So mass surveillance has been outsourced to 4 of the other 5 eyes till GSCB law was passed, our cable has been eavesdropped and the speaker has a letter which possibly proves our PM mislead parliament on numerous occasions.
Vote positive kids, ignore the MSM and love or hate the big German he has done the citizens of not just NZ a service getting this out there.
Phil, my thoughts exactly, especially when the interviewee is working up to the main point or conclusion at the end of the statement, and it’s spoken over. Harre’s technique was to try to hold her ground and finish, and when that was not successful, to use the beginning of the next question to compete her point.
Interviewers seem to have a technique that involves two things- one to rattle the interviewee by pressuring by quick questions, and also to keep asking questions prepared before the interview, even if they are going against the flow of the ‘dialogue’.
It all ends up to a disjointed interview.
Interviewees of course need to stop their technique of pausing at odd places to gain breath in order to run sentences together and thus take away the natural breaks which interviewers use to insert their next question. Interviewees have their techniques also to manipulate the interview. It’s all part of what can be a very unsatisfactory game, and not played in the interests of the general public.
But that’s what we’ve learned afresh from last night’s moment of truth- little done by those in power, and mostly this is a criticism of the Right, is done in the interests of the general public who are manipulated, lied to by omission and commission, kept uninformed, discouraged from interest in politics or voting, distracted deliberately by false issues or by media circuses.
The historian in me knows that this is all not new. It also tells me that there are times of renewal in a nation’s history.
I pray that September 2014 is one of these times of renewal.
It’s the ultimate in conceit really. Ryan, Espiner and Fergusson all do it – not allowing interviewees to finish a sentence or give complete answers to their questions. It’d be interesting to do timings on interviewer/interviewee – my suspicions are that Ryan occupied more time than Harre.
They’d do well to take a few lessons/coaching from the likes of (say) Colin Peacock and/or Jeremy Rose.
They’re all exactly what’s wrong with public service broadcasting – they push themselves as though they are ‘the product’.
Laila is good at pegging on till the end phillip ure. It just may be that Kathryn wants to cover more things in the allocated time than Laila’s full answers would allow.
“Sir” Bruce Ferguson, former government spy boss spining for Key on Morning Report, said Snowden is a traitor and therefore what he has to say has no value. Brucy earning his knighthood said no NSA in NZ. Of course as a spy, he was/still is? paid to lie and obfuscate.
also the difference between Snowden and, say, Ferguson, is Snowden has ended up in Russia with his life turned upside down in an attempt to shine some light into dark spaces…. Ferguson got a knighthood.
I am really annoyed right now. It is more than an ideological difference of opinion, imo, between Key fans and tose who don’t want Key. To me it is of much deeper significance than this. And even spoon fed last night out media have let us down, so far.
I can’t recall a PM who “changed” his version of events so often over the period of his tenure as this one…
I recall key very upset at Clark about Winston and Glenn’s stoush, I recall the uproar over her speeding to an AB match, to her signing a painting she didnt paint for charity… about the attack on democracy proclaimed by the herald over the attempt to bring transparency to political donations…
Snowden did computer system work for a spy agency. I don’t think that makes him a spy and therefore not to be trusted. Secret Squirrel Ferguson headed a spy agency. That makes him a spy.
My thoughts exactly. The CEO says – therefore it is so – “he would know”. And of course Ferguson knew absolutely all and everything that went/goes on in the GCSB because he was ‘across’ ALL staff 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
I was sort of marveling at Ferguson’s attempt at spin and self-preservation really. On one interview I heard, he was even talking about the need for deep sea divers. I suppose that might be enough to convince portions of the public but it doesn’t convince me.
If anyone happens to notice the Fibre rollout by Chorus – checkout the method by which hundreds/thousands of single subscribers are multiplexed using Wavelength Division Multiplexing – a kind of prismatic separation of light colours. Then think about NSA’s technical capabilities and the possibility of tapping (I dunno – perhaps using some sort of wrap around capability) AND the fact that the Pacific cable is in a self-correcting ring where temporary outages can be catered for, and even go unnoticed.
There have been outages, but might point is that I’ve no doubt there is the technical capability to tap – and its without the need for Ferguson’s deep sea divers – whether he knows it or not. Who ever suggested it was occurring at sea anyway?
Wasn’t there something about a specially tasked submarine?
Another tech question. If as Key says that the GCBS only tapped the cable for cybersecurity reasons, how does that work if they’re not collecting mass data? Surely they have to collect the data in order to be able to filter it to what they are after.
+1.
Unfortunately these days I pay less attention to what I hear on MSM outlets and I didn’t hear about specialty submarines. Nothing would surprise me however.
In 2005, the Associated Press reported that a submarine called the USS Jimmy Carter had been repurposed to carry crews of technicians to the bottom of the sea so they could tap fiber optic lines. The easiest place to get into the cables is at the regeneration points — spots where their signals are amplified and pushed forward on their long, circuitous journeys. “At these spots, the fiber optics can be more easily tapped, because they are no longer bundled together, rather laid out individually,” Deutsche Welle reported.
Sir Bruce Fergson’s adoption of the ‘traitor’ smear in relation to Edward Snowden brought Samuel Johnson’s famous quote, ‘Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel’ into sharp focus. True patriots use whatever means, even at extreme risk to their very existence, to protect the honour and integrity of the country they treasure – traitors spy on their own people.
Interesting @ adam. I actually allow my poor starving student neighbours to use my WiFi at times in order to do their assignments, and visitors to access their emails. I’m happy for them to use a piece of my monthIy quota that I can’t possibly use. I don’t hang off them everytime they do use it. They are adults, and they deserve their privacy. They reciprocate in other ways. It’s ‘community’.
Have friends in the Defence Forces that have very little time for Mataparae.
And it’s been a while since I read Nicky Hager’s Other People’s Wars – but I’m surmising that Mataparae may have been in the upper echelon of those who worked with the US – and misinformed Helen Clark – while that was occurring.
I have such respect for those who go into the Defence Force as a way to serve NZ’ers and humanity. Unfortunately, they are often used for other purposes and by those who don’t share their values or integrity.
Not jumpping down your throat here Chooky as I know this was nothing sinister in your post but as a person in the NZDF I would also like to point out that there are a lot of fine women serving too.
Understand where you’re coming from @ Molly. Personally I reckon Jerr is still working out which side his bread is buttered on. (He could be excused if he was ekshully a bit fick – but he’s not.) I wish he’d just grow some balls ‘cos he seems to be just looking ahead to retirement via the cushiest route possible. Same goes for Ferguson and various others. If I was a gambler, It’d put bets on his being on the wrong side of history (going forward, so-to-speak, as a matter of fek, ekshully). Shame they’re not more worried about the legacy they leave for their descendants)
Mateparae was only head of GCSB for 5 months. Then they moved him on to the GG role. Which means he will have to decide what to do if there is no clear election result and Key decides to keep on governing.
When Matapaere was replaced by Key’s mate, it was pretty obvious to me that they wanted some business type at the head of the spooks rather than a military person. I think most of their spying these days is for commercial reasons, and I don’t think it’s to protect Kiwi commercial interests.
Really quiet here today. RWNJ astroturfers are all over at Stuff, posting like crazy because Andrea Vance has finally stepped outside the tent and started questioning what is happening in NZ. They must be so rattled.
I hate stuff and all it stands for. And all the judgemental haters who think we should swallow their hate speech as some form of eternal truth. Sorry pissed at this piece in stuff – Journalist in this country happy to stomp on peoples rights again.
Oh please you’re going to slag of the caregivers, then what about the brother, nephew or the journalist? You’re going to support a system which assumes mental capacity without rigorous testing, that quite frankly, is a horses ass. I know a person who they decided had a mental age of 11 and was going to be stuck there – turned out when they got their BCom, the doctor looked like real brightspark.
