How could anyone one amount a proper defence against this?
Shameful
Saudi Arabia?
One of their Western allies??
New Zealand?!?
Really?
How can this be right?
How does this gel with this country being a liberal democracy?
It doesn’t
All the accused knows is the penalty.
They don’t know who accused them.
They don’t know the evidence against them.
Shouldn’t the accused at least know the charges against them?
Shouldn’t the person or agency behind the charges be known to the accused?
Shouldn’t the accused at least have the right to be at the hearing, instead of being tried in absentia?
Much of the argument seems to have centred on how much the woman can know of the allegations made against her…….
,,,,,,,She has been excluded from most of the process. Instead a “special advocate”, lawyer Ben Keith, was appointed to look at the security information and put forward arguments that might help the woman’s case…….
……Instead the Crown was to give her a summary of the security information, that the judge said should “to the greatest extent possible” convey the gist of the case against her so she could prepare a rebuttal.
Two hearings took place about her case at the High Court in Wellington on Friday. The first was “closed” court in a below-ground courtroom with the woman excluded, but then a second session took place in another courtroom with her via a phone conference.
Another closed court hearing is planned for next week……
A fascinating case, eh? You’re right to express your concerns about it, and I feel similarly. For a citizen to have their passport cancelled on security grounds to “impede her ability to facilitate actions of the type that made her a danger to the security of a country other than New Zealand” suggests the authorities see her as an actual or potential terrorist.
Regardless of that, she has the right to know why. Freedom of information law presumably applies – it’s a puzzle that the judiciary is struggling with it.
An earlier court decision referred to her passport being cancelled on the grounds that it would impede her ability to facilitate actions of the type that made her a danger to the security of a country other than New Zealand.
Which “other” unnamed country is it, that has taken this woman to court?
Is it Israel? Is it Saudi Arabia? Is it Australia? Is it Trump’s America? Is it Indonesia? Is it China?
There are some profound implications whichever country it is, depending on what their motivation is.
Has this country been guilty of human rights violations?
What is it that this person could allegedly do to hurt the “security” of this country?
If this woman is threatening or plotting violence against the security of this other country, why she not being charged with offences under the New Zealand Counter Terrorism Act?
Is this woman’s alleged ability to harm this country, reputational harm?
If she is not a terrorist;
Is she a journalist?
Is she a political activist?
Is she a whistle blower?
How can a foreign country take a New Zealander to court?
The implications for the case of the country of Israel seeking to obtain damages from two New Zealanders is profound.
If the US sinks into totalitarianism, (as some are saying is a very real possibility), will we see further such cases taken against New Zealanders by other countries through our security services?
There was a farmer in Hawkes Bay, Bill Youren, who was refused a passport to visit China in the 1950s. He argued that, although the New Zealand Government had the right to decide which foreigners were allowed to enter New Zealand they had no right to say, in the absence of a war, where New Zealand citizens were allowed to travel.
He did get his passport in the end and visited China several times.
Later on, in the time of the Kirk Government he made the same argument from what many would think was the other side of the fence. He argued, from the same viewpoint, that the New Zealand had no right at all to try and prevent a New Zealand Rugby team visiting South Africa, He didn’t win that one.
Although I have described him as a farmer, which he was for most of his life, he was well versed in the Law. He had, among other things, a LLM with First Class honours and had practised for a short time as a lawyer.
Great article Selwyn and thanks for keeping the ‘blowtorch’ on Bridges and co.
We all worry if the national sleaze have gotten control of all of Jami Lee Ross evidence and recordings already????
Could Jami’s ‘lover’ actually stolen or copied them?
We hope the police seized all Jami Lee Ross’s evidence and files on hard drives along with stored phone texts and voice recordings as the communications industry and the five eyes network also store these files as we all know that storing of all our communications is now stolen and confirmed by several ‘leakers’, Assange, Snowden, kim.com, and Nikki Hagar to name a few.
Quote from Selwyn Manning article; “Because the inquiry reports back to Bridges, who as leader may well be one of the protagonists. Also, the report will not be released to the public which leaves it as a golden prize, the holy grail, for any journalist and, irrespective of who it damns or exonerates, will become a currency for any MP with leadership ambitions.
As it now stands, Bridges’ worst nightmare must be not knowing what Jami-Lee Ross recorded and at what point did he begin taping the National Party leader’s conversations.
If those recordings contain further embarrassing or damaging content and references, then he will be finished as leader. Bridges, as leader, even if he has a clear conscience, must be wracking his memory as to past conversations and comments while knowing the conversations may be in the hands of people with whom he has lost their trust.
And the question remains unanswered: Was Paula Bennett recorded as well?”
What’s important here is that Selwyn is acting in the public interest: “A sworn-to timeline of events is now essential so that the public interest can be satisfied.”
Those seeking to enforce the mushroom strategy via privacy law will shit themselves. He provides some moral guidance to the Nats: “The inquiry must examine the National leadership team’s actions and culture, test whether they acted in a proper and timely manner, and assess whether their actions considered a concern for the welfare and mental health of an MP they had previously supported, promoted, and embedded within their leadership team.”
Of course, none of this will happen. Denial will prevail. The toxic National culture will remain, will very likely take down their current leader, and his replacement eventually as well. National must hit rock bottom before members start to acknowledge that becoming positive role models is better politics.
“Those seeking to enforce the mushroom strategy via privacy law will shit themselves.”
No, Dennis – presuming you are talking about those of us here arguing that no-one has any right to knowledge about Ross’ medical conditions, diagnosis and related matters UNLESS Ross chooses to make this information public – we will not be “shitting ourselves”.
Selwyn understands the very big difference between publicly discussing, and expressing opinions on, the surrounding wider circumstances and timelines etc of the present National Party fiasco from a political perspective – and the much more specific and personal details of an individual person’s medical condition and information and the privacy and civil right law and rules relating to that – regardless of the fact that the person is a parliamentarian at the centre of that fiasco.
You have not understood that very real distinction throughout the discussions here and on other blogs, eg Public Address.
Selwyn does – and has steered well clear of that aspect.
His article is one of the best I have seen to date and I recommend everyone read it.
Also – Whaleoil has a further post up this morning countering in detail some of the timeline and events reported in Fisher’s Herald article yesterday. I will not link but it is an interesting read.
Thanks, that’s an excellent work of philosophical analysis and literary criticism from a woman of discernment, with many penetrating insights. I rate her essay 10/10, and rare nowadays to be so impressed by intellectual artistry. Here’s the section I thought most timely:
“Today, the voguish version of science as religion is transhumanism, which claims that technology will overcome human limitations both physical and mental, perhaps through bioengineering or artificial intelligence or cyborgs that can carry around the contents of our brains. Gray is not sanguine about such developments, should they ever occur, because we already have a model of the mayhem that takes place when some mortals are granted godlike powers: “Anyone who wants a glimpse of what a post-human future might be like should read Homer.””
Trusted – Nicky Hager, Rod Oram for financial news, John Campbell, Gordon Campbell
Not Trusted – where do you start – about 65% of journalists in NZ – Fran O’Sulivan is just a paid for hack, who fell to dirty politics, Patrick Gower who thinks the news is about himself, Hoskings is obviously rock bottom… so many bad ones…
Fran is a curious case – writes a lot of stuff that’s no better than the likes of John Armstrong. But she is a serious journalist, capable of some intellectual rigour, and every now and then she shows it big time.
Maybe she should stop taking all those paid for trips and goodies from business… you might be capable of serious journalism But if you have no sense of personal compromise, and are for Sale, or able to be manipulated. None have any place in serious journalism.
That is, I think, a failure of the community of which she is part, as much as hers. She does stir them up from time to time, but can’t do all the heavy lifting. NZ’s commercial class are big frogs in a small pond – not good for much more than croaking.
Work out how many paid ‘trips’ and ‘perks’ she receives from business and then look at what she promotes and you will see a pattern… I think she’s had free trips to China, Israel, those are the publicised ones…
Trump supporters are going crazy, by first claiming it was a false flag operation by those aligned to ‘liberals’, and now the evidence has pointed to an out and out Trump supporter , they are saying. It was Soros money which paid him to do it.
Trump called them ‘devices’ rather than Bombs and other ways to deny what they are.
“Republicans are doing so well in early voting, and at the polls, and now this “Bomb” stuff happens and the momentum greatly slows”
“In the past, “false flag” theories have mostly been aired in more openly conspiratorial media outlets like Alex Jones’s Infowars.
