Peters for Northland

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, March 25th, 2015 - 166 comments
Categories: john key, labour, national, uncategorized - Tags: , ,

Winston Peters Northland cropped

I have changed my mind.*

I advocated previously for Northland Progressives to support Willow Jean Prime.  While she is still deserving of support I now think that strategic considerations make the defeat of National of utmost importance and, dare I say this, Winston winning is the only realistic prospect.  The train wreck that is National’s campaign and deepening discontent with the government has made what was completely impossible now a distinct possibility.

A National loss would cause all sorts of ructions.  Historically it would be one of the most significant changes in political fortunes ever.  It would be the equivalent of Labour losing the seat of Rongotai.  Last election the only Labour seats with candidate majorities greater than Mike Sabin’s in Northland were Mangere, Manukau East, Mount Albert and Rongotai.  Imagine the feeling if Labour lost one of these seats.

If I was a Northland voter this weekend I would go to my local polling booth, get my voting paper, go to the voting area, do a sign of the cross, tick Winston, say three Hail Marys, put my voting paper in the voting paper box, ring Willow-Jean and apologise to her and promise practical support for her next Local and Central Government campaigns then retire to the pub and drink strong spirits and watch the results come in.

This would be worth it because if Winston wins then I look forward to watching the look on John Key’s face as he is interviewed and asked what went wrong.  Even Key with his considerable smarmy uber confidence bull$&!t skills would not be able to handle this result and the National Party buzzards who insist on success no matter what would start circling.

And then suddenly Resource Management Act changes, free trade agreements, the Sky City Convention Centre and a few other important matters would be live issues.

New Zealand needs people of the calibre of Willow-Jean Prime in Parliament.  Our country’s future depends on it.  But I hope Winston wins on Saturday.

May God have mercy on my soul …

*No Labour MPs or senior party figures were consulted in the writing of this post.

Update:  And former Labour Cabinet Minister Colin Moyle has had a similar experience …

166 comments on “Peters for Northland ”

  1. sabine 1

    Amen.

  2. rawshark-yeshe 2

    Make direct contact with Derryn Hinch through his personal email:

    hinch@hinch.net

    this needs to be done urgently by someone in Australia or outside NZ, please.

      • the lone haranguer 2.1.1

        Because he can successfully break our suppression laws as hes not in NZ.

        Hinch named our “famous sex offender” who got lifelong name suppression the other year – on the basis that hes famous, but not for being a sex offender

        Possibly Hinch might do it again – this time regarding a “famous Northland offender” if asked nicely

        • te reo putake 2.1.1.1

          Meh. I wouldn’t reach out to Derryn Hinch if I was drowning. He’s just Whaleoil in flip flops. And what’s the point, anyway? There can’t be many Kiwis who haven’t put two and two together and come up with ten bridges.

          • weka 2.1.1.1.1

            Pretty sure that most NZers haven’t made the connection. I think you forget how far from here most people are 😉

            The issue is more about how many Northlanders know. I’m guessing many, but also there will be voters who would change their vote if what is speculated upon was made clear.

            • ghostwhowalksnz 2.1.1.1.1.1

              Hinch is even more obscure for most Northland voters.

              The media wouldnt publicise it because thats could be construed as breaking the ban to point to someone who has.

              Remember in most cases there are victims too who need protection from publicity . Even more so if they are at a very vulnerable age in some situations.

              • weka

                True, but I was thinking that many Northland people will know because they talk to each other (rather than getting it from media).

                (I wasn’t commenting on the value of Hinch).

        • Lanthanide 2.1.1.2

          The NZ media won’t repeat it, because they’ll be in trouble if they do, so ultimately this would achieve very little.

        • Hami Shearlie 2.1.1.3

          Wouldn’t that be wonderful?? GO DERRYN!!! – the other person with permanent name suppression that Hinch named, may be “famous”, but I bet that person wouldn’t want to now be famous for his crime!! The victim is, I understand, trying to get that permanent name suppression lifted – more strength to her arm I say!

    • Murray Rawshark 2.2

      I can’t stand Hinch. He’s like Garth McVicar. I want nothing to do with him.

  3. jenny kirk 3

    “” May God have mercy on my soul …”” and on mine too, MS, because I, too, have reluctantly come to the same conclusion, and agree with you.

    • Once was Tim 3.1

      I’m pretty sure the Pope will put in a good word for the both of you.

    • Chris 3.2

      Don’t you think it’s farcical for Labour (or any party) to put a candidate up but say don’t vote for them? Why can’t the Left understand MMP properly? All this smoke and mirrors rubbish annoys the heck out of me. Labour needs to withdraw its candidate and say to Northland voters what they want them to do. No bullshit, no pretending something that’s not. Just say “vote Peters if you want to help nobble Keys and his henchman.” Just let’s quit the bullshit and get on with MMP politics.

  4. the lone haranguer 4

    Tho Im to the right of the vast majority of you on here, I thoroughly agree with the “Vote Winston” message.

    Democracy is too important for us to leave the running of this country to the Nats, and anything that undermines their belief that they can do as the please, will be ood for New Zealand.

    Hell, I might even vote Labour in 2017!!!

    • mickysavage 5.1

      Yep I said in open mike that Winston was toying with Osborne. I presume Joyce was in the same room with Osborne holding up cue cards but it appears that at least some of them were upside down …

      • ghostwhowalksnz 5.1.1

        You could see Joyces words in yesterdays push back about the marijuana referendum

        It was Joyces style totally. I doubt if Osbourne even saw it till after the media

        • Once was Tim 5.1.1.1

          Imagine having to pull the puppet strings on a lump of lard that big. Just as well Joyce is as substantial in the lard department. It must come from shortcomings in the logic department.

          • Tracey 5.1.1.1.1

            Fat references? really?

            • Once was Tim 5.1.1.1.1.1

              Large lumps or lard references. Large lumps of uselessness, laziness, born-to-rule attitude which may (as a consequence) have produced fatness – as opposed to largeness as a result of inherited physical characteristics. It goes for both Os and Joyce, and it seems a sizeable portion of the National Party. Greed avarice. Yes Tracey – large lumps of lard of their own doing (personal responsibility and all that) – as opposed to the personal responsibility they’re so ready to preach to beneficiaries who may be physically large due to poor diet the result of having to live on a pittance. Geese and ganders

              • Once was Tim

                I’ll go further actually Tracey ….. having come back from Kapiti yesterday where a ‘tradie’ and his wife (stuffing her face with a cream bun), quite out of the blue went into a diatribe about the number of dole bludging bennies bringing the tone of the neighbourhood down.
                To paraphrase … they and their prejudices assumed my political leanings were towards the wonderful Nafe Guy. Anxious for my business no doubt … thinking that denigrating the dole bludging undeserving bennies were a drain on their lifestyle and their ability to upgrade to the latest ute.
                Of course offering a cashie deal – didn’t even occur to them that might be BLUDGING on the rest of us. Two fucking big lumps of lard the pair of them!

