Please stop the police from using punishment before conviction!

Written By: - Date published: 1:54 pm, September 6th, 2011 - 42 comments
Categories: law, police, suppression orders - Tags:

The “Urewera 18” are now down to four. The police persecution has now been dropped for eleven of those charged in the Operation 8 raids four and half years ago.

Crown Solicitor Simon Moore said the effect of a recent Supreme Court ruling on the case – which is suppressed – was that there was no longer enough evidence to continue against some and the others would have to be tried separately after the main trial.

That would be four-and-a-half years after they were charged, and the main trial would have to be subject to wide-ranging suppressions, and so was not practical or in the public interest.

The supreme court decision on the evidence that the police had illegally and unlawfully obtained. The Herald has a bit more detail

The Supreme Court has ruled certain evidence inadmissable at the so-called “terror raid” trial of next year which was set to last for three months.

The groundbreaking decision over-ruled previous judgments from the High Court and Court of Appeal over whether the Crown could use evidence gathered in the covert police operation before the arrests in October 2007.

Despite having been arrested, jailed, held under stringent bail conditions, and harassed by the police in court for the last four years – none of those affected by the decision will be able to get any compensation. They have not been wrongly convicted and so are not entitled to any recompense, compensation, or damages by right.

Those charged have lost time and wages from employment by being jailed on remand. Some have been unable to obtain employment because of these charges hanging over them and the bail conditions. Some have had to mortgage their houses to cover legal fees outside of whatever legal aid they have been able to obtain. The disruption to their life, family and friends has been immense.

However the only way that they could try to obtain recompense would be through a civil proceeding that would be incredibly expensive, problematic because of the position of the police inside the law, and would take years to get to trial.

Meanwhile the crown has been able to spend at least hundreds of thousands of dollars and probably more than a million running a weak case.

It was a case that was probably triggered from accusations by anonymous and paid confidential informants of widespread terrorist activity amongst the activist communities in NZ. Was fueled by testosterone junkies in the police unlawfully gaining evidence that has now been ruled as inadmissible. And has been maintained for the last four years in the courts by the police because it would have been too embarrassing for those who authorized these activities and the final ridiculous raids of 300 police across the country in what is increasingly looking like a botched training exercise.

We’re unlikely to ever even see the illegal evidence or the judgments related to it because most of it is covered by one or more suppression orders. None of these perpetrators of this idiotic police injustice are ever likely to face any punishment.

All of this was quite apparent from the time of the raids. Why has it taken four years to get to a discharge?

My opinion based on observing them for some time is that some police simply don’t like activists. Dragging them through the courts for years is a remarkably cost free (for the police) and effective way to inflict punishment on them.

The legal imbalance that allows this to happen is something that the courts should start correcting – since parliament is unlikely to do so.

Specifically the judges should allow the people who are having the charges dropped to ask for their costs to be paid by the police and crown solicitors office. This should include the costs of being jailed, bailed, and legal.

Update: Maia at The Hand Mirror has a excellent post on the costs..

42 comments on “Please stop the police from using punishment before conviction! ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. grumpy 1
    6 September 2011 at 2:23 pm

    So, do you think they will fight to avoid having the suppression orders lifted??

    It would have been far better to have had the original terrorism charges tested in court rather than the Solicitor General decline to proscecute in what was seen by many as a politically influenced decision.

    If the charges were rubbish they would have been seen to be rubbish – now we may never know.

    • lprent 1.1
      6 September 2011 at 2:29 pm

      Which they are you talking about? Here is my take…

      I suspect that the charged will be fighting to get those suppression orders lifted. If they don’t then it gets very difficult to write about the joys of being on the receiving end of operation 8.

      I suspect that there will be some effort from the police to prevent parts of the suppression orders being lifted. In particular to do with the evidence of the CI’s and the police managers who let their staff pursue unlawful means of obtaining evidence.

      The original terrorism charges wouldn’t have held up in court either. They would have been convenient for the police because the way those laws were attempted to be written, they would have required remarkably little actual proof or evidence.