But no lets let journalists sensationalise, lets let journalists and family members trample over peoples rights. Oh wait lets slag of workers who take people to a place were they have a legal right to be. Joy.
Herald columnist Wendyl Nissen.
Sticks it to the right … re Dirty Politics and Newstalkzb. If only more people like her would also come forward. There is still time.
… she also had a regular spot on Newstalkzb discussing politics. (I assume you didn’t bother with the link Tracey because I am not sure what point you are trying to make … her column is in today’s Herald.)
…”High-profile Maori Television executives Julian Wilcox and Carol Hirschfeld have been demoted from their jobs in a restructure process announced to staff at the station today.
Maori Television Service chief executive Paora Maxwell briefed his executive staff this morning about a structural realignment that has seen Mr Wilcox and Ms Hirschfeld both big casualties in the changes at the station.”…
…The Herald understands a new role called head of corporate affairs has been created at the station among several other positions including a head of programming and production role – that will oversee Mr Wilcox’s old news and current affairs job.
The source said Mr Wilcox and Ms Hirschfeld are able to apply for the role but it’s likely it will go to the station’s current general manager programming, Haunui Royal, who is currently in Hawaii on holiday.”…
Agree Yeshe – Maori TV has been one of the bright lights in the current attack on quality radio and TV. I must also mention the good work done by TV One on Sunday mornings BEFORE & AFTER Q&A. but I can’t understand why Jim Mora was installed as co-host on Checkpoint with Mary Wilson (well I can, he was put there to water down Mary’s talent for asking the hard questions).
It didn’t go all the way this time, but Feminist Initiative has changed the conversation in Swedish politics, establishing that feminism is not something that can be ignored. The party has forced Swedish politicians to talk about gender equality and discrimination—and incorporate an intersectional perspective on oppressive structure. In so doing, they’ve put the possibility of a successful feminist party on the international map. A political party solely devoted to feminist issues is no longer a faraway dream, but a real thing
So regardless of the final vote counts in Sweden’s recent election, and no matter who makes up the governing coalition, it looks as if the country will preserve many free-market reforms. The situation is reminiscent of what happened in Britain in 1997, when the Labour party’s Tony Blair ousted the Conservatives after 18 years in opposition. Far from overturning the economic agenda of Margaret Thatcher, Blair broadly accepted it and proceeded to move left on social policy and immigration. Those moves damaged Britain even while its economy grew. The same thing could happen in Sweden. Conservatives appear to have won the broad economic argument in many countries, but the culture wars are a different matter entirely.
But…but…but after the Cold Play ‘error”, national wouldn’t steal again????
“John Key could be in copyright trouble over music used in the DVD to mark his year as National Party leader.
The party has been warned it is walking a fine line by using a newly created piece of music very similar to Coldplay’s Clocks.
The similarities are enough to have prompted the Australasian Performing Right Association, which manages copyright issues and licences for many international bands in New Zealand, to notify the copyright holder for Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.
The Weekend Herald asked a music lawyer and musicology analyst to compare the Coldplay song to music used in the opening segments of the Ambitious for New Zealand – Meet John Key DVD because of confusion from some readers about the song in its opening segments.
National Party campaign manager Jo de Joux said the music was composed by “an Auckland artist” and paid for by the production company which produced the DVD.
However, music lawyer Chris Hocquard said if it was similar enough that the public was confused into thinking it was Clocks, it could be in breach of copyright laws and the Fair Trading Act.
“The test is ‘does it confuse?’ Does the public listen to that and think ‘that’s Clocks?’ There’s a very fine line when you’re doing this and you have to be careful not to cross it.
And I’m not sure they haven’t.”
Dr Graeme Downes, the former Verlaines frontman who is now a musicology consultant at Otago University, said the music shared the same rumba beat, harmony and chords as Clocks.
It also had a similar drum introduction, and the key was the same, “which draws even greater attention to the harmonic similarity”.
“If I were approached by a lawyer to furnish a report for a prosecution of copyright infringement against the music on the DVD I would happily do so. If approached by a lawyer to furnish a report in its defence, I would decline.”
Martin is well-known for his alignment with left-wing causes, such as fair trade and Oxfam, and his opposition to the Iraq War and George Bush. In his acceptance speech after winning the best record Grammy for Clocks in 2004, he specifically endorsed presidential candidate Democrat John Kerry.
The NZ branch of Coldplay’s record company, EMI, had no comment.”
” National Party leader John Key says his staff should never have signed off a DVD that appears to plagiarise a hit by English rock band Coldplay.
DVD lands Key in hot water
Key yesterday ordered a recall of 20,000 DVDs featuring him in a video called Ambitious for New Zealand after Coldplay’s record company, EMI, warned National it was breaching copyright by using music similar to the smash hit Clocks.
The DVD focuses on Key travelling New Zealand by car, visiting schools and factories and talking about his vision for the country.
Produced for National by Production Shed TV, the cost has not been disclosed but The Press understands the party spent $110,000 on it.
The DVD was meant to relaunch Key’s image and introduce him to New Zealanders unfamiliar with the National leader, but the botch-up has embarrassed and angered the party.
Last week Key toured South Island centres, handing out thousands of the DVDs, and planned a similar North Island tour.
National Party campaign manager Jo de Joux previously insisted the music had been commissioned from an Auckland artist and was original.
She said yesterday that the party was angry with the production company. “We paid these guys to make a DVD for us. We relied on their expertise and they have let us down.”
Key said National should not have relied on Production Shed.
“My people relied on the production company. In my opinion, they should have kicked it upstairs for me or one of the senior management team to sign off, and they didn’t,” he said. “
In 2009 Key said National should not have relied on Production Shed.
“My people relied on the production company. In my opinion, they should have kicked it upstairs for me or one of the senior management team to sign off, and they didn’t,” he said. “
Is that John Key, he who knows nothing cos he delegates saying something should have been kicked upstairs to him for sign off? Is he an Intellectual property expert?
“As you may know I write a column called Wendyl Wants to Know in the Weekend Herald every Saturday which looks at what is in processed food.”
“Earlier this year I was on the receiving end of a concerted effort, including legal letters, to get me discredited through my bosses at the Herald.
The person behind it was Katherine Rich, the chief executive of the Food & Grocery Council….
After that I noticed that right-wing bloggers Whale Oil and Cactus Kate (appeared to have begun a smear campaign against me. ”
Katherine Rich and Slater took money to rubbish a food writer.
Now THAT is the story that will incense National supporters.
National Party sued over Eminem copyright infringment
“A claim filed in the High Court today alleges the National Party used elements of Eminem’s Grammy-winning song in TV ads screening during their election campaign.”
it is not just raining on National: it is pissing down!
So either this is going to be a big turnout or a lot of people who normally vote have early voted so they don’t need to later & there will be low turnout on the day.
Weather forecasts have possible snow and rain for election day according to Stuff; worst since 1984 and a lot of us can remember.
This had me chuckling, a welcome portent, and a brilliant old woman ….
“Left-wing political commentator Chris Trotter recalled being in Dunedin for the 1984 election which saw Prime Minister Rob Muldoon defeated.
“The memory that sticks in my mind the most was going up Carroll Street towards the polling booth and there was a very old lady trudging up through the snow as it was falling.
“She looked so old and frail and I said, ‘do you need any help?’ And she said to me, ‘no, it’s alright, I can get rid of this bastard Muldoon all by myself’.”
Despite the winter weather, that election was the high point of New Zealand’s turnout to general elections, with 93.7 per cent of registered voters participating, Trotter said.
I am embarrassed and ashamed by TV1 and TV3’s analysis of last night’s event. Never have I seen such a collective partisan snow job by New Zealand’s media
Is this a Monty Python Skit in the Herald?
