes, I can picture it now. The women would have told Sara straight. While the men moved swiftly – hence the coffin lid not being present when the tūpāpaku was moved outside to a vehicle. They wanted to move swiftly in case police arrived.
So, before I'm accused of going off on my usual racist rant. What can be done?
I would suggest legislation called something like '' The Bicultural Partnership Act.
That would be a free service, maybe run by Public Trust. Both partners would memorialise their wishes once they are deceased. They would also state what happens should the partnership dissolve. A fair point is made here:
''The whānau were concerned about what would happen to Tommy's ashes if Sara Murray were to remarry.''
The proceedings could be filmed if wanted and uploaded to a data base that police could access on the spot in case of a dispute. A hard copy would also be issued.
Would such legislation make it through parliament? LOL…no chance!! Maori would go berserk. Willy Jackson would PROBABLY call it cultural colonisation. The Maori Party dude with the tats would say it's Pakeha ignorance on display. Social media would erupt. A hikoi would descend on parliament with anti vaxxers saying this is what happens when people get the Covid jab.
This case also highlights collectivism v Individualism. Right v Left. Western culture v tribalism. And that's the reason I'm opposed to this continual Maorification of NZ under our Labour government. There's a reason why people jump in boats and sail to Western countries. It's called Western culture, and it trumps collectivism.
It's called Western culture, and it trumps collectivism
Proof again that those most enamoured of Western Culture don't know much about it, and champion it primarily as a shiny-sounding weapon to be used against something else that they dislike. If you imagine there is not a collectivist strand to the culture and thought of what we loosely call the west, then you are mistaken. Or perhaps you date the beginnings of Western Culture back to the election of John Key in 2008?
In terms of what to do about it. First of all accept that sometimes history serves us up a sh*t sandwich in the present. It's nobody's fault and respectful acknowledgement of other people's humanity might get us through it eventually.
I was personally involved in an identical affair during the late 80s. Only with an extra layer of the whanau wilful ignoring of both the immediate family and the deceased express and deeply held wishes.
It was a bitter and divisive matter and one of my most unhappy memories.
My advice to anyone caught in this scenario is to hire private security to ensure the body is protected until the funeral is over.
There's something about this situation which reminds me of the current abortion debate in many parts of the US. A wider community in this case has the power to supersede the wishes of the wife and apparently those of the deceased.
That's a good idea, RedLogix. People who haven't been in a situation like this cannot comprehend how, as you put it, bitter and divisive things become.
As far as I'm concerned the wishes of the deceased should come first. Fullstop.
"As far as I'm concerned the wishes of the deceased should come first. Fullstop."
Except, in this case, was there a will that specifically expressed what the deceased wanted? No. So where does one go from there? Perhaps a succession of Judges will be expected to decide on the basis of evidence presented at successive appeals. Whatever – this could be a protracted shit-fest unless some wise heads tread a fine path that will need to balance the wishes of the natural children, the partner at the time of death and realistically, cultural expectations.
Interesting what you would go with. There are certainly offences regarding a deceased person but is there such an offence as 'theft of a body'?
How would you get around the fact that a Court might not necessarily conclude that the rights of one person should take precedence over the rights of others who share closer relationship ties – i.e. the natural children and/or extended family. Not everyone lives in your self-centred little world where everything is so simple.
Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years who—
(a)
neglects to perform any duty imposed on him or her by law or undertaken by him or her with reference to the burial or cremation of any dead human body or human remains; or
(b)
improperly or indecently interferes with or offers any indignity to any dead human body or human remains, whether buried or not.
I have close connections to this rohe and whanau, although not directly to this family.
I have been educated when a Croatian uncle of mine, grief stricken by the early death of a beloved cousin after two years of medical failure to diagnose cancer had to deal with this form of 'respect'. Perhaps it was the force of his personality and robust physical presence that prevented the planned uplifting. But the threat remained until she was buried in Auckland, where both her parents have regularly visited and maintained her grave for over 23 years now.
It's a possible occurrence when any family member from my maternal side dies and is not taken up North for burial.
My mother's current wishes are for cremation, and for her ashes to be interred or scattered with my father's. Her wishes are subject to change. But I know, that the threat of 'uplifting' will remain because of these connections. It is an appalling practice, and one that should result in prosecution of those who participate in it.
I agree that it's utterly abhorrent.
From my understanding it results from a cultural difference between the rights of the immediate family (wives, children) to decide these matters being pre-eminent in some cultures; over the rights of the hapu/iwi to decide in Maori culture.
In practice, I can see that Maori whanau will end up being excluded from any access to funerals, wakes, etc – because of the 'risk' that the wishes of the immediate family will be disregarded.
It's actually one of my maraes in the article. The incident I spoke of had relatives without a close connection to my cousin, coming down to do the uplift.
Explained as a 'form of respect', to me it is a method of raising one's own prestige with little regard for others.
I have little patience with it, as I have heard such stories all my life, and the excuses that commend such behaviour. I notice that it happens most regularly when a grieving widow is left, rather than a widower. The sex-based difference/power differential on when they try it on is noticeable.
It might have more legal force, but the practice is not about legality, it is about the imposition of personal will and force on a grieving family.
People are loathe to involve the police, and when grieving are very vulnerable to coercion and manipulation. When your world is already recalibrating to accommodate an empty space where your loved one used to be – the legal position is often the last consideration on your mind.
Also the police are very reluctant to become involved. And the courts are also reluctant to intervene (it also takes an unreasonably long amount of time, costs a lot, and is hugely stressful for all concerned).
Actually, wills will almost never be probated before a funeral – (unless it's very significantly delayed for some other reason); and often haven't even been found/retrieved and read at that time. Most families are concerned more with the personal aspects, rather than the legal, financial, inheritance ones, in the run-up to a funeral.
Lovely family story about my Mum organizing my Nana's funeral – and then finding the instructions at the lawyers with her will, when it came time for probate. Luckily, she'd got most of it right!
This story has intrigued me since I heard about it and I have empathy for both sides of the issue.
Listening to Shane Jones pontificating on RNZ, it struck me that he referred to Sara Murray, more than once, as "an Australian woman'. Deliberately diminishing her mana.
I have no time for the man, hence my disrespect. The man has a track record in parliament of nothing except disrespecting parliament's kawa and European culture by not taking his hat off inside. My marae has no hats worn inside, Try walking into the wharenui with your shoes on and debating the issue…good luck!
No irony here. Just honesty free from cultural imperatives. I admit it doesn't make you friends. But that's life.
Personally I think we put too much value on culture. It is nothing much more than a collection of social habits and historical narratives after all. You cannot adequately express infinite, boundless love by limited means.
Nah, you’re disrespecting disliking the Māori dude’s culture; you did not mention his hat, his boots, or his attire in Parliament before, just his tats. Do you even know his name, without looking it up?
Granted dyed-in-the-wool Ardern supporters might not want to hear this, but Hooten is right this morning when he says it's time to consider replacing Ardern. Paywalled, he praises her profusely for her work on the international stage for the first half. The implication is that she would make an outstanding Foreign Minister.
Then he frames up Grant Robertson thus:
"He's the ordinary bloke who helped us keep things reasonably steady during the pandemic, and now wants us to pay off our credit cards and overdraft, but not worry too much about the mortgage. He watches the Rugby with us the local pub, where the beer's still sold in plastic jugs.
He's married to a bus driver and they're proud grandparents. Like English, he's much more likely to buy the family Hawaiian pizza than something exotic from the flash new pizzeria.
He has to wear suits to work but they don't fit properly because, like most of us, he's eaten too many pies. You could imagine him at the Prime Ministers' desk with his jacket off and – yes – with his sleeves rolled up.
(…)
If Ardern's re-election becomes unviable, this is undoubtedly Labour's best bet for a third term. Much better to get it done tidily before Christmas than panic in election year."
Many are still grateful for so much of what Ardern has steered us through, but we are now 6 polling cycles in a row telling us there will likely be a change of government unless something major changes. Probably only Robertson (maybe Gayford) could seriously ask the question of her, and he probably won't since he's had several brutal leadership contest humiliations already.
But Ardern is tanking Labour and it's time we faced up to the need to change.
Yeah, plenty of evidence of that with some commenters here. They'd probably defend themselves by claiming it is robust self-testing but really it's simply big egos desperate to be heard.
Apart from doubts about Hooton's motivation here, he is saying that that polling can be reversed.
What we in Labour must now do is first get the message out there that there are many good things Labour has done, with more to do, and second point out the very real concern that National have poor MPs, unannounced policy that will favour the wealthy, an unsavoury past with some of its members, an unsatisfactory record while in government from 2008-17, and dubious leadership. There! All solved!
Some voters may still feel a sense of pride when Arden shines on the international stage and bask in the adoration she recieves by association. But this is waning I suggest.
These days there is a weariness about Ardern and her foreign adventures. She looks more like the rich and the famous rather than the local women made good that cares about the plight of her fellow New Zealanders, and prepared to work hard to address their concerns.
She is not around to 'roll up her sleeves' and to put in the unglamorous hard yards to resolve the issues that are bothering New Zealanders. As Hooten says, this is left to Robertson to deal with.
Should this pattern strengthen, her poll ratings in my opinion will continue to decline and the gap between Labour and National will increase and Labour will be voted out in 2023.
There was a hint of this in the recent Tauranga by election Newshub poll. This suggested that Labour will lose the by election by a larger margin than anticipated and that the party vote will be strongly in favour of National. Translate this into the wider electorate and my pick is that all of the seats that Labour won at the 2020 election in the regions will revert back to National.
We'll see in a couple of weeks. And if the result is along these lines Labour will be panicked into considering the proposition that Hooton has put forward.
And if the result is along these lines Labour will be panicked into considering the proposition that Hooton has put forward.
Well, Labour was panicked into elevating Ardern to leader, and look how that turned out. Imho it's common sense to be very wary of any proposition of Hooton's that purports to be in the best interests of Labour.
I trust Hooton's motives and judgement about as much as I do the National party's – wasn’r Hooton Muller’s advisor at one point? Don’t Panic!
Wow. The pm has been on two catch up foreign trips for the first time in well over two years. Trade and tourism, it’s all there. She's currently meeting with Anthony Albanese, the newly elected left wing pm of Australia which, for you, must really sting. Hopefully while there meeting face to face, she will be able to stem the massive damage from the defeated coalition’s 501 policy.
Yet these important work trips in the wake of a 1 in 100 year pandemic are, according to you, that of the rich and famous. She is doing it to bask in adoration, apparently, and we are all weary of how much she doesn't work.
I can assure you Jacinda Ardern (I know how much her full name in print annoys you) works extremely hard for the benefit of New Zealand, most of it unglamorous.