      To be precise I think the equivalent of an accusation by the police would have been sufficient. Those laws would have had a real problem in court with this case because I suspect that they’d have gone straight to the supreme court and been tossed out as being simply excessive.

      Quite simply I don’t think that any of the people having their charges dropped have done anything that they would be ashamed to have in public view from this case.

      I think that the police do.

      • Jonathan W 1.1.1
        6 September 2011 at 7:52 pm

        The article is about a Supreme Court judgement. Those “unlawful” means of obtaining evidence have previously been deemed lawful by the High Court/Court of Appeal.

        Just because our society (quite rightly) demands a very high standard of proof before we convict somebody, that doesn’t automatically make every dismissed charge a police conspiracy.

        • rocky 1.1.1.1
          6 September 2011 at 11:28 pm

          Actually the High Court ruled much of the evidence in question (which I can’t describe due to suppression orders) to be unlawful but admissible. The Court of Appeal, which is known to be conservative in these sorts of matters, ruled it to be both lawful and admissible. The Supreme Court has now ruled it to be unlawful and inadmissible against most of the defendants.

          What I just said may or may not breach suppression orders, I can’t keep track. If any of the admins decide to remove my comment, please also remove the comment I am replying to!

          • grumpy 1.1.1.1.1
            7 September 2011 at 12:49 pm

            Raises a huge issue about:

            a, the incompetence of our lower courts (High Court and Court of Appeal) who appear to have got it wrong – or
            b, Supreme Court who have either got it wrong or are on an activist path not bound by previously regarded principles.

            • Treetop 1.1.1.1.1.1
              7 September 2011 at 1:13 pm

              Trust the Supreme Court as Chief Justice Elias is a very sensible woman. Elias criticised the police in September 1977 regarding the Moyle Affair (she was part of a group of Auckland lawyers), and she has assisted Patrick O’ Brien (ex undercover cop in the mid 1970s) to get the police to look into perjury confessions in recent times, due to O’ Briens admission to her.

            • lprent 1.1.1.1.1.2
              7 September 2011 at 2:45 pm

              I think that the problem is just your ignorance of actual law rather than what you think it should be.

              ‘It’* was completely based on the usual legal principles – at least back to the middle ages.

              The high court got it right based on the usual usage. In exceptional situations it can be used and the court allowed some but not all of it to be used. But it was in a newish legal area with untested legislation so it got appealed.

              I would guess that the supreme court simply said that the level of the offense was not high enough to justify use using the test that the legislation had. Which would be accurate based on what I know of the ‘evidence’ that the police are relying on. But was also apparent from the minor severity of the charges.

              The ‘activist’ side is in the court of appeal. They appear to have been of the opinion in several cases that the police are always right under every circumstance. This is quite a new concept in NZ law (but well known in some more draconian jurisdictional zones with dictatorial governments – Fiji comes to mind) and almost certainly wrong. Which is why it went to the supreme court.

              * I very carefully haven’t said what ‘it’ is to avoid violating suppression orders. I’d refer you to the discussion in the high court judgement for your education on the current law in this area – but of course that is suppressed..

              • Treetop …
                7 September 2011 at 4:42 pm

                The Supreme Court made a clear ruling. Had this not occurred do you think that the 11 who had their charges dropped may of not had the charges dropped?

                • lprent …
                  7 September 2011 at 6:49 pm

                  I don’t quite understand your comment.

                  But the problem with judgement from the supreme court is that the simple result is far less important than…

                  1. It was allowed to be appealed to there at all – this immediately implies that there is some ambiguity in the legal structure for a particular case.

                  2. Why they ruled a particular way and the reasoning behind it which we won’t see until the suppression is lifted.

                  But in this case it must have been pretty clear and quite blanketing because the crown would not have dropped those cases at this point without being put into a position where they had no case to argue.

                  Yes the crown could have continued with the cases. But the judgement of the supreme court must have been such that the crown could use virtually none of the evidence collected that allowed them to make a case in the first place. I suspect that they got restricted to

                  1. Whatever they collected from the search warrants
                  2. Hearsay from confidential informants (who are definitely known to bullshit)

                  But I’ll have to wait see the judgement for the detail. The only thing I really know is what types of arguments that the defense lawyers would be using. The legal principles in those as old as British legal structures.