The term has been used by Jones and other conspiracy theorists to allege that violent attacks have been carried out not by their apparent authors, but by powerful, manipulative actors seeking to deceive observers and hide their own responsibility. Its adoption this week by a broad range of rightwingers suggests an increasing openness to conspiracy theory in more mainstream conservative media.
Bombs sent, people threatened … Trump’s response? Attack the media.
The term has been used by Jones and other conspiracy theorists to allege that violent attacks have been carried out not by their apparent authors, but by powerful, manipulative actors seeking to deceive observers and hide their own responsibility. Its adoption this week by a broad range of rightwingers suggests an increasing openness to conspiracy theory in more mainstream conservative media.”
Just before the alleged bomber’s account was suspended someone archived his follows page. It only caught the first twenty or so but no doubt some of his more notable followees are flat out dumping stuff down the memory hole.
Poor old Phil Twyford.
Imagine having to get up and, in order to protect your boss who has been lying, you have to announce that you have known for the whole year that no other local body will be allowed to have a petrol tax.
Meanwhile you have been telling at least one local body that they should apply to be allowed to levy the tax.
This was after you had told everyone that you first heard about the proposal on the day it had been announced, and you had your associate Minister say that it was the actual announcement in Parliament that was the first he had heard about it.
However the Captain has made a call and wants to lie about when she made it so you are forced to get up and tell everyone that you have a memory like a sieve, and have been gaily misleading the Local Bodies who have been relying on your word.
I realise that Twyford is incompetent but I thought he had a little bit of a spine.
Instead he seems to be like the person described so unfairly by, among others, Paul Keating, Mike Moore and Harold Wilson.
“He is a shiver looking for a spine to run up”.
What is it really about Ardern that prevents her from ever telling the truth about her actions? https://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=12148656
“Her comments follow Transport Minister Phil Twyford suggesting to Radio NZ this morning that he only found out about the ban yesterday, just hours before Ardern publicly ruled out any more regional fuel taxes while she is PM.”
…then…
“”I’ve been fully aware of the Prime Minister’s views on this issue going back to the beginning of this year,” Twyford said. Despite that, he did not inform any of the 14 councils that have expressed an interest in having a regional fuel tax.”
and…
“Twyford has previously encouraged Hamilton City Council to engage with the Minsitry of Transport about a regional fuel tax, and councillor Dave Macpherson said Ardern’s pledge was a kick in the guts.”
If Twyford new about “the Prime Minister’s views on this issue going back to the beginning of this year”, then why was he encouraging councils to “engage with the Minsitry of Transport about a regional fuel tax.”?
Either the PM is lying, or Twyford has lost the plot.
Ardern has excellent political radar (better than Key’s) and if her instincts tell her there’s an issue or threat, she changes tack. It’s an excellent trait and will serve the Coalition Of The Numerate (COTN) extremely well for a very long time.
Twyford is a decent bloke who will ultimately be judged only on whether he can at least partially deflate the housing bubble deliberately engineered by the National Party to enrich their supporters and themselves, without caring in the least that it would mean permanent impoverishment for others.
Such was the moral failure of the foetid Key-English government that no-one will be listening to your partisan nit-picking for years. This is a very, very good thing.
Note: COTN means those people who realise that 37 + 7 +5 > 43
It would help if the Green movement in Aotearoa had an authorititative non-parliamentary media presence. All we have currently is a sporadic stream of single-issue commentary from a bunch of Green groups content to rest on their laurels as an exhibition of middle-class complacency.
Trotter hates the Greens and has never really tried to understand them. He wants rid of them.
He is an unreconstructed Old Lefty and writes very well, often brilliantly, about that sector of traditional left-wing union-dominated politics. Nothing wrong with any of that BTW-all power to the unions.
But why he attacks the Greens when Labour will probably never be able to form a government without the Greens I can’t fathom.
Meanwhile the Greens are polling 7% and doing fine.
You are right Trotter has never been too positive about the Greens, but the current Greens needs a kick up their arses and a dose of the real world.
Banning Twitter is a must so they have interact with real people. Also going outside their normal cliques would probably keep them on a more even keel. Thankfully the Marama and James ‘tweets’ buttons on their websites don’t work or are empty- a metaphor??? who knows.
The new look Green website has been changed so that Marama and James profiles are the leading navigation now.. (Policy 6th along), and about 60% of the site is made up of pics of Marama- crazy
They should join forces with Patrick Gower as the news is starting to be about themselves against what is really going on.
The only interesting thing I found was they they want to make donations over $1000 declared, but in my views does not go far enough, everything or at least everything over $100 should be declared plus make a crime for multiple donations to not be declared if they go over the figure. Do they want transparency or not?
Again Greens are on the right track but then woefully don’t go far enough.
The issue for OIA is also that the applicants put forward all these great proposals via their lawyers for OIA and there is no time frames or penalty if they fail to do what they say.
They need to make the applicant who fails to do what they say to sell the asset and give the full amount back to government plus a fine based on the amount of the assets and the OIA legal costs, if they don’t come through with what they said they would when they bought the asset.
There should also be some sort of public good as well in OIA, at present some of these assets are just being bought and what ever the applicant promised coming to zero with lost jobs, lost assets to community and doing the opposite of their intention.
Yes some naive still believe that social media is a true representation.
“Up to 9.5 million net neutrality comments were made with stolen identities
NY AG subpoenas lobby firms, says fake comments “distort[ed] public opinion.”
Still better policy from Greens as you say the TPPA, but sadly instead of being the frontrunner on their promotions of their party… we get the Marama cult pics.
ridiculous, if it is at the expense of their polices and other members and community. 60% hogging of a website if ridiculous, as is forgetting to put on the real news of real policy fights aka Bearded Git says about TPPA – that is one of Greens big differences from all the other parties that sold out – they should be crying it from the roof tops.
Yes you are right 60% is an overreaction. I guess I’m more interested in the party and it’s policies than the people. I don’t like the new look navigation that has too much (in my view) of the leaders rather than highlighting Green policy which in my view is why people like the Greens aka their Policy.
Too late for me to delete the above comment but I withdraw it, aka suggesting Marama is hogging the website, which is unfair. Sorry, when I looked again at the website again and wider subjects I could see that my comment was wrong.
“”This must mean a lot to you, with you coming from nothing?”
I looked at her, and I laughed.
“I didnae come from nothing,” I told her. “I come from something.”
he explains
“There is this viewpoint that if you have come from the working class you have come from nothing, whereas the middle and upper classes are something, and I don’t hold with that opinion. I think the working class is something. It is everything. They are the builders of society, and without them the whole house falls down.”
and
“I am very proud to be working class, and especially a working-class Glaswegian who has worked in the shipyards. It is something, and don’t you forget it. I come from something. I come from the working class. And, most of all, I come from Scotland.”
Louis CK? He was one of the many guys who got busted for sexual harassment wasn’t he? That’s some great quotes from Connolly, and true too, “from nothing”, how insulting.
Dukeofurl:I do like those words from Billy. They resonate. And those other middle class people who have been pulled and pushed “up” by wealthy parents, are not real people to me. To be measured by wealth seems so wrong.
I don’t actually have a favourite, seeing design and/or functionality flaws in all. I rate Public Address for combining culture with politics in a non-partisan frame suitable for centrists, whilst seeing it as inadequate at the political interface.
Bowalley Road is an ongoing parade of Trotter’s antique leftism, but I’ll give him credit for wising up compared to the Political Review, which was show instead of substance.
Pundit has the fatal flaw of being fronted by people most of whom have been absent non-contributors for years. Old wallpaper. Yet it still has helpful essays and discussions now & then. Werewolf disappoints more often than delivers. I was a fan when Gordon was doing his thing for the Listener in the seventies.
The Archdruid is often excellent on political analysis, and on cultural analysis too. His esoterica is only partially compatible with mine, but he has Green street cred big-time.
I read Newsroom (good) Zerohedge (bit crappy very right wing but sometimes good info especially financial) thecanary (left wing UK) Realclearpolitics and nate silver’s site fivethirtyeight (to follow the US elections) but always start with the Standard.
I used to read The Political Scientist by Puddleglum but there hasn’t been a post for over a year now. They were long, intelligent & insightful, and full of compassion without being patronising, arrogant, or moralising. I do miss it.
I also like exhALANt. Long posts on a wide variety of topics that are well supported with links and clearly not written in just half an hour – clearly a lot of background work goes into those posts (quality & quantity!). Again, compassionate comes to mind.
I also used to read Boots Theory but that has gone quiet too. Good shorter posts from a strong intelligent woman with a great sense of humour.