Jacinda Ardern remains Labour's greatest asset. But if your best asset is heading towards certain insolvency, aren't you best to dump it and invest in something else? Ardern's visit to the US was a triumph. So, too, will be today's to Australia, especially if a compromise is negotiated with Anthony Albanese over the 501s. The Prime Minister will then host Samoa's Fiamē Naomi Mata'afa in New Zealand, before strutting her new cold-war warrior credentials at the Nato Summit in Madrid. Kiwi officials hope her global brand will help liberal European leaders sell their voters a more pro-American foreign policy and higher defence spending. In return, Ardern needs to report back home that our free-trade agreement with the EU is nearing completion. This is all great stuff for New Zealand. The problem is that Labour strategists want to move on from the old St Jacinda brand to a more sleeves-rolled-up version, concerned primarily about your grocery bills, mortgage payments and the cost of kids' shoes. They judge, rightly, that after two years of lockdowns and the associated economic and personal pain — and with prices, rents and mortgage payments now rising faster than wages — voters want a more prosaic Prime Minister. But Ardern can't quite play the new role. She is too obviously more in her element talking geopolitics, hate speech or climate change in Washington, Sydney or Madrid than inflation, interest rates and housing costs in Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch. As a student leader, junior diplomat and influential staffer in Helen Clark's office, Grant Robertson seemed destined to make history as New Zealand's first openly gay Prime Minister. Since then, New Zealand has progressed so that milestone would now attract only fleeting interest. At least as surprising as that social evolution, the notoriously Machiavellian Robertson has reinvented himself as an utterly loyal deputy to Ardern and a down-to-earth, no-nonsense Finance Minister. In that sense, Robertson has followed Bill English, also picked early as a future Prime Minister. Like English, Robertson's career then included brutal humiliations. English could at least content himself that his defeats were at the hands of Helen Clark and Don Brash. Robertson had to endure being beaten by David Cunliffe and then Andrew Little for the Labour leadership. To their credit, both Robertson and English picked themselves up to become highly successful wingmen to leaders better suited to lead their parties to power under the circumstances that prevailed. As Finance Minister, English was undoubtedly more careful with the taxpayer's wallet than Robertson. Yet both accepted massive borrowing after the Christchurch earthquakes and Covid outbreak rather than raise tax or cut spending. While on a slower repayment schedule than English and now with a less ambitious target, Robertson at least talks about paying his debt down before the next shock. Of greatest relevance to Labour's current plight, English was the perfect safe-pair-of-hands and old-pair-of-socks candidate when median voters started tiring of John Key's more cloud-bouncing style. Key's 2016 resignation followed focus groups beginning to describe him as arrogant, the failing he would cite when asked Proust's question of the trait he most deplored in others. Whether that hurt the right side of Key's brain, the left side knew that negative focus-group feedback presages falling polls. He judged National would have a better chance in 2017 under a new leader. So it transpired. With National seeking its first fourth term since 1969, English won 44 per cent of the party vote, miles ahead of Clark's 34 per cent in 2008 or Jenny Shipley's 31 per cent in 1999. A fall of only 3 per cent over National's 2014 result, it is extremely unlikely that Key would have done as well. Labour's difficulties are much worse than when Key calculated it was in National's best interests for him to hand over the top job. Since its failure to buy the vaccine on time led to last year's four-month lockdown, Labour has been on a steep slide. In the most recent polls it now averages just 35 per cent, well down from the mid-40s or higher it routinely scored before August's avoidable lockdown. If Labour's polling drops much more, it's time to confront the unthinkable and replace Jacinda Ardern. The Budget didn't help. The 1News-Kantar poll, taken since then, has Labour down two more points to 35. According to Roy Morgan, the Australian pollsters whose 2020 work most closely picked Ardern's 50 per cent triumph and National's 26 per cent disaster, Labour is at just 31.5 per cent and still heading south. That was the second poll in a month showing National-Act able to govern alone. The others suggest either a hung Parliament requiring new elections, or Labour-Green relying on Te Pāti Māori. If interest rates and grocery bills keep rising faster than wages, there will soon be a poll with Labour in the 20s, putting Ardern in Judith Collins, Little, Cunliffe or English 1.0 territory. Ardern's globetrotting risks bringing that fateful day forward. In the circumstances that now prevail, Labour's recovery and the jobs of at least 25 MPs depend on successfully shifting to the more everyday Kiwi brand to which Ardern has this year proven unsuited. For his part, Robertson has transformed himself into almost a caricature of a family accountant operating above the Te Atatū shops. He's the ordinary bloke who helped us keep things reasonably steady during the pandemic, and now wants us to pay off our credit cards and overdraft, but not worry so much about the mortgage. He watches the rugby with us at the local pub, where the beer's still sold in plastic jugs. He's married to a bus driver and they're proud grandparents. Like English, he's much more likely to buy the family Hawaiian pizza than something exotic from the flash new pizzeria. He has to wear suits to work but they don't fit properly because, like most of us, he's eaten too many pies. You could imagine him at the Prime Minister's desk, with his jacket and tie off and — yes — with his sleeves literally rolled up. As Prime Minister, Robertson could declare his predecessor the greatest since Michael Joseph Savage and arrange for her to receive every honour a grateful nation could bestow. He would claim not even to aspire to such greatness but to just do the job, to help you stay afloat during the recession and be safe from Christopher Luxon's dastardly plans. If Ardern's re-election becomes unviable, this is undoubtedly Labour's best bet for a third term. Much better to get it done tidily before Christmas than panic in election year.
From Me:
I think that Robertson will replace Ardern AFTER the election whether Labour win or not. Hooton’s call on the polls is a bit OTT-they show coalitions pretty much 50/50 at the moment. He talks crap on Covid-NZ’s response is still one of the best in the world and the 4-month Akl lockdown was needed to keep cases under control while we got to 95% vaxxed. And under Key/English government debt went up massively due to tax cuts rather than the earthquake which was largely paid for by reinsurance.
Ardern still has a majority of support as leader – Robertson is nowhere in those stakes. And a substantial (if dwindling) tail of people (looking at the recent poll stats, predominantly younger women) 'voting Labour because of Ardern'
I don't believe that Robertson has anything like the popular appeal to that voting group.
So, if Labour followed Hooten's advice, they'd be trading a solid(ish) group of supporters, for the 'possibility' of the 'Waitakere Man' vote (the ones in the pub, drinking beer with their sleeves rolled up). And, I don't really think that Robertson is an ideal match for that crowd either.
Looking (probably a long way) down the track, Labour should be considering who in the current caucus is a potential leader, and giving them the opportunity to demonstrate capacity. This would absolutely mean some 'churn' in the Labour ministerial roles (which would be a good thing for a number of unrelated reasons).
Who are the (youngish) rising stars? I'd put 3 names out there: Kieran McAnulty, Kiri Allen, Michael Wood. I could certainly see the first 2 as having potential 'Waitakere Man' voter attraction (don't really know enough about Wood)
Any others to contribute?
There may be others in the 2020 intake – but TBH, none of them have been outstanding so far (difficult as a new MP, I do acknowledge), and many of them are highly vulnerable to losing their seats and/or list placings in the 2023 election (even if Labour wins, it's going to be with a heavily reduced majority)
Of course, all this is predicated on the 'if' factor. If Labour loses in 2023, will Ardern stay in parliament (or indeed in NZ). There must be temptations for her on a wider stage (a la Clark). Or, will she see her job as 'uncompleted' and work to reverse the result in 2026?
She has held the group together as no other has. Robertson is doing well, however Jacinda Ardern is admired for her genuine warmth. She has been hounded by the press, who are lauding Christopher Luxon on very ephemeral grounds.
Hooton's view that people are tired of Ardern's "Do nothing" is based on what?
Ad you have been white anting her here for ages. We noticed the "bum note" It jars.
The poll that counts is the election…. over 12 months away.
Multiple polls in a row saying Labour will not be in government, Ardern in charge, and it's me that's jarring. Give yourself a break from your feelings.
Wake up to reality.
Ardern has no more than 6 months to turn Labour's fortunes around.
My "Feelings" Lol You are the one crying in your beer. Being divisive and insulting.
The right want her gone. We will see. You are helping them with your wails. There is one poll alone that matters Nov? next year. A great deal of water and Hooten rubbish to flow yet. Oh and I notice you did not refute the partisan behaviour of many a journalist in support of a "nonperforming" Luxon.
Far more intelligent people than Hooten rate her. Her party rates her.
People are tired and feeling the global fall out of covid's effects, so some are playing the blame game while Christopher Luxon plays the dance of the seven veils. "We will produce Policy later"
4 of those veils
Climate change…."I believe it"… Oh really? in what way? Waiting….?
Bottom Feeders…"we don't want them" Oh really.. top feeders then?
Air NZ… "I ran an Airline…..I am treating this country as a company that needs turning round…'. by tax cuts ? by reversing all current legislation?
"Nicola Willis will be treasurer." Act said "Oh really"
What will he do about Climate change/farming?
What will he do about Covid?
What will he do about Russia/China?
Waiting waiting.
You say Jacinda Ardern has 6 months…. so does Luxon. He is no where as convincing, and your pick is not agitating to take over.
But I do think that much of the 2020 vote swing was voting for Ardern rather than voting for Labour.
And that the emphasis on her as the strongest card to play to the public has a downside (for lots of reasons, including the strain that it puts on her).
I can't see any reason for Labour to switch leaders before the election (and the speculation is, I agree, mischievous). However, Labour do need to be looking to put a really strong team of ministers in behind her.
I know that there are Labour supporters here, who believe that the whole team is strong – but the public don't exactly agree – and, even the most ardent supporter would agree that there are some stand-outs (Woods, for example is doing a sterling job, both in her portfolio and with the media).
I think a mid-term cabinet shuffle (which is almost expected from most governments – so not, in any way, a panic response), would allow Labour to refresh the front-bench, rotate ministers into areas which might play better to their strengths, and put the fire-suppressant strong-guns where the opposition and media are playing the spotlight.
But Ardern is tanking Labour and it’s time we faced up to the need to change
.
Ardern is one of Labour's very few assets (albeit a less valuable one than previously).
She remains marginally more popular (Preferred PM ratings) than Labour itself (Party Support ratings).
[Note: When analysing polling data, bear in mind Party Support polling excludes the Undecideds whereas Preferred PM includes the entire sample … do the appropriate recalculations to compare like with like & you'll find Ardern is still one or two points more popular than her Party]. She’s certainly more polarising than she used to be … but that’s pretty much par for the course in a Govt’s 2nd term.
Cost of Living / anti-democratic arrogance of He Puapua – Three Waters / End of Covid shine = are responsible for tanking Labour, not Ardern herself … although they certainly have shaken faith in Ardern. A move to Robertson is guaranteed to send Labour support into freefall.
In his most revealing comments to date Vladimir Putin compares the war in Ukraine to Peter the Great's war on Sweden. Peter the Great expanded the Russian empire by occupying territory previously part of Sweden, where he founded his new imperial capital St. Petersburg.
Some choice quotes of Vladimir Putin's that lay out his reasoning for invading Ukraine.
No mention of Nato, or neo-nazis
“When he [Peter the Great] founded the new capital, no European country recognized it as Russia. Everybody recognized it as Sweden,”
“What was he doing? Taking back and reinforcing. That’s what he did. And it looks like it fell on us to take back and reinforce as well,”
“There is no state in between. A country is either sovereign or a colony,”
“It’s impossible — do you understand — impossible to build a fence around a country like Russia. And we do not intend to build that fence,”
Perhaps someone should tell Putin that if it all about taking back what used to belong to you then he should watch his back because the descendants of the Golden Horde might decide to take back the vast amount of Russian territory (including Moscow) that they used to control.
The Chairman of the Jan 6 Commitee is Bennie Thompson, a representative from Tennessee. A black man. All over America the racists will be seething, his presence and role being a stab to their horrible hearts.