                • weka

                  Fatphobia is still prejudice that affects many people no matter if you have a political reason for it. (and there is no way to make the connections you are making re eating, laziness, privilege etc without prejudice against fatness and people who have large bodies).

        • Tracey 5.1.1.2

          is there any point at which personal pride enters this equation? isn’t osborne being made to look foolish and is complicit?

          • Once was Tim 5.1.1.2.1

            personal pride?? see my comments above. Os and ilk are perfectly prepared to preach pride and personal responsibility to the rest of us – I’d suggest a little personal pride might see him a slighter lesser lump of lard.
            Just saying. Geese ganders and not a gym apologist by any means. Were it that we all had the money, chance and opportunity to be in perfek health that the likes of the salestalking Os and Joyce have – complete with the latest buzz and bs

            • sirpat 5.1.1.2.1.1

              actually you made a fat issue part of this political issue…. good comment on the political but the fat issue is your narrow minded take….showing YOUR prejudice.

              • Once was Tim

                I agree with you as it happens. I’m automatically prejudiced over phat lazy assholes – such as Osbourne, Joyce and most of the Natzis, who preach personal responsibility, EVEN dietry concerns (especially related to their ability to feed their families) whilst all the while pontificating, commanding even others in the same ‘state’ whose predicament is NOT the result of avarice and greed.
                That FAT FUCK Osbourne, and that FAT FUCK Joyce, and that knock-kneeded blubber prick whose physicality is covered up courtesy of Gabana or some other brand, or that phat FUCK Bennet, or various other FFFFFAT Fucks are what they are because of greed and avarice.
                WHEREAS, the overweight, the regularly hospitalised that I know, are NOT the result of such greed and avarice. THey’re the result of P O V E R T Y.
                I’m sorry if that doesn;t fit your template, but it is what it is.

                NOR am I going to apologise to Tracey IF – what I think she infers – is that we should apologise for beicoming a race of overweight (amongst the world’s MOST as it happens) obeise – just because she might happen to like chocolate and is “above average’.

                No no no. Osbourne is a huge lump of L A R D. If that presents itself in ample form – I’m not surprised (I’ve only recently seen a pic of the cnut as it happens, and I wasn’t at all surprised).
                Joyce is equally a HUGE load of useless lard – ideologically driven, of average intelligence, and only promoted because in today’s world we’ve become to worship spin, the ability to offer a sound bite or two, plus a few high profile individuals (in charge of MSM) who agree.
                Osbourne IS a FAT USELESS LOAD OF FUCKING L A R D

                Call it what you will.
                I call Osbourne F AT, UGLY (in all senses of the word), and L A Z Y.

                I’m not sure why there is now all this willingness to decry those that call a situation for what it is.
                We have become a nation of F A T T I E S.
                If you’ve succumbed then I’m sorry for you – The Men That Made Us Fat have won.
                I’m not going to feel guilty tho because you, Or Osbourne, Or Tracey, OR Lprent, Or the muddle class overindulged and were captured.
                I will feel sorry and do my best to assist those that have suffered as a result (through things such as insufficient income ……… etc.)

                Btw …. that’s a very High Horse you seem to be traveling on.
                As it happens, I might have a mate that can fit you with a saddle. It’d have to be a cash job mind you, and strictly on the down low!
                I’ll even throw in a side mount for Steph!

                • weka

                  Well thanks for clarifying that this isn’t about politics but is all about your personal feelings about bodies and what you personaly can and can’t stand. It’s very similar to homophobia in that sense. Let’s dress up our own internal discomfits and ignorances as politics.

                  That would have to be one of the nastier rants I’ve seen on this on ts. Not only are you making ignorant assertions (weight gain is caused by overeating and lack of control, and some fat people are excused because they are poor but those who aren’t are simply lazy and overprivileged), but you’ve aimed some personal misogynistic shit at one of the women authors here (I don’t know why you are having a dig at Lynn and Stephanie as well, care to explain?).

                  I would have attempted to address the factually incorrect parts of your comment and why your politics on this are naff but it’s so overloaded with personal bigotry that I am wondering if there would be any point.

                  • the pigman

                    Stray observation: among the spectacularly wealthy (in which category I think we can count Joyce and Osbourne), for the vast majority I would think that body size is much more of a choice/reflection of the exercise of personal responsibility than something like sexual orientation.

                    This could of course be a decent launching pad into a discussion of addiction (because you can bet those food addicts Joyce and Osbourne have little sympathy for addicts with other vices), but thread derails are not really my thing 😀

                    • weka

                      The physiological reasons why some people carry more weight than others is varied and complex. As are the socioeconomic and life/stress reasons. Reducing all that to fat people are lazy and have no control is not only factually incorrrect, but stupid. Worse, it perpetuates prejudice against a class of people, which last time I looked the left was against doing.

                      Stray observation: among the spectacularly wealthy (in which category I think we can count Joyce and Osbourne), for the vast majority I would think that body size is much more of a choice/reflection of the exercise of personal responsibility than something like sexual orientation.

                      I think you would be surprised at both the number of men who choose to have homosexual encounters (as opposed to men who are born gay), and the number of people for whom weight gain is largely out of their control.

                      Nevertheless, that misses my point, which isn’t a comparison of gay men and fat people, but instead is a comparison between the motiviations of the bigotry of homophobes and the bigotry of fathaters. That fathaters have a similar justification for their bigotry (it’s a choice!) just adds to my point.

                      But yeah, we should take this to OM if we want to carry on.

                  • Once was Tim

                    so be it then @ weka. Interesting you raise the homophobia label. I guess I could be regarded as someone who is ‘Bi’ – since I’ve had relationships with both sexes, although not lately.
                    I’m not about to get all offended if you apply whatever label you wish – go for it
                    Just don’t expect me to feel guilt because there are overweight people who’ve succumbed to ‘The Men That Made Us Fat’ and who live in a nation that has the dubious distinction of being amongst the world’s most obese – JUST BECAUSE I haven’t succumbed and a great many others have.
                    Actually I couldn’t give a shit what YOU look like, or Tracey OR others.
                    Mark Osbourne is a lump of lard because he is lazy, overindulges in all that isn’t good for the human form, whilst all the while moralising about others who don;t have the same luxuries and who maybe the same because they don;t have the opportunity of choice (as regards diet and other things).
                    Similarly Joyce et al.

                    What’s your explanation for NZ becoming a nation of F A T T I E S?