The only other NZ blogsite I visit is Sciblogs that covers a very wide range of topics, mostly on science stuff of course, but also the politics around it and its place in society. The MSM really dropped the ball in terms of science communication & reporting.
That’s it for me as far as NZ blogs go; a surprisingly small number to keep an eye on 😉
TS takes up much of my very few spare hours during the week and my mind can only cope with so much 🙁
Thanks incognito
I’ve noted those.
I can concur withe your last para, and did a cost-benefit analysis! It showed too high an opportunity cost. Don’t know where Puddleglum went to but always worth reading, also Olwyn, always good, and many others gone. Some may be dead – a lot of us putting our minds to events are getting aged and maybe our minds give out or our time, as we need to pay attention to our failing cohort.
Most but not all people when they get older learn to distinguish between what’s more and less important and accordingly waste less of their time on irrelevant trivia.
One would hope and like to think that many a good poster/commenter here on TS have active lives outside of TS and more enjoyable activities than banging their heads on an electronic device 😉
This was (also) on my mind to me when I wrote my Post Fighting for a just cause is empowering.
Thanks for that. I always enjoyed reading Puddlegum’s comments so it is good to know they are still around and have now bookmarked the Twitter account.
I also rechecked Weka’s Twitter account this morning, and it seems she has not tweeted since April when she left here also.
Hope they get to the bottom of what caused the poisoning as it sounds like it was installed by a plumber.
Can’t think of anything worse than losing a child – especially in a freak accident like that.
The other day was talking to someone and they said a gas powered oven blew up because a ring that was supposed to be fitted to meet NZ standards had not been fitted. The oven was fine, it was correctly installed, but the reseller had not inserted the correct part.
Chris Trotter has also published an analysis of the warping effect of parliament on how the media report politics. His thesis identifies proximity to power as the warp factor. All very `absolutely negatively Wellington’…
“National’s proposed review does, however, serve as a useful pointer to our capital city’s flawed culture of power – as well as to its long-standing imperviousness to reform. There is simply too much power on offer in Wellington for anyone with the slightest chance of wielding it, limiting it.”
“Proximity lies at the heart of the capital’s power culture. The higher an ambitious person climbs, the closer they get to the people who exercise decisive political authority. This proximity works both vertically and horizontally. The higher one climbs, the more opportunities one finds to influence the course of events. This, in turn, encourages other ambitious souls to get as close as possible to the successful climber. Power in Wellington thus flows not only up and down the city’s many hierarchies, but also through them, spreading outwards in all directions.”
“In the centre of this three-dimensional web of power looms the parliamentary complex. The Beehive and the House of Representatives are the most obvious repositories of executive and legislative authority. Easily forgotten, however, when mapping the distribution of power, is the Parliamentary Press Gallery. Its members enjoy an enviable degree of access to the entire cast of Government and Opposition players. In the proximity-to-power stakes, few get as up-close-and-personal as political journalists.”
And we see the curtain parted slightly when Bridges went ballistic against the Gallery media, as in this Tracy Watkins story
Bridges’ valve burst Wednesday evening when he phoned around political editors to warn them he had been defamed and his reputation damaged.[ie repeat it and the lawyers will go after you]
In his conversation with me, he threatened to walk away from our weekly interview because I was too negative.
Yes indeed. Could be just me, but does seem rather trumpian of him to venture off into an aggressive campaign against the media. One can easily imagine the political psychology motivating him: “Me Don Quixote, have big lance, will joust vigorously against the nasty media barbarians!”
I skimmed the Trotter story and this stood out for me
If the true function of a parliamentary press gallery journalist is act as the glove into which power inserts its steely hand, then their formal democratic role is nothing but a sham.
and this is a follow up to questions about how close Ross was to journalists and some that have ‘lost their voice totally in the last 2 weeks’- never a good thing to have writers block when your beat is a fast news cycle ! LOL
“Was Jami-Lee’s downfall the result of him having too many enemies in National’s caucus – or too many friends in the Press Gallery”
And, now here is where you have to suspend credulity a little…
“First KiwiBuild families continues Labour tradition of providing decent, warm, dry homes…..”I won’t be carrying a coffee table today,” Ardern told residents at the new McLennan Park development, a reference to the famous image of former Labour Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage lifting a dining table through the crowd at the opening of the first state house in 1937.”
Is anyone else thinking this will bite them in the arse once those buyers find themselves underwater?
Spiralling cost of living + looming GFC mark II, the depression version *shakes head* equals historic moment, but not one you necessarily want photographed.
spiralling cost of living + looming GFC mark II, the depression, etc will do in anyone – mortgage holder or not.
in fact those holding a mortgage can at least try to find flat mates to help with the cost, but those who rent a shit outta luck under your scenario and can fight for a place under a bridge or in a bus stop??…..
what would be an affordable houseprice price for a million + people city, powerhouse – in fact teh only place in NZ where once has at least a fighting chance at full time all year round work ?
compared to the rest of the country? Serious question.
And then next serious question, why do all houses need to come with a double garage, a ‘entrance hallway with chandelier’, dishwasher and such? Maybe people don’t actually want affordable, but rather trimmings n shit.
“Is anyone else thinking this will bite them in the arse….?”
I thought earlier that their arses would have been well and truly bitten by the mere fact that Our Shiny New Leader very clumsily referenced Savage helping the first State House tenants move in in 1937….their rent being one third of the household’s income. https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/we-call-it-home/first-state-house
As if we wouldn’t go lookitup! Fast forward to the 60th birthday of that very first state house and the…
“…the Nysse family, John and Winnie and their three children. The family told the New Zealand Herald that they were finding it difficult to make ends meet under the regime of market rents introduced in 1991. The family’s sole source of income was John’s pension, which brought in $292 per week. After paying a rental of $215, the family was left with just $77 to live on. Whereas the McGregor family had handed over about a third of their income to live in 12 Fife Lane, the Nysse family paid nearly three-quarters of theirs.”
I digress. And am wrongly conflating as I am wont to do.
As if the struggles in 1997 of the Nysee family under the ‘regime of market rents…’ can in anyway be connected to the absolute flucking irony of a current Labour Prime Minister exploiting the birth of state housing in New Zealand at an event assuring their backers of the continuation of government obeisance to the gods of the Market.
Whew.
Thought we were looking at some kind of radical turn- the- clock- back- to -kinder times type crap.
Rosemary “the most ardent Ardern flag wavers are hanging their heads in embarrassment” After reading your comments twice I decided they say more about you than them.
The Government is building state homes, kiwi build homes and partnership homes in an endeavour to make a difference to the availability of houses as homes not gambling chips for developers. Prices have actually begun to stabilise.
You forgot to quote Jacinda’s comment that working middle NZers wanting a home had been shut out in Auckland where the average $million home was out of reach. So $649.000 is $351 000 less is a success in Auckland, and prices will be lower elsewhere in the country for a 4 bed home.
You also didn’t mention how thrilled the couple were. Quote “It felt like winning Lotto to win the ballot to get one of the first 18 houses.
So what was the point of your comment? They should build only state houses.? or
IKiwibuild is a failure because you say so? or Noone should wave a flag at Ardern/Twyford’s parade? or Perhaps I missed something?
Did you miss the bit where Ardern tried to join today’s event with Savage helping the first State House tenants move in back in 1937?
To compare the two is…well…deceitful, and the glamour only works because it seems that the premise that the COL seems to be relying on, to wit, the bulk of the voting public are fwits, holds true.
And maybe you can help me out here….the featured couple who bought the reasonably priced four bedroom Kiwibuild home…where were their children?
They have a little girl I believe. The Mother is a graduating Doctor. Yes Perhaps they should have kept those comparisons for state homes. Don’t forget as soon as in Nov their mortgage takes over, the Governments money will be recycled into another kiwi build home.
patricia, it is hard not to be skeptical after nearly a decade of National, who continued the fine work of the previous Labour government.
National took using the media to polish their image to new heights (or depths), and Key was more than happy to play the grinning fool frontman while the true power operated behind the scenes.
I am yet to be convinced that this PM is not being similarly deployed.
I am not the only left leaning voter who is immune to the hype, and it is our vote which will be needed at the next election if this government’s high sounding plans have a chance to be realised.
Today’s event was poorly constructed and Ardern’s use of the Savage reference was clumsy. And that’s the trouble with turning such an event into a political campaign….a major slip like that will be seen by all. A smart media advisor should be working out a way to mitigate the damage.
Or not.
They can gamble on securing the vote of the hard working middle and say ‘stuff the poor and the sick and the disabled, we’ll pitch to the middle with Kiwibuild and a few we-do-give-a-shit-about the-planet policies’ and hope like hell that National aren’t able to rise from the ashes by the time the hoardings go up.