As far as I am aware the DoJ is conducting their own investigation, with stronger legal backing. These hearings are more likely about the show than collecting evidence.
When I heard the news that Captain Kane was out, I was strangely unmoved.
His form, for a while now, has been patchy at best. Sure, he is arguably the greatest batsman and captain we have produced. We have some depth in the squad and his inavailability(?) may be the spur his fellow top order batsmen require.
The positive is we have a well–drilled, experienced, varied pace attack. As was shown in the last test, at the moment, England rely heavily on a couple of players.
I wouldn't waste my time on Hooton's bad faith dirty politics reckons. He will say anything that his sponsors require. He knows the game and a few insiders, but his overall mission is to poison the well and sabotage Labour. Best to ignore insane yapping dogs who randomly bark at anything, they are just useless
Is the trend (is it too soon to call it a trend?) in the polls surprising to you? Definitely surprised me. I was sure the hoi-polloi would still be tugging their forelocks considering our Covid reponse.
Or maybe it is the over-reach in the response to Covid that is the source of dissatisfaction.
The bribe 'Cost of Living Support' wasn't enough, maybe $500 each might have shifted the polls…
The problem with bribing Kiwis is that they do not stay 'bought' but need constant and increasing amounts to remain 'on side' ….. something to do with inflation?
It's so nice that Matthew Hooton gets a page in the NZ Herald, seemingly every single day, to try to come up with a new criticism of Jacinda Ardern, fails every day and still gets another go the next day.
I think we are seeing a hangover from the extended Auckland lockdown and people tired of pandemic mandates. They wish Covid would magically disappear. Perhaps that is why the govt has stopped talking about it, even though the health system is now in crisis and we are seeing record deaths.
There is also the cynical race baiting engaged by RW media and the usual NACToid suspects.
Two track strategy or whatever you call it. Sainted leaders Te Reo FB page, coincides with this flood of dog whistling and blatant racism bubbling up all over the right elsewhere.
TL;DR: Here’s six links that stood out to me in the last day in Aotearoa’s political economy to 6:06am on Sunday, May 19:Aotearoa-NZ is the seventh worst in the OECD’s homelessness rankings, just behind the United States and just ahead of Australia. BlackRock thinks rate hikes actually worsen inflation because ...
Halfway up a historic tower in York, we are neither up nor down. At the top you will have views of a city steeped in antiquity, made and remade by Romans, Normans, Vikings, Tescos. Below, you will find a retired minister happy to tell you all about this most astonishing ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Does breathing contribute to CO2 ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: KiwiRail’s seemingly endless requests for more money is damning. At one point, KiwiRail assured Robertson when he was the Finance Minister that the worst-case scenario would be an extra $300 million before requesting $1.2 billion a few months later. Not what most people ...
No one knows what it's likeTo be the bad manTo be the sad manBehind blue eyesNo one knows what it's likeTo be hatedTo be fatedTo telling only liesHave you ever wondered what life must be like for Mike Hosking? Seeing things in black and white through blue tinted specs? In ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two week’s editions.Share More Than A FeildingBike bling, London Read more ...
Hi,I think we all made it through another week — congratulations. I’ve been digesting the new Arab Strap record, which is astonishing. In other news, I’m going to be doing a Webworm popup in Auckland, New Zealand on Saturday July 13. I’ll bring a bunch of merch, and some other ...
The Fast-Track Approvals Bill enables cabinet ministers to circumvent key environmental planning and protection processes for infrastructure projects. Its difficulties have been well canvassed. This column suggests a different way of thinking about the proposal. I am going to explore the Bill from the perspective of its proponents with their ...
New Zealand First Cabinet Minister Shane Jones has become the best advertisement against the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill. In selling the radical new resource consenting processes, in which ministers can green light any mine, dam, or other major development, Jones seems to be shooting the proposal in the foot. ...
Buzz from the Beehive Associate Education Minister David Seymour is urging the PostPrimary Teachers Association to put learning ahead of ideology. He wants the union leaders to call off their teachers meetings around the country where they hope to muster the strength to undo the government’s plans to establish several ...
What are police for? "Fighting crime" is the obvious answer. If there's a burglary, they should show up and investigate. Ditto if there's a murder or sexual assault. Speeding or drunk or dangerous driving is a crime, so obviously they should respond to that. And obviously, they should respond to ...
Michael Reddell writes – I got curious yesterday about how the Australia/New Zealand real exchange rate had changed over the last decade, and so dug out the data on the changes in the two countries’ CPIs. Over the 10 years from March 2014 to March 2024, New Zealand’s ...
Graham Adams writes that 20 years after the land march, judges are quietly awarding a swathe of coastal rights to iwi. Early this month, an hour-long documentary was released by TVNZ to mark the 20th anniversary of the land-rights march to oppose Helen Clark’s Foreshore and Seabed Act. The account ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: Suspended Green MP Darleen Tana has passed an unpleasant milestone: she has now been absent for as many parliamentary sitting days as she has been present for this year. Tana is on full pay while she is suspended, and will benefit from a ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is no coincidence that two Labour should-have-been MPs are making the most noise about public sector cuts. As assistant general secretary of the Public Service Association, Fleur Fitzsimons has been at the forefront of revealing where the next round of state sector job ...
Bryce Edwards writes – It’s becoming a classic case study for why lobbying deals with politicians need greater scrutiny. Former National Minister Steven Joyce runs a lobbying company with a major client – the University of Waikato. The University desperately wants $300m+ of taxpayer funding to establish a ...
This is one of the (extra) weekly columns on music or movies. Plenty of solid analyses of Possession exist online and most of them – inevitably – contain spoilers. This column is more in the way of a first-timer’s aid to getting your initial bearings. You don’t need to have ...
I am painting in oil, a portrait of a manWho has taken all the heart aches,And all the pain he can stand.I am using all the colors of blue,I have here on my stand.I am painting in oil, a portrait of a man.This has been an interesting week for me. ...
Helen Clark joins the Hoon as a special guest talking whether Aotearoa should join Aukus II, and her views on the fast track legislation and how Luxon and the new Government are performing. File Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts ...
With an election due in less than nine months, Britain’s embattled PM, Rishi Sunak, gave a useful speech earlier this week. He made a substantial case for his government, perhaps as compelling as is possible in the current environment. Quite an achievement. His overall theme was security, first pulling ...
Open access notablesPublicly expressed climate scepticism is greatest in regions with high CO2 emissions, Pearson et al., Climatic Change:We analysed a recently released corpus of climate-related tweets to examine the macro-level factors associated with public declarations of climate change scepticism. Analyses of over 2 million geo-located tweets in the U.S. showed that climate ...
You can be all negative about these charter schools if you want, but I’m here to accentuate the positive. You can get all worked up, if you want to, by the contradiction of Luxon saying We’re going to make sure that every school in the country is teaching exactly the same ...
Losing The Room: One can only speculate about what has persuaded the Coalition Government that it will pay no electoral price for unreasonably pushing ahead with policies that are so clearly against the national interest. They seem quite oblivious to the risk that by doing so they will convince an increasing ...
Name suppression decisions can be tough sometimes. No matter your views on free speech, you have to be hard-hearted not to be torn by the tug of the competing arguments. I think you can feel the Supreme Court wrestling with that in M v The King. The case for ...
The Merchants of Menace: The Coalition Government has convinced itself that the “Brahmins’” emollient functions have become much too irksome and expensive. Those who see themselves as the best hope of rebuilding New Zealand’s ailing capitalist system, appear to have convinced themselves that a little bit of blunt trauma is what their mollycoddled ...
When National first proposed its Muldoonist "fast-track" law, they were warned that it would inevitably lead to corruption. And that is exactly what has happened, with Resources Minister Shane Jones taking secret meetings with potential applicants:On Tuesday, in a Newsroom story, questions were raised about a dinner Jones ...
Buzz from the Beehive One day – hopefully – we will push that Russian rascal, Vladimir Putin, beyond breaking point. Perhaps it will happen today, when he learns that Foreign Minister Winston Peters is again tightening the thumbscrews. Peters announced further sanctions, this time on 28 individuals and 14 entities ...
How Labour’s and National’s failure to move beyond neoliberalism has brought New Zealand to the brink of economic and cultural chaos.TO START LOSING, so soon after you won, requires a special kind of political incompetence. At the heart of this Coalition Government’s failure to retain, and build upon, the public ...
“Members of Parliament don’t work for us, they represent us, an entirely different thing. As with so much that has turned out badly, the re-organising of MPs’ responsibilities began with the Fourth Labour Government. That’s when they began to be treated like employees – public servants – whose diaries had ...
It’s becoming a classic case study for why lobbying deals with politicians need greater scrutiny. Former National Minister Steven Joyce runs a lobbying company with a major client – the University of Waikato. The University desperately wants $300m+ of taxpayer funding to establish a third medical school in New Zealand, ...
Time To Choose: Like it or not, the Kiwis are either going into AUKUS’s “Pillar 2” – or they are going to China.HAD ZHENG HE’S FLEET sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks ...
Henry Ergas writes – When in Randall Jarrell’s Pictures from an Institution, a college president is accused of being a hypocrite, the novel’s narrator retorts that the description is grossly unfair. After all, the man is still far from the stage of moral development at which the charge ...
David Farrar writes – Radio NZ reports: The Education Review Office says too many new teachers feel poorly prepared for their jobs. In a report published on Monday, the review office said 60 percent of the principals it interviewed said their new teachers were not ready. ...
New Zealand’s economic performance and the PM’s vision Michael Reddell writes – When I wrote yesterday morning’s post, highlighting how poorly both New Zealand and its Anglo peer countries have been doing in respect of productivity in recent times (ie, in the case of New ...
Hi all,Firstly - thank you! You guys are awesome. The response I’ve received to last night’s mail has been quite overwhelming. It’s a ghastly day outside, but there are no clouds in here.In case you didn’t read my email and are wondering what on earth I’m talking about you can ...
If there was still any doubt as to who is actually running this government – and it isn’t the buffoon from Botany – then this week’s announcement of a huge spend up on charter schools has settled the matter. While jobs and public services continue to be cut in the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Gaye Taylor As widespread drought raises expectations for a repeat of last year’s ferocious wildfire season, response teams across Canada are grappling with the rapidly changing face of fire in a warming climate. No longer quenched by winter, nor quelled by the ...
Half of Christchurch City Holdings Ltd’s directors and its chair resigned en masse last night in protest at Christchurch City Council’s demand to front-load dividends File Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The chair of Christchurch City Council’s investment company and four of its independent directors resigned in protest last ...
The University of Waikato has reworded an advertisement that begins the tender process for its new $300 million-plus medical school even though the Government still needs to approve it. However, even the reworded ad contains an architect’s visualisations of what the school might look like. ACT leader David Seymour told ...
As a follow-up to the Rings of Power trailer discussion, I thought I needed to add something. There has been some online mockery about the use of the same actor for both the Halbrand and Annatar incarnations of Sauron. The reasoning is that Halbrand with a shave and a new ...
This isn’t quite as dramatic as the title might suggest. I’m not going anywhere, but there is something I wanted to talk to you about.Let’s start with a typical day.Most days I send out a newsletter in the morning. If I’ve written a lot the previous evening it might be ...
Buzz from the Beehive The promise of tax relief loomed large in his considerations when the PM delivered a pre-Budget speech to the Auckland Business Chamber. The job back in Wellington is getting government spending back under control, he said, bandying figures which show that in per capita terms, the ...