Breaking news is article on “secret document danger” (about how Key has endangered NZ, potentially), followed by “kiwi jihadist wants to return home”, with a picture of Mohammad Daniel, sporting a gun. Mustn’t have liked the Eminem story, as that has been bumped to third!
Surreal….we need Russel Brand to take on our MSM, like he did with Fox news!
Anyone seen anything more on this? I can’t find anything RadioLive’s website (but they have a naff search engine).
RadioLIVE Newsroom
@LIVENewsDesk
John Key’s encouraging voters in the Te Tai Tokerau electorate to vote for Labour in a bid to destroy Kim Dotcom’s Internet Mana Movement.
But this is where things could get a little hairy. Mr Key told TV3’s The Nation on Saturday morning that if he felt that Mr Peters was mucking him around, he’d advise the Governor-general to summon the new Parliament. He also signalled his intention to continue governing as a sort of pro tempore Prime Minister until defeated by a motion of No-Confidence – at which point he would advise the Governor-General to dissolve the House and call a new General Election. Faced with the prospect of being punished by the voters for forcing them into an unnecessary and unwanted snap election, Mr Key clearly believes that Mr Peters would blink first and get in behind a National-led Government.
Such an outcome would, however, constitute a clear breach of New Zealand’s constitutional conventions and come very close to being a coup d’état. If Mr Key cannot negotiate an agreement with Mr Peters, then the proper course for the Governor-General is to invite the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Cunliffe, to have a go at assembling the requisite majority in the House of Representatives.
Only in the event of both Mr Key and Mr Cunliffe being unable to assemble a majority would the Governor-General be entitled to convene the House and test its members’ willingness to do so. Should that prove unattainable, then – and only then – would the Governor-General be obliged to dissolve the Parliament and ask us – the voters – to elect a new one.
one thing that has fascinated me the last few years is that, despite the low opinion folks had of politicians prior to this regime, how much of our system of government relied on personal integrity and accountability.
Cabinet manual – toothless
Privileges committee – dominated by the government, so a lapdog
Speaker – no recourse to a blatantly biased and incompetent Speaker
Classified documents – binding on the opposition, declassified on a whim by the pm
I wonder if it would be more effective to be able to kick privileges committee, cabinet manual things, and speaker rulings to the supreme court in a timely manner? The US court is stacked by whichever government is in power, but maybe if jurists elected supreme court members for fixed terms?
Keys approach now – I wondered when he was going to reach for the Nationalism card – it seems now is the time!
I’m loth to publish this whole letter but I think you need the context.
Hello Adam
I’m contacting you with this special message to thank you for your extraordinary support over recent weeks.
This mirrors the support and feedback we’re getting from Kiwis all across the country.
In the last few days of this campaign we are determined that nothing will stand between us and laying out our clear plan for New Zealand’s future… because that’s what New Zealanders’ are asking for.
It is those same Kiwis who are also asking us what business Kim Dotcom and his foreign political friends have in telling Kiwis what they ought to think four days out from our election.
But just to be perfectly clear, there is no truth to the wild allegations they’ve made – there are no NSA spy bases in New Zealand and no mass surveillance of New Zealanders.
Our election on Saturday is about the future of New Zealand.
We will continue to work hard right up until Friday night, just as we have for the last six years, to focus on the issues that matter to New Zealanders.
We’ll be reminding New Zealanders that our plans will ensure a strong, open economy that delivers more for them and their families – like more jobs, higher incomes, more people off welfare and into work and world-leading education and health services.
We’ll also be reminding voters that MMP elections are always close, even with the Opposition in disarray.
We need to make sure voters know that any vote for any other party risks political turmoil and our economy stalling.
The ONLY way to keep New Zealand heading in the right direction is to PARTY VOTE NATIONAL.
So let’s get out as many supporters as possible to party vote National on Saturday.
key is scared, very scared – he’ll do and say anything now – the next few days are going to be torrid and when the dust settles the utter moral vacuousness of key will be apparent for everyone to see. Win or lose, key is toast.
Key and his gang are finishing off our belief in the goodness of our fellow citizens and our democracy. and the expectation that we will develop better ideas for managing the country as education rises and we have the option of calm reflection distant from temporary crises.
That’s naive stuff. Bring on the crises, manufacture them like fireworks, let them off and watch the panic, no time now for rational, advanced thinking.
“I’m contacting you with this special message to thank you for your extraordinary support over recent weeks.
This mirrors the support and feedback we’re getting from Kiwis all across the country.
Yes, judging by the desperate fluoro messages you have taken to plastering across your hoardings, I guess my ‘extraordinary support over recent weeks’ …of left wing parties… (you appear to have missed that part out) does mirror the feedback you have been getting from ‘Kiwis all across the country’ and I have to assume that would be something along the lines of: ‘Fuck off, I ‘m voting left’.
Some woman on TV One, did a report on Facebook mentions for leaders of political parties. key got the most mentions – but really, how vacuous!! People here mention Key quite a lot, and most of it isn’t flattering. She then said Key got loads of mentions after KDC failed to produce new evidence at the MoT – how does she know it wasn’t people on about Key and X-Keyscore, etc?
How stupid do some of these reporters think we are?
Yes, I don’t understand it, but TV1 seems to have gotten worse than TV3 now 🙁
(Wonder why they have degenerated so much? TV3 seems to have improved too. Just odd that they have almost done a complete swap over in my opinion – watch both now, to catch the different slants)
I saw that report and thought it very very bizarre and shabby for that reason. Completely deceptive. Also, did I miss them mentioning IMP or were they ignored?
Yes, I think they did. Though they also ignored Maori Party, Cons, etc.
Also tonight, i had the misfortune to flick into TV One to catch a woman talking about MoT, GCSB, etc, and Mike Hosking replied with an exaggerated groan – “I’m so over this”.
And that guy is meant to be some sort of quality political or current events journalist. I quickly flicked away from TV One in disgust.
I do find it bizarre because TV1 used to be the better one – now One has gone to pieces as far as decent reporting goes!
I thought they missed out IMP because they would have ranked high due to the most talked about subject being related to their party.
They also didn’t say how they counted the data. Hashtags? Some other means? Just hopeless.
I laughed at what you said re flicking over to see something awful! What terrible timing! It really does annoy me seeing someone trivialize something so important. Even worse to think that they think they are excellent for having done so. They just look scared to me.
Did you see Dotcom’s ‘outburst’ on 3? It was excellent, he was telling 3/Paddy off for bad reporting in the past, doing the public a disservice, that type of thing. I thought was excellent that they played it. I have to say, I agreed with every word Dotcom said!
and Mike Hosking replied with an exaggerated groan – “I’m so over this”.
Hoskin hob nobs with the power elite, and indeed is part of the 1% (if not 0.1%). Hence it’s not surprising that he finds complaints about an infrastructure designed to entrench the power elite against everyone else totally banal.
Bit of background here on how other cables are tapped, including reference the to submarine that Snowden talked about last night). Nice bit of historical context of cable tapping the Russians in the 70s too.
In 2005, the Associated Press reported that a submarine called the USS Jimmy Carter had been repurposed to carry crews of technicians to the bottom of the sea so they could tap fiber optic lines. The easiest place to get into the cables is at the regeneration points — spots where their signals are amplified and pushed forward on their long, circuitous journeys. “At these spots, the fiber optics can be more easily tapped, because they are no longer bundled together, rather laid out individually,” Deutsche Welle reported.
But such aquatic endeavors may no longer even be necessary. The cables make landfall at coastal stations in various countries, where their data is sent on to domestic networks, and it’s easier to tap them on land than underwater. Britain is, geographically, in an ideal position to access to cables as they emerge from the Atlantic, so the cooperation between the NSA and GCHQ has been key. Beyond that partnership, there are the other members of the “Five Eyes” — the Australians, the New Zealanders, and the Canadians — that also collaborate with the U.S., Snowden said.
that article is hysterical, in the same way the raid was on Dotcom’s mansion after Kim had invited unexpected visiting police in for cups of tea just the day before.
my goodness, but life in NZ right now is like one weird new video game.
