Popcorn time: how craven is Slater?

Written By: - Date published: 9:36 pm, September 12th, 2014 - 34 comments
Categories: law, suppression orders - Tags: , , ,

I have just spent a interesting and happy hour reading the judgment of High Court Justice Asher. As the Paepae summarises it.

Here are some relevant excerpts of a High Court judgment* released today on the vexed question of“Can PR attack blogger Cameron Slater hide his clients’ names from someone suing him for defamation by claiming his extensive campaign of PR hits were ‘journalistic’ in nature and heck he is entitled to ‘source protection’?”

Basically, the judge has allowed Cameron Slater and his website to be regarded as ‘news media’ and a ‘journalist’ (Congratulations) but prevented him from claiming ‘source protection’ in the defamation case he’s facing.

Slater must comply with discovery in the normal way and answer interrogatories, because Judge Asher ruled*  it is in the interests of justice that his ‘sources’ be disclosed.

In other words Cameron Slater is completely screwed. He has the choices of:-

  1. He finds some grounds to appeal the second part of the judgment under s68(2) of the Evidence Act. That is unlikely to succeed. However the slow torture of a drawn out set of failed appeals should be good at ‘gentling’ the stupid mad beast that is Cameron Slater.
  2. He goes to prison for some time for defying a court. Based on his previous craven performances this is unlikely. Then he talked up his ego before being taken to court for violating suppression orders. In court he then crumpled like a wet pretzel in front of a judge, I suspect that this time he is just as unlikely to discover some backbone to support his variable ‘principles’.
  3. He gives up his sources and in all likelihood makes them part of the targets for the indefatigable Mr Blomfields defamation case. The widespread suspicion is that he was paid to attack Mr Blomfield by those providing him with information, just as in other examples of similar actions in Dirty Politics and the whaledump documents. If paying for an attack by a disturbed blogger on an enemy doesn’t indicate malevolence and a lack of honest opinion by the blogger in a defamation suit, then I’m not sure what will?

I was rather expecting that Justice Asher would make me and other authors here honorary journalists under section 68 of the Evidence Act 2006, and that is what he did.

I consider that is unfortunate as it offers a route for the continued dumbing down of the paid media into being the usual moronic talkback hosts as the professionalism of journalists continues to descend into the silliness of a morning shock jock.

I do think that it is good because (despite my previous briar patching) because we not only got the decision that we bloggers were entitled to protect our sources, but that it was a privilege that came with responsibilities. It wasn’t a high wall in the way that a cowardly and irresponsible dickhead like Cameron Slater could cower behind with impunity.

So hello to my fellow journalists like Cameron Slater, and my fellow bloggers like John Armstrong, Vernon Small, Fran O’Sullivan, Guyon Espiner and even Jared Savage. Isn’t the law wonderful at levelling the amount of care and effort in a profession and making us all drop down into the muck. Of course in some cases this may in fact be a step up for some ‘jonolists’.

But I have to say that I was particularly taken by Justice Asher’s look at Rule 8.46 of the High Court rules that Slater had raised (see paras 95 to 103)

[103] I set out later my reasons for determining that there is public interest in the disclosure of Mr Slater’s sources.Mr Blomfield has given notice under s 39 of the Defamation Act to Mr Slater, alleging that Messrs Spring, Powell and Price and Ms Easterbrook have constructed a planned attack on him. In relation to the just determination of the issues in the case it would be unjust for Mr Blomfield to have to respond to the defence of honest opinion without knowing the source(s) of the vilifying statements. The extreme nature of the attack on Mr Blomfield and the allegation of a planned attack involving sources are relevant, as is the fact that Mr Slater used confidential information belonging to Mr Blomfield.

[103] Therefore, the interrogatories seeking disclosure of the sources are necessary in the interests of justice, and the protection provided by r 8.46 cannot be invoked by Mr Slater. It follows that for different reasons, I agree with Judge Blackie’s decision that r 8.46 does not apply. In this respect the appeal is unsuccessful

Ouch. Well I guess that means that if Cameron wants to use the “honest opinion” defense, he is going to be required to prove that it was his opinion, and not just one he was paid and prompted for. That may be a bit of a problem for him.