Rosemary, the carer’s and poor issues should have higher priority for sure.
Housing New Zealand has news item 24th October 2018 you might find interesting. Regenerating regional nz housing.
A short and pointless attack piece from Brigitte Morten on RNZ. Actually seems like she is struggling to find an angle to attack on.
She refers to “what they delivered to taxpayers”. Of course a government should deliver to citizens, regardless of what tax they are paying. A Freudian slip from a right-wing mentality – unable to see the difference between a community and a country – and a profit-seeking business.
Because he’s an old fossil that thinks she’s really a nice young filly despite all her silly politics?
And there was also NZ’s musical icon – a balding Dave Dobbyn dressed in a designer shirt and jeans singing ‘Welcome Home’
I predicted that if Trump loses the midterms that his supporters would react violently against the people and organisations Trump regularly targets in his speeches.
It looks like one of his supporters couldn’t wait that long.
When this Right Wing violence targeting the Left breaks out, and Left act to defend themselves, I think we can expect that Donald Trump will say again, “There was violence on both sides folks.”
Before using the unrest to impose martial law.
“Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News Channel and right-wing radio have preyed upon those who’ve seen their American Dream go up in smoke, and they have helped to create a generation of angry and violent conspiracy theorists who will believe any lie that is perpetrated on those airwaves. These angry right wing men have been openly encouraged to act on those lies, even as late as this very morning when Trump was tweeting his doubts that the bombs were real.”
After condemning violence Trump goes on to minimise the bombing threats by likening these attacks to the criticism he commonly receives from the media.
Kia ora Robert from R&R Aotearoa has some raciest bias problem but by know means is it as bad as the other 4 eyes they have a much bigger problems with raciest problems.
Stereotyping maori a theft that’s the mindset the sandflys think I have got but we know that there ancestor robbed maori .
So teaching the all the moko’s about our history and how great maori culture is will be the way to change the other cultures views on Maori .
Ka kite ano P.S Thats correct Maori are raciest to I have said what my nicname was when I was young no one is going to call me that now.
The Hui doctor Joe Williams should be given a taonga for his work in using natural .
Cream for healing eczema that has healed a lot of people.
You know that big Pharma are pushing to suppress Doctor Joe and his cures the old who suppressing alternative medicines they cannot charge you if you can use plants to heal people.
Ka pai to the first Wahine Maori Temata as the student president of Victoria University .
I say she will make a good politician Ka pai.
Ka kite ano
Obama cited a recent Trump comment that he would pass a tax cut before the November election. “Congress isn’t even in session before the election. He just makes stuff up,” he said. Ana to kai trump . Ka kite ano trump Ka kite ano link is below.
Before national got into power 10 years ago I remember seeing story comparing Aus Brit NZ grocery prices and NZ was the cheapest there is noway any peoples government should let our country have duopoly being in control of any industry let alone our food supply industry’s these company’s are just bleeding NZ dry. Time to reset there game how can it be justified that one can buy NZ grown food in Britain & Aussie cheaper than NZ .
The Countdown group of New Zealand stores reported revenue of $6.36b and profit of $284m this year, with a gross margin of 24.2 per cent.
In the South Island, Foodstuffs’ revenue was more than $3 billion, with operating profit of more than $293m. It distributed to its members $280m, an increase of $6.6m or 2.4 per cent for the latest financial year, including a “loyalty rebate” of $53m.
Foodstuffs North Island, which claims 47 per cent market share in its latest annual report, recorded revenue of $6.6 billion and operating profit of $210.4 million. Its chairman’s report said putting pressure on costs had reduced supply chain costs by $5m, and helped it distribute $140.3m to co-operative members in the year.
Ka kite ano link below.
Kia ora Newshub Its a windy day in Wellington Melisa tawhiri doing the his thing.
Eco Maori gives condolences to the family’s who lost love one in the Pittsburgh shooting.
Loyd that helicopter crash in Leicester after the soccer match is a shocker did the owner go down in that crash condolences to the family’s to .
Doctor Joe I thought it was a organic cream why has he been fined it works and some big companys are selling prouducts that kill he is not making millions off it just healing the sick. Its a illusion .
The will to live is a good Idea to support farmers mental health our farmers are put under a lot of stress. Ka kite ano P.S I have a actor that’s a little distraction
Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...
There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...
Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
Chris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
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A Travesty of Justice
Closed courts. Secret trials. Secret evidence. Anonymous complainants. Hearings in absentia. Secret underground court room.
How could anyone one amount a proper defence against this?
Shameful
Saudi Arabia?
One of their Western allies??
New Zealand?!?
Really?
How can this be right?
How does this gel with this country being a liberal democracy?
It doesn’t
All the accused knows is the penalty.
They don’t know who accused them.
They don’t know the evidence against them.
Shouldn’t the accused at least know the charges against them?
Shouldn’t the person or agency behind the charges be known to the accused?
Shouldn’t the accused at least have the right to be at the hearing, instead of being tried in absentia?
A fascinating case, eh? You’re right to express your concerns about it, and I feel similarly. For a citizen to have their passport cancelled on security grounds to “impede her ability to facilitate actions of the type that made her a danger to the security of a country other than New Zealand” suggests the authorities see her as an actual or potential terrorist.
Regardless of that, she has the right to know why. Freedom of information law presumably applies – it’s a puzzle that the judiciary is struggling with it.
It’s astounding
Which “other” unnamed country is it, that has taken this woman to court?
Is it Israel? Is it Saudi Arabia? Is it Australia? Is it Trump’s America? Is it Indonesia? Is it China?
There are some profound implications whichever country it is, depending on what their motivation is.
Has this country been guilty of human rights violations?
What is it that this person could allegedly do to hurt the “security” of this country?
If this woman is threatening or plotting violence against the security of this other country, why she not being charged with offences under the New Zealand Counter Terrorism Act?
Is this woman’s alleged ability to harm this country, reputational harm?
If she is not a terrorist;
Is she a journalist?
Is she a political activist?
Is she a whistle blower?
How can a foreign country take a New Zealander to court?
The implications for the case of the country of Israel seeking to obtain damages from two New Zealanders is profound.
If the US sinks into totalitarianism, (as some are saying is a very real possibility), will we see further such cases taken against New Zealanders by other countries through our security services?
https://thespinoff.co.nz/music/01-02-2018/no-really-new-zealanders-are-being-sued-for-asking-lorde-to-boycott-israel/
Its Australia. She was living in Melbourne. The Aussies have been cancelling passports of their citizens ‘suspected of involvement in the Syrian civil war and ISIS
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/australianz/australia-strips-five-of-citizenship-over-isis-links
and we have done this before
https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/24-03-2018/this-isnt-the-first-time-new-zealand-has-denied-a-citizen-their-passport/
Australia also has been making those who were born overseas prove their citizenship even when reapplying for a passport. This can even affect older people born in UK, but Im sure its aimed at other ethnicities
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-31/australian-passport-holders-must-prove-citizenship-to-renew/10051488
There was a farmer in Hawkes Bay, Bill Youren, who was refused a passport to visit China in the 1950s. He argued that, although the New Zealand Government had the right to decide which foreigners were allowed to enter New Zealand they had no right to say, in the absence of a war, where New Zealand citizens were allowed to travel.
He did get his passport in the end and visited China several times.
Later on, in the time of the Kirk Government he made the same argument from what many would think was the other side of the fence. He argued, from the same viewpoint, that the New Zealand had no right at all to try and prevent a New Zealand Rugby team visiting South Africa, He didn’t win that one.
Although I have described him as a farmer, which he was for most of his life, he was well versed in the Law. He had, among other things, a LLM with First Class honours and had practised for a short time as a lawyer.
I dont think Kirk could stop the ABs touring South Africa but he did stop the Springboks coming here
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/labour-government-postpones-springbok-tour
NZ toured RSA in 1970 and again in 1976 ( after labour was defeated and national made much hay of the cancelled Springbok tour here)
Alwrong again.
Sorry. Wrong PM.
Yes it was the 1976 tour and the protests about the New Zealand team touring. The protests went on though.
Great in-depth article placed by Selwyn Manning today on TDB is worth a look as it raises concerns I bring up here to.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/10/27/special-investigation-jami-lee-ross-national-affairs-and-the-public-interest/
Great article Selwyn and thanks for keeping the ‘blowtorch’ on Bridges and co.
We all worry if the national sleaze have gotten control of all of Jami Lee Ross evidence and recordings already????
Could Jami’s ‘lover’ actually stolen or copied them?