Yesterday de facto Prime Minister David Seymour announced that his glove puppet government would be re-introducing charter schools, throwing $150 million at his pet quacks, donors and cronies and introducing an entire new government agency to oversee them (the existing Education Review Office, which actually knows how to review schools, ...
Seeing that, in order to discredit the figures and achieve moral superiority while attempting to deflect attention away from the military assault on Rafa, Israel supporters in NZ have seized on reports that casualty numbers in Gaza may be inflated … Continue reading → ...
David Farrar writes – Newstalk ZB report: The man responsible for a horror hit and run in central Wellington last year was on a suspended licence and was so drunk he later asked police, “Did I kill someone?” Jason Tuitama injured two women when he ran a red ...
Muriel Newman writes – Former US President Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation.” The fight for ...
Why Courts should have said Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Karen Chhour Gary Judd writes – In the High Court, Justice Isacs declined to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal to compel Minister for Children, Karen Chhour, to appear before it to be ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The number of voices raising concerns about the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill is rapidly growing. This is especially apparent now that Parliament’s select committee is listening to submissions from the public to evaluate the proposed legislation. Twenty-seven thousand submissions have been made to Parliament ...
An average of 166 New Zealand citizens left the country every day during the March quarter, up 54% from a year ago.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The economy and housing market is sinking into a longer recession through the winter after a slump in business and consumer confidence in ...
The government has made it abundantly clear they’re addicted to the smell of new asphalt. On Tuesday they introduced a new term to the country’s roading lexicon, the Roads of Regional Significance (RoRS), a little brother for the Roads of National (Party) Significance (RoNS). Driving ahead with Roads of Regional ...
School is outAnd I walk the empty hallwaysI walk aloneAlone as alwaysThere's so many lucky penniesLying on the floorBut where the hell are all the lucky peopleI can't see them any moreYesterday morning, I’d just sent out my newsletter on Tama Potaka, and I was struggling to make the coffee. ...
Hi,I wanted to check in and ask how you’re doing.This is perhaps a selfish act, of attempting to find others feeling a similar way to me — that is to say, a little hopeless at the moment.Misery loves company, that sort of deal.Some context.I wish I could say I got ...
I have hitherto been fairly quiet on the new season of Rings of Power, on the basis that the underwhelming first season did not exactly build excitement – and the rumours were fairly daft. The only real thing of substance to come out has been that they have re-cast Adar ...
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 ...
“The thing is,” Chris Luxon says, leaning forward to make his point, “this has always been my thing.”“This goes all the way back to the first multinational I worked for. I was saying exactly the same thing back then. The name of our business needs to be more clear; people ...
Buzz from the Beehive It’s been a momentous few days for Children’s Minister Karen Chhour. The Court of Appeal has overturned a High Court decision which blocked a summons order from the Waitangi Tribunal for her. And today she has announced the Government is putting children first by introducing to ...
In 2014 former Australian army lawyer David McBride leaked classified military documents about Australian war crimes to the ABC. Dubbed "The Afghan Files", the documents led to an explosive report on Australian war crimes, the disbanding of an entire SAS unit, and multiple ongoing prosecutions. The journalist who wrote the ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – According to the respected Pew Research Centre, “In seven of eight [European] countries surveyed, the most trusted news outlet asked about is the public news organization in each country”. For example, “in Sweden, an overwhelming majority (90%) say they trust the public broadcaster SVT”. ...
David Farrar writes – Kata MacNamara reports: Details of Tony Blakely’s involvement in the New Zealand Government’s response to the pandemic raise serious questions about the work of the Covid-19 Royal Commission of Inquiry over which he presides. It has long been clear that Blakely, a ...
Chris Trotter writes – Are you a Brahmin or a Merchant? Or, are you merely one of those whose lives are profoundly influenced by the decisions of Brahmins and Merchants? Those are the questions that are currently shaping the politics of New Zealand and the entire West. ...
RNZ reports – It’s supposed to be a haven of healing and spiritual awakening but residents of the Kawai Purapura community say they’ve been hurt and deceived. It’s the successor to the former Centrepoint commune, and has been on the bush block opposite Albany shopping centre since 2008. It ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. Usually we have a video chat to go with this wrap, but were unable to do one this week. We’ll be back next week.Several reports ...
The Transport Minister has set a hard 'fiscal envelope' of $6.54 billion for transport capital spending. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The economy is settling into a state of suspended animation as the Government’s funding freezes and job cuts chill confidence and combine with stubbornly high interest rates to ...
To be precise, the term “anti- Zionism” refers to (a) criticism of the political movement that created a modern Jewish state on the historical land of Israel, and to (b)the subjugation of Palestinians by the Israeli state. By contrast, the term “anti-Semitism” means bigotry and racism directed at Jewish people, ...
This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Because hurricanes are one of the big-ticket weather disasters that humanity has to face, climate misinformers spend a lot of effort muddying the waters on whether climate change is making hurricanes more damaging. With the official start to the hurricane ...
Yesterday the Mayor released what he calls his “plan to save public transport” which is part of his final proposal for the Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP). This comes following consultation on the draft version that occurred in March which showed, once again, that people want more done on transport, especially ...
And it's a pleasure that I have knownAnd it's a treasure that I have gainedAotearoa’s coalition government is fragile. It’s held together by the obsequious sycophancy of Christopher Luxon, who willingly contorts his party into the fringe positions of his junior coalition partners and is unwilling to contradict them. The ...
The Select Committee hearing submissions on the fast-track consenting legislation is starting to become a beat-up of regional councils. The inflexibility and slow workings of the Councils were prominent in two submissions yesterday. One, from the Coromandel Marine Farmers Association, simply said that the Waikato Regional Council’s planning decisions were ...
Back in April, the High Court surprised everyone by ruling that Ministers are above the law, at least as far as the Waitangi Tribunal is concerned. The reason for this ruling was "comity" - the idea that the different branches of government shouldn't interfere with each other's functions. Which makes ...
Buzz from the BeehiveTolling was mentioned when Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced the government was re-introducing the Roads of National Significance (RoNS) programme, with 15 “crucial” projects to support economic growth and regional development across New Zealand. All RoNS would be four-laned, grade-separated highways, and all funding, financing, and ...
or the past 14 years, ever since the Spanish government cheated on an autonomy deal, Catalonia has reliably given pro-independence parties a majority of seats in their regional parliament. But now that seems to be over. Catalans went to the polls yesterday, and stripped the Catalan parties of their majority. ...
David Farrar writes – Radio NZ report: Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins said the Electoral Commission should make sure the system ran smoothly and “taking away the right of thousands of people to vote” was not the answer. “Thousands of people enroled and voted on the day. If ...
The Government’s introduction of legislation that would enable landlords to end tenancies with no reason marks a dark day for the 1.4 million people who rent their home in Aotearoa. ...
The Minister for Mental Health has found the Suicide Prevention Office and mental health support for 111 calls slipping through his fingers, says Labour spokesperson for Mental Health Ingrid Leary. ...
Today’s justification from the Minister for Children for scrapping protections for our tamariki was either a case of ignorance or deliberate deception. ...
The Green Party says the Government’s misguided policy on gangs will fail, following the announcement of the establishment of a national gang unit and district gang disruption units to target gang activities. ...
“With Police pay negotiations still unresolved after six months in Government, Mark Mitchell has today rolled the Commissioner out for a rebrand of their approach to gang crime,” Labour police spokesperson Ginny Andersen said. ...
The Government bringing back 50 charter schools will not increase achievement and is a distraction from the core mission of the education system, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Te Pāti Māori is showing extreme concern over the Environment Select Committees adoption of a lucky dip draw to determine hearings for the Fast Track Approvals bill. Of the 27,000 submissions, 2,900 requested to present. All organisations will be heard; however, the remaining 2,350 submitters will be subject to a ...
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...
The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced that the Government will make it easier for lines firms to take action to remove vegetation from obstructing local powerlines. The change will ensure greater security of electricity supply in local communities, particularly during severe weather events. “Trees or parts of trees falling on ...
Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani were the top winners at this year’s Ahuwhenua Trophy awards recognising the best in Māori dairy farming. Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka announced the winners and congratulated runners-up, Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board, at an awards celebration also attended by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister ...
"On the 27th of March, I sought assurances from the Chief Executive, Department of Internal Affairs, that the Department’s correct processes and policies had been followed in regards to a passport application which received media attention,” says Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden. “I raised my concerns after being ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins has announced the appointment of three new District Court Judges, to replace Judges who have recently retired. Peter James Davey of Auckland has been appointed a District Court Judge with a jury jurisdiction to be based at Whangarei. Mr Davey initially started work as a law clerk/solicitor with ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour is calling on the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) to put ideology to the side and focus on students’ learning, in reaction to the union holding paid teacher meetings across New Zealand about charter schools. “The PPTA is disrupting schools up and down the ...
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly today announced the appointment of Craig Stobo as the new chair of the Financial Markets Authority (FMA). Mr Stobo takes over from Mark Todd, whose term expired at the end of April. Mr Stobo’s appointment is for a five-year term. “The FMA plays ...
Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Coastguard New Zealand will continue to be able to keep people safe in, on, and around the water following a funding boost of $63.644 million over four years, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “Heading to the beach for ...
New Zealand and Tuvalu have reaffirmed their close relationship, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand is committed to working with Tuvalu on a shared vision of resilience, prosperity and security, in close concert with Australia,” says Mr Peters, who last visited Tuvalu in 2019. “It is my pleasure ...
New Zealand is gravely concerned about the situation in New Caledonia, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The escalating situation and violent protests in Nouméa are of serious concern across the Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “The immediate priority must be for all sides to take steps to de-escalate the ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met today with Samoa’s O le Ao o le Malo, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, who is making a State Visit to New Zealand. “His Highness and I reflected on our two countries’ extensive community links, with Samoan–New Zealanders contributing to all areas of our national ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has announced that he has approved Waiheke Island ferry operator Island Direct to be eligible for SuperGold Card funding, paving the way for a commercial agreement to bring the operator into the scheme. “Island Direct started operating in November 2023, offering an additional option for people ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters today announced further sanctions on 28 individuals and 14 entities providing military and strategic support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Russia is directly supported by its military-industrial complex in its illegal aggression against Ukraine, attacking its sovereignty and territorial integrity. New Zealand condemns all entities and ...
A year on from the tragedy at Loafers Lodge, the Government is working hard to improve building fire safety, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I want to share my sincere condolences with the families and friends of the victims on the anniversary of the tragic fire at Loafers ...
Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much for having me here in the lead up to my Government’s first Budget. Before I get started can I acknowledge: Simon Bridges – Auckland Business Chamber CEO. Steve Jurkovich – Kiwibank CEO. Kids born ...
New Zealand and Vanuatu will enhance collaboration on issues of mutual interest, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “It is important to return to Port Vila this week with a broad, high-level political delegation which demonstrates our deep commitment to New Zealand’s relationship with Vanuatu,” Mr Peters says. “This ...
Minister for Land Information, Chris Penk will travel to Peru this week to represent New Zealand at a meeting of trade ministers from the Asia-Pacific region on behalf of Trade Minister Todd McClay. The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting will be held on 17-18 May ...