Similarly the “public interest” that Cameron mumbled his way through in court while trying to prove that he was a journalist under 68(1) of the Evidence Act, turns back on him in

[114] As a general proposition, when a journalist such as Mr Slater has presented to the public extreme and vitriolic statements about a person such as Mr Blomfield alleging, as he has, serious crimes by him, there is a public interest in the fair airing of those statements and the circumstances of their making when the issues are traversed in defamation proceedings. The vitriolic remarks indicate that Mr Blomfield is a danger to society. The remarks being deliberately put in the public domain by Mr Slater show there is a public interest in all the circumstances relevant to Mr Blomfield’s challenge.

[115] Moreover, it is in the public interest that court processes to work fairly. The identity of sources may in some cases not assist in relation to assessing whether the statements were true, but in others in assessing the truth of the allegations the identity of the sources may be relevant. Here, a source, such as Mr Spring, had a direct business involvement with Mr Blomfield. It is alleged by Mr Blomfield in his  s 39 notice that Mr Spring and other alleged sources were part of a plan to make perjorative comments about Mr Blomfield. The role of those persons as a source, deliberately planning to hurt Mr Blomfield, could be relevant to their credibility, and thus to the defence of truth. Disclosure of the source is required for the fair working of the court process.

[116] Disclosure of the sources may well assist in relation to the defence of honest opinion. The defence of honest opinion is now in s 10 of the Defamation Act 1992. Section 10(1) provides that the defence will fail unless the defendant proves that the opinion expressed was the defendant’s genuine opinion. Further, s 10(2) provides that where the defendant was not the author of the matter containing the opinion, the defence will fail unless the defendant was the author of the matter containing the opinion. The test is the honesty of the opinion, not its reasonableness.57 The test is now different from that previously at common law. The concepts of malice and corrupt motive no longer arise.58 The opinion must be based on facts which are true or not materially different from the truth.

[117] Therefore to sustain this defence Mr Slater will need to demonstrate that he genuinely held the views that he expressed. In this regard, the identity of those who provided information to Mr Slater may be relevant. ….

Of course anyone who has been following the blogs over the last 7 years knows that the truth or anything remotely like an honest well-formed opinion it is not something that Cameron is particularly interested in. In my opinion, he is an honest employee and this is highlighted in Dirty Politics. Once brought, he faithfully  frames his opinions according to  the needs and wants of his employer.

I think that his ability to think in each transaction about the facts or ‘truth’ is severely limited to figuring out to spin his ‘opinion’ about his new enemy in the most perjorative and effective  manner.

That is certainly what we see in the whaledump  conversations.

[119] Thus, because of the extreme nature of the allegations, the defences of truth and honest opinion that are raised, and the s 39 notice alleging a plan to attack Mr Blomfield by four named persons who are alleged to be sources, there is a public interest in the disclosure of the identity of those sources to enable the defences to be properly evaluated at trial.

Indeed.

The countervailing arguments held little weight. For instance..

[129] This is not a whistleblower case. There are no political issues, or matters of public importance at stake. Mr Blomfield is not a public figure. There is no evidence that his company, now in liquidation, is the subject of ongoing public interest. The claims against him have not appeared to attract significant public interest. The overall impression given by the extensive material that has been provided is that the three named persons involved in the informing, Mr Spring, and possibly Mr Powell and Ms Easterbrook, were in a dispute situation with Mr Blomfield arising out of a failed business venture. There is a good deal of material from the informants which shows a certain personal animosity towards Mr Blomfield. There is nothing to indicate that the informers have been driven by altruistic motives.

[130] I accept Mr Miles’ general submission that there is little public interest in protecting informants intent on pursuing personal vendettas or when conducting personal or commercial attacks. In these circumstances I do not consider that denying Mr Slater the protection of s 68(1) will deter members of the public from communicating confidential material to the media of public importance or interest. While I have held there is a public interest in the disclosure of the sources in this case, there is little public interest in protecting them.

And finally having given Cameron Slater (and me) the now dishonourable status  of running a ‘news medium’ and being a ‘journalist’, Justice Asher strips Cameron Slater of all protection and exposes him to Matthew Blonfield’s cutting disclosure requirements

[139] I consider that the weighing comes down clearly for removing the protection of s 68(1). I make an order under s 68(2) that the protection of s 68(1) is not to apply to Mr Slater in the proceeding.