We hope the police seized all Jami Lee Ross’s evidence and files on hard drives along with stored phone texts and voice recordings as the communications industry and the five eyes network also store these files as we all know that storing of all our communications is now stolen and confirmed by several ‘leakers’, Assange, Snowden, kim.com, and Nikki Hagar to name a few.
Quote from Selwyn Manning article; “Because the inquiry reports back to Bridges, who as leader may well be one of the protagonists. Also, the report will not be released to the public which leaves it as a golden prize, the holy grail, for any journalist and, irrespective of who it damns or exonerates, will become a currency for any MP with leadership ambitions.
As it now stands, Bridges’ worst nightmare must be not knowing what Jami-Lee Ross recorded and at what point did he begin taping the National Party leader’s conversations.
If those recordings contain further embarrassing or damaging content and references, then he will be finished as leader. Bridges, as leader, even if he has a clear conscience, must be wracking his memory as to past conversations and comments while knowing the conversations may be in the hands of people with whom he has lost their trust.
And the question remains unanswered: Was Paula Bennett recorded as well?”
[Fixed the link for ya – MS]
What’s important here is that Selwyn is acting in the public interest: “A sworn-to timeline of events is now essential so that the public interest can be satisfied.”
Those seeking to enforce the mushroom strategy via privacy law will shit themselves. He provides some moral guidance to the Nats: “The inquiry must examine the National leadership team’s actions and culture, test whether they acted in a proper and timely manner, and assess whether their actions considered a concern for the welfare and mental health of an MP they had previously supported, promoted, and embedded within their leadership team.”
Of course, none of this will happen. Denial will prevail. The toxic National culture will remain, will very likely take down their current leader, and his replacement eventually as well. National must hit rock bottom before members start to acknowledge that becoming positive role models is better politics.
“Those seeking to enforce the mushroom strategy via privacy law will shit themselves.”
No, Dennis – presuming you are talking about those of us here arguing that no-one has any right to knowledge about Ross’ medical conditions, diagnosis and related matters UNLESS Ross chooses to make this information public – we will not be “shitting ourselves”.
Selwyn understands the very big difference between publicly discussing, and expressing opinions on, the surrounding wider circumstances and timelines etc of the present National Party fiasco from a political perspective – and the much more specific and personal details of an individual person’s medical condition and information and the privacy and civil right law and rules relating to that – regardless of the fact that the person is a parliamentarian at the centre of that fiasco.
You have not understood that very real distinction throughout the discussions here and on other blogs, eg Public Address.
Selwyn does – and has steered well clear of that aspect.
His article is one of the best I have seen to date and I recommend everyone read it.
As well as on TDB, it can also be read here
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/10/27/special-investigation-jami-lee-ross-national-affairs-and-the-public-interest/
https://eveningreport.nz/2018/10/25/evening-report-analysis-national-affairs-and-the-public-interest/
Also – Whaleoil has a further post up this morning countering in detail some of the timeline and events reported in Fisher’s Herald article yesterday. I will not link but it is an interesting read.
Here’s an interesting Saturday morning read for those inclined….
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/10/29/why-are-americans-still-uncomfortable-with-atheism
Thanks, that’s an excellent work of philosophical analysis and literary criticism from a woman of discernment, with many penetrating insights. I rate her essay 10/10, and rare nowadays to be so impressed by intellectual artistry. Here’s the section I thought most timely:
“Today, the voguish version of science as religion is transhumanism, which claims that technology will overcome human limitations both physical and mental, perhaps through bioengineering or artificial intelligence or cyborgs that can carry around the contents of our brains. Gray is not sanguine about such developments, should they ever occur, because we already have a model of the mayhem that takes place when some mortals are granted godlike powers: “Anyone who wants a glimpse of what a post-human future might be like should read Homer.””
Who are the most trusted journalists and reporters in NZ?
Who are the most biased journalists and reporters in NZ?
That would be the ones who seem to support or not your views.
It’s subjective
Moderator can you correct the first word in my second question to Who.
Not sure how it got changed.
[Done – MS]
Trusted – Nicky Hager, Rod Oram for financial news, John Campbell, Gordon Campbell
Not Trusted – where do you start – about 65% of journalists in NZ – Fran O’Sulivan is just a paid for hack, who fell to dirty politics, Patrick Gower who thinks the news is about himself, Hoskings is obviously rock bottom… so many bad ones…
Fran is a curious case – writes a lot of stuff that’s no better than the likes of John Armstrong. But she is a serious journalist, capable of some intellectual rigour, and every now and then she shows it big time.
Maybe she should stop taking all those paid for trips and goodies from business… you might be capable of serious journalism But if you have no sense of personal compromise, and are for Sale, or able to be manipulated. None have any place in serious journalism.
That is, I think, a failure of the community of which she is part, as much as hers. She does stir them up from time to time, but can’t do all the heavy lifting. NZ’s commercial class are big frogs in a small pond – not good for much more than croaking.
O’Sullivan certainly can be an intelligent and thoughtful commentator. But she dumbs it down severely whenever she appears on NewstalkZzzzzB….
https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/ummmm-ahhhh-you-know-eloquence-of-fran.html
https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-eloquence-of-fran-osullivan-13412.html
Think your wrong about Fran, she is ideologically different from you and I. But she is honest about it.
Work out how many paid ‘trips’ and ‘perks’ she receives from business and then look at what she promotes and you will see a pattern… I think she’s had free trips to China, Israel, those are the publicised ones…
It goes with the job.
You’ll notice Hosking doesn’t get them, though he writes for the same rag – he’s not journalist enough for his take to be worth anything.
Fran is establishment – but at least she’s a thinker. And there are so many muppets nowadays who aren’t.
Bernard Orsman often has things worth reading about, as much as he can operate within the bounds of Granny.
Granny also has Raybon Kan who is very funny, and also Steve Braunias.
Simon Wilson is excellent and I think unbiased
I agree.
Hager and John Campbell are my pick for most trusted.
Some presenters are slick like Lisa Owen.
Which proves my point. I think Hagar is far from trustworthy.
I think most try to do a good job.
It’s all depending on your view.
I trust Gordon Campbell. He does call labour on stuff and I always feel I am getting an informed view
As is human nature
Any one who always writes stuff someone agrees with will be their most trusted (and balanced).
Any one who writes stuff they disagree with, their most biased
They may have arrested the postal bomber in the US.
https://edition.cnn.com/politics/live-news/clintons-obama-suspicious-packages/index.html
If found guilty I’m guessing he will be spending the rest of his life in a US super max cell. As he should. (Pity we don’t have them here).
Trump supporters are going crazy, by first claiming it was a false flag operation by those aligned to ‘liberals’, and now the evidence has pointed to an out and out Trump supporter , they are saying. It was Soros money which paid him to do it.
Trump called them ‘devices’ rather than Bombs and other ways to deny what they are.
“Republicans are doing so well in early voting, and at the polls, and now this “Bomb” stuff happens and the momentum greatly slows”
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/10/26/1807470/-Just-because-a-right-wing-Trump-supporter-is-in-custody-don-t-expect-the-conspiracy-theories-to-stop
He’s certainly a tRumpanzee.
https://twitter.com/itsleobcarter/status/1055867221912752129?s=21
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1055867221912752129.html?refreshed=yes
#MAGABomber
“In the past, “false flag” theories have mostly been aired in more openly conspiratorial media outlets like Alex Jones’s Infowars.
The term has been used by Jones and other conspiracy theorists to allege that violent attacks have been carried out not by their apparent authors, but by powerful, manipulative actors seeking to deceive observers and hide their own responsibility. Its adoption this week by a broad range of rightwingers suggests an increasing openness to conspiracy theory in more mainstream conservative media.
Bombs sent, people threatened … Trump’s response? Attack the media.
The term has been used by Jones and other conspiracy theorists to allege that violent attacks have been carried out not by their apparent authors, but by powerful, manipulative actors seeking to deceive observers and hide their own responsibility. Its adoption this week by a broad range of rightwingers suggests an increasing openness to conspiracy theory in more mainstream conservative media.”
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/26/pipe-bombs-false-flag-claims-ann-coulter-rush-limbaugh-conspiracy-theories
Just before the alleged bomber’s account was suspended someone archived his follows page. It only caught the first twenty or so but no doubt some of his more notable followees are flat out dumping stuff down the memory hole.
http://archive.is/QG8VQ
Poor old Phil Twyford.
Imagine having to get up and, in order to protect your boss who has been lying, you have to announce that you have known for the whole year that no other local body will be allowed to have a petrol tax.
Meanwhile you have been telling at least one local body that they should apply to be allowed to levy the tax.