Minister of Education Erica Stanford will head to the United Kingdom this week to participate in the 22nd Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) and the 2024 Education World Forum (EWF). “I am looking forward to sharing this Government’s education priorities, such as introducing a knowledge-rich curriculum, implementing an evidence-based ...
Minister of Education Erica Stanford has today thanked outgoing New Zealand Qualifications Authority Chair, Hon Tracey Martin. “Tracey Martin tendered her resignation late last month in order to take up a new role,” Ms Stanford says. Ms Martin will relinquish the role of Chair on 10 May and current Deputy ...
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and President Emmanuel Macron of France today announced a new non-governmental organisation, the Christchurch Call Foundation, to coordinate the Christchurch Call’s work to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. This change gives effect to the outcomes of the November 2023 Call Leaders’ Summit, ...
Distinguished public servant and former diplomat Sir Maarten Wevers will lead the independent review into the disability support services administered by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. The review was announced by Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston a fortnight ago to examine what could be done to strengthen the ...
Today’s announcement by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster of a National Gang Unit and district Gang Disruption Units will help deliver on the coalition Government’s pledge to restore law and order and crack down on criminal gangs, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. “The National Gang Unit and Gang Disruption Units will ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today expressed regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric towards New Zealand and its international partners. “New Zealand proudly stands with the international community in upholding the rules-based order through its monitoring and surveillance deployments, which it has been regularly doing alongside partners since 2018,” Mr ...
Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies MNZM is the new Chief of Defence Force, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. The Chief of Defence Force commands the Navy, Army and Air Force and is the principal military advisor to the Defence Minister and other Ministers with relevant portfolio responsibilities in the defence ...
Legislation to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has been introduced to Parliament. The Bill’s introduction reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the safety of children in care, says Minister for Children, Karen Chhour. “While section 7AA was introduced with good intentions, it creates a conflict for Oranga ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week travel to the UK and Italy to meet with her defence counterparts, and to attend Battles of Cassino commemorations. “I am humbled to be able to represent the New Zealand Government in Italy at the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of what was ...
The upcoming Budget will include funding for up to 50 charter schools to help lift declining educational performance, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. $153 million in new funding will be provided over four years to establish and operate up to 15 new charter schools and convert 35 state ...
“The results of the public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has now been received, with results indicating over 13,000 submissions were made from members of the public,” Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “We heard feedback about the extended lockdowns in ...
Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues Ladies and Gentlemen, Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...
Health, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...
The coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...
A high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office. “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...
New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
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The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The instability comes as the party tries to refresh its brand after six years of being part of a right-wing, pro-imperialist government with both the Labour Party and, from 2017-2020, the far-right NZ First Party. ...
Based on the latest Treasury forecasts, New Zealand Government debt will tick above $90,000 per household for the first time ever at 10pm today, Sunday 19 May 2024. The Taxpayers’ Union is calling it “$90k Debt Day”. Commenting on this, Taxpayers’ ...
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A major provider of school lunches fears the government's new $3 limit for most students will see them eating more pre-packaged and processed food. ...
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Some of the earliest photos of life in Aotearoa are on display at Auckland Museum right now – but the identities of some of the people in them are a mystery.What was it like to be one of the first people in New Zealand to have their photo taken? ...
Since its founding almost a decade ago, Featherston Booktown has grown into one of the country’s most interesting and idiosyncratic literary events. Erin Banks reports from the audience. “Come in, have you had lunch? I’m about to make a cheese toastie.” Mary Biggs, operations manager of Featherston Booktown Karukatea Festival, ...
After 33 years abroad, Loveni Enari recently returned to Aotearoa and Samoa in what a friend joked was an “existential crisis”. He learnt and re-learnt so much about his family, friends and both countries. Almost as an afterthought, he got a Samoan tatau. This is his story. (Accompanying it are ...
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Editor Madeleine Chapman looks back at the week and shines a light on some increasingly rare longform journalism. Mōrena and welcome to The Weekend where there will sadly be no aurora to see. After a busy week last week of short, sharp pieces, this week we swung the other way, ...
ANALYSIS:By David Robie, editor of Asia Pacific Report Jean-Marie Tjibaou, a revered Kanak visionary, was inspirational to indigenous Pacific political activists across Oceania, just like Tongan anthropologist and writer Epeli Hao’ofa was to cultural advocates. Tragically, he was assassinated in 1989 by an opponent within the independence movement during ...
Forget thin is in, apparently now bigger is better … or is it? After over a decade of body positivity, girls, teens and women are even more confused about what body positivity actually is. The movement began with women confronting unrealistic expectations of how their bodies should look. But sub-strands ...
Grace always sat at the bar at the back of The Cambridge, where she could watch who came in. A huge mirror ran the length of the pub, so you could sometimes watch people without them knowing. The mirror made the place seem a lot bigger than it really was. ...
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The first phase of the inquest into the death of Gore toddler Lachlan Jones finished this week, turning up plenty of revelations and few answers. But through all the confusion, heartbreak and antipathy on display, the simple fact at the heart of this case remains: if little Lachie’s body had ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roger Benjamin, Professor in Art History, University of Sydney “She’s no oil painting”. Those were the unkind words of a colleague commenting on the subject of Vincent Namatjira’s acrylic painting, Gina. Every one of the prominent Australians and cultural heroes in Namatjira’s ...
Government plans to require local councils hold a referendum on whether to have Māori wards breaches the Treaty of Waitangi, a Waitangi Tribunal report has found. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney This year the National Rugby League (NRL) opened its season in Las Vegas. It was an audacious move by the league’s ambitious head honcho Peter V’Landys to showcase the game in ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marnee Shay, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, The University of Queensland The 2024 federal budget contains A$110 million for Indigenous education. This includes funding for various different organisations to represent and help Indigenous people as well as scholarships in a bid to ...
Air New Zealand has confirmed Nouméa’s Tontouta International airport in New Caledonia is closed until Tuesday. The airline earlier told RNZ it would update customers as soon as it could. Earlier today, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters told RNZ Morning Report government officials had been working on an “hourly basis” ...
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This is the Mount Everest of artificial meatcraft.Ah, bacon. Pig’s gold. Toast’s consolation. Dawn’s savoury embrace. If meat was a currency, bacon would be the Benjamin Franklin. Or if you’re feeling patriotic, the Lord Rutherford. When it comes to fake bacon, the obvious question is: why bother? In the ...
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It is interesting how National opposes the appointment of two non-elected Ngahi Tahu representatives to Environment Canterbury on the grounds that it is "undemocratic" when it was National who sacked the elected EC councillors in 2010, replacing them with hand-picked commissioners (including the Rogernome David Caygill). And why did they do this? Because the council was becoming aware that the ground water resources of Canterbury could not sustain any more large dairy farming operatives and were not granting more consents – and the National government naturally couldn't bare to see their farming mates being denied the right to further plunder the water resources.
And that was "democratic"?
Their real fear is that Māori principles of kaitiakitanga will be prioritised, over a quick buck for a few landowners.
National has absolutely no time for inconvenient "Democracy".
Especially when it slows their mates monetising of the commons.
"Their real fear is that Māori principles of kaitiakitanga will be prioritised, over a quick buck for a few landowners."
Well that is the complete antithesis of my fear. The expectation is (and has been shown to date) is that the outcomes will be unchanged as a result of the reforms and the addition of co governance will add nothing other than additional expense, complication and ill will.
Part 1: Introduction — Office of the Auditor-General New Zealand (oag.parliament.nz)
"This sort of model – I wouldn't feel nervous with this model being rolled out to other parts of New Zealand as it works quite well [here]."
The Human “footprint” ….a sad indictment.
I recently found this site :
” Coca-Cola, with more than 500 brands, sells more than 100 billion plastic bottles every year. This equates to 200,000 bottles a minute. Of these, an unrecoverable large part ends up in the environment, and definitely in places where waste is not collected and processed. For the fourth consecutive year, the conglomerate has been declared the world’s biggest polluter, bigger than numbers two (PepsiCo) and three (Unilever) put together. ”
https://www.plasticsoupfoundation.org/en/2022/02/is-coca-colas-latest-promise-really-a-step-forward/
Coka Kola….polluting OUR Planet. Since ages
I take yr point about the pollution and devastation wrought by plastics and micro-plastics, I agree entirely.
For me, the inconvenient truth is that responsibility doesn't lie at the feet of Coca-Cola, it is our fault. We have bought all the fizzy, the make-up and polar fleeces that are the cause of the plastic pollution.
Coke, supermarkets and even the pollies will follow where we go.
Well, there is, to use that analogy…."Its not the gun (assault rifle) that kills people" !.
However, these massive plastic producing/promoting/polluting multinational corporations are definitely "providing" billions of such.
And of COURSE its sadly : (….. Consumer driven. I know what I personally am doing to address and change/halt them. How about all of us ?
Good to see David Parker call out Nicola Willis on her BS re gangs on the AM show this morning.
He accurately labeled her as superficial .
Seldom are Peter Dunne's musings worth the effort to read but this is the exception that proves the rule.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/nz-needs-to-make-the-case-for-a-republic-now
Peter Dunne lost all credibility with his synthetic drugs debacle. The right tend to trot out failed people and pretend they are left of centre and treat their musings with more respect than statements made by Government ministers.
Even before he enabled the synthetics sellers, I viewed him as a having convenient, malleable political principles.
Anyone that can trough for both National and Labour is a borderline 'political lady of the night'.
Josie Paganini as well.
This is not the exception which proves the rule that "the exception which proves the rule" is usually miss-applied as a phrase.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/millionaires-for-nz-first?utm_source=Friends+of+the+Newsroom&utm_campaign=a159271e27-Daily_Briefing+10.06.2022&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_71de5c4b35-a159271e27-47886425
Winston Peters. Bought and paid for.
Did they get their money’s worth, or did they buy a lemon?
I think Winston has had his three strikes…
So, evidence of electoral funding fraud, right there. It's illegal to regard these as separate donations, they have to be totalled together (by the party or the Foundation) and reported to the Electoral Commission.
Again, clear evidence that the intent was a donation to a political party – and thus covered by the Electoral Commission requirements.
Ha! The identities of the accused are suppressed, but not those of the witnesses (despite their evident desire to remain anonymous). Another example of the way that suppression orders in court predominantly benefit the 'guilty' [I know, technically not yet established].
It seems very clear that this money was donated in the very clear expectation that Peters would deliver on legislation/regulation which would benefit the racing industry (amongst others). Pretty blatant political promises of influence. Very much a bought and paid for MP (but an honest politician, in the sense of 'one who stays bought') [Although that element isn't on trial, except in the court of public opinion]
Regarding the electoral bill currently before parliament that allows Maori voters to switch between Maori and general rolls almost at will.
It is embarrassing to admit this but I actually agree somewhat with National's Paul Goldsmith on this one.
To allow switching at any time could drive us towards the jerrymandering antics that go on in the US where county electoral boundaries are redrawn by the party in power (both the Democrats and Republicans do it) to maximise and vote stack.
If an elector can switch between the Maori and general roll at will then exists the danger of political parties conducting campaigns for mass transfers shortly before elections to capture marginal seats.
There would need to be some checks and balances, for example limiting the number of transfers a voter could do in a period of time and/or prohibiting it within a certain time before the next general or by-election.
Compared with other democratic countries, our electoral system is pretty good and we shouldn't make such an alteration just because some intellectuals think it is fashionable.