The Southern Cross undersea cable landings at two Auckland beaches have been labelled critical infrastructure and key resources by the United States government, a Wikileaks cable released today reveals.
[…]
They are the landings for the fibre optic link at Whenuapai and Takapuna.
[…]
The memo from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is titled critical foreign dependencies (critical infrastructure and key resources located abroad) dated February 18 last year and is classified secret.
It says it is not for internet distribution.
The cable, released by Wikileaks, explains that under the direction of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) was written.
[…]
The memo says that a National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) was developed under the direction of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
It aimed to bring together critical infrastructure and key resources (CI/KR).
“The overarching goal of the NIPP is to build a safer, more secure, and more resilient America by enhancing protection of the nation’s CI/KR to prevent, deter, neutralise or mitigate the effects of deliberate efforts by terrorists to destroy, incapacitate or exploit them; and to strengthen national preparedness, timely response, and rapid recovery in the event of an attack, natural disaster or other emergency.”
(C) Summary: On February 22, the Ambassador accompanied a Washington visitor to a ” courtesy call” on Prime Minister (PM) John Key which turned into an hour plus discussion. PM Key noted that he (in contrast to MFAT) was not concerned about immediately devising a “media strategy” after the recent briefing on the USG review of bilateral military relations delivered by DAS Frankie Reed and DASD Bob Scher. He expressed confidence that he could handle any related questions if they came up (which they have not in several encounters with the media that the PM has subsequently had). Key also raised the topic of a bilateral visit to the Washington DC in a manner that indicated how important confirming the visit for June is to him. End Summary
[…]
(C) Comment: The manner in which PM Key pitched the bilateral visit indicated to the Ambassador that nailing down a June visit is of intense importance to Key. The Ambassador gathered from the exchange that June is being held open by the GNZ in hopes of a confirmation for a bilateral visit then in the near future. Key, who has not previously raised this topic personally (leaving that to FM McCully and MFAT) clearly hoped his explanation might result in an early confirmation for June. End Comment. CLARKE
Gord Stewarts – Pulpit – National not serving farmers well. Talking about the arrogance of National in (not) addressing climate change, and the reliance it has on dairy.
No comments so far on the articles, but interesting given the expected voting preferences of the farming community.
I wonder if there will be any traditional National voters that are so conflicted about the current news articles that for a change it is right-wing voters that don’t turn up at the ballot box?
a lot of conservative, orthodox National supporters in rural areas are less than pleased that Key, Collins, et al have gotten into bed with Slater and his cohorts.
Will that mean that significant numbers won’t vote blue this time? (Just 30,000 changing to Red Green or Black will be enough to end National). We’ll really only know on Sunday 21st.
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Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
Normally when we talk about accessing public transport it’s about improving how easy it is to get to, such as how easy is it to cross roads in a station/stop’s walking catchment, is it possible to cycle to safely, do bus connections work, or even if are there new routes/connections ...
Politicians are not renowned for telling the truth. Some tell us things that are verifiably not true. They offer statements that omit critical pieces of information. Gloss over risks, preferring to offer the best case scenario.Some not truths are quite small, others amusing in their transparency. There are those repeated ...
The pressure is mounting on the Government as it finalises its Budget Policy Statement, but yet more predicted revenue ‘goes missing’. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Climate Commission has delivered another funding blow to the National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government’s tax-cutting plans, potentially carving $1.4 billion off the ‘climate ...
The Government now faces the prospect of having to watch another tax raise the price of petrol when, only six days ago, it abolished the Auckland Regional Fuel tax. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon argued that the regional fuel tax imposed costs on lower-income people with less fuel-efficient vehicles and that ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
Today marks a tragic milestone for New Zealanders as the Coalition Government side with big tobacco to repeal the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act 2022, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins and Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
This year’s Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity and the contribution of Pacific communities to New Zealand culture, says Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti. Dr Reti announced dates for the 2024 Pacific Language Weeks during a visit to the Pasifika festival in Auckland today and says there’s so ...
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Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
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Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
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As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
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The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
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Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
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Sounds like Kim dot com is killing Hone’s Chance’s will be a shame to see him go.
@ concern-troll..
..yes..closer than i wd like..
..i take some solace that in 2011 this same poll was out by ten points..
..and not in harawiras’ favour..
another interesting/questionable aspect of that poll..
..is that the actual polling was done two months ago..
..to landlines..
..so..y’know..!
Naa, Hone will be a shoe in up in TTT.
But Davis may struggle to get back to Wellington on the Labour list, given the fractured nature of the lefts vote.
Does this mean “Spearhead” is NSA’s operation word for getting us to implement CORTEX?
Even the name (see the definition) insults us.
Time for Cunliffe and McCarten to step up and show Key’s litany of inconsistencies… so people understand what’s not to trust.
Shit just focus on his don’t know versus expert on GCSB/SIS utterings…
His Fletcher stuff his current stuff BUT somehow pull together threads of pithy lines to show he cannot be trusted by his own words defeat him.
So mass surveillance has been outsourced to 4 of the other 5 eyes till GSCB law was passed, our cable has been eavesdropped and the speaker has a letter which possibly proves our PM mislead parliament on numerous occasions.
Vote positive kids, ignore the MSM and love or hate the big German he has done the citizens of not just NZ a service getting this out there.
Yep this is the only rational explanation and explains why Key has been saying what he has. While it may be true it is a maufactured truth.
cunnliffes’ promises to end mass-surveillance..(taken at face-value..)
..can’t do labours’ chances any harm..
cunnliffe should really ramp-up on that promise over the next few days..
..standing on the sidelines going:..’but what about our policies?’..
..while understandable..hasn’t worked until now..
..it is time for cunnliffe to insert himself into this conversation..
..he/labour is/are not ‘above it all’…
..’vote positiv’ will only take you so far..
..and once again..insisting on this disengagement from these issues..
..hasn’t worked that well up until now..eh..?
@Phillip I like both hone and kelvin but have quietly hoped for a big future for hone it would be a shame if he gets finished buy a so called Ali
involuntary-humour on tvone breakfast show..
..the female co-compere..when she puts on her serious-face…
..just looks like she is hanging out for a pee..
Standardnistas LPrent can confirm but yesterday looks like it was the Standard’s biggest day ever, by quite a margin too.
laila harre interview on nat-rad/9-noon..
..soon..
it’d be nice if ryan wd let harre end a sentence..
..she is a fucken disgrace..!
Phil, my thoughts exactly, especially when the interviewee is working up to the main point or conclusion at the end of the statement, and it’s spoken over. Harre’s technique was to try to hold her ground and finish, and when that was not successful, to use the beginning of the next question to compete her point.
Interviewers seem to have a technique that involves two things- one to rattle the interviewee by pressuring by quick questions, and also to keep asking questions prepared before the interview, even if they are going against the flow of the ‘dialogue’.
It all ends up to a disjointed interview.
Interviewees of course need to stop their technique of pausing at odd places to gain breath in order to run sentences together and thus take away the natural breaks which interviewers use to insert their next question. Interviewees have their techniques also to manipulate the interview. It’s all part of what can be a very unsatisfactory game, and not played in the interests of the general public.
But that’s what we’ve learned afresh from last night’s moment of truth- little done by those in power, and mostly this is a criticism of the Right, is done in the interests of the general public who are manipulated, lied to by omission and commission, kept uninformed, discouraged from interest in politics or voting, distracted deliberately by false issues or by media circuses.
The historian in me knows that this is all not new. It also tells me that there are times of renewal in a nation’s history.
I pray that September 2014 is one of these times of renewal.