    • freedom 1.2
      6 September 2011 at 2:38 pm

      You don’t have to be an Excrement Inspector to know slop-bucket evidence from anonymous sources, soaked with disinformation and reported during a time of hysterical warmongering, cannot be relied upon to result in a conviction.

      This is why the contents will remain suppressed, why the charges are dismissed, why there can be no appeals or compensation, or more realistically, why there cannot be any justice for those falsely accused.

  2. Treetop 2
    6 September 2011 at 2:42 pm

    What a waste of police resources the Urewera raids were under Broad’s watch. Too much secrecy and incompetence under Broad’s watch as well e.g shooting of an innocent man by the AOS, secret employment payouts just to see the back of some officers.

    No transparency, no accountablity.

  3. Tiger Mountain 3
    6 September 2011 at 2:58 pm

    Lprent, Your observation based opinion on some police dislike of activists is similar to mine.

    Over 30 years during countless union pickets and lawful actions and public peaceful protests I have more often than not seen immediately hostile reactions from the arriving or stationed police. Some of this is to do with the psychology of police recruiting, ignorance of industrial law, or with orders given. Ask Unite and some other unions, police generally visit the employers office and then threaten officials and workers with tresspass and arrest.

    One verifiable incident was a police raid on the Auckland Peoples Centre (Unemployed Workers Rights) in the early 90s, my partner was involved with the centre. The police were shown to have lied, intimidated and used excessive force in a fishing expedition.

    There was a raid on my flat the day before the 1990 commonwealth games where a search warrant detailed “rocket launchers and ammunition”, Journo Brian Rudman covered that one for the Auckland Star in some detail. Totally spurious search, under house arrest for the day, then they planted dope and promised to make a possession charge ‘go away’ if we dropped all complaints that we had voiced about their behaviour. None of us smoked cannabis and the ‘found’ material was obviously fresh and bright green. Members of Hone Harawira’s family lived one door down and they had been raided too, they later came over and apologised if our getting turned over was anything to do with them. We said we did not think so, probably just fishing because of our own political connections.

    I remember sometime contributor Rocky’s accounts of reasonably recent animal rights protests and dodgy police and probably SIS involvement. The point for the tory apologists out there to think about is that the state forces put less effort into enforcing citizen’s democratic rights than they do removing them with ill founded efforts such as Operation 8.

    • lprent 3.1
      6 September 2011 at 3:20 pm

      Rocky is my niece so I’ve had it drawn to my attention over the last few years more strongly than usual. She is rushing through essay deadlines so wasn’t able to write this post today (later??).

      But I still bear the physical scars and anger at being assaulted by the police without cause during the ’81 springbok tour. And I have several friends who seem to have attracted their attention at various times.

      What appalls me is the simple lack of effective scrutiny that the police have (the IPCA is in my view a simple farce). And it has been a standard tactic of theirs to use the legal process as a weapon on activists. The most ridiculous ones have been where they drag out the cases over a year with the status cases, then do not offer any evidence when it finally goes to a hearing causing the case to be dropped. Sometimes they offer evidence and the judge dismisses after the prosecution has made their case because it is so weak that hearing a defense would be a waste of time.

      Quite simply the most effective way to prevent that from happening is for the judges who are being used as the bludgeon to not simply discharge the case. They should automatically award the defendants costs against the police in those types of cases.

      In my view this case is exactly that type.

  4. the sprout 4
    6 September 2011 at 3:08 pm

    So will those accused, but now acquited, be able to sue the Crown for all the distress this will have caused them?

    • grumpy 4.1
      6 September 2011 at 3:14 pm

      If they do, then will the suppressed information come into the open? If so, then I hope they do.

      Would the Police just have to show “reasonable cause”?

      • lprent 4.1.1
        6 September 2011 at 3:21 pm

        It’d be difficult to get the police to drop their objections to the release of the material for a civil trial against them.