Nah – I am all for it. That way everyone could switch to the Maori roll …
Or everyone could switch to the general role!
You can only go on the Maori Roll if you are Maori or a descendant of a Maori person.
Damned if I can see how they could check on this though.
https://www.govt.nz/browse/engaging-with-government/enrol-and-vote-in-an-election/register-for-the-maori-electoral-roll/#:~:text=Who%20can%20choose%20to%20be,if%20you're%20M%C4%81ori%20yourself.
Why don't you try enrol and find out? Please report back, kaumatua.
The only problem I have with it is that it removes any logic for determining the number of Maori seats in the Parliament.
This is done by using the number of people who nominate that they wish to go on the Maori Roll and then calculating the number of Maori seats that there should be so that all electorates have approximately the same number of people. It is really only feasible at a Census when the numbers are all available.
What is an appropriate method if people can go backwards and forwards at any time?
You're right in that the timing of the roll choice should coincide with the determination of the number of Maori seats. But can this be done outside of a census period? Or is the electoral map only adjusted from census data?
The electorates are determined from the Census data and from the choices made in the Maori Electoral Option.
They are only reviewed after a Census. Thus the revues were held in 2006, 2013 and 2018 because the Census planned for 2011 was postponed and the anticipated review in 2011 was not held.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_electorates#:~:text=The%20Representation%20Commission%20reviews%20electorate,normally%20occurs%20every%20five%20years.
Thanks. So even if a different system was used to determine the electoral map, there would still be a potential problem with anyone shifting between the Maori and General rolls between establishing the boundaries and the election. I'm also thinking of how someone switching between general electorates would impact this, but my understanding is that can only happen if the voter actually moves address.
I think that the assumption about electoral sizing and boundaries has been, that it's only an approximation (e.g. heavy infill housing within electorates – would change the population numbers), and that people do shift between electorates – but that 'out' and 'in' are roughly equivalent.
The 'risk' with allowing 'at will' shifts between between Maori and General rolls is that it enables deliberate electoral distortion. For example: Multiple people enrolling on the Maori roll just before the census – resulting in another 2-3 Maori seats, then those people shifting to the general roll (in areas where they could influence the outcome – e.g. Rotorua).
Can anyone explain to me why there is a need for people to be able to shift onto and off of the Maori roll, at more frequent intervals?
It could, of course be a personal 5 years (i.e. everyone qualified for the Maori roll can shift on or off once every 5 years) – but, in reality, that would be a huge administrative burden.
Good question. According to this guy, "A Ruapehu district councillor says allowing Māori voters to switch electoral rolls at any time would be a huge step towards removing barriers to voting." In reality nothing is stopping anyone voting, it's purely the electorate your vote is counted in that is chnaging.
And, with MMP, even if your candidate vote is less than useful, you can still vote for your party (with results likely to be influential on the distribution of seats in parliament).
Reality is that there are plenty of Kiwis who feel that their candidate vote is wasted. If, for example, you're a left-wing voter who happens to live in a National stronghold – there's little point in a 2 ticks red campaign – you're going to get a National MP in your electorate – so it's only the party vote which matters (from your perspective).
I don't know how practicable it is from an administrative perspective, but it would be technically possible to 'freeze' the Maori roll 9 months out from a general election – and distribute the Maori seats at that point.
It would prevent the gerrymander possibility of shifts on or off the roll for electoral advantage. But would potentially create other issues (how to handle people turning 18, or shifting electorates (KeriKeri to Invercargill), timeframe required to select candidates, etc.).
TBH, if feel as if this legislation is a solution looking for a problem.
Agreed, and if the government can't get the Nats on board, it won't pass anyway.
" 'freeze' the Maori roll 9 months out from a general election – and distribute the Maori seats at that point".
That would mean that you wouldn't actually know how many Maori seats there would be, or what their boundaries were, until perhaps 6 months before the election. Setting the boundaries isn't as simple as it seems as it isn't just having the right number of people. It also means keeping communities of interest together.
I agree with your last sentence whole heartedly.
Paul Goldsmith has a highly skewed idea of how feasible this kind of mass political coordination is. Something to do with representing Epsom maybe?
Here we go again. A clash of cultures or just plain arrogance? In my opinion there are some inaccuracies in this article. It should be remembered cases like this aren't the norm.
''Tommy Murray, whose body was taken from Wellington to the north against his wife's wishes say they were doing what they thought was right and in accordance with their tikanga.''
''When Murray's whānau from Te Tai Tokerau and his daughters and mokopuna from Australia arrived in Wellington, they were concerned about plans he was being cremated.''
Cremation is becoming much more acceptable to Maori, especially urban Maori because it's cheaper… and best of all…you can have uncle Manu resting on the mantle piece. I must say even I found this confronting when I first came upon the concept.
''I do want to thank Sara for loving our cousin. I really do and I do feel for her. I know it sounds strange but those whole customs around mataora, a young wife and we didn't want him to be roaming around Wellington bothering other people because he was in the wrong place.''
That belongs to Maori spirituality and should be handled within Maoridom. It isn't appropriate as an excuse in the 21st century.
''Sara Murray was left distraught and in disbelief the whānau took her husband from their home without any discussion. She recalled it as a forceful and violent process.''
Yes, I can picture it now. The women would have told Sara straight. While the men moved swiftly – hence the coffin lid not being present when the tūpāpaku was moved outside to a vehicle. They wanted to move swiftly in case police arrived.
So, before I'm accused of going off on my usual racist rant. What can be done?
I would suggest legislation called something like '' The Bicultural Partnership Act.
That would be a free service, maybe run by Public Trust. Both partners would memorialise their wishes once they are deceased. They would also state what happens should the partnership dissolve. A fair point is made here:
''The whānau were concerned about what would happen to Tommy's ashes if Sara Murray were to remarry.''
The proceedings could be filmed if wanted and uploaded to a data base that police could access on the spot in case of a dispute. A hard copy would also be issued.
Would such legislation make it through parliament? LOL…no chance!! Maori would go berserk. Willy Jackson would PROBABLY call it cultural colonisation. The Maori Party dude with the tats would say it's Pakeha ignorance on display. Social media would erupt. A hikoi would descend on parliament with anti vaxxers saying this is what happens when people get the Covid jab.
This case also highlights collectivism v Individualism. Right v Left. Western culture v tribalism. And that's the reason I'm opposed to this continual Maorification of NZ under our Labour government. There's a reason why people jump in boats and sail to Western countries. It's called Western culture, and it trumps collectivism.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2022/06/wh-nau-acted-according-to-tikanga-when-taking-family-member-s-body-cousin-says-as-widow-vows-to-take-legal-action.html
Proof again that those most enamoured of Western Culture don't know much about it, and champion it primarily as a shiny-sounding weapon to be used against something else that they dislike. If you imagine there is not a collectivist strand to the culture and thought of what we loosely call the west, then you are mistaken. Or perhaps you date the beginnings of Western Culture back to the election of John Key in 2008?
In terms of what to do about it. First of all accept that sometimes history serves us up a sh*t sandwich in the present. It's nobody's fault and respectful acknowledgement of other people's humanity might get us through it eventually.
I was personally involved in an identical affair during the late 80s. Only with an extra layer of the whanau wilful ignoring of both the immediate family and the deceased express and deeply held wishes.
It was a bitter and divisive matter and one of my most unhappy memories.
My advice to anyone caught in this scenario is to hire private security to ensure the body is protected until the funeral is over.
There's something about this situation which reminds me of the current abortion debate in many parts of the US. A wider community in this case has the power to supersede the wishes of the wife and apparently those of the deceased.
That's a good idea, RedLogix. People who haven't been in a situation like this cannot comprehend how, as you put it, bitter and divisive things become.
As far as I'm concerned the wishes of the deceased should come first. Fullstop.
"As far as I'm concerned the wishes of the deceased should come first. Fullstop."
Except, in this case, was there a will that specifically expressed what the deceased wanted? No. So where does one go from there? Perhaps a succession of Judges will be expected to decide on the basis of evidence presented at successive appeals. Whatever – this could be a protracted shit-fest unless some wise heads tread a fine path that will need to balance the wishes of the natural children, the partner at the time of death and realistically, cultural expectations.
In this case a will may not have resolved the situation?
I would go with ''theft of a body.'' given the circumstances.
Interesting what you would go with. There are certainly offences regarding a deceased person but is there such an offence as 'theft of a body'?
How would you get around the fact that a Court might not necessarily conclude that the rights of one person should take precedence over the rights of others who share closer relationship ties – i.e. the natural children and/or extended family. Not everyone lives in your self-centred little world where everything is so simple.
https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1961/0043/137.0/DLM329287.html
nice to see you commenting again Sabine
Hence my proposed legislation above that would cut through all this angst.
''Not everyone lives in your self-centred little world where everything is so simple.''
All the more reason for my type of legislation that would save so much trouble in such cases. Especially for the police.
I have close connections to this rohe and whanau, although not directly to this family.
I have been educated when a Croatian uncle of mine, grief stricken by the early death of a beloved cousin after two years of medical failure to diagnose cancer had to deal with this form of 'respect'. Perhaps it was the force of his personality and robust physical presence that prevented the planned uplifting. But the threat remained until she was buried in Auckland, where both her parents have regularly visited and maintained her grave for over 23 years now.
It's a possible occurrence when any family member from my maternal side dies and is not taken up North for burial.
My mother's current wishes are for cremation, and for her ashes to be interred or scattered with my father's. Her wishes are subject to change. But I know, that the threat of 'uplifting' will remain because of these connections. It is an appalling practice, and one that should result in prosecution of those who participate in it.
''It is an appalling practice, and one that should result in prosecution of those who participate in it.''
Agreed.
I agree that it's utterly abhorrent.
From my understanding it results from a cultural difference between the rights of the immediate family (wives, children) to decide these matters being pre-eminent in some cultures; over the rights of the hapu/iwi to decide in Maori culture.
In practice, I can see that Maori whanau will end up being excluded from any access to funerals, wakes, etc – because of the 'risk' that the wishes of the immediate family will be disregarded.
It's actually one of my maraes in the article. The incident I spoke of had relatives without a close connection to my cousin, coming down to do the uplift.
Explained as a 'form of respect', to me it is a method of raising one's own prestige with little regard for others.
I have little patience with it, as I have heard such stories all my life, and the excuses that commend such behaviour. I notice that it happens most regularly when a grieving widow is left, rather than a widower. The sex-based difference/power differential on when they try it on is noticeable.
I guess it comes down to one fundamental question: Which is the most important – the wishes of the deceased, or the wishes of his/her family/whanau?
If you put your burial and disposal wishes into you will it gains a lot more legal force.
It might have more legal force, but the practice is not about legality, it is about the imposition of personal will and force on a grieving family.
People are loathe to involve the police, and when grieving are very vulnerable to coercion and manipulation. When your world is already recalibrating to accommodate an empty space where your loved one used to be – the legal position is often the last consideration on your mind.
Also the police are very reluctant to become involved. And the courts are also reluctant to intervene (it also takes an unreasonably long amount of time, costs a lot, and is hugely stressful for all concerned).
Actually, wills will almost never be probated before a funeral – (unless it's very significantly delayed for some other reason); and often haven't even been found/retrieved and read at that time. Most families are concerned more with the personal aspects, rather than the legal, financial, inheritance ones, in the run-up to a funeral.