It’s the ultimate in conceit really. Ryan, Espiner and Fergusson all do it – not allowing interviewees to finish a sentence or give complete answers to their questions. It’d be interesting to do timings on interviewer/interviewee – my suspicions are that Ryan occupied more time than Harre.
They’d do well to take a few lessons/coaching from the likes of (say) Colin Peacock and/or Jeremy Rose.
They’re all exactly what’s wrong with public service broadcasting – they push themselves as though they are ‘the product’.
I agree. I wish she (Ryan) would go do something she has talent for. Like cleaning windows.
do her panes sparkle..do they..?
Laila is good at pegging on till the end phillip ure. It just may be that Kathryn wants to cover more things in the allocated time than Laila’s full answers would allow.
“Sir” Bruce Ferguson, former government spy boss spining for Key on Morning Report, said Snowden is a traitor and therefore what he has to say has no value. Brucy earning his knighthood said no NSA in NZ. Of course as a spy, he was/still is? paid to lie and obfuscate.
the laugh-out-loud moment from ferguson was his saying that because the ceo of the cable company said there was no tapping..
..there was no tapping into that cable..
..the idiocy of that contention was laugh-out-loud demolished by greenwald last nite.
The thing about a spy is that there is never a route back for them. They can never ever be trusted again. Never.
was Snowden a spy?
Just because he’s more trustworthy than John Key, it doesn’t mean that he’s what you or I would call “trustworthy” 🙂
also the difference between Snowden and, say, Ferguson, is Snowden has ended up in Russia with his life turned upside down in an attempt to shine some light into dark spaces…. Ferguson got a knighthood.
I am really annoyed right now. It is more than an ideological difference of opinion, imo, between Key fans and tose who don’t want Key. To me it is of much deeper significance than this. And even spoon fed last night out media have let us down, so far.
I can’t recall a PM who “changed” his version of events so often over the period of his tenure as this one…
I recall key very upset at Clark about Winston and Glenn’s stoush, I recall the uproar over her speeding to an AB match, to her signing a painting she didnt paint for charity… about the attack on democracy proclaimed by the herald over the attempt to bring transparency to political donations…
….
Snowden did computer system work for a spy agency. I don’t think that makes him a spy and therefore not to be trusted. Secret Squirrel Ferguson headed a spy agency. That makes him a spy.
My thoughts exactly. The CEO says – therefore it is so – “he would know”. And of course Ferguson knew absolutely all and everything that went/goes on in the GCSB because he was ‘across’ ALL staff 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
key has confirmed the cable was tapped.
do you have the link, cos that contradicts Briscoe, CEO of Southern Cross Cable Network (and no CEO would ever lie for John Key)
See Anthony Robbins’ post ‘Media round up’. It’s in the actual post as I recall.
Thanks
This has it too
http://thestandard.org.nz/the-blowoff-stream/#comment-888303
I was sort of marveling at Ferguson’s attempt at spin and self-preservation really. On one interview I heard, he was even talking about the need for deep sea divers. I suppose that might be enough to convince portions of the public but it doesn’t convince me.
If anyone happens to notice the Fibre rollout by Chorus – checkout the method by which hundreds/thousands of single subscribers are multiplexed using Wavelength Division Multiplexing – a kind of prismatic separation of light colours. Then think about NSA’s technical capabilities and the possibility of tapping (I dunno – perhaps using some sort of wrap around capability) AND the fact that the Pacific cable is in a self-correcting ring where temporary outages can be catered for, and even go unnoticed.
There have been outages, but might point is that I’ve no doubt there is the technical capability to tap – and its without the need for Ferguson’s deep sea divers – whether he knows it or not. Who ever suggested it was occurring at sea anyway?
Wasn’t there something about a specially tasked submarine?
Another tech question. If as Key says that the GCBS only tapped the cable for cybersecurity reasons, how does that work if they’re not collecting mass data? Surely they have to collect the data in order to be able to filter it to what they are after.
+1.
Unfortunately these days I pay less attention to what I hear on MSM outlets and I didn’t hear about specialty submarines. Nothing would surprise me however.
Don’t need a submarine, just access to the network.
A back door into internet providers is enough.
Mind you, I would be very surprised if US spies had not been looking at internet traffic ever since it started.
As one of Pinochet’s minions said afterwards. “No need to tell spies and interrogators to exceed their legal boundaries, they will do it anyway”.
In 2005, the Associated Press reported that a submarine called the USS Jimmy Carter had been repurposed to carry crews of technicians to the bottom of the sea so they could tap fiber optic lines. The easiest place to get into the cables is at the regeneration points — spots where their signals are amplified and pushed forward on their long, circuitous journeys. “At these spots, the fiber optics can be more easily tapped, because they are no longer bundled together, rather laid out individually,” Deutsche Welle reported.
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-16092014/#comment-889298
Sir Bruce Fergson’s adoption of the ‘traitor’ smear in relation to Edward Snowden brought Samuel Johnson’s famous quote, ‘Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel’ into sharp focus. True patriots use whatever means, even at extreme risk to their very existence, to protect the honour and integrity of the country they treasure – traitors spy on their own people.
+1
which reminds me, John? JOHN? Werent we going to talk about the flag?
+100
This is a linux hero whom I enjoy.
A good job explaining what the creepy things they know about you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQkjzwWgIvY
Interesting @ adam. I actually allow my poor starving student neighbours to use my WiFi at times in order to do their assignments, and visitors to access their emails. I’m happy for them to use a piece of my monthIy quota that I can’t possibly use. I don’t hang off them everytime they do use it. They are adults, and they deserve their privacy. They reciprocate in other ways. It’s ‘community’.
good for you
Why aren’t we hearing from the man who headed the GCSB AFTER Bruce Ferguson? Namely, Jerry Mataparae?
that guy who key might approach for the nod to form a minority govt..?
..that jerry matapere..?
..rotten to the core..the whole establishment..
Have friends in the Defence Forces that have very little time for Mataparae.
And it’s been a while since I read Nicky Hager’s Other People’s Wars – but I’m surmising that Mataparae may have been in the upper echelon of those who worked with the US – and misinformed Helen Clark – while that was occurring.
I have such respect for those who go into the Defence Force as a way to serve NZ’ers and humanity. Unfortunately, they are often used for other purposes and by those who don’t share their values or integrity.
+100 agreed Molly…some are very idealist and fine young men…and it is a tragedy when they are used by politicians for ignoble ends for ignoble wars
Not jumpping down your throat here Chooky as I know this was nothing sinister in your post but as a person in the NZDF I would also like to point out that there are a lot of fine women serving too.
Understand where you’re coming from @ Molly. Personally I reckon Jerr is still working out which side his bread is buttered on. (He could be excused if he was ekshully a bit fick – but he’s not.) I wish he’d just grow some balls ‘cos he seems to be just looking ahead to retirement via the cushiest route possible. Same goes for Ferguson and various others. If I was a gambler, It’d put bets on his being on the wrong side of history (going forward, so-to-speak, as a matter of fek, ekshully). Shame they’re not more worried about the legacy they leave for their descendants)
Mateparae was only head of GCSB for 5 months. Then they moved him on to the GG role. Which means he will have to decide what to do if there is no clear election result and Key decides to keep on governing.
When Matapaere was replaced by Key’s mate, it was pretty obvious to me that they wanted some business type at the head of the spooks rather than a military person. I think most of their spying these days is for commercial reasons, and I don’t think it’s to protect Kiwi commercial interests.
Really quiet here today. RWNJ astroturfers are all over at Stuff, posting like crazy because Andrea Vance has finally stepped outside the tent and started questioning what is happening in NZ. They must be so rattled.
I hate stuff and all it stands for. And all the judgemental haters who think we should swallow their hate speech as some form of eternal truth. Sorry pissed at this piece in stuff – Journalist in this country happy to stomp on peoples rights again.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10501900/Mentally-impaired-led-to-vote
With a mental age of 2, those carers should be ashamed of themselves.
