Return of the Hollow Men

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:16 am, September 26th, 2013 - 48 comments
Categories: accountability, brand key, david cunliffe, don brash, election 2014, Ethics, john key, Judith Collins, news, same old national, slippery, spin - Tags: matthew hooton

John Key and his handlers have tried so hard to distance himself from the underhand dirty tricks employed by National Party people to undermine opposition parties. They were used relentlessly to undermine Helen Clark, but, once in power and having achieved dominance in the popularity polls, the government has focused more on it’s positive public image. Now that Cunliffe’s Labour is in the ascendance, and a Labour-Green government is a real possibility next year, once more we are seeing the NAct and/supporters pull out their bag of dirty tricks.

The kinds of strategies used, with significant input from expensive political advisers like those at Crosby Textor, are exposed exposed in Nicky Hagar’s book The Hollow Men (2006).

In his review of the book, Wayne Hope, associate professor in communication studies at Auckland University of Technology, said this:

Hager’s general thesis can be outlined as follows: With the replacement of Bill English by Don Brash, National became an anti-democratic political party which set out to deceive the voting public. Wealthy corporate elites associated with the Business Round Table, the far right ACT party, the Centre for Independent Studies and various public relations ﬁrms supported Brash’s seizure of power and anonymously donated substantial sums to National’s campaign war chest. They wanted a new government with the power to institute market driven policies in the areas of labour relations, state owned enterprises, education, transport, accident compensation and local body government tax cut package.

Throughout 2004 and 2005, Brash’s strategists (Murray McCully, Gerry Brownlee, Steven Joyce, Richard Long, Matthew Hooton, Peter Keenan and Bryan Sinclair) employed market research companies, advertising specialists, public relations ﬁrms, media managers and television trainers to sell the National brand.

My bold: Scarily, while John Key was not centrally implicated in the underhand tactics of the Hollow Men, the pro-corporate, anti-democratic, market-driven policies favoured by the Hollow Men’s backers have steadily been brought in by Key’s government.

Now we have a new smear campaign launched against Cunliffe, lead pretty clumsily by Hollowman Matthew Hooton, with Judith Collins joining forces with a dodgy right wing blogger to cheer-lead Hooton’s efforts. Collins has previously been implicated with Brash’s Hollow Men, as indicated in Danyl Mclauchlan’s post about the book, and in a Fran O’Sullivan article of 2009, about Brash’s attempts to get the police to pursue enquiries into how Hagar got access to his emails:

Collins was Brash’s close political chum during the dying days of his leadership when it seemed as if he might just survive.

For an outsider like myself, it’s hard to know who is involved in the latest dirty tactics in which Hooton has been involved. But there are some intriguing connections on the public record.

In the Hollow Men, Hagar pointed to Crosby Textor as being the main overseas consultants used by Brash, and later it became known that John Key was also using this company for strategic advice. Wayne Hope again:

… Hager details compellingly how the Australian based market researchers Lynton Crosby and Mark Textor translated the insecurities of uncommitted voters into loaded messages; politically correct Labour—mainstream National.

In a 2008 blog post, Hagar identifies Mark Textor as being John Key’s main CT adviser. Curiously, this post is also pretty damning about Hollow Man Matthew Hooton:

Anyone who wonders what to make of Matthew Hooton’s public contributions to New Zealand politics really should read what he writes in private. His advice is sometimes clever, but it is also cynical. It is very revealing.

[…]

For this sort of PR person, the answer when faced with a crisis is to attack the messenger, deny everything and claim that they themselves are the victims in the affair. Like an octopus squirting ink into the water, the hope is that these diversions will allow them to escape unscathed. In this world of spin, words, arguments and personal attacks are all just means to an end, tools to advance their and their clients’ objectives.

A Stuff, Fairfax news article of 2008, also outlines some of the strategies of Crosby Textor (and there are probably more that we have yet to see in the lead up to NZ’s 2014 elections). It claims Key has continued to use the same adviser as Brash, Mark Textor., but that it has been kept secret from the public. The reason for secrecy is that, if their tactics and manipulations become widely known, they will be less effective.

It also shows how the NAct parties aim to benefit from having access to wealthier backers than is the case for more left leaning parties.

Specialised Crosby/Textor researchers visit New Zealand to conduct the research (costing about $10,000 per visit) and Textor flies to New Zealand, as required, to provide “high-level strategic advice” to Key and his staff on what Key should be saying and doing in public (also about $10,000 per visit). He also advises by phone and email. Key’s parliamentary staff saw Textor visiting his office around April 27, 2007, for instance, and it has all continued up to the present, including a visit in recent weeks.