                    I’d say things like cheap processed foods with sugar in everything, the poverty trap, an underclass that’s depressed and downtrodden and in need of various means of escapism – be it pot or Maccas 5 days a week ……

                    OK have it your way: Overweight sugar, processed food addicted people are now the new normal. Doesn’t alter the fact they are
                    F A T. Let’s all resign ourselves to that fact and prepare ourselves for having to deal with that future.

                    Call it a rant, call it whatever you will. The rant would not have occurred had not Tracey suggested the ‘fat thing’. I don;t regard myself as that pretty myself – nor do I not acknowledge my own daughter is ‘above average’. (At least it’s because she rows and life saves and is ‘built’ rather than because she’s a lazy born-to-rule fucktard like an Os or a Joyce who call for personal responsibility and choices in others whilst not acknowledging their own shortcomings).

                    I’m not going to resile from my comment that Osbourne, AND Joyce, AND the likes of Bennett AND others are all a large loads of lard (and its NOT just because they’re big, but more because they have the intelligence and logic of that shit that we used to ‘butter’ our bread with during the last depression)
                    Join that club if you want to.

                    We’re becoming in danger of those two recent posts that dealt with inoculations both resulting in our getting nowhere.
                    No wonder I can only take this place in small doses

                    • weka

                      Yeah, that’s what I thought, it’s about body shaming and hate, and putting people down based on your own internal shit (eg you have no idea about the body size of anyone here including myself and tracey, yet you feel free to assume that you do and then use that a put down). If you want to argue the facts> take it to Open Mike and I’ll join you 😈

                  • Huginn

                    Weka,
                    You have summed up my feelings about Once was Tim’s appalling rant.

                    Thanks

                    • Huginn

                      I don’t know whether Osborne is lazy or incompetent.

                      I don’t know anything much about him at all, except that he’s way out of his depth campaigning against Winston Peters in Northland. And who wouldn’t be? Peters is in his element. Watching Osborne doing his best is compelling, in a Theatre of Cruelty sort of way.

                      But when you bang on about his weight like that, you’re being an arsehole.

                      Political life is hard. Anyone who puts him, or herself forward to ask me for my vote deserves respect for doing just that; for taking a part in the democratic process.

                • Murray Rawshark

                  Baine was not a fuckwit like you. Maybe you should get a habit. Could improve you.

                • sirpat

                  “Btw …. that’s a very High Horse you seem to be traveling on”…me??????…after that tirade???…..you are very funny or deranged fella !!!

    • One Anonymous Bloke 5.2

      Winston hammers Osborne, directly calling out his lies, “he just parrots…National Party mantra.”

      He pretty much leaves the media narrative in ruins too. If Northland elects Osborne it certainly won’t be on merit.

    • Clemgeopin 5.3

      Thanks for the link. It was a very good interview with WJP and WP excelling. Osborne is a very poor choice that National has made for themselves. The final one minute summation by Peters was brilliant!

  5. saveNZ 6

    Vote Winston.
    Send National a message.

  6. heather 7

    Yes I agree, never thought I could say it however it’s a chance, that we may be able to restore some sanity to the government of New Zealand and retain what we have before it’s all sold to the highest bidder.

  7. Sirenia 8

    Rongotai used to be a safe National seat. Brian Edwards couldn’t win it for Labour in 1972 and it took several elections after that to go to Labour. Annette has made it her own through hard work and being a great MP.

    • mickysavage 8.1

      Agreed. A comparable National seat is Whangarei which used to be very marginal but now is a very safe National seat. What causes seats to change their political complexion over time would be an interesting field of study.

      • ghostwhowalksnz 8.1.1

        The answer here is two things.

        gentrification and MMP.

        MMP led to much larger electorates, as previously there was around 99, now there are only 71.

        In the Rongotai situation the National electorate was Miramar and the labour one was Island bay. Its not that exact that 2 become one. Gentrification means they are strong in Greens votes as well, which takes votes from national and labour.

        The larger electorates meant that old provincial city electorates included a bigger rural hinterland. These days these outskirts include lifestyle blocks and farming areas that favour National

        The Northland region once had three electorates, Northland, Whangarei and Bay of Islands. As well the Rodney electorate extended further north than it does now.

        Too often the boundary changes which are ongoing are ignored to suggest that this or that electorate has ‘flipped’.

        The Boundaries Commision has strange ideas about community of interest so that for the central north island King Country extends from Inglewood to the outskirts of Hamilton but doesnt include the closer Taupo.

        Then there is Rotorua which now includes Te Puke on the BOP coast but ignores Tokoroa, which is in another electorate that goes from Turangi to outskirts of Hamilton.

        • swordfish 8.1.1.1

          Yep. Sirenia is thinking of the old, politically-marginal Miramar seat.

          Rongotai is essentially an MMP combo of the old Miramar and Island Bay seats – and the latter was always one of Labour’s great strongholds. Having said that, there’s no doubt Wellington City as a whole has, in broad terms, swung Left over the last 2 decades. Even the nationwide post-2008 swing to the Nats hasn’t changed that to any appreciable extent.

  8. weka 9

    This is a great post, thanks micky.

    I have a few questions running through my head now.

    1. is it technically possible for Prime to withdraw as a candidate? I assume not, because early voting has started and voting papers for Sat printed, but what happens if a candidate has to withdraw (eg health reasons)?

    2. is there any reason why Prime can’t of her own initiative and separately from Little, caucus, and the national Labour party machine come out this week and ask people to not vote for her?

    3. would we (the left, the side of good etc ) be better off in this election if it were STV?

    • mickysavage 9.1

      Ta Weka. To respond to your questions:

      1. Nope. Ballots have been printed and voting has started.

      2. I think that WJ and Andrew have made their position clear.

      3. If it was STV I would be advocating strongly for WJ. A mix of MMP and STV would make for an interesting electoral system.

      • weka 9.1.1

        1. so if a candidate say falls ill, the votes are lost, and the chips fall where they may?

        2. yes, but my question was if there is any reason why Prime couldn’t ask people to not vote for her (this was a general question, I appreciate your position)? The most obvious one is the shit that Labour would get for it, but I’m wondering if the there is a larger principle here (which you were referring to in your post). I’m personally still unclear where the better ethics lie.

        • Karen 9.1.1.1

          My feeling is it would be counter productive. Winston can only win if thousands of National Party supporters vote for him. They are willing to do it because they see him as “one of them.” If Willow-Jean is more explicit then that would be used by Nats to say a vote for Winston is a vote for Labour.

      • Colonial Rawshark 9.1.2

        3. If it was STV I would be advocating strongly for WJ. A mix of MMP and STV would make for an interesting electoral system.

        The Andersons Bay Peninsula branch of the Labour Party will be proposing this change to the electoral system – STV for the electorate candidate vote.