 

So District Court Judge Blackie did  great job. Only a High Court Judge may make that decision in section 68 of the Evidence Act. By saying that Cameron Slater wasn’t running a news medium, the appeal went to a court that could both make the decision that it was AND make it so that that decision’s effect was overturned. Cool eh? This is also why you don’t screw around with judges. They are really twisty lawyers.

So Cameron Slater must reveal his sources and open them up to inspection or go to prison. But whatever way it goes he will have to spend a lot more time in court.

Pass the popcorn…. This next bit will be fun.

 

34 comments on “Popcorn time: how craven is Slater? ”

  1. peterlepaysan 1

    Heh!

  2. Rich 2

    Does it not create precedent which can then be misused later, re the sources?

    • lprent 2.1

      Not particularly. You’ll have to read the decision. But essentially you have to be acting like a complete arsehole or there would have to be an overwhelming public interest argument before the judges would start overriding the promises of any responsible journalists to their sources.

  3. One Anonymous Bloke 3

    Hello, you’ve reached Defamation Services.

    For Mr. Slater press one. Mr. Graham, press two. Mr. Franks, press three, Mr. Key, press four. All our ratfuckers are belong to you.

  4. Matthew 4

    This is hard work. I hope Cam appreciates my effort. That’s 3/0

    Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

    • lprent 4.1

      It certainly is. You really are making him run through the hoops. The decision on costs for this appeal is next. And then you are back to the actual defamation action.

      Umm and then there is question about the guy that shot at you and who inpatiently sent them…..

      • sockpuppet 4.1.1

        Ha ha

        The enemy of my enemy is my friend…….. silly stuff lprent.

        Laudafinem has the best analysis of all of you including the whaleslime.

        • AsleepWhileWalking 4.1.1.1

          This is the same Laudafinem who keeps appearing on ACC forum under a pseudonym as some kind of drugged up nutter, right? The same Laudafinem who thinks Phil Kitchen was part of some extensive conspiracy etc etc (Laudafinem is big on conspiracy…)

          Lprent said pass the popcorn, not pass the P.

          You will find that this site has much better moderation than ACC forum.

          • lprent 4.1.1.1.1

            The dodgy brothers that run that site are real idiots – especially when it comes to legal matters. They appear to have spent far too much time on the wrong end of the legal process and it has distorted their viewpoint.

            They are a rather gutless pair at that. They took some sneak photos of me and published them but they had to be side views because otherwise I would have noticed them.

            They do seem to piss people off a bit. For instance this site is dedicated to them
            http://laudafinemscam.wordpress.com/

  5. Flippant 5

    It’d be nice if this was an objective look at the verdict without the “well he does it so I will too” childish personal attacks.
    Please grow up and let the facts and time speak for itself.
    We’re adults here and can see what Mr Slater is like without the diatribe.
    That cynical ‘point scoring’ really puts me off…

    [lprent: Fine. I’ve had seven years of this arsehole attacking people childishly and I want him gone. Adding you to the permanent ban list as well – under any name.

    If you’d wanted to have commented here, then you’d have at least mentioned something in the decision. But obviously it was beneath your attention as well. ]

  6. Elise 6

    Interesting breakdown of the decision. Question: has the court already gone through the plaintiff’s case and determined the defamatory meaning etc?

    If one of the people Blomfield named is the source and they told him the allegations, then isn’t Slater subject to the repitition rule? – ‘The defendant must prove that the sting is true.’

    I wonder if Slater was being paid to write that stuff about Blomfield. If so, yea… that can’t be an honestly held belief eh.

    One downside to him being declared ‘Journalist’ is that any further defamation cases he faces, he may be able to use the Lange extension to Qualified Privilege defence. Although, a personal vendetta as likely in this case will point to malice.

    Interesting times, I hope this case keeps getting coverage till the end.

    • AsleepWhileWalking 6.1

      Don’t know what the court has done but can’t see that Slater wasn’t paid. I happened to read the stuff written about Blomfield and what stood out to me was that there was no clear nexus between the opinion expressed (and the level of venom it was expressed with) and any identifiable event.