        • the sprout 4.1.1.1
          6 September 2011 at 3:42 pm

          but presumably difficult too to supress information if it’s material to a case for compensation, would be an even worse look than it currently is

          • rocky 4.1.1.1.1
            6 September 2011 at 11:33 pm

            The suppression orders won’t cover other court proceedings. However civil proceedings also include disclosure rules, so the police could be forced to hand over further information to the defendants that they may not already have as disclosure from the criminal proceedings.

            • grumpy 4.1.1.1.1.1
              7 September 2011 at 11:12 am

              News reports say that the Crown are seeking to have the suppression orders lifted so hopefully it will all come out.

  5. George D 5
    6 September 2011 at 3:17 pm

    Not to mention the huge and expensive campaigns of surveillance and harassment of activists, which remains ongoing. Someone I know a few months ago found a tracking device attached to the bottom of their car, and more recently noticed that the interior of their car had been damaged after some device had been installed or removed. If you engage in any kind of activism in New Zealand, you have good reason to believe that the SIS and NZ Police are monitoring you, because they consider that you might be a threat to ‘security’.

    The cozy relationship that media have with police (they rely on them for their steady stream of crime gossip and dead baby stories) means that such matters get only cursory attention. The media are still accusative, having been fed stories by the police for the last 4 years.

  6. Colonial Viper 6
    6 September 2011 at 3:51 pm

    Meh I’ve no doubt it’ll all end up on the internet one day soon through some anonymous proxy server.

  7. lprent 7
    6 September 2011 at 4:16 pm

    Good post by Maia at the Hand Mirror
    http://thehandmirror.blogspot.com/2011/09/cost.html
    especially…

    The 14 people who have had their charges dropped spent a combined 9 months in jail and 50 years on bail.

    As part of their bail conditions they have had to report to a police station 1,650 times

    They have had to travel more than 15,000 km to meet those bail conditions.

    Those living out of Auckland had to travel a total of 7,500 kms to get to Auckland for each court hearing.

    They owe millions of dollars in legal aid – which they will have to repay with liens against houses and orders against wages.

    And that’s not even really it. The most important costs aren’t so easily quantifiable. Stress demands compound interest. The raids and charges did not just effect 22 people – hundreds were in houses, cars or school buses that were searched – and more had to sit while people they loved were locked-up, and face the horrific threat of it happening again.

    So many people, including me, have stress fractures that will not heal. The cost was on bodies, on minds, on relationships and it cannot be undone.

    Tuhoe Lambert did not live to see these charges dropped.

  8. Tom Gould 8
    6 September 2011 at 5:30 pm

    Did anyone else catch the TV news shots last evening of the uniformed cops running beside Key’s car, like they were all in some cheap b-grade thriller movie? What a pathetic wanker that Johnboy is turning out to be.

    • ElMutante 8.1
      6 September 2011 at 8:05 pm

      Tom, that wasn’t in Auckland was it? I saw some big high topped limo crawling up Mount Eden Road towards Symonds Street last night after work.It was flanked by cops and one officer on a motorbike stopped outside the bar I was having a quiet beer at and rather tersely demanded that some people on the footpath not move until the mysterious VIP had passed. It was all a bit medieval really.

    • Mutante 8.2
      6 September 2011 at 9:38 pm

      Whereabouts was that Tom? I saw some sort of motorcade in Auckland last night. Big high topped limo under police escort up Mount Eden Road heading towards Symonds Street.

    • jess 8.3
      7 September 2011 at 11:46 am

      That was in chch. There was a “welcoming” committee out front of the copthorne hotel for the National Government. It was heavily policed. One chch resident was grabbed and pushed backwards into the crowd by an officer. A young child was also bullied and intimidated off the grass green, far from the protest itself. We were there for 3.5 hours. No politicians came out to face us. And as usual a piddly portion of what went on ends up on the news. Plus the way they spin it always makes politicians and police come out looking like the good guys, or at least just claim bad cop behaviour is simply a few bad apples. They don’t apply the same principle to activists or anyone who wants to object.

      http://beyondresistance.wordpress.com/2011/09/06/national-party-welcoming-committee-the-write-up/

  9. Afewknowthetruth 9
    6 September 2011 at 7:34 pm

    A few days a go I witnessed a young lad stopped for riding a bike in the evening without lights. (It was a well lit street and he posed no danger to anyone).