        • mickysavage 9.1.2.1

          Radicals! 🙂

          • Colonial Rawshark 9.1.2.1.1

            There have been accusations of such lol

            Odd since, Labour selects it’s electorate candidates in part using STV…

        • DoublePlusGood 9.1.2.2

          I prefer preferential voting (single-MP seat, rank them, serially eliminate the candidate with the fewest 1st preference votes and allocate their vote to remaining candidates on preferences) for electorate seats over STV (multiple-MP seats, similar use of preferences but also transfers ‘excess votes’). My preference for PV over STV is mostly because we would likely end up with some geographically very large multimember seats with odd results [1] if we were wanting to implement STV properly. Also it also makes for byelections that are Really Weird (and expensive) – a point worth considering if National are going to continue to select people as MPs who have to leave parliament in a hurry.

          [1] Such as a 5-member seat for Otago-Southland that would probably elect 5 National MPs despite including Dunedin. Or, going a bit smaller in MPs per seat, a 3-member seat for Wellington City where Labour, the Green Party, and National would all have to carefully consider how many candidates to stand, given the perverse potential to get less seats if they stand too many candidates.

  9. the lone haranguer 10

    I am a bit concerned that the pikky at the top of the article resembles Imran Khan rather than Winston Peters.

    But I guess both are populist politicians who reply on name recognition over policy.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 10.1

      Its photoshop.
      The hair is the same, only winstones wrinkled mug is placed on top

  10. One Anonymous Bloke 11

    Resource Management Act changes, free trade agreements, the Sky City Convention Centre

    Just to be cynical for a moment: what do any of those issues mean to the non-voting population of Northland?

    Does the TPPA mean New Zealand will have to treat them as equal trading partners?

  11. Penny Bright 12

    Gee – what took you so long?

    😉

    When Winston Peters takes Northland off National – it will prove (at last) that the ‘left’ get strategic voting?

    YAY!!

    Penny Bright

  12. Skinny 13

    While I hold out hope Peters will cause an upset I think Labour have messed up by not insisting Prime come out and say vote Peters straight after their polling showed she was running 3rd. If the numbers stack that it cost Peters a win then that’s me done with
    Labour and I will cross over to the Greens.

    • Wow, I just had a flashback to Muldoon’s thoughts on emigration, skinny 😉

      • Skinny 13.1.1

        Throwing support behind Peters will have an immediate effect of trimming back Nacts powers, it also shows the public that Labour can work effectively in opposition with NZF, and strenghens the wider view that they can work together to form a Government coalition. Having dealt with Peters previously I know he is a difficult character, but you can work with him. His racist views are testing, however his vocal opposition to foreign ownership of our land is commendable.

        • Tracey 13.1.1.1

          Are you saying Dunne has suddenly found a conscience that will trump his clear preference to preserve his own position and “package”?

          • Skinny 13.1.1.1.1

            Dunne will feather his own nest apu, however cracking National could be the start of the tide turning, I am happy winning one battle at a time. Aren’t you?

      • weka 13.1.2

        Oi!

    • Clemgeopin 13.2

      No, I don’t agree. The thoughtful, smart strategy adopted by WJP, Little and Labour is the best for now and for the long term.

      They practically HAVE endorsed Winston without actually saying so in so many words. Only the very dumb voters will not understand that.

      I also think many of the votes that WJP may get will actually come from ex Nat voters who simply don’t wish to vote for National this time or Winston for whatever reason.

      In spite of all that, I think Winston will win, and win well.

      • felix 13.2.1

        Yep. Little and WJ got the messaging about right.

        As explicit as they could be, and explicit as they needed to be.

  13. tc 14

    note the lack of hypocritical indigation from the usual suspects who Tr@ll here.

    Must be a CT briefing on before the final assault.

    • Tracey 14.1

      Hopefully they are working on the script for making a loss into a bonus and endorsement of their great strategy and direction for NZ

  14. greywarshark 15

    TRP
    Are you sure that you aren’t stuck to the past with Superglue?

  15. BLiP 16

    [deep sigh] . . . Looks like I’ll prolly end up getting a serious growling from God too because I was on the phone last night encouraging the few contacts I have Up North to swing in behind Winston.

    I only changed my mind yesterday. Never one to be particularly accurate in my political prognostications, my doubts about Winston were that even if he did win the seat, his inner tory would emerge to do the dirty on us all by becoming John’s Little Helper in return for some serious post-Beehive baubles. Also, is it *really* gonna make that much difference? I wasn’t at all surprised to see Osbourne, Key, Joyce, Bridges (heh!) and their fellow oiks devolve into employing ad hom filled negative campaigning. Simply put, there is not one argument National Ltd™ can win on facts or policy or track record on any matter of significance to Northland so it has no option other than to distract attention away from itself by hurling insults. Fair nuff, typical John Key style . . . but then I noticed the vehemence with which National Ltd™ was delivering the nasty. No way is Winston gonna be doing much a deal with that crew.

    National Ltd™ is furious with Winston. How dare he cruise in like some blinged-up rock star with his bus and how dare he simply pluck what National Ltd™ believes belongs to it by right – not by virtue of toil but, rather, just by plain born-to-rule fuck-you arrogance. Its apparent to me now that National Ltd™ needs to lose Northland because the humiliation might actually give it pause to take a long hard look at itself and recognise it has become an utter travesty of genuine political representation of the people.

    So, yeah, Go Winston! In my ideal world, having Winston as Northland’s MP will enliven the electorate’s interest in politics because it too needs to take a serious look at itself and the real-world results of its decisions about who can best represent their interests. Winston will take delight in doing a great job and, with a view to winning Northland back, National Ltd™ will grit its teeth and enable him as much as it can without affording him the kudos for it. Once unshackled from National Ltd™ and starting to enjoy having politicians actually working for it , the electorate might also switch-off its default Tory setting and maybe even give a conscious consideration to facts and evidence and results rather than automatically opting for the emotionally soothing yet pernicious comfort of the familiar.

    Dreams are free. So too will be the entertainment to be had in watching Winston relish his triumphant bus trip “home” and National Ltd™’s glowering impotent fury for the next wee while.

    • mickysavage 16.1

      Thanks BLiP. Road to Damscus type conversion?

      • BLiP 16.1.1

        Heh! Not quite. More likely its the anti-biotics and flu meds I’ve been swallowing for the last few days.

        • ghostwhowalksnz 16.1.1.1

          Anti biotics ?
          For flu ( or cold even)

          • BLiP 16.1.1.1.1

            Anti-biotics for strep-throat and those sachet painkiller/decongestant combos for snotty, miserable cold, plus warm brandy (yes, at lunch time) so I can really feel sorry for myself while I try and give up the fags.