      Given this, the disclosures of payment, and ghost written posts which were published under Slater’s name I’d say he is screwed. Happy days!

  7. Does this open up a gate for defamation cases against Slater, and we then get to the root of “Dirty Politics”? E.g if Cunliffe took a defamation case….with regards to Macasky’s post last night. He would have to disclose sources……or that would be public interest?
    List of potential defamation cases would be long….
    Where is McGreavy?

    • RedBaronCV 7.1

      Interesting. Maybe Cunliffe could say he had been held out in an unjustified poor light (defamed) based on not only the facts but the speed and manner in which they were disclosed. Given the time line, would you join all the bloggers and journo’s together and then suggest that the defamation was carried out by an unknown guiding hand. ( after whaledump there would be a possibilty of an injunction against the persons unknown but too late for that here) so I could imagine if the court found defamation then the court could go “apologise, pay up and if you don’t want to do that then out the guiding hand and they can apologise and pay”.

      Sorta treating those they see as the agent of “unknown” unless they produce “unknown” . Still if the public interest test is high enough they might demand that “unknown ” be outed to prevent them using another mouthpiece to the same ends.

      • lprent 7.1.1

        It is a lot harder for politicians (as it should be). The Lange vs Atkinson decision gives a much larger place for blogs to work within when talking about the people who raise taxes on us and then spend them.

  8. RedBaronCV 8

    I noted some commentary about him being a journalist because he broke the story of the Mayor’s affair. If that is all it takes to be a journalist on the internet …. there must be some other contenders out there.
    I think the judge could have picked a better example???? It wasn’t a matter that caused the loss of ratepayers dollars.

    But yep a classic decision.
    Slater won at law but lost on the facts. Yes you are a journalist but that doesn’t entitle you to run amuck over others when it isn’t a matter of public interest …

  9. Granted 9

    Interesting…

    Cant imagine Slater will end up in jail – pie in the sky really.
    So even if he hands over the source does that actually have an impact as to if Blomfeld was defamed??

    Who does the onus lie with as to prove defamation?

    I have not really followed the case but it all seems like a storm in a teacup…something that happened in 2012????

    We are getting close to 2015 now…..

    • mike s 9.1

      “I have not really followed the case…” – So you don’t know fuck all about it.

      “but…..” – Wait for it…

      “it all seems like a storm in a teacup…” – and kapow! he delivers. Yes, it would look like that to you, Probably because….(Fill in rest of sentence here) (Hint – see first line in this comment)

      “Who does the onus lie with as to prove defamation?” – Really?!?! Ummm, I would guess that Slater would have to prove that his comments were his own honest opinion and not defamatory. He would need evidence that would have to back up his statements. Hang on, isn’t all this in the article in some form or another?

      For example, If I said that you were a fuckwit, you could take me to court for defaming you if you wanted to. I would need to provide good evidence upon which my opinion was based to show that it was a justifiable, reasonable opinion and not just a malicious comment thrown out to discredit you in the public eye. In this example I would provide your post above and consequently would be found not to have defamed you.

      Yes, it happened in 2012 and yes, it’s getting close to 2015 now. What’s that got to do with anything? Oh, hang on, I get it. You’re suggesting that because it happened in 2012 and it’s getting close to 2015 now, that it should just be all forgiven, forgotten, swept under the rug because it’s a really long time since it happened?

      Hmmm, to some people, a defamation against their character, in a public arena, can be a hugely damaging thing. It can have massive negative impacts on their careers, businesses, personal lives and pretty much every other area of their lives you can think of. If it was me I’d fight it until my name was cleared and the defamer made to publicly retract and provide me with compensation for their lies.

      Unless it happened ages ago, in which case I’d just accept that the defamer was right in their comments about me, it was all just a storm in a teacup really anyway and try to move on with my life, or what’s left of it now I’ve allowed the malicious lies that were said about me to be accepted as truth in the public domain.

      Fuckwit.

    • lprent 9.2

      The plaintiff just has to show that the statements are defamatory. That essentially is a test on damage. Slater has already conceded that many of the statements were defamatory in earlier status hearings.

      The onus is on the defense. He has to rely on one of several defences like truth, honest opinion, and possibly several others. I suspect a lot of those get a whole lot less easy after he winds up revealing his sources.