Lovely family story about my Mum organizing my Nana's funeral – and then finding the instructions at the lawyers with her will, when it came time for probate. Luckily, she'd got most of it right!
Good point
This story has intrigued me since I heard about it and I have empathy for both sides of the issue.
Listening to Shane Jones pontificating on RNZ, it struck me that he referred to Sara Murray, more than once, as "an Australian woman'. Deliberately diminishing her mana.
Yep. Shane Jones. Enough said. Probably the greatest pontificator who ever graced parliament.
The Maori Party dude with the tats would say it’s Blade’s irony on display, eh Bro!
I have no time for the man, hence my disrespect. The man has a track record in parliament of nothing except disrespecting parliament's kawa and European culture by not taking his hat off inside. My marae has no hats worn inside, Try walking into the wharenui with your shoes on and debating the issue…good luck!
No irony here. Just honesty free from cultural imperatives. I admit it doesn't make you friends. But that's life.
But those tats …, very disrespectful of European culture.
I can't see how. It's part of Maori culture, just like a white collar and tie affair is a European thing.
Personally I think we put too much value on culture. It is nothing much more than a collection of social habits and historical narratives after all. You cannot adequately express infinite, boundless love by limited means.
Nah, you’re
disrespectingdisliking the Māori dude’s culture; you did not mention his hat, his boots, or his attire in Parliament before, just his tats. Do you even know his name, without looking it up?Granted dyed-in-the-wool Ardern supporters might not want to hear this, but Hooten is right this morning when he says it's time to consider replacing Ardern. Paywalled, he praises her profusely for her work on the international stage for the first half. The implication is that she would make an outstanding Foreign Minister.
Then he frames up Grant Robertson thus:
"He's the ordinary bloke who helped us keep things reasonably steady during the pandemic, and now wants us to pay off our credit cards and overdraft, but not worry too much about the mortgage. He watches the Rugby with us the local pub, where the beer's still sold in plastic jugs.
He's married to a bus driver and they're proud grandparents. Like English, he's much more likely to buy the family Hawaiian pizza than something exotic from the flash new pizzeria.
He has to wear suits to work but they don't fit properly because, like most of us, he's eaten too many pies. You could imagine him at the Prime Ministers' desk with his jacket off and – yes – with his sleeves rolled up.
(…)
If Ardern's re-election becomes unviable, this is undoubtedly Labour's best bet for a third term. Much better to get it done tidily before Christmas than panic in election year."
Many are still grateful for so much of what Ardern has steered us through, but we are now 6 polling cycles in a row telling us there will likely be a change of government unless something major changes. Probably only Robertson (maybe Gayford) could seriously ask the question of her, and he probably won't since he's had several brutal leadership contest humiliations already.
But Ardern is tanking Labour and it's time we faced up to the need to change.
Don't be naive. Hooton hardly has the best interest of the Labour Party at heart!
Hooton only has his own interests at heart.
Yeah, Hooton FFS….but there is (and always has been) an element in Labour which loves this kind of shite. INfighting….somehow gives them meaning.
Yeah, plenty of evidence of that with some commenters here. They'd probably defend themselves by claiming it is robust self-testing but really it's simply big egos desperate to be heard.
Dosen't sound like a sound strategy to me – Ardern is still preferred PM over Luxon by 13points.
Hooten knows Ardern can – and will eat Luxon alive during the election campaign.
Hooten's strategy of praising first in order to obscure his subsequent attacks has been obvious for many years.
"I don't mean to offend, BUT(T)…"
Apart from doubts about Hooton's motivation here, he is saying that that polling can be reversed.
What we in Labour must now do is first get the message out there that there are many good things Labour has done, with more to do, and second point out the very real concern that National have poor MPs, unannounced policy that will favour the wealthy, an unsavoury past with some of its members, an unsatisfactory record while in government from 2008-17, and dubious leadership. There! All solved!
HootenHooton and Ad singing from the same 'Ardern songbook' – whatever next?We all fail eventually (no more babies!) "Reckon. Still… no hurry eh." Good onya mate.
Some voters may still feel a sense of pride when Arden shines on the international stage and bask in the adoration she recieves by association. But this is waning I suggest.
These days there is a weariness about Ardern and her foreign adventures. She looks more like the rich and the famous rather than the local women made good that cares about the plight of her fellow New Zealanders, and prepared to work hard to address their concerns.
She is not around to 'roll up her sleeves' and to put in the unglamorous hard yards to resolve the issues that are bothering New Zealanders. As Hooten says, this is left to Robertson to deal with.
Should this pattern strengthen, her poll ratings in my opinion will continue to decline and the gap between Labour and National will increase and Labour will be voted out in 2023.
There was a hint of this in the recent Tauranga by election Newshub poll. This suggested that Labour will lose the by election by a larger margin than anticipated and that the party vote will be strongly in favour of National. Translate this into the wider electorate and my pick is that all of the seats that Labour won at the 2020 election in the regions will revert back to National.
We'll see in a couple of weeks. And if the result is along these lines Labour will be panicked into considering the proposition that Hooton has put forward.
Well, Labour was panicked into elevating Ardern to leader, and look how that turned out. Imho it's common sense to be very wary of any proposition of Hooton's that purports to be in the best interests of Labour.
I trust Hooton's motives and judgement about as much as I do the National party's – wasn’r Hooton Muller’s advisor at one point? Don’t Panic!
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/election-2020-matthew-hooton-who-helped-todd-muller-to-leadership-leaves-national-party/J6UUJUEN6NRVMXEZ3SFEQNIEDI/
You do have a way with words! In this case you're spot on.
Wow. The pm has been on two catch up foreign trips for the first time in well over two years. Trade and tourism, it’s all there. She's currently meeting with Anthony Albanese, the newly elected left wing pm of Australia which, for you, must really sting. Hopefully while there meeting face to face, she will be able to stem the massive damage from the defeated coalition’s 501 policy.
Yet these important work trips in the wake of a 1 in 100 year pandemic are, according to you, that of the rich and famous. She is doing it to bask in adoration, apparently, and we are all weary of how much she doesn't work.
I can assure you Jacinda Ardern (I know how much her full name in print annoys you) works extremely hard for the benefit of New Zealand, most of it unglamorous.
Still, there's no convincing the unhinged!
Hooton today……
Jacinda Ardern remains Labour's greatest asset. But if your best asset is heading towards certain insolvency, aren't you best to dump it and invest in something else? Ardern's visit to the US was a triumph. So, too, will be today's to Australia, especially if a compromise is negotiated with Anthony Albanese over the 501s. The Prime Minister will then host Samoa's Fiamē Naomi Mata'afa in New Zealand, before strutting her new cold-war warrior credentials at the Nato Summit in Madrid. Kiwi officials hope her global brand will help liberal European leaders sell their voters a more pro-American foreign policy and higher defence spending. In return, Ardern needs to report back home that our free-trade agreement with the EU is nearing completion. This is all great stuff for New Zealand. The problem is that Labour strategists want to move on from the old St Jacinda brand to a more sleeves-rolled-up version, concerned primarily about your grocery bills, mortgage payments and the cost of kids' shoes. They judge, rightly, that after two years of lockdowns and the associated economic and personal pain — and with prices, rents and mortgage payments now rising faster than wages — voters want a more prosaic Prime Minister. But Ardern can't quite play the new role. She is too obviously more in her element talking geopolitics, hate speech or climate change in Washington, Sydney or Madrid than inflation, interest rates and housing costs in Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch. As a student leader, junior diplomat and influential staffer in Helen Clark's office, Grant Robertson seemed destined to make history as New Zealand's first openly gay Prime Minister. Since then, New Zealand has progressed so that milestone would now attract only fleeting interest. At least as surprising as that social evolution, the notoriously Machiavellian Robertson has reinvented himself as an utterly loyal deputy to Ardern and a down-to-earth, no-nonsense Finance Minister. In that sense, Robertson has followed Bill English, also picked early as a future Prime Minister. Like English, Robertson's career then included brutal humiliations. English could at least content himself that his defeats were at the hands of Helen Clark and Don Brash. Robertson had to endure being beaten by David Cunliffe and then Andrew Little for the Labour leadership. To their credit, both Robertson and English picked themselves up to become highly successful wingmen to leaders better suited to lead their parties to power under the circumstances that prevailed. As Finance Minister, English was undoubtedly more careful with the taxpayer's wallet than Robertson. Yet both accepted massive borrowing after the Christchurch earthquakes and Covid outbreak rather than raise tax or cut spending. While on a slower repayment schedule than English and now with a less ambitious target, Robertson at least talks about paying his debt down before the next shock. Of greatest relevance to Labour's current plight, English was the perfect safe-pair-of-hands and old-pair-of-socks candidate when median voters started tiring of John Key's more cloud-bouncing style. Key's 2016 resignation followed focus groups beginning to describe him as arrogant, the failing he would cite when asked Proust's question of the trait he most deplored in others. Whether that hurt the right side of Key's brain, the left side knew that negative focus-group feedback presages falling polls. He judged National would have a better chance in 2017 under a new leader. So it transpired. With National seeking its first fourth term since 1969, English won 44 per cent of the party vote, miles ahead of Clark's 34 per cent in 2008 or Jenny Shipley's 31 per cent in 1999. A fall of only 3 per cent over National's 2014 result, it is extremely unlikely that Key would have done as well. Labour's difficulties are much worse than when Key calculated it was in National's best interests for him to hand over the top job. Since its failure to buy the vaccine on time led to last year's four-month lockdown, Labour has been on a steep slide. In the most recent polls it now averages just 35 per cent, well down from the mid-40s or higher it routinely scored before August's avoidable lockdown. If Labour's polling drops much more, it's time to confront the unthinkable and replace Jacinda Ardern. The Budget didn't help. The 1News-Kantar poll, taken since then, has Labour down two more points to 35. According to Roy Morgan, the Australian pollsters whose 2020 work most closely picked Ardern's 50 per cent triumph and National's 26 per cent disaster, Labour is at just 31.5 per cent and still heading south. That was the second poll in a month showing National-Act able to govern alone. The others suggest either a hung Parliament requiring new elections, or Labour-Green relying on Te Pāti Māori. If interest rates and grocery bills keep rising faster than wages, there will soon be a poll with Labour in the 20s, putting Ardern in Judith Collins, Little, Cunliffe or English 1.0 territory. Ardern's globetrotting risks bringing that fateful day forward. In the circumstances that now prevail, Labour's recovery and the jobs of at least 25 MPs depend on successfully shifting to the more everyday Kiwi brand to which Ardern has this year proven unsuited. For his part, Robertson has transformed himself into almost a caricature of a family accountant operating above the Te Atatū shops. He's the ordinary bloke who helped us keep things reasonably steady during the pandemic, and now wants us to pay off our credit cards and overdraft, but not worry so much about the mortgage. He watches the rugby with us at the local pub, where the beer's still sold in plastic jugs. He's married to a bus driver and they're proud grandparents. Like English, he's much more likely to buy the family Hawaiian pizza than something exotic from the flash new pizzeria. He has to wear suits to work but they don't fit properly because, like most of us, he's eaten too many pies. You could imagine him at the Prime Minister's desk, with his jacket and tie off and — yes — with his sleeves literally rolled up. As Prime Minister, Robertson could declare his predecessor the greatest since Michael Joseph Savage and arrange for her to receive every honour a grateful nation could bestow. He would claim not even to aspire to such greatness but to just do the job, to help you stay afloat during the recession and be safe from Christopher Luxon's dastardly plans. If Ardern's re-election becomes unviable, this is undoubtedly Labour's best bet for a third term. Much better to get it done tidily before Christmas than panic in election year.