      • saveNZ 16.1.2

        +1
        The world is not perfect, but Winston is going to do a much better job for Northland than Osbourne will.
        If the Nats lose, the knives will come out, and John Key who does not like to be portrayed as a loser, will look at an exit strategy to a nice cushy job while he has an unblemished record on General Elections.
        You don’t get to make 50 mill as a currency trader by not knowing timing.

        • millsy 16.1.2.1

          From the sounds of it, Osborne is as thick as a brick, incapable of original throught, That he named John Key as his political hero, while the others named the likes of Churchill and Savage speaks volumes.

          • Hami Shearlie 16.1.2.1.1

            That “well thought out statement” will do him in as far as many people are concerned!! Hero politicians are those who have a record in Govt and in Opposition that stands the test of time as far as integrity and honesty and character go – but John Key? Really?? Oh dear, Mark Osborne, your really must get out more – preferably out of Northland!

        • Olwyn 16.1.2.2

          I have long thought that his resignation, when it comes, will come via a text from a plane outa here.

    • Tracey 16.2

      I am not sure why the Left thinks Dunne will swing in behind them in terms of government accountability UNLESS Dunne sees it as a tide turning and the time to start aligning with the left who will be the 2017 govt (in his mind) and he needs 2 years to side with them to ensure baubles if the left takes the benches in 2017?

    • sirpat 16.3

      Great thoughts but can we really trust Winston???…..he really is a one man band who swings to suit his own agenda…..probably the only thing we can be sure of…..if he can get baubles off key as you say and at his age I wonder just what he would do. he is a master at the 180 degree turn.

  16. Sable 17

    Why is Labour so wonderful and Winston a burnt offering? One of the few politicians to keep his word to his constituents is Winston Peters. If Labour were half as honest they might stand more than a snowballs chance in hell of getting my vote.

    I hope Winston wins and I don’t need to ask any God for forgiveness for thinking so.

    • Tracey 17.1

      Given labour openly courted Winston as a coalition partner in campaign 2014 and cried off the greens I am not sure why so many labour voters are reluctant to vote for Winnie in this instance.

      National and the Press hate Winston, in part cos he shows them up and burned the Nats, Labour and the media in the winebox when he did a good thing! A VERY good thing.

      i don’t believe in God. And if I had even an inkling listening tot he latest contender int he Presidential race would convince me there is no such entity.

  17. ianmac 18

    There is irony in the call for the Winston vote. A few years back there was a great deal of venom directed at Winston on this site as well as near universal condemnation elsewhere. The martians will be very confused.
    In this case I would certainly vote for Winston if I lived in Northland.

    • lprent 18.1

      2008-10?

      I spent quite a bit of time explaining back then that while I didn’t particularly like Winston or NZ First, that they’d be BACK in parliament.

      They appeal to some particular constituencies in the body politic (generally the groups I call the nostalgic and arsekickers) who vote every election. Parties with strong core constituencies close to 5% or more survive. Unlike the ones that are more puff and noise than actual substance like Act, United Future, New Labour, Internet Mana, maybe Mana, and probably the Maori Party.

      I still don’t particularly like either Winston or the party. But I still recognize that they are likely to survive, even after Winston finally retires. The constituency will still be there and replenishing as people age and move into the nostalgic and arsekicker mindsets. That means you work out how to live with a political party in that position.

      National hasn’t. I think that trying to kill and husk out NZ First in 2008 with the complete bullshit that they used will continue to bite them for decades to come. The NZF voters and party people were not happy with that move. It strikes directly at the kernel of “fairness” that most of them hold as a value and activates the action of vindictive resentment that many also have.

      • Tracey 18.1.1

        Ron Mark has been more visible and vocal since the election than, say, the Maori Party leader/s.

  18. millsy 19

    Winston is really the only choice for Northlanders.

    Probably the only chance for the outsiders, misfits, nerds, dreamers, mavericks, and generally all of those left behind by 31 years of neo-liberalism, tepid Blairism, and meaningless centre politics, to lash out and bloody the noses of the National Party, the right wing media, business elite, rich property developers, and big iwi, not to mention their fifth columnists in the Labour Party.

    Yes, he may be at heart a Tory, but he is a true compassionate conservative, but like his namesake and idol., Winston Churchill, knows full well, that unbridled free market capitalism is a theat to civil society.

  19. Colonial Rawshark 20

    From the time the by-election was announced, it was clear that Prime could never win. In September’s results, even Lab + GR added together had a 5000 vote deficit behind the Nats. Labour’s political strategists in Wellington pretending anything but that reality missed a massive opportunity here.

    And if they hadn’t fucked Hone, both Laila and Hone would be in Parliament today. Then with a Peter’s win, the John Key government would be stuck in limbo for the next two years, negotiating legislation one bit at a time.

    Labour always closes doors for itself. It’s ridiculous.

    • millsy 20.1

      To be honest I find Prime to be a pretty uninspiring candidate. Her back story seems to be rather typical — lawyer, iwi, non-profits.

      If Labour want to win any election, then they need to field candidates who are going to inspire and motivate them to get out of bed to the polling booth.

      • Colonial Rawshark 20.1.1

        Labour has long forgotten how to select candidates who will appeal beyond their narrow modern constituency. Who was the last miner, tradesman or machinist who got in as a Labour MP?

        • millsy 20.1.1.1

          A lot of those Labour MP’s now wouldnt know one end of a lathe from the other.

          Mind you there wouldnt be many National MP’s who have had to deliver a calf in freezing rain and wind in the middle of the night either..

          Cuts both ways really…

          • ghostwhowalksnz 20.1.1.1.1

            Having spent a short time operating a lathe, you wouldnt want to stay with one for very long.

            Anyway, way back then had just indroduced one of those automated ones, so most of the work done now uses those.

    • ianmac 20.2

      Andrew walked the fine line. He advocated strategic voting without explicitly saying vote for Winston. This upset Mr Key who badly wants to be able to accuse Andrew of hypocrisy but cannot quite point to anything explicit.
      Instead Mr Key looks sort of bitter. How sad.

      • Colonial Rawshark 20.2.1

        Andrew walked the fine line. He advocated strategic voting without explicitly saying vote for Winston

        That “fine line” was weeks after it became clear that there would be a by-election. When electoral reality finally sunk in. First though, Labour had been busy trumpeting that they would launch and fund a full scale campaign for victory in Northland.

        • weka 20.2.1.1

          Do you think that they really believed that Prime had a chance at taking the seat (as opposed to running a good campaign, getting Prime more experience, and increasing Labour’s presence in Northland but understanding that she wouldn’t win)?

          • Colonial Rawshark 20.2.1.1.1

            Dunno, but they wanted our Labour branch to contribute a shit load of money to the Northland campaign.