    • AsleepWhileWalking 9.3

      It will be interesting to see what he does. If he received payment which he probably did one of the terms of contract could be confidentiality.

      “I have not really followed the case but it all seems like a storm in a teacup…something that happened in 2012????

      We are getting close to 2015 now…..”

      I don’t think it is fair of you to expect Blomfield (or anyone) to act like Jesus and graciously turn away from what appears to have been an orchestrated and damaging attack by a group of highly vindictive individuals. We aren’t just talking about a single blog post either, it just went on and on.

      The case against Slater is valid and absolutely necessary regardless of how long it takes.

      Edit – just read comment by Mike S. Nicely put.

  10. Jrobin 10

    This is good timing. What implications does this ruling have for ths blog and others though? In terms of breaking news that the MSM won’t touch. It would be dreadful if this ruling stopped posts such as Frank’s one on Dirty Politics Part 2 onDaily Blog for instance. Given that Armstrong, Hoskings and Sabin publish fiction every week it might mean that mainstream journalists are challenged to raise their standards up to those on reputable blogs. Political control of journalists is huge issue for this Election and beyond. What is happening at Maori TV also raises thorny questions about freedom of expression. Perhaps the job description of “journalist” needs legal clarification with ethical standards expected from the writer and protection from political bullying and manipulation written into a formal part of our Constitution. It is obviously not working at present as the actions of so called journalists attest to in the Liu smear campaign.

    • lprent 10.1

      As you can imagine being at the sharp end of any defamation actions against this site, I am pretty well aware of all of the implications. Not only for my posts, but for the posts of other authors and even the comments.

      Our policies are there to minimize the risks while still leaving scope for robust debate. You’ll notice that saying something that asserts a fact (rather than an opinion) without a clear known basis tends to draw a harsh response. Unsubtlety is my watchword with those. I usually make most of my comments a reflection back on the perpetrator using their same techniques. (Which incidentally is why this post is framed the way it is. The style is of a moderate Slater)

      It does mean that I wind up reading a lot of comments ~1800 since 7pm Thursday. But I hit comments that are potentially defamatory quite rarely these days.

      We have had about 10 complaints about defamation over the 7 years we have been running. About half have been handled immediately because they were – they we simply missed.

      The most recent was someone asserting that Ian Wishart plagiarized his material which was something that was clearly untruthful. The perpetrator got banned and now leaves mournful comments in spam.

      The one prior was a candidate for a local body councillor who said something that was fudging the truth. I independently examined the evidence of the author and concluded that the author was correct. So sent back a email explaining why we weren’t going to do anything about it and an assessment of their chances in an action.

  11. Jrobin 11

    Thanks for that lprent. Already noticed you are strict as a moderator. I guess the actions of journalists in being biased are their choice, they are not forced to be. Hopefully this ruling adds status, not added controls, to blogs that are not defamatory.

    • karol 11.1

      I guess the actions of journalists in being biased are their choice, they are not forced to be.

      Except that Dirty Politics shows that Slater attempted to blackmail/threaten some journalists with personal smears if they didn’t run the kinds of stories he approved of.

  12. left for dead 12

    good stuff iprent,better send you a truckload.

  13. adam 13

    Wow, all I can say is Wow. What a great decision. Thanks Iprent for the write up – I’d looked at the herald last night and went to bed happy. Reading your blog has doubled that. I think an unraveling is coming, not only of Slatter, but all were associated with him. It will be slow, and it will be torturous for Slatters victims. That said, good on Mr Blomfield for standing up against this bully, and his cohort of anti-business bully boys.

  14. Travis 14

    Would IRD be looking at this also? Presumably if he has been paid for all these posts by the interest groups this will be reflected in his tax return? Also those doing the paying have to account for it somewhere? A paper trail must exist……bring on the IRD…..they can have their go next….after blomfield…and the SFO enquiry…..and all those others lining up. I have never wished misfortune on another in my life, and I feel a little dirty for thinking this, but as Mikey Hoskings would say “happy days!”

  15. Sable 15

    A good sound decision from our judiciary “just for once”….

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    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
    3 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
    5 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
    19 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
    23 hours 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
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
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  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
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  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
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