From Me:
I think that Robertson will replace Ardern AFTER the election whether Labour win or not. Hooton’s call on the polls is a bit OTT-they show coalitions pretty much 50/50 at the moment. He talks crap on Covid-NZ’s response is still one of the best in the world and the 4-month Akl lockdown was needed to keep cases under control while we got to 95% vaxxed. And under Key/English government debt went up massively due to tax cuts rather than the earthquake which was largely paid for by reinsurance.
Did Hooton actually write it like that? It would be a lot more readable if broken down into a few paragraphs.
Really not OK (from a legal perspective) to copy entire restricted access articles, and paste elsewhere (i.e. from The Herald onto TS).
A sentence or paragraph or two – interspersed with commentary is fine – but not the whole thing.
Ardern still has a majority of support as leader – Robertson is nowhere in those stakes. And a substantial (if dwindling) tail of people (looking at the recent poll stats, predominantly younger women) 'voting Labour because of Ardern'
I don't believe that Robertson has anything like the popular appeal to that voting group.
So, if Labour followed Hooten's advice, they'd be trading a solid(ish) group of supporters, for the 'possibility' of the 'Waitakere Man' vote (the ones in the pub, drinking beer with their sleeves rolled up). And, I don't really think that Robertson is an ideal match for that crowd either.
Looking (probably a long way) down the track, Labour should be considering who in the current caucus is a potential leader, and giving them the opportunity to demonstrate capacity. This would absolutely mean some 'churn' in the Labour ministerial roles (which would be a good thing for a number of unrelated reasons).
Who are the (youngish) rising stars? I'd put 3 names out there: Kieran McAnulty, Kiri Allen, Michael Wood. I could certainly see the first 2 as having potential 'Waitakere Man' voter attraction (don't really know enough about Wood)
Any others to contribute?
There may be others in the 2020 intake – but TBH, none of them have been outstanding so far (difficult as a new MP, I do acknowledge), and many of them are highly vulnerable to losing their seats and/or list placings in the 2023 election (even if Labour wins, it's going to be with a heavily reduced majority)
Of course, all this is predicated on the 'if' factor. If Labour loses in 2023, will Ardern stay in parliament (or indeed in NZ). There must be temptations for her on a wider stage (a la Clark). Or, will she see her job as 'uncompleted' and work to reverse the result in 2026?
She has held the group together as no other has. Robertson is doing well, however Jacinda Ardern is admired for her genuine warmth. She has been hounded by the press, who are lauding Christopher Luxon on very ephemeral grounds.
Hooton's view that people are tired of Ardern's "Do nothing" is based on what?
Ad you have been white anting her here for ages. We noticed the "bum note" It jars.
The poll that counts is the election…. over 12 months away.
Multiple polls in a row saying Labour will not be in government, Ardern in charge, and it's me that's jarring. Give yourself a break from your feelings.
Wake up to reality.
Ardern has no more than 6 months to turn Labour's fortunes around.
My "Feelings" Lol You are the one crying in your beer. Being divisive and insulting.
The right want her gone. We will see. You are helping them with your wails. There is one poll alone that matters Nov? next year. A great deal of water and Hooten rubbish to flow yet. Oh and I notice you did not refute the partisan behaviour of many a journalist in support of a "nonperforming" Luxon.
Far more intelligent people than Hooten rate her. Her party rates her.
People are tired and feeling the global fall out of covid's effects, so some are playing the blame game while Christopher Luxon plays the dance of the seven veils. "We will produce Policy later"
4 of those veils
Climate change…."I believe it"… Oh really? in what way? Waiting….?
Bottom Feeders…"we don't want them" Oh really.. top feeders then?
Air NZ… "I ran an Airline…..I am treating this country as a company that needs turning round…'. by tax cuts ? by reversing all current legislation?
"Nicola Willis will be treasurer." Act said "Oh really"
What will he do about Climate change/farming?
What will he do about Covid?
What will he do about Russia/China?
Waiting waiting.
You say Jacinda Ardern has 6 months…. so does Luxon. He is no where as convincing, and your pick is not agitating to take over.
6 months?
More than she needs.
The guy who was all in on Todd Muller?
I don't think she is.
But I do think that much of the 2020 vote swing was voting for Ardern rather than voting for Labour.
And that the emphasis on her as the strongest card to play to the public has a downside (for lots of reasons, including the strain that it puts on her).
I can't see any reason for Labour to switch leaders before the election (and the speculation is, I agree, mischievous). However, Labour do need to be looking to put a really strong team of ministers in behind her.
I know that there are Labour supporters here, who believe that the whole team is strong – but the public don't exactly agree – and, even the most ardent supporter would agree that there are some stand-outs (Woods, for example is doing a sterling job, both in her portfolio and with the media).
I think a mid-term cabinet shuffle (which is almost expected from most governments – so not, in any way, a panic response), would allow Labour to refresh the front-bench, rotate ministers into areas which might play better to their strengths, and put the fire-suppressant strong-guns where the opposition and media are playing the spotlight.
.
.
Ardern is one of Labour's very few assets (albeit a less valuable one than previously).
She remains marginally more popular (Preferred PM ratings) than Labour itself (Party Support ratings).
[Note: When analysing polling data, bear in mind Party Support polling excludes the Undecideds whereas Preferred PM includes the entire sample … do the appropriate recalculations to compare like with like & you'll find Ardern is still one or two points more popular than her Party]. She’s certainly more polarising than she used to be … but that’s pretty much par for the course in a Govt’s 2nd term.
Cost of Living / anti-democratic arrogance of He Puapua – Three Waters / End of Covid shine = are responsible for tanking Labour, not Ardern herself … although they certainly have shaken faith in Ardern. A move to Robertson is guaranteed to send Labour support into freefall.
Always good to read sound analysis.
Well put.
'
Putin the Great?
In his most revealing comments to date Vladimir Putin compares the war in Ukraine to Peter the Great's war on Sweden. Peter the Great expanded the Russian empire by occupying territory previously part of Sweden, where he founded his new imperial capital St. Petersburg.
Some choice quotes of Vladimir Putin's that lay out his reasoning for invading Ukraine.
No mention of Nato, or neo-nazis
Perhaps someone should tell Putin that if it all about taking back what used to belong to you then he should watch his back because the descendants of the Golden Horde might decide to take back the vast amount of Russian territory (including Moscow) that they used to control.
Putler describes his imperialist fantasy
Putin: 5'5", Micron: 5'7"
https://twitter.com/JohnCleese/status/1535189534652215296?s=20&t=mycSsEfbIBp8X9pn0dI7nQ
The Chairman of the Jan 6 Commitee is Bennie Thompson, a representative from Tennessee. A black man. All over America the racists will be seething, his presence and role being a stab to their horrible hearts.
Compelling viewing.
Surely this committee has now fashioned the noose the department of justice must then slip around Trumps oily orange neck?
I guess we shall see.
As far as I am aware the DoJ is conducting their own investigation, with stronger legal backing. These hearings are more likely about the show than collecting evidence.
Cricket, cricket, cricket!
Well shit..
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/300610122/black-caps-captain-kane-williamson-positive-for-covid19-ruled-out-of-second-test#comments
My XI would be (let the arguments flow)
Latham
Rutherford
Conway
Nicholls
Young
Mitchell
Blundell
Jamieson
Wagner
Southee
Boult
Its a three test series, we're down one and we've lost our captain and best batter.
Win the toss and attack from ball one, no respite and let the experienced bowlers, hopefully, win the game
Yes we cricket tragics will be glued!!
Latham, Conway, Mitchellet al …come on, you can do it
[Please check and correct your user name in the next comment, thanks]
Mod note
Apologies Incognito. I will check going forward. Sorry for the time it cost you.
When I heard the news that Captain Kane was out, I was strangely unmoved.
His form, for a while now, has been patchy at best. Sure, he is arguably the greatest batsman and captain we have produced. We have some depth in the squad and his inavailability(?) may be the spur his fellow top order batsmen require.
Too true gsays.
Yes I was a little miffed he wasn't fit for test cricket but suddenly came right for the lucrative IPL.
Agree PR!
The positive is we have a well–drilled, experienced, varied pace attack. As was shown in the last test, at the moment, England rely heavily on a couple of players.
We do have a few issues at the moment though.
Can we fix it, yes we can!
ha ha ha PR. Always appreciate it when you are on this site!
Got to keep it light every now and then
I am on record on TS that Mitchell was not a test match batsmen.
Did I ever get that wrong!
If he can just work on drying the runs up at one end with his bowling he'll be an able replacement for CDG
I like CDG…he would have won us the first test but for over-stepping. He makes things happen.
And of course Mitchell did it again today…its never felt so good to be wrong.
Yes we cricket tragics will be glued!!
If only the batters could stick as solidly as the fans.
We've lost or "best batter." The nature of cricket is such that the "best batter" scored a total of 17 runs in the first test.
There are worse addictions…imagine being a Warriors fan!
I wouldn't waste my time on Hooton's bad faith dirty politics reckons. He will say anything that his sponsors require. He knows the game and a few insiders, but his overall mission is to poison the well and sabotage Labour. Best to ignore insane yapping dogs who randomly bark at anything, they are just useless
He just had a brain fart, nothing to see here.
Yep
https://twitter.com/antihobbes/status/1534988611220668416?s=20&t=mycSsEfbIBp8X9pn0dI7nQ
Is the trend (is it too soon to call it a trend?) in the polls surprising to you? Definitely surprised me. I was sure the hoi-polloi would still be tugging their forelocks considering our Covid reponse.
Or maybe it is the over-reach in the response to Covid that is the source of dissatisfaction.
The
bribe'Cost of Living Support' wasn't enough, maybe $500 each might have shifted the polls…The problem with bribing Kiwis is that they do not stay 'bought' but need constant and increasing amounts to remain 'on side' ….. something to do with inflation?
It's so nice that Matthew Hooton gets a page in the NZ Herald, seemingly every single day, to try to come up with a new criticism of Jacinda Ardern, fails every day and still gets another go the next day.
I think we are seeing a hangover from the extended Auckland lockdown and people tired of pandemic mandates. They wish Covid would magically disappear. Perhaps that is why the govt has stopped talking about it, even though the health system is now in crisis and we are seeing record deaths.
There is also the cynical race baiting engaged by RW media and the usual NACToid suspects.
https://twitter.com/ClintVSmith/status/1535062060689948677?s=20&t=5GtENu9_QUPsLEE4x5N8oA
Crosby Textor still around?
Two track strategy or whatever you call it. Sainted leaders Te Reo FB page, coincides with this flood of dog whistling and blatant racism bubbling up all over the right elsewhere.
roblogic @ 13
Vast difference on the reporting at least the headlines on Ardern’s trip to Australia.
Nothing yet on stuff.
Herald doing a Murdoch impression: ‘Failure, words no action’
RNZ quotes the PM as a headline.
ABC- Shift signal. Albanese signals he may soften deportation policy after meeting with Jacinda Ardern.