            As one of our branch officers said: “I can successfully lose the Northland campaign for just half that sum!”

            • saveNZ 20.2.1.1.1.1

              @ C. R
              hehe

            • ghostwhowalksnz 20.2.1.1.1.2

              You obviously havent heard of ‘event fund raising’

              Anniversaries, random events etc all used as ’emotion markers’ to get your attention and your money.

              That is how it should be done.

              Emotion based politics is in , dry policies dreamt up by old men in meetings is finished. Sorry about that Anderson bay Branch.

              It doesnt have to be big emotions, but the campaign about ‘tea breaks’ is a good example.
              This could effect everyone and is relevant to young voters especially, who dont sit behind a desk.

              • Colonial Rawshark

                Anniversaries, random events etc all used as ‘emotion markers’ to get your attention and your money.

                That is how it should be done.

                Well, our branch doesn’t like being treated like saps, and it didn’t get any of our money.

                Emotion based politics is in , dry policies dreamt up by old men in meetings is finished. Sorry about that Anderson bay Branch.

                Huh? I’m betting that you are older than the median age of our branch meeting attendees. Sorry about that, dude. A new generation is under way.

        • Skinny 20.2.1.2

          Yes and the way National have used the narrative that Labour threw Prime under Winston’s bus they may as well have come out openly and said vote for Peters our candidate can not win and it is not like there are party votes on the line. It was stupidity that they didn’t. Ground hog day of continued silly strategy. Just wait for the review of the by election strategy should labour vote cost a collective win for a potential coalition. I doubt it will come to that as the shift of disgruntled Nat voters won’t be enough. Hope I am wrong but I can not see it.

    • weka 20.3

      And if they hadn’t fucked Hone, both Laila and Hone would be in Parliament today. Then with a Peter’s win, the John Key government would be stuck in limbo for the next two years, negotiating legislation one bit at a time.

      Labour always closes doors for itself. It’s ridiculous.

      This is what I was getting at above. Is the larger principle more important? What are the ethics here?

      Part of the problem seems to be Labour’s history of standing in every electorate. Compare this to the GP who can easily not stand someone in Northland and avoid the whole conundrum. For Labour to change such a core policy would be a big move right?

      Beyond that, the medium term question is how could Labour change on this without being seen as weak or opportunistic?

      Both the GP and Labour have made a big deal about not manipulating MMP to their advantage. For them to work more smartly with MMP and to work with their natural allies to form govt, they have to walk themselves back from this position, and I don’t yet see how that can be done (as opposed to knowing what they should do).

      • saveNZ 20.3.1

        @Weka
        I think the general public don’t so much care about the strategy, they care about the policy and the end result.

        No one cares what Labour does they care more about the end outcome. If Labour screws up strategy and lets the Nats through to run riot, the public are angry at labour for being stupid, not wringing their hands saying, ‘oh Labour you principled party, you”. Umm especially when Labour were the transparently worst party for ethics in the past election.

        • greywarshark 20.3.1.1

          @ savenz 20 3 1
          Good thoughts

        • Colonial Rawshark 20.3.1.2

          I’ll summarise it: Kiwis stop supporting teams which keep employing losing strategies and continue to refuse to change what they do on the field because it will be better next season.

        • Clemgeopin 20.3.1.3

          “Umm especially when Labour were the transparently worst party for ethics in the past election”

          That is just absolute crap you wrote.

          • saveNZ 20.3.1.3.1

            @Clemgeopin
            Nope don’t think so.
            Labour shat on their leader/s like Cunlifffe.
            Labour shat on their potential allies like Greens.
            Labour shat on Hone.
            Labour shat on the voters with crap policies that made it difficult to justify voting for them.
            Labour shat on the voters by expecting to get their vote, after doing nothing meaningful in opposition for 6 years.
            But Labour did not stand up to National, did not investigate Nicky Hager claims on dirty politics when they should have.
            Condemned Dotcom for no reason and the mass surveillance claims which appear to be true.

            The worst party for ethics was National, but Labour were a transparent basket case of crap, and worse they bought others down with them, and stopped others climbing up so that worse sewerage of National surfaced.

            Sometimes doing nothing or very little or even modifying is as bad as participating.

      • greywarshark 20.3.2

        Both the GP and Labour have made a big deal about not manipulating MMP to their advantage. For them to work more smartly with MMP and to work with their natural allies to form govt, they have to walk themselves back from this position, and I don’t yet see how that can be done (as opposed to knowing what they should do).

        Is Labour the Grand Old Party of NZ that always stands for its principles of helping the lower paid workers and low income citizens? That’s a skewed view if anyone now has it. When Roger Douglas and his Sneaky Subversives got busy and started overturning the policy and strategic consultation tables, Labour abandoned close connection with earlier principles.

        Making another change to a fully-utilised-MMP strategy can easily be facilitated and explained by saying that National does it, it is legal and they have utilised it, and Labour will be unwise to hold back from similarly acting. And state the facts. ‘Labour must change what it has been doing or we will not get back into government and be able to help the country move forward with our policies which will improve prosperity and opportunities for all.

      • ghostwhowalksnz 20.3.3

        An alternative for Mana, was to avoid the German and internet party entirely – as a lot of their members like Sue Bradford suggested.

        Then that could have opened up an accommodation in Waiariki with labour in return for letting Davis have an easier path in TTT

        With Sykes winning Waiariki, that finishes off MP completely, 2 Mps gone.

        Sykes brings in Hone as well, a twofer.

        Its crazy to suggest Labour gives Hone a free pass without some thing concrete in return.
        The two seat tango does that and is a much much bigger problem for national

        • DoublePlusGood 20.3.3.1

          I think Labour would still have thrown Mana under the bus in that circumstance too. Mana did actually increase their vote a decent amount at the election.

    • saveNZ 20.4

      @C R
      Yep but lets hope Labour are learning:)

    • Skinny 20.5

      I agree CV what was the point of delaying supporting Peters. I have to say Mickey is typical of many within Labour, going into a later save face damage control mode.

      The Greens in Northland have learnt and have been outstanding working together. They told head office to piss off standing a candidate In the by election as at the time Prime was the only one coming forward, then when Peters throw his hat in the ring they are getting behind supporting him.

      Honestly harping on about Prime as real talent is stupid, she has performed pretty poorly on the campaign trail that I’ve seen. Davis is over rated too. Where was the campaign to get Maori seats on the Far North council??
      Zero campaign equals zero seats, Hone where was he also where all useless.

      • tracey 20.5.1

        Could Labour have been all set up to run, and pay for a campaign BEFORE Winston confirmed?

    • Bearded Git 20.6

      @CR Time to move on mate. Little will win the next election-he is already showing the nous and pragmatism needed.