Oh please you’re going to slag of the caregivers, then what about the brother, nephew or the journalist? You’re going to support a system which assumes mental capacity without rigorous testing, that quite frankly, is a horses ass. I know a person who they decided had a mental age of 11 and was going to be stuck there – turned out when they got their BCom, the doctor looked like real brightspark.
But no lets let journalists sensationalise, lets let journalists and family members trample over peoples rights. Oh wait lets slag of workers who take people to a place were they have a legal right to be. Joy.
Herald columnist Wendyl Nissen.
Sticks it to the right … re Dirty Politics and Newstalkzb. If only more people like her would also come forward. There is still time.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11325097
she was a journalist in a former life I believe before briefly going fluffy with womens mags…
she actually writes on healthy-food..reviews products..
… she also had a regular spot on Newstalkzb discussing politics. (I assume you didn’t bother with the link Tracey because I am not sure what point you are trying to make … her column is in today’s Herald.)
“..I am not sure what point you are trying to make..”
seeing any patterns here tracey..?
And the expected dismantling of Maori television has begun:” Maori TV executives demoted
…”High-profile Maori Television executives Julian Wilcox and Carol Hirschfeld have been demoted from their jobs in a restructure process announced to staff at the station today.
Maori Television Service chief executive Paora Maxwell briefed his executive staff this morning about a structural realignment that has seen Mr Wilcox and Ms Hirschfeld both big casualties in the changes at the station.”…
…The Herald understands a new role called head of corporate affairs has been created at the station among several other positions including a head of programming and production role – that will oversee Mr Wilcox’s old news and current affairs job.
The source said Mr Wilcox and Ms Hirschfeld are able to apply for the role but it’s likely it will go to the station’s current general manager programming, Haunui Royal, who is currently in Hawaii on holiday.”…
Shit. That is terrible, terrible news. Why now, three days out ? Slipping it out so no-one will notice in the chaos ?
The last bastion of investigative journalism on screen, along with John Campbell … and Hirschfeld was his original producer as I recall.
This is exactly what they did to kneecap TVNZ. Put ‘owned’ advertising and programming people in charge of news and current affairs.
Bastards. Bastards. Bastards.
Agree Yeshe – Maori TV has been one of the bright lights in the current attack on quality radio and TV. I must also mention the good work done by TV One on Sunday mornings BEFORE & AFTER Q&A. but I can’t understand why Jim Mora was installed as co-host on Checkpoint with Mary Wilson (well I can, he was put there to water down Mary’s talent for asking the hard questions).
mora in wilsons’ show is like just putting a clock on something…
..just because you can..
..it enhances neither..
Out with the racists, in with the feminists.
It didn’t go all the way this time, but Feminist Initiative has changed the conversation in Swedish politics, establishing that feminism is not something that can be ignored. The party has forced Swedish politicians to talk about gender equality and discrimination—and incorporate an intersectional perspective on oppressive structure. In so doing, they’ve put the possibility of a successful feminist party on the international map. A political party solely devoted to feminist issues is no longer a faraway dream, but a real thing
http://msmagazine.com/blog/2014/09/15/swedens-feminist-party-nearly-gets-into-parliament-and-pharrell-helps/
is there a follow up article about the sky falling as a result?
Yup, the racist thugs at the NRO –
So regardless of the final vote counts in Sweden’s recent election, and no matter who makes up the governing coalition, it looks as if the country will preserve many free-market reforms. The situation is reminiscent of what happened in Britain in 1997, when the Labour party’s Tony Blair ousted the Conservatives after 18 years in opposition. Far from overturning the economic agenda of Margaret Thatcher, Blair broadly accepted it and proceeded to move left on social policy and immigration. Those moves damaged Britain even while its economy grew. The same thing could happen in Sweden. Conservatives appear to have won the broad economic argument in many countries, but the culture wars are a different matter entirely.
http://www.donotlink.com/bn4v
whoddathunkit.
Thanks for the links Joe90
Stuff has breaking news
Eminem suing National
ROFL….slim shady
But…but…but after the Cold Play ‘error”, national wouldn’t steal again????
“John Key could be in copyright trouble over music used in the DVD to mark his year as National Party leader.
The party has been warned it is walking a fine line by using a newly created piece of music very similar to Coldplay’s Clocks.
The similarities are enough to have prompted the Australasian Performing Right Association, which manages copyright issues and licences for many international bands in New Zealand, to notify the copyright holder for Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.
The Weekend Herald asked a music lawyer and musicology analyst to compare the Coldplay song to music used in the opening segments of the Ambitious for New Zealand – Meet John Key DVD because of confusion from some readers about the song in its opening segments.
National Party campaign manager Jo de Joux said the music was composed by “an Auckland artist” and paid for by the production company which produced the DVD.
However, music lawyer Chris Hocquard said if it was similar enough that the public was confused into thinking it was Clocks, it could be in breach of copyright laws and the Fair Trading Act.
“The test is ‘does it confuse?’ Does the public listen to that and think ‘that’s Clocks?’ There’s a very fine line when you’re doing this and you have to be careful not to cross it.
And I’m not sure they haven’t.”
Dr Graeme Downes, the former Verlaines frontman who is now a musicology consultant at Otago University, said the music shared the same rumba beat, harmony and chords as Clocks.
It also had a similar drum introduction, and the key was the same, “which draws even greater attention to the harmonic similarity”.
“If I were approached by a lawyer to furnish a report for a prosecution of copyright infringement against the music on the DVD I would happily do so. If approached by a lawyer to furnish a report in its defence, I would decline.”
Martin is well-known for his alignment with left-wing causes, such as fair trade and Oxfam, and his opposition to the Iraq War and George Bush. In his acceptance speech after winning the best record Grammy for Clocks in 2004, he specifically endorsed presidential candidate Democrat John Kerry.
The NZ branch of Coldplay’s record company, EMI, had no comment.”
it’s just never Key’s fault,, nothing ever…
” National Party leader John Key says his staff should never have signed off a DVD that appears to plagiarise a hit by English rock band Coldplay.
DVD lands Key in hot water
Key yesterday ordered a recall of 20,000 DVDs featuring him in a video called Ambitious for New Zealand after Coldplay’s record company, EMI, warned National it was breaching copyright by using music similar to the smash hit Clocks.
The DVD focuses on Key travelling New Zealand by car, visiting schools and factories and talking about his vision for the country.
Produced for National by Production Shed TV, the cost has not been disclosed but The Press understands the party spent $110,000 on it.
The DVD was meant to relaunch Key’s image and introduce him to New Zealanders unfamiliar with the National leader, but the botch-up has embarrassed and angered the party.
Last week Key toured South Island centres, handing out thousands of the DVDs, and planned a similar North Island tour.
National Party campaign manager Jo de Joux previously insisted the music had been commissioned from an Auckland artist and was original.
She said yesterday that the party was angry with the production company. “We paid these guys to make a DVD for us. We relied on their expertise and they have let us down.”
Key said National should not have relied on Production Shed.
“My people relied on the production company. In my opinion, they should have kicked it upstairs for me or one of the senior management team to sign off, and they didn’t,” he said. “
a sideshow that favours nats if we of the Left blog on it
their press release on scoop.
So the folks who think KDC is a criminal are accused of stealing intellectual property.
Nothing new here – the fucking nacts are well-known for their hypocrisy.
“So the folks who think KDC is a criminal are accused of stealing intellectual property.”
So the folks who think KDC is a criminal are accused of stealing intellectual property AGAIN.
fFIFY McFlock.
lol cheers.
tragic, innit.
…having a good laugh in this household at the moment.
In 2009 Key said National should not have relied on Production Shed.