This was after you had told everyone that you first heard about the proposal on the day it had been announced, and you had your associate Minister say that it was the actual announcement in Parliament that was the first he had heard about it.
However the Captain has made a call and wants to lie about when she made it so you are forced to get up and tell everyone that you have a memory like a sieve, and have been gaily misleading the Local Bodies who have been relying on your word.
I realise that Twyford is incompetent but I thought he had a little bit of a spine.
Instead he seems to be like the person described so unfairly by, among others, Paul Keating, Mike Moore and Harold Wilson.
“He is a shiver looking for a spine to run up”.
What is it really about Ardern that prevents her from ever telling the truth about her actions?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=12148656
From your link:
“Her comments follow Transport Minister Phil Twyford suggesting to Radio NZ this morning that he only found out about the ban yesterday, just hours before Ardern publicly ruled out any more regional fuel taxes while she is PM.”
…then…
“”I’ve been fully aware of the Prime Minister’s views on this issue going back to the beginning of this year,” Twyford said. Despite that, he did not inform any of the 14 councils that have expressed an interest in having a regional fuel tax.”
and…
“Twyford has previously encouraged Hamilton City Council to engage with the Minsitry of Transport about a regional fuel tax, and councillor Dave Macpherson said Ardern’s pledge was a kick in the guts.”
If Twyford new about “the Prime Minister’s views on this issue going back to the beginning of this year”, then why was he encouraging councils to “engage with the Minsitry of Transport about a regional fuel tax.”?
Either the PM is lying, or Twyford has lost the plot.
Maybe he thought he could get her to change her mind shadders.
Wouldn’t the best way to try to do that would be ‘in house’, rather than make one or both of them look silly?
Ardern has excellent political radar (better than Key’s) and if her instincts tell her there’s an issue or threat, she changes tack. It’s an excellent trait and will serve the Coalition Of The Numerate (COTN) extremely well for a very long time.
Twyford is a decent bloke who will ultimately be judged only on whether he can at least partially deflate the housing bubble deliberately engineered by the National Party to enrich their supporters and themselves, without caring in the least that it would mean permanent impoverishment for others.
Such was the moral failure of the foetid Key-English government that no-one will be listening to your partisan nit-picking for years. This is a very, very good thing.
Note: COTN means those people who realise that 37 + 7 +5 > 43
Chris Trotter has a moan at the Greens, and I was rather surprised to conclude upon reading his rationale that I need offer no critique. Bill’s stance has seemed similar.
http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/2018/10/who-do-greens-think-they-are.html
It would help if the Green movement in Aotearoa had an authorititative non-parliamentary media presence. All we have currently is a sporadic stream of single-issue commentary from a bunch of Green groups content to rest on their laurels as an exhibition of middle-class complacency.
Trotter hates the Greens and has never really tried to understand them. He wants rid of them.
He is an unreconstructed Old Lefty and writes very well, often brilliantly, about that sector of traditional left-wing union-dominated politics. Nothing wrong with any of that BTW-all power to the unions.
But why he attacks the Greens when Labour will probably never be able to form a government without the Greens I can’t fathom.
Meanwhile the Greens are polling 7% and doing fine.
You are right Trotter has never been too positive about the Greens, but the current Greens needs a kick up their arses and a dose of the real world.
Banning Twitter is a must so they have interact with real people. Also going outside their normal cliques would probably keep them on a more even keel. Thankfully the Marama and James ‘tweets’ buttons on their websites don’t work or are empty- a metaphor??? who knows.
The new look Green website has been changed so that Marama and James profiles are the leading navigation now.. (Policy 6th along), and about 60% of the site is made up of pics of Marama- crazy
They should join forces with Patrick Gower as the news is starting to be about themselves against what is really going on.
The only interesting thing I found was they they want to make donations over $1000 declared, but in my views does not go far enough, everything or at least everything over $100 should be declared plus make a crime for multiple donations to not be declared if they go over the figure. Do they want transparency or not?
Green Party welcomes review of Overseas Investment, will push for protection of water and Māori cultural values
https://www.greens.org.nz/news/press-release/green-party-welcomes-review-overseas-investment-will-push-protection-water-and
Again Greens are on the right track but then woefully don’t go far enough.
The issue for OIA is also that the applicants put forward all these great proposals via their lawyers for OIA and there is no time frames or penalty if they fail to do what they say.
They need to make the applicant who fails to do what they say to sell the asset and give the full amount back to government plus a fine based on the amount of the assets and the OIA legal costs, if they don’t come through with what they said they would when they bought the asset.
There should also be some sort of public good as well in OIA, at present some of these assets are just being bought and what ever the applicant promised coming to zero with lost jobs, lost assets to community and doing the opposite of their intention.
Banning Twitter is a must so they have interact with real people.
Oh dear, not only do we have to deal with the fake left but now fake people as well.
Yes some naive still believe that social media is a true representation.
“Up to 9.5 million net neutrality comments were made with stolen identities
NY AG subpoenas lobby firms, says fake comments “distort[ed] public opinion.”
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/10/up-to-9-5-million-net-neutrality-comments-were-made-with-stolen-identities/
Mmmm…thanks for that SaveNZ….yes the cult of Marama weird.
Transport is a good issue for the Greens-they need Genter back and firing.
But they were the only party to vote against TPPA this week (or whatever it is called now). Trotter could have mentioned that.
Still better policy from Greens as you say the TPPA, but sadly instead of being the frontrunner on their promotions of their party… we get the Marama cult pics.
A party promoting their new co-leader, how ridiculous.
ridiculous, if it is at the expense of their polices and other members and community. 60% hogging of a website if ridiculous, as is forgetting to put on the real news of real policy fights aka Bearded Git says about TPPA – that is one of Greens big differences from all the other parties that sold out – they should be crying it from the roof tops.
60% hogging of a website
You must be looking at a different website.
Yes you are right 60% is an overreaction. I guess I’m more interested in the party and it’s policies than the people. I don’t like the new look navigation that has too much (in my view) of the leaders rather than highlighting Green policy which in my view is why people like the Greens aka their Policy.
Too late for me to delete the above comment but I withdraw it, aka suggesting Marama is hogging the website, which is unfair. Sorry, when I looked again at the website again and wider subjects I could see that my comment was wrong.
Trotter has attacked labour too
Lovely story about Billy Connolly.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/books/107964345/billy-connolly-would-like-to-correct-a-misconception
He had to correct a BBC reporter who was doing a sit down interview
“”This must mean a lot to you, with you coming from nothing?”
I looked at her, and I laughed.
“I didnae come from nothing,” I told her. “I come from something.”
he explains
“There is this viewpoint that if you have come from the working class you have come from nothing, whereas the middle and upper classes are something, and I don’t hold with that opinion. I think the working class is something. It is everything. They are the builders of society, and without them the whole house falls down.”
and
“I am very proud to be working class, and especially a working-class Glaswegian who has worked in the shipyards. It is something, and don’t you forget it. I come from something. I come from the working class. And, most of all, I come from Scotland.”
Man, I can’t stand Connolly. Give me Dylan Moran or Louis C.K. any day
Cant stand Connolly ?
Look again
https://bettygeorgeassociates.com/2017/06/13/gp-prescribes-watching-billy-connolly-to-treat-depression/
‘facilitated a change of state within his patient through: laughter, guided visualisation and metaphor – because that is what Billy Connolly does so brilliantly.’
Nope, just don’t like his comedy or style
Louis CK? He was one of the many guys who got busted for sexual harassment wasn’t he? That’s some great quotes from Connolly, and true too, “from nothing”, how insulting.
Indeed he was but that doesn’t make him any less funny, his assault admission not withstanding of course
I dunno. I really liked a lot of LCK’s stuff, but now it palls a bit. Especially the wank jokes.
At least it wasn’t a cover to enable his offending, though, like it was for Cosby.
You are right in some of CK’s are less “imagine if…” and more “I did this…” if you follow me. Still funny as hell
Dukeofurl:I do like those words from Billy. They resonate. And those other middle class people who have been pulled and pushed “up” by wealthy parents, are not real people to me. To be measured by wealth seems so wrong.
I’m doing a NZ blog check. What are people’s favourite blogs, including their own? And can yiou give a brief reason?
Mine is currently being reconfigured but the dated original is still online, plus the other: http://www.alternativeaotearoa.org/ & http://altaotearoa.blogspot.com/
I don’t actually have a favourite, seeing design and/or functionality flaws in all. I rate Public Address for combining culture with politics in a non-partisan frame suitable for centrists, whilst seeing it as inadequate at the political interface.