      If the Nats lose another member we might even have an early election……

      BTW by yesterday 7,809 had cast early votes in Northland.

      • Colonial Rawshark 20.6.1

        @CR Time to move on mate. Little will win the next election

        Perhaps, but watch out for the FPP thinking. Labour will not be able to form a government in 2017 without Winston.

    • Chooky 20.7

      +100 CR

  20. Brewer 21

    Been trying to buy Winston on iPredict at under 60% probability for a week. No chance.
    Time to consider the long-term implications of this by-election going against the Nats.
    Some have speculated that 2017 might see some serious money/political capital lining up behind NZ1st pushing it in towards an “old-Labour” leftish party to coalition with Labour and bring New Zealand back to social justice and non-alignment.
    A lot would depend on the succession when Winnie retires which will likely be during the next term.
    What if a David Cunliffe, Shane Jones or Phil Goff type were to board NZ1st and they gain 2 or three electorate seats??

    • millsy 21.1

      Or even John Tamihere — though he would be probably try and get on Colin Craig’s team..

  21. Pascals bookie 22

    I think Lab has got it about right with their messaging.

    The simple fact is that Naorthland is a conservative tory seat. It just is. If Winston wins it, even with Lab voters getting him over the line for tactical reasons, that won;t change the fact that the mp will need the support of Northlands voters.

    If Winston wins, that doesn’t set up a coalition on the left with Winston, it moves Winston to the right. You dance with them what brung you, and Winston, (if he wants NZF to hold the seat) will have to dance with National. And look at what he has been saying. He can work with National.

    the Nats are running aorund with their hair on fire screaming that Winston will scupper them, but that doesn’t mean they believe it, and nor should people on the left.

    • Karen 22.1

      +1 Pascals Bookie

      • weka 22.1.1

        +2

        • saveNZ 22.1.1.1

          @P B
          Yes, but it is up to Labour to try to broker a deal too. The best negotiator will win. Winston will just do what he wants to do. That is why people vote for him. He will get the best deal for the principals he believes in and people of Northland. He will be able to temper National and not in a stupid way like the 24 hr vs 48 hr surveillance bill that Labour tried to do.

          Also Winston has no love for National and Act after what they did to him.

          • saveNZ 22.1.1.1.1

            In fact I hope Winston wins and he is in retribution mode…

            Might even make politics mildly amusing for the masses.

            Keep the news ratings up….

    • Brewer 22.2

      Not sure I agree Pas. Northland is tory by default. I think there are only 2,500 cockies, may of whom lean alternative. Lots of crafty/alt horticulturists, most leftists drained off by the Maori roll. Don’t forget they returned Vern.
      I think they respond pragmatically to a charismatic candidate of any stripe as they are demonstrating in this by-election. Lot of anti deep state/TPP sentiment.
      Anyway, just kite flying.

      • Bearded Git 22.2.1

        @Brewer You may have seen my post the other day where I calculated that Winston had to get about 25% of the people who voted National last time in order to win. Given the way the campaign is going this should be relatively easy.

    • Colonial Rawshark 22.3

      Well PB, if Winston is inherently a right wing player, then LAB + GR are permanently stuffed because the two parties together will not get more than ~43% of the vote in 2017 (say LAB on 31% and Greens on 12%). And you ain’t forming a government on that.

      • Pascals bookie 22.3.1

        Didn’t say Winston is ‘inherently RW’, I sadi Northland is a safe RW seat and if that if he wins, he will be repping a safe RW seat.

        Ignoring that because it makes some sky castle a bit harder to build seems short sighted.

    • Olwyn 22.4

      I broadly agree, but with a couple of caveats. While Peters would be mindful of the voters who chose him, there are a couple of things he would not give up, because they have been constants throughout his career: he is a soft nationalist and he takes democracy seriously. So while he will represent those people in relation to National, he will not give National an easy ride. Moreover, a bloody nose in a bi-election will send National further into the defensive mode that they have already to some extent entered – did you hear English on Morning Report today? This will not sit well with their attempts to push their extreme policies behind a veneer of relaxed centrism. They look as if they may have already reached the point John Howard reached with Work Choices, where their political capital is insufficient to cover “pay back time” for their big donors. So a victory for Winston is still very much worth having, even if it will not in any direct way be a victory for the left.

      English on Morning Report: http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/20172286

      • greywarshark 22.4.1

        @ Olwyn
        Thanks for bringing that perspective which sounds convincing for the reality.

      • Pascals bookie 22.4.2

        Not saying it isn’t worth having for the left. I agree with you that it will have affects for National too.

        I’m saying that a Winston win here will make it harder for the left to do a deal with him, as he will will have a bunch of things making National deals more likely.

        • Olwyn 22.4.2.1

          Assuming that other things stay the same that is right. However, for the left to gain any real traction something has to change, and a rattled National Party could be just the change we need. Should the left gain some real traction, then Peters would be taking that into account when he made his choices. Although his constituency up there would be largely from the right, they would probably accept him cutting the best deal he could for Northland from either side.

          • Pascals bookie 22.4.2.1.1

            I suspect that the most interesting change this might bring about will be within NZF.

            If Winston is going to deliver for Northland, he will need to work with National. Support RMA reform, get the goldcard stuff he was selling this morning and share the credit for the bridges, something like that.

            How that plays within NZFs list vote is then in play. There is a risk for him that NZF is forced to step off the fence that enables them to draw voters from both the left and the right.

            • greywarshark 22.4.2.1.1.1

              Yes that might be so and the interaction required with UNACT could muddy NZF image. But NZF in still could have better outcomes for Northland and the country over the next two years.
              And in the end might reinforce NZF as a useful and viable small party.

            • Olwyn 22.4.2.1.1.2

              I agree with you with regard to bridges and gold cards, etc, but Peters himself seems to me to be fundamentally opposed to the globalist, neo-liberal side of National that is personified by Key. This feature plays a large part in his gaining votes from left and right. So a lot would depend on how much National is willing to allow itself to be modified by Peters, or how far the party would be willing to move away from his position. If he wins he will retain and perhaps even increase his say about his party’s position, since he will be the one holding a seat. And I simply cannot see him wholly abandoning that central plank.

            • Brewer 22.4.2.1.1.3

              “the most interesting change this might bring about will be within NZF.”
              This was what I had in mind.
              There is an entire organisation there that has some momentum but it is largely built around Winston. It will be up for grabs sometime in the next cycle. Should someone with a proven track record and political capital move in they will probably be able to do a Jim Anderton.

            • Bearded Git 22.4.2.1.1.4

              @PB Winston has made it plain he won’t support the gutting of the RMA such that it becomes a developer’s charter.