“My people relied on the production company. In my opinion, they should have kicked it upstairs for me or one of the senior management team to sign off, and they didn’t,” he said. “
Is that John Key, he who knows nothing cos he delegates saying something should have been kicked upstairs to him for sign off? Is he an Intellectual property expert?
The Wendy Missen story on Katherine Rich in the Herald will have a huge impact on “middle New Zealand”.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11325097
“As you may know I write a column called Wendyl Wants to Know in the Weekend Herald every Saturday which looks at what is in processed food.”
“Earlier this year I was on the receiving end of a concerted effort, including legal letters, to get me discredited through my bosses at the Herald.
The person behind it was Katherine Rich, the chief executive of the Food & Grocery Council….
After that I noticed that right-wing bloggers Whale Oil and Cactus Kate (appeared to have begun a smear campaign against me. ”
Katherine Rich and Slater took money to rubbish a food writer.
Now THAT is the story that will incense National supporters.
National Party sued over Eminem copyright infringment
“A claim filed in the High Court today alleges the National Party used elements of Eminem’s Grammy-winning song in TV ads screening during their election campaign.”
it is not just raining on National: it is pissing down!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11325727
John Oliver explains Scottish independence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YkLPxQp_y0
something is happening…… Wairarapa farmers can sense things are not right..
https://agrihq.co.nz/article/alternative-view-to-vote-corrupt-inept-anti-farming-or-lunatic?p=6
Advance voting continuing its early very high trend & going through the roof
http://www.elections.org.nz/events/2014-general-election/advance-voting-statistics
So either this is going to be a big turnout or a lot of people who normally vote have early voted so they don’t need to later & there will be low turnout on the day.
I’ll be interested to see which it is – I’ll be voting on the day, because I still haven’t decided yet lol
The possibility of Scottish independence seems to have kicked off
another move to change the Australian flag.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/australian-flagchange-champions-aflutter-ahead-of-scottish-independence-vote-20140916-10eet2.html
Perhaps we could try a possum pelt on a long-drop door ..
Weather forecasts have possible snow and rain for election day according to Stuff; worst since 1984 and a lot of us can remember.
This had me chuckling, a welcome portent, and a brilliant old woman ….
“Left-wing political commentator Chris Trotter recalled being in Dunedin for the 1984 election which saw Prime Minister Rob Muldoon defeated.
“The memory that sticks in my mind the most was going up Carroll Street towards the polling booth and there was a very old lady trudging up through the snow as it was falling.
“She looked so old and frail and I said, ‘do you need any help?’ And she said to me, ‘no, it’s alright, I can get rid of this bastard Muldoon all by myself’.”
Despite the winter weather, that election was the high point of New Zealand’s turnout to general elections, with 93.7 per cent of registered voters participating, Trotter said.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10504834/Rain-wind-and-snow-predicted-for-Election-Day
key henchman?
joyce shake them down?
WTF – are we in full gangster mode or what
Maori TV dangerous re-shuffles today and also here Pita Sharples does his masters’ bidding:
http://tvnz.co.nz/vote-2014-news/peters-slams-sharples-tribunal-appointments-election-eve-6082657
how stuffed is stuff..?
..at 7 mins past 4..new allegations from greenwald about nz spying on our neighbours..
..very soon afterwards it is bumped right down to the bottom story in the politics section..
..agenda..?..much..?
c’mon greenwald..!..bring it on..!
..hit them with the next load..!
New allegations today? linky?
wow..!..barry soper on prime news..deserves a special craven-toady award..
.dismisses the mass-surveillance-issue..hopes ‘it’s all over now..and we can get back to the campaign’..
and gower on 3 has come in as a late-contender..
I am embarrassed and ashamed by TV1 and TV3’s analysis of last night’s event. Never have I seen such a collective partisan snow job by New Zealand’s media
Is this a Monty Python Skit in the Herald?
Breaking news is article on “secret document danger” (about how Key has endangered NZ, potentially), followed by “kiwi jihadist wants to return home”, with a picture of Mohammad Daniel, sporting a gun. Mustn’t have liked the Eminem story, as that has been bumped to third!
Surreal….we need Russel Brand to take on our MSM, like he did with Fox news!
On a more serious note – this sudden “threat (of) massive damage to NZ’s wellbeing if made public without permission” gives him free license to keep strumm about it.
What a transparent strategy!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11325743
Anyone seen anything more on this? I can’t find anything RadioLive’s website (but they have a naff search engine).
RadioLIVE Newsroom
@LIVENewsDesk
John Key’s encouraging voters in the Te Tai Tokerau electorate to vote for Labour in a bid to destroy Kim Dotcom’s Internet Mana Movement.
Is this Key gearing up to steal the election?
http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/2014/09/a-working-majority.html
one thing that has fascinated me the last few years is that, despite the low opinion folks had of politicians prior to this regime, how much of our system of government relied on personal integrity and accountability.
Cabinet manual – toothless
Privileges committee – dominated by the government, so a lapdog
Speaker – no recourse to a blatantly biased and incompetent Speaker
Classified documents – binding on the opposition, declassified on a whim by the pm
I wonder if it would be more effective to be able to kick privileges committee, cabinet manual things, and speaker rulings to the supreme court in a timely manner? The US court is stacked by whichever government is in power, but maybe if jurists elected supreme court members for fixed terms?
Updated list of businesses removing advertising from WO. Fonterra just joined the list.
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/09/16/blogwatch-fonterra-join-2degrees-and-boycott-whaleoil/
Keys approach now – I wondered when he was going to reach for the Nationalism card – it seems now is the time!
I’m loth to publish this whole letter but I think you need the context.
Hello Adam
I’m contacting you with this special message to thank you for your extraordinary support over recent weeks.
This mirrors the support and feedback we’re getting from Kiwis all across the country.
In the last few days of this campaign we are determined that nothing will stand between us and laying out our clear plan for New Zealand’s future… because that’s what New Zealanders’ are asking for.
It is those same Kiwis who are also asking us what business Kim Dotcom and his foreign political friends have in telling Kiwis what they ought to think four days out from our election.
But just to be perfectly clear, there is no truth to the wild allegations they’ve made – there are no NSA spy bases in New Zealand and no mass surveillance of New Zealanders.
Our election on Saturday is about the future of New Zealand.
We will continue to work hard right up until Friday night, just as we have for the last six years, to focus on the issues that matter to New Zealanders.
We’ll be reminding New Zealanders that our plans will ensure a strong, open economy that delivers more for them and their families – like more jobs, higher incomes, more people off welfare and into work and world-leading education and health services.
We’ll also be reminding voters that MMP elections are always close, even with the Opposition in disarray.
We need to make sure voters know that any vote for any other party risks political turmoil and our economy stalling.
The ONLY way to keep New Zealand heading in the right direction is to PARTY VOTE NATIONAL.
So let’s get out as many supporters as possible to party vote National on Saturday.
Thanks again for your support.
Rt Hon John Key
John Key, busy bamboozling.
key is scared, very scared – he’ll do and say anything now – the next few days are going to be torrid and when the dust settles the utter moral vacuousness of key will be apparent for everyone to see. Win or lose, key is toast.
Yes – Key will destroy the credibility of this entire Government trying to claw his way back into the PM’s office.
He already has destroyed the credibility of the entire government.
Key and his gang are finishing off our belief in the goodness of our fellow citizens and our democracy. and the expectation that we will develop better ideas for managing the country as education rises and we have the option of calm reflection distant from temporary crises.
That’s naive stuff. Bring on the crises, manufacture them like fireworks, let them off and watch the panic, no time now for rational, advanced thinking.
Have you seen what 3rd degree is about this week? Former employees reveal what KDC is really like…
Sorry adam, couldn’t bring myself to read it. I got a letter in the mail from Key and threw it in the fire without opening it 🙂
… had to laugh, because we did exactly the same thing.