Bowalley Road is an ongoing parade of Trotter’s antique leftism, but I’ll give him credit for wising up compared to the Political Review, which was show instead of substance.
Pundit has the fatal flaw of being fronted by people most of whom have been absent non-contributors for years. Old wallpaper. Yet it still has helpful essays and discussions now & then. Werewolf disappoints more often than delivers. I was a fan when Gordon was doing his thing for the Listener in the seventies.
The Archdruid is often excellent on political analysis, and on cultural analysis too. His esoterica is only partially compatible with mine, but he has Green street cred big-time.
Favourite blog, the standard 100+
I read Newsroom (good) Zerohedge (bit crappy very right wing but sometimes good info especially financial) thecanary (left wing UK) Realclearpolitics and nate silver’s site fivethirtyeight (to follow the US elections) but always start with the Standard.
Thanks for the replies. Any others who have a favourite one which should be read? .I will check again.
I used to read The Political Scientist by Puddleglum but there hasn’t been a post for over a year now. They were long, intelligent & insightful, and full of compassion without being patronising, arrogant, or moralising. I do miss it.
I also like exhALANt. Long posts on a wide variety of topics that are well supported with links and clearly not written in just half an hour – clearly a lot of background work goes into those posts (quality & quantity!). Again, compassionate comes to mind.
I also used to read Boots Theory but that has gone quiet too. Good shorter posts from a strong intelligent woman with a great sense of humour.
The only other NZ blogsite I visit is Sciblogs that covers a very wide range of topics, mostly on science stuff of course, but also the politics around it and its place in society. The MSM really dropped the ball in terms of science communication & reporting.
That’s it for me as far as NZ blogs go; a surprisingly small number to keep an eye on 😉
TS takes up much of my very few spare hours during the week and my mind can only cope with so much 🙁
Thanks incognito
I’ve noted those.
I can concur withe your last para, and did a cost-benefit analysis! It showed too high an opportunity cost. Don’t know where Puddleglum went to but always worth reading, also Olwyn, always good, and many others gone. Some may be dead – a lot of us putting our minds to events are getting aged and maybe our minds give out or our time, as we need to pay attention to our failing cohort.
I’m glad to say that Puddleglum is still alive; the other day Carolyn_Nth, who’s apparently on Twitter, mentioned Puddleglum’s Twitter status: https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-21-10-2018/#comment-1539608
Most but not all people when they get older learn to distinguish between what’s more and less important and accordingly waste less of their time on irrelevant trivia.
One would hope and like to think that many a good poster/commenter here on TS have active lives outside of TS and more enjoyable activities than banging their heads on an electronic device 😉
This was (also) on my mind to me when I wrote my Post Fighting for a just cause is empowering.
Thanks for that. I always enjoyed reading Puddlegum’s comments so it is good to know they are still around and have now bookmarked the Twitter account.
I also rechecked Weka’s Twitter account this morning, and it seems she has not tweeted since April when she left here also.
I do hope all is well with her. And Tracey also.
I cannot shine any light on Weka but I do join you in wishing her and Tracey all the best for them.
+1
It certainly will be empowering when you are with a keen, enquiring, friendly, envisaging and visionary, loyal team.
Tragic story
Mum of boy who died in gas-powered shower talks of her pain
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12148046
Hope they get to the bottom of what caused the poisoning as it sounds like it was installed by a plumber.
Can’t think of anything worse than losing a child – especially in a freak accident like that.
The other day was talking to someone and they said a gas powered oven blew up because a ring that was supposed to be fitted to meet NZ standards had not been fitted. The oven was fine, it was correctly installed, but the reseller had not inserted the correct part.
Chris Trotter has also published an analysis of the warping effect of parliament on how the media report politics. His thesis identifies proximity to power as the warp factor. All very `absolutely negatively Wellington’…
“National’s proposed review does, however, serve as a useful pointer to our capital city’s flawed culture of power – as well as to its long-standing imperviousness to reform. There is simply too much power on offer in Wellington for anyone with the slightest chance of wielding it, limiting it.”
“Proximity lies at the heart of the capital’s power culture. The higher an ambitious person climbs, the closer they get to the people who exercise decisive political authority. This proximity works both vertically and horizontally. The higher one climbs, the more opportunities one finds to influence the course of events. This, in turn, encourages other ambitious souls to get as close as possible to the successful climber. Power in Wellington thus flows not only up and down the city’s many hierarchies, but also through them, spreading outwards in all directions.”
“In the centre of this three-dimensional web of power looms the parliamentary complex. The Beehive and the House of Representatives are the most obvious repositories of executive and legislative authority. Easily forgotten, however, when mapping the distribution of power, is the Parliamentary Press Gallery. Its members enjoy an enviable degree of access to the entire cast of Government and Opposition players. In the proximity-to-power stakes, few get as up-close-and-personal as political journalists.”
He proceeds to explain the incentive structure that motivates the reportage, to establish a persuasive thesis: http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/2018/10/too-close-for-comfort.html
And we see the curtain parted slightly when Bridges went ballistic against the Gallery media, as in this Tracy Watkins story
Bridges’ valve burst Wednesday evening when he phoned around political editors to warn them he had been defamed and his reputation damaged.[ie repeat it and the lawyers will go after you]
In his conversation with me, he threatened to walk away from our weekly interview because I was too negative.
Warning the political editors about defamation seems to have worked, the only words about Ross tapes now acceptable is ‘exonerated’ – when of course it does no such thing, as Ross will still have additional first hand testimony
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/107971088/the-jamilee-ross-saga–dirty-ugly-nasty-politics-with-no-end-in-sight
Yes indeed. Could be just me, but does seem rather trumpian of him to venture off into an aggressive campaign against the media. One can easily imagine the political psychology motivating him: “Me Don Quixote, have big lance, will joust vigorously against the nasty media barbarians!”
I skimmed the Trotter story and this stood out for me
If the true function of a parliamentary press gallery journalist is act as the glove into which power inserts its steely hand, then their formal democratic role is nothing but a sham.
and this is a follow up to questions about how close Ross was to journalists and some that have ‘lost their voice totally in the last 2 weeks’- never a good thing to have writers block when your beat is a fast news cycle ! LOL
“Was Jami-Lee’s downfall the result of him having too many enemies in National’s caucus – or too many friends in the Press Gallery”
If you need a laugh. 30 minutes.
Love the drag name!!!
“If you need a laugh.”
Yes. Please. Thank you.
Nicely rounds out Connolly, and a belated introduction to Jim Jeffries.
So, gala event in Papakura today. They have the lights, cameras, the politicians and most importantly the iconic Kiwi bard warbling in the background.
Welcome Home!
To your affordable $649,000 Kiwibuild house.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/108157197/first-kiwibuild-families-welcomed-to-new-homes-by-prime-minister
And, now here is where you have to suspend credulity a little…
“First KiwiBuild families continues Labour tradition of providing decent, warm, dry homes…..”I won’t be carrying a coffee table today,” Ardern told residents at the new McLennan Park development, a reference to the famous image of former Labour Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage lifting a dining table through the crowd at the opening of the first state house in 1937.”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12149888
Sorry if others have already shared these wonderful news stories here…I did look…
Perhaps even the most ardent Ardern flagwavers are hanging their heads in embarrassment?
Is anyone else thinking this will bite them in the arse once those buyers find themselves underwater?
Spiralling cost of living + looming GFC mark II, the depression version *shakes head* equals historic moment, but not one you necessarily want photographed.
spiralling cost of living + looming GFC mark II, the depression, etc will do in anyone – mortgage holder or not.
in fact those holding a mortgage can at least try to find flat mates to help with the cost, but those who rent a shit outta luck under your scenario and can fight for a place under a bridge or in a bus stop??…..
what would be an affordable houseprice price for a million + people city, powerhouse – in fact teh only place in NZ where once has at least a fighting chance at full time all year round work ?
compared to the rest of the country? Serious question.
And then next serious question, why do all houses need to come with a double garage, a ‘entrance hallway with chandelier’, dishwasher and such? Maybe people don’t actually want affordable, but rather trimmings n shit.
“Is anyone else thinking this will bite them in the arse….?”
I thought earlier that their arses would have been well and truly bitten by the mere fact that Our Shiny New Leader very clumsily referenced Savage helping the first State House tenants move in in 1937….their rent being one third of the household’s income. https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/we-call-it-home/first-state-house
As if we wouldn’t go lookitup! Fast forward to the 60th birthday of that very first state house and the…
“…the Nysse family, John and Winnie and their three children. The family told the New Zealand Herald that they were finding it difficult to make ends meet under the regime of market rents introduced in 1991. The family’s sole source of income was John’s pension, which brought in $292 per week. After paying a rental of $215, the family was left with just $77 to live on. Whereas the McGregor family had handed over about a third of their income to live in 12 Fife Lane, the Nysse family paid nearly three-quarters of theirs.”