      • weka 22.4.3

        ” he takes democracy seriously.”

        this is an aside, but he favours macho democracy, whereby the people with the most power should be represented. His actively working against the GP and Mana show that he thinks a significant chunk of NZers should be disenfranchised. (I’d be interested to know if he treats ACT similarly).

        • Olwyn 22.4.3.1

          I am not a NZF voter and I did not like him interfering in TTT either. When I said that it was in reference to what Peters has said and done over the long haul, and what he appears to think of himself. I see him as being of the pre-neo-liberal right, not of the left.

    • DS 22.5

      By that reasoning, the Maori Party should have cuddled up with Labour – their seats are traditionally Red. But they didn’t – too much bad blood and ego involved.

      I think if Winston wins Northland, he’ll be a thorn in the side of the Nats in the way that the Maori Party holding Maori seats is a thorn in the side of Labour. And short of someone like Bill English becoming Nat leader, I can’t see Winston working with Key, Joyce, Bennett, et al.

      (Also, NZF party vote trumps Northland. Going with the Nats would destroy the party vote across the rest of the country).

  22. greywarshark 23

    I think the image for this post is great. Don’t know where you found it but whoever worked on it did a great job – it’s a work of art.

    • Clemgeopin 23.1

      That photo was taken just after Winston completed his long lonely march across the Antarctic with blood, sweat and some tears. Now he is trying to miraculously conquer the mighty Mount Everest using that very same attire. What a guy! He da man! Even Ozzy might vote for him now!

    • ghostwhowalksnz 23.2

      Game of Thrones !

  23. Philip Ferguson 24

    Alternatively, we could view the problem as capitalism, not one of the capitalist parties alone (National):
    https://rdln.wordpress.com/2015/03/08/northland-by-election-worker-solidarity-or-winston-peters/

    • Murray Rawshark 24.1

      I would call the view expressed in that as ultra-left. Winston is obviously not anti-capitalist and has some terrible racist views. I still want to see him win Northland, because I see that as possibly making the passage of the TPPA and the gutting of the RMA less likely. These gains will not weaken the position of workers in Aotearoa. The byelection is one small battle, as is the TPPA. Both are battles which can be organised around.

  24. Treetop 25

    I just hope that the non Key backers (and some of the undecided Key backers) are all as smart as Colin Moyle in Northland. (Willow Jean Prime has not been dealt the best hand, I am sure she will nail it next time). Were Winston to win, being a fndc is going to be fun.

    Early votes are just a couple thousand off those who voted for the entire seat last election.

  25. Wayne 26

    The only comment I would make is; Don’t complain about Epsom or Ohariu in the future.

    • Brewer 26.1

      I think there is a World of difference between pre-election inter-party deal making which deprives the people of their right to choose and this situation.

      • mickysavage 26.1.1

        Agreed. Besides there is no way that NZF is a puppet party, unlike UF or ACT …

    • lprent 26.2

      Who are you talking to? One individual making a decision about who they’d support if they lived in that electorate and saying it on a blog?

      Compared to the head of a party making a very public gesture towards another party leader teacup in hand.

      Pleeeze get a sense of proportionality. One is not equivalent to another.

    • Karen 26.3

      There is no comparison because
      1. There are actual pre election deals in both Ohariu and Epsom
      2. More importantly, neither Act nor United Future would have a got enough votes to get an MP otherwise, and National would have won those seats. NZ First got over the 5% threshold and Labour has no chance of winning Northland.

    • Pascals bookie 26.4

      lol wayne.

      What’s suggested here is nothing like Epsom.

      Is Northland a safe Labour seat?

      No. So It’s different from Epsom in the very point that makes Epsom the deal that it is.

    • the pigman 26.5

      Diddums…

  26. Tanz 27

    Why did Labour even run a candidate? Without that, Winston would have been a shoo-in. He may still win, but not as easily as he would have…..here’s hoping.

    • Willow-Jean Prime expressed her interest in standing again on 31 January, the day after Mike Sabin resigned. Her nomination was received on 9 February and her candidacy confirmed on 11 February. Her campaign was launched on 22 February.

      Winston didn’t announce his candidacy until nearly a week later on 27 February.

      So Labour ran a candidate because literally no one had any idea Winston was seriously going to throw his hat into the ring. (And even if there were rumours, there were similar murmurs about him running in East Coast Bays against Colin Craig, and that all came to nothing.)

      I find it funny the way there’s this narrative floating in the air – “Labour never talks to its allies on the left! Labour should act in a more united way!” – but in this case, the fact is that *Winston* should have talked to Labour earlier if he wanted a clear field.

  27. Marksman33 28

    Well, unlike most on here today I get to go down to my local school and cast my vote, as will my wife and my elderly father. All 3 of us have voted Lab or Green all our voting lives. This Saturday will be a first for us, we will be voting Nz 1st.
    I know Winnie has let me down before and could do again, But, I do truly believe he will do a much better job of promoting Northland and the opportunities that abound up here, and thats all we in the Far North ask. As for Osborne, the man’s a halfwit.

  28. Karen 29

    TV3 have a Northland poll tonight – and ipredict has Winston at 80%

  29. rawshark-yeshe 31

    Paddy Gower has Winston on 54% .. but so important is the fact he shared .. that drilling down into the numbers, 25% of his vote came from National voters .. is that the magic number ?

    Go Winston !

    Also, Winston announced today in Russell his intention to remove name suppression from pedophiles ( and sexual offenders I think) if the victims wished it removed. He said words to the effect to much had gone in secrecy including in Northland .. and there was loud applause from the public around him.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/67503976/nz-first-to-put-forward-bill-stripping-paedophile-name-suppression

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    Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 hours ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' at 10:10am on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st Century The SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims Stuff Steve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 hours ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things on Tuesday, March 19
    It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 hours ago
  • New Life for Light Rail
    This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail  Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    8 hours ago
  • Why Are Bosses Nearly All Buffoons?
    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    10 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    22 hours ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    1 day ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    1 day ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    1 day ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    1 day ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    1 day ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • There’s a name for this
    Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Echoes of 1968 in 2024?  Pocock on the repetitive problems of the New Left
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Two bar blues
    The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 13
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • AT Need To Lift Their Game
    Normally when we talk about accessing public transport it’s about improving how easy it is to get to, such as how easy is it to cross roads in a station/stop’s walking catchment, is it possible to cycle to safely, do bus connections work, or even if are there new routes/connections ...
    6 days ago
  • Christopher's Whopper.
    Politicians are not renowned for telling the truth. Some tell us things that are verifiably not true. They offer statements that omit critical pieces of information. Gloss over risks, preferring to offer the best case scenario.Some not truths are quite small, others amusing in their transparency. There are those repeated ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
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