At least that way we actually got some genuine warmth out of current PM…
“I’m contacting you with this special message to thank you for your extraordinary support over recent weeks.
This mirrors the support and feedback we’re getting from Kiwis all across the country.
Yes, judging by the desperate fluoro messages you have taken to plastering across your hoardings, I guess my ‘extraordinary support over recent weeks’ …of left wing parties… (you appear to have missed that part out) does mirror the feedback you have been getting from ‘Kiwis all across the country’ and I have to assume that would be something along the lines of: ‘Fuck off, I ‘m voting left’.
Some woman on TV One, did a report on Facebook mentions for leaders of political parties. key got the most mentions – but really, how vacuous!! People here mention Key quite a lot, and most of it isn’t flattering. She then said Key got loads of mentions after KDC failed to produce new evidence at the MoT – how does she know it wasn’t people on about Key and X-Keyscore, etc?
How stupid do some of these reporters think we are?
Yes, I don’t understand it, but TV1 seems to have gotten worse than TV3 now 🙁
(Wonder why they have degenerated so much? TV3 seems to have improved too. Just odd that they have almost done a complete swap over in my opinion – watch both now, to catch the different slants)
I saw that report and thought it very very bizarre and shabby for that reason. Completely deceptive. Also, did I miss them mentioning IMP or were they ignored?
Yes, I think they did. Though they also ignored Maori Party, Cons, etc.
Also tonight, i had the misfortune to flick into TV One to catch a woman talking about MoT, GCSB, etc, and Mike Hosking replied with an exaggerated groan – “I’m so over this”.
And that guy is meant to be some sort of quality political or current events journalist. I quickly flicked away from TV One in disgust.
I do find it bizarre because TV1 used to be the better one – now One has gone to pieces as far as decent reporting goes!
I thought they missed out IMP because they would have ranked high due to the most talked about subject being related to their party.
They also didn’t say how they counted the data. Hashtags? Some other means? Just hopeless.
I laughed at what you said re flicking over to see something awful! What terrible timing! It really does annoy me seeing someone trivialize something so important. Even worse to think that they think they are excellent for having done so. They just look scared to me.
Did you see Dotcom’s ‘outburst’ on 3? It was excellent, he was telling 3/Paddy off for bad reporting in the past, doing the public a disservice, that type of thing. I thought was excellent that they played it. I have to say, I agreed with every word Dotcom said!
Hoskin hob nobs with the power elite, and indeed is part of the 1% (if not 0.1%). Hence it’s not surprising that he finds complaints about an infrastructure designed to entrench the power elite against everyone else totally banal.
Courtesy of the sewer.
http://www.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/2giwpk/when_how_the_southern_cross_cable_was_tapped/
Bit of background here on how other cables are tapped, including reference the to submarine that Snowden talked about last night). Nice bit of historical context of cable tapping the Russians in the 70s too.
In 2005, the Associated Press reported that a submarine called the USS Jimmy Carter had been repurposed to carry crews of technicians to the bottom of the sea so they could tap fiber optic lines. The easiest place to get into the cables is at the regeneration points — spots where their signals are amplified and pushed forward on their long, circuitous journeys. “At these spots, the fiber optics can be more easily tapped, because they are no longer bundled together, rather laid out individually,” Deutsche Welle reported.
But such aquatic endeavors may no longer even be necessary. The cables make landfall at coastal stations in various countries, where their data is sent on to domestic networks, and it’s easier to tap them on land than underwater. Britain is, geographically, in an ideal position to access to cables as they emerge from the Atlantic, so the cooperation between the NSA and GCHQ has been key. Beyond that partnership, there are the other members of the “Five Eyes” — the Australians, the New Zealanders, and the Canadians — that also collaborate with the U.S., Snowden said.
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/07/the-creepy-long-standing-practice-of-undersea-cable-tapping/277855/
The sewer, you say? Surely they wouldn’t be interested in this?
I reckon this bloke was putting the needle in when he posted it.
https://twitter.com/hollowaynz
Aha!
The Southern Cross cable apparently comes ashore at Takapuna, goes underground to Whenuapai, then heads out to sea via the Manukau Harbour.
I must have travelled over it many times.
Snowden didn’t talk about bases, but about “facilities” with sensors, which could be accessed in order to access NZ communications.
that article is hysterical, in the same way the raid was on Dotcom’s mansion after Kim had invited unexpected visiting police in for cups of tea just the day before.
my goodness, but life in NZ right now is like one weird new video game.
this part was fun … National saved money on their advert buying an Eminem rip-off for $50 and are now getting sued by the real Eminem !!
Oh Joyce, how choice !!!!! Monty Pythonesque on steroids.
Matthew Holloway @hollowaynz · 5h
Reminder: National paid $50 for this particular Eminem ripoff http://www.audiomicro.com/8-miles-to-lose-yourself-royalty-free-stock-music-1072575 … read description – National should have known better.
Good info joe
This one is very interesting: dated Sept 2010.
OMG Takkers? What will the locals say ?
thx Karol. What a day; hard to read everything isn’t it 🙂
I have an idea .. some bright journo should ask Maggie Barry what she thinks about it !
lol
The cable.
Subject Request For Information:critical Foreign Dependencies (critical Infrastructure And Key Resources Located Abroad)
[…]
New Zealand: Southern Cross undersea cable landing, Whenuapai, New Zealand Southern Cross undersea cable landing, Takapuna, New Zealand
https://cablegatesearch.wikileaks.org/cable.php?id=09STATE15113&q=takapuna
thx joe. extraordinary what some of those critical assets are. mines, mineral, pharma companies and their specialities, and Takapuna Beach !
what a reality.
He really is an arrogant prick.
(C) Summary: On February 22, the Ambassador accompanied a Washington visitor to a ” courtesy call” on Prime Minister (PM) John Key which turned into an hour plus discussion. PM Key noted that he (in contrast to MFAT) was not concerned about immediately devising a “media strategy” after the recent briefing on the USG review of bilateral military relations delivered by DAS Frankie Reed and DASD Bob Scher. He expressed confidence that he could handle any related questions if they came up (which they have not in several encounters with the media that the PM has subsequently had). Key also raised the topic of a bilateral visit to the Washington DC in a manner that indicated how important confirming the visit for June is to him. End Summary
[…]
(C) Comment: The manner in which PM Key pitched the bilateral visit indicated to the Ambassador that nailing down a June visit is of intense importance to Key. The Ambassador gathered from the exchange that June is being held open by the GNZ in hopes of a confirmation for a bilateral visit then in the near future. Key, who has not previously raised this topic personally (leaving that to FM McCully and MFAT) clearly hoped his explanation might result in an early confirmation for June. End Comment. CLARKE
https://cablegatesearch.wikileaks.org/cable.php?id=10WELLINGTON81&q=auckland
Via a comment on the Wendyl Nissen article in the Herald was led to a couple of unexpected political articles in Agri-Weekly:
Alternative View – To vote corrupt, inept, anti-farming, or lunatic? by Alan Emerson, who after reading Dirty Politic is now going to give his electorate vote to the Labour candidate, and is still unsure about his party vote
– and –
Gord Stewarts – Pulpit – National not serving farmers well. Talking about the arrogance of National in (not) addressing climate change, and the reliance it has on dairy.
No comments so far on the articles, but interesting given the expected voting preferences of the farming community.
I wonder if there will be any traditional National voters that are so conflicted about the current news articles that for a change it is right-wing voters that don’t turn up at the ballot box?
a lot of conservative, orthodox National supporters in rural areas are less than pleased that Key, Collins, et al have gotten into bed with Slater and his cohorts.
Will that mean that significant numbers won’t vote blue this time? (Just 30,000 changing to Red Green or Black will be enough to end National). We’ll really only know on Sunday 21st.