I digress. And am wrongly conflating as I am wont to do.
As if the struggles in 1997 of the Nysee family under the ‘regime of market rents…’ can in anyway be connected to the absolute flucking irony of a current Labour Prime Minister exploiting the birth of state housing in New Zealand at an event assuring their backers of the continuation of government obeisance to the gods of the Market.
Whew.
Thought we were looking at some kind of radical turn- the- clock- back- to -kinder times type crap.
Rosemary “the most ardent Ardern flag wavers are hanging their heads in embarrassment” After reading your comments twice I decided they say more about you than them.
The Government is building state homes, kiwi build homes and partnership homes in an endeavour to make a difference to the availability of houses as homes not gambling chips for developers. Prices have actually begun to stabilise.
You forgot to quote Jacinda’s comment that working middle NZers wanting a home had been shut out in Auckland where the average $million home was out of reach. So $649.000 is $351 000 less is a success in Auckland, and prices will be lower elsewhere in the country for a 4 bed home.
You also didn’t mention how thrilled the couple were. Quote “It felt like winning Lotto to win the ballot to get one of the first 18 houses.
So what was the point of your comment? They should build only state houses.? or
IKiwibuild is a failure because you say so? or Noone should wave a flag at Ardern/Twyford’s parade? or Perhaps I missed something?
Did you miss the bit where Ardern tried to join today’s event with Savage helping the first State House tenants move in back in 1937?
To compare the two is…well…deceitful, and the glamour only works because it seems that the premise that the COL seems to be relying on, to wit, the bulk of the voting public are fwits, holds true.
And maybe you can help me out here….the featured couple who bought the reasonably priced four bedroom Kiwibuild home…where were their children?
They have a little girl I believe. The Mother is a graduating Doctor. Yes Perhaps they should have kept those comparisons for state homes. Don’t forget as soon as in Nov their mortgage takes over, the Governments money will be recycled into another kiwi build home.
And, as if on cue, Ardern shares a wee note on Instagram from a new friend….
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12149999
patricia, it is hard not to be skeptical after nearly a decade of National, who continued the fine work of the previous Labour government.
National took using the media to polish their image to new heights (or depths), and Key was more than happy to play the grinning fool frontman while the true power operated behind the scenes.
I am yet to be convinced that this PM is not being similarly deployed.
I am not the only left leaning voter who is immune to the hype, and it is our vote which will be needed at the next election if this government’s high sounding plans have a chance to be realised.
Today’s event was poorly constructed and Ardern’s use of the Savage reference was clumsy. And that’s the trouble with turning such an event into a political campaign….a major slip like that will be seen by all. A smart media advisor should be working out a way to mitigate the damage.
Or not.
They can gamble on securing the vote of the hard working middle and say ‘stuff the poor and the sick and the disabled, we’ll pitch to the middle with Kiwibuild and a few we-do-give-a-shit-about the-planet policies’ and hope like hell that National aren’t able to rise from the ashes by the time the hoardings go up.
Rosemary, the carer’s and poor issues should have higher priority for sure.
Housing New Zealand has news item 24th October 2018 you might find interesting. Regenerating regional nz housing.
A short and pointless attack piece from Brigitte Morten on RNZ. Actually seems like she is struggling to find an angle to attack on.
She refers to “what they delivered to taxpayers”. Of course a government should deliver to citizens, regardless of what tax they are paying. A Freudian slip from a right-wing mentality – unable to see the difference between a community and a country – and a profit-seeking business.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/369614/few-fireworks-in-labour-nz-first-marriage-but-is-govt-delivering
That article seems weird. Is there just the six paragraphs to it?
That opinion writer of course is a past National Party communications person.
RNZ continues to be a disappointment.
The sad thing is I think she’s actually being serious too.
It is really short – just having a jab at the government as a reflex action. No substance at all.
Why does Bernard Orsman need to comment on what Jacinda’s wearing? What a twat.
Did you not see Phil’s tie?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12149888
Because he’s an old fossil that thinks she’s really a nice young filly despite all her silly politics?
And there was also NZ’s musical icon – a balding Dave Dobbyn dressed in a designer shirt and jeans singing ‘Welcome Home’
Great shot from Greg Bowker. I went to photo school with him.
The Trumpocalypse rumbles on.
I predicted that if Trump loses the midterms that his supporters would react violently against the people and organisations Trump regularly targets in his speeches.
It looks like one of his supporters couldn’t wait that long.
When this Right Wing violence targeting the Left breaks out, and Left act to defend themselves, I think we can expect that Donald Trump will say again, “There was violence on both sides folks.”
Before using the unrest to impose martial law.
Trump denounces Right Wing violence
(Sort of)
After condemning violence Trump goes on to minimise the bombing threats by likening these attacks to the criticism he commonly receives from the media.
any day now America will be great again.
Apparently it’s their financial anxiety that leads them believe anything.
but only the economic anxiety of the white male working class matter. All other workers need not apply.
Brain bleach, STAT!
A tough night. but so you don’t have to …
@JudithCollinsMP ;
“Now, this makes me happy. Good men focused on helping others in need.”
https://twitter.com/JudithCollinsMP/status/1055629668680757250
Hypocrisy. Or Code?
RIP
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/10/25/292240/tvnz-could-merge-with-rnz-kevin-kenrick
We get to see if Faafoi is worth a damn. TVNZ and RNZ need to be kept far apart. RNZ while less than perfect, is still the last bastion
Kia ora Robert from R&R Aotearoa has some raciest bias problem but by know means is it as bad as the other 4 eyes they have a much bigger problems with raciest problems.
Stereotyping maori a theft that’s the mindset the sandflys think I have got but we know that there ancestor robbed maori .
So teaching the all the moko’s about our history and how great maori culture is will be the way to change the other cultures views on Maori .
Ka kite ano P.S Thats correct Maori are raciest to I have said what my nicname was when I was young no one is going to call me that now.
The Hui doctor Joe Williams should be given a taonga for his work in using natural .
Cream for healing eczema that has healed a lot of people.
You know that big Pharma are pushing to suppress Doctor Joe and his cures the old who suppressing alternative medicines they cannot charge you if you can use plants to heal people.
Ka pai to the first Wahine Maori Temata as the student president of Victoria University .
I say she will make a good politician Ka pai.
Ka kite ano
Obama cited a recent Trump comment that he would pass a tax cut before the November election. “Congress isn’t even in session before the election. He just makes stuff up,” he said. Ana to kai trump . Ka kite ano trump Ka kite ano link is below.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/27/barack-obama-takes-aim-at-donald-trump-for-making-stuff-up-us-midterms
Before national got into power 10 years ago I remember seeing story comparing Aus Brit NZ grocery prices and NZ was the cheapest there is noway any peoples government should let our country have duopoly being in control of any industry let alone our food supply industry’s these company’s are just bleeding NZ dry. Time to reset there game how can it be justified that one can buy NZ grown food in Britain & Aussie cheaper than NZ .
The Countdown group of New Zealand stores reported revenue of $6.36b and profit of $284m this year, with a gross margin of 24.2 per cent.
In the South Island, Foodstuffs’ revenue was more than $3 billion, with operating profit of more than $293m. It distributed to its members $280m, an increase of $6.6m or 2.4 per cent for the latest financial year, including a “loyalty rebate” of $53m.
Foodstuffs North Island, which claims 47 per cent market share in its latest annual report, recorded revenue of $6.6 billion and operating profit of $210.4 million. Its chairman’s report said putting pressure on costs had reduced supply chain costs by $5m, and helped it distribute $140.3m to co-operative members in the year.
Ka kite ano link below.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/108114861/is-new-zealands-supermarket-duopoly-ripping-us-off
Kia ora Newshub Its a windy day in Wellington Melisa tawhiri doing the his thing.
Eco Maori gives condolences to the family’s who lost love one in the Pittsburgh shooting.
Loyd that helicopter crash in Leicester after the soccer match is a shocker did the owner go down in that crash condolences to the family’s to .
Doctor Joe I thought it was a organic cream why has he been fined it works and some big companys are selling prouducts that kill he is not making millions off it just healing the sick. Its a illusion .
The will to live is a good Idea to support farmers mental health our farmers are put under a lot of stress. Ka kite ano P.S I have a actor that’s a little distraction