    Instead of giving him a friendly warning the officer issued a $175 fine -about what the bike was worth. The lad was more than highly pissed-off.

    If the police alienate a large enough sector of society -which they seem utterly determined to do- they lose the respect and the co-operation of a large portion of society, and an all-out war between the police and the rest of society is likely to ensue, as we have seen the beginnings of overseas.

    Maybe that is what the elites want, so they can implement a fully-fledged fascist state to replace the covert fascist state we currently have: arbitrary arrest, conviction without trial, penal servitude …. just like in the ‘good old days’ just 200 years ago.

    • Jonathan W 9.1
      6 September 2011 at 10:50 pm

      I am very sceptical of this anecdote. I routinely (at least once or twice a week) bike without lights through Christchurch. I have yet to be stopped, even after going through alcohol checkpoints and having police cars drive right past me.

      The police do have their quirks. Helmets seems to be a big one. I often bike straight past alcohol checkpoints with no lights and pass without comment. Other bikers, fully lit but without helmets, are stopped. All the research I’ve done (both online and asking drivers) says that lights are the more important issue… but helmets are the one that has attracted public attention in NZ.

      • McFlock 9.1.1
        7 September 2011 at 1:23 pm

        It possibly also depends on the cause of the more traumatic incidents they’ve responded to. Apparently if you’ve cleaned up after someone was squished by a truck that didn’t see their bike, you get finnicky about bikes with no lights. Same with helmets.
          
        What never ceases to irritate me is the “I’m no danger to anyone / it’s my choice to take the risk” argument about basic safety. You might be a sociopath who doesn’t care when you see someone seriously injured, but it can really ruin someone else’s day when they get brains on their boot.

  10. lefty 10
    6 September 2011 at 7:45 pm

    Generation after generation of politicians let the police (and the SIS) get away with this shit. I don’t think you should be allowed to stand for Parliament unless you have been locked up at least a couple of times and had a good few bashings from the cops.

  11. dad4justice 11
    6 September 2011 at 8:05 pm

    The NZ keystone cops are cowardly blue gun thugs.

    • The Voice of Reason 11.1
      6 September 2011 at 8:14 pm

      You’re not in Sydney by any chance are you Dad?

      • dad4justice 11.1.1
        6 September 2011 at 8:33 pm

        Sorry lefty sad sack but I don’t get seen wearing a lawyer’s wig.
        A Batman suit is better,ask Helen Clark or Maggot Wilson.
        How did he breach security said the moron security guard?
        Haha one for the book. Must fly and give john boy a big fright.

  12. Drakula 12
    6 September 2011 at 9:26 pm

    Has anybody asked themselves who the NZ police are really working for?

  13. Mutante 13
    6 September 2011 at 9:45 pm

    Many times. I definitely think they have their own political agenda.

  14. vto 14
    7 September 2011 at 8:21 am

    So what was the evidence? And what is the evidence against the remaining four?

  15. freedom 15
    7 September 2011 at 8:26 am

    The recent changes to our legal system now include a phrase that is quite chilling when reported in the media. I just heard it used in a story on RNZ and the reality of it is more disturbing than the stated practicalities presented by the law changes. The phrase does not belong in a modern healthy and just society, it belongs to a dark age of oppression and injustice.
    The phrase was: ” the defendants are appealing for a trial by jury “

  16. aerobubble 16
    7 September 2011 at 9:34 am

    Sounds to me like their Human Rights were breach, lucky for Police we
    don’t have a Human Rights Ombusman or a Human Rights Commission
    who they could go to, or if they did, would get a fair hearing. Because
    as you are fully aware by now NZ is run by small minded bigots who
    get their addiction fix every time they stand up for doing as little as
    possible because of ‘famed’ trickle down payday.

    It simple unconsciousable that after four years these individuals
    are left with debts because their cases were dropped for lack
    of evidence. That is not good enough.

  17. Afewknowthetruth 17
    7 September 2011 at 9:53 am

    Jonathan W.

    Are calling me a liar?

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    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    21 hours ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 day ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    2 days ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 days ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    5 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
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