The article points to ways that Crosby-Textors’ dirty, “and ruthless attack politics” tactics, “using subtle appeals to fear and prejudice” have been controversial in Australia. This includes push polling, and the kind of tactics used when working for the UK Conservative Party and for the London mayoral campaigns of Boris Johnson.

Awareness of the kinds of strategies used by Crosby-Textor will be helpful in countering Nact’s dirty tricks in the run up to next year’s NZ election. The 2008, Stuff article point to 3 main ones used in Boris Johnson’s campaigns.

First, Crosby and Textor realised there was a high risk of Johnson tripping up and making mistakes compared with his experienced opponent. Their answer was to tightly control and script all Johnson’s public appearances

[..]

The second strand of the London mayoralty strategy was relentlessly attacking Livingstone’s reputation. He had introduced some innovative and popular policies, so they concentrated on personal attacks.

[…]

The third strand was “issue management”. They found Livingstone had support on environment, social services and other issues. So instead they ran a narrowly focussed campaign on the rising cost of living and public safety even where these were the result of forces beyond Livingstone’s control.

The indications are that John Key will be getting advice from Mark Textor in the run up to the 2014 elections. Intriguing that Key was cosily photo oped with Textor’s high profile client in his recent visit to England.

Knowledge is power.

48 comments on “Return of the Hollow Men ”

Comments are now closed

Tracey 1

26 September 2013 at 10:52 am

Crosby’s connected to… Cameron, Abbott, Key.

I do wonder why political strategeists were at a function for Key to meet British MPs.

The Nats have more money (together with ACT) to polish up their poo. It’s hard to see through the shine.
- Tiger Mountain 1.1
  
  26 September 2013 at 11:57 am
  
  And the Exclusive Brethren connection too, lest we forget, an organisation that eschews voting for adherents but ponied up significant funds during Brashes time and were outed, and the 2007 Australian elections too attempting to secretly fund John Howards re-election campaign.
Bill 2

26 September 2013 at 11:27 am

Nice piece (again) Karol. On a positive note, if the idea is to carbon copy the strategy employed in Boris Johnson’s campaign, then there is deep shit rising up around the neck of the right.

True, they can tightly script and manage. But then, that should be expected to some degree or other for any politician depending on the caliber of the person behind the political facade.

On the second point, since Cunliffe hasn’t been in any position to have policies sniped at, then that only leaves them ‘reputation’. And vitriol at spelling mistake level inconsistencies in a CV just ain’t gonna go very far.

And the third point of small issue focus – that they have used previously – just doesn’t appear to be an option since it it they who are in power and when they have created are so many big issues they can be buried under.

There’s also the potential for scrutiny and successful counter argument being quick off the blocks as illustrated by commenters and authors on ‘the standard’ delivering Hooten his bloody nose 😉
- just saying 2.1
  
  26 September 2013 at 11:45 am
  
  There’s also the potential for scrutiny and successful counter argument being quick off the blocks as illustrated by commenters and authors on ‘the standard’ delivering Hooten his bloody nose 😉
  
  Ah people power. Warms the cockles of my heart.
  
  Great work everyone:-)
blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 3

26 September 2013 at 12:04 pm

Excellent article Karol.

The photo – op with Boris Johnson can be viewed as product placement.

This is a technique that works on an subconscious level, giving viewers little option of free choice.

This article lists some of the effects of product placement: [click link for full list]

Key findings from this research show that Product Placement:

~Can dramatically shift TV viewers perception of a brand
~Implicitly forges brand association with TV content on a subconscious level, unlike more explicit forms of advertising
~Normalises brands through association with trusted TV content
~Produces a halo effect with brands associated with popular TV shows
~Can significantly increase consumer purchase intent and behaviour in terms of brand knowledge, likeability, talkability and advocacy in viewers exposed to the placement

And this article concludes

“Embedded marketing today is no longer an innovation – it has already proven to be arguably the most powerful marketing tool existing today that is not only practically 100% efficient, but also often works as a hidden, espionage tool of which the consumers become victims. When properly launched, such product placement campaigns are even hard to prove to be real, since any association and word-game usually tend to be considered critically subjective. No law and no act can prohibit embedded marketing since it is so difficult to identify and even harder to prove. This, and the fact that embedded marketing mainly affects the consumers’ brains on the subconscious level, makes it both an unethical and extremely dangerous marketing tool.”
- Rodel 3.1
  
  28 September 2013 at 10:34 am
  
  I’m waiting to see photo ops of the PM with the Emirates Team New Zealand crew.
  Somehow I don’t think it will happen.
marsman 4

26 September 2013 at 12:08 pm

Great work once again Karol! As you say ‘knowledge is power’. I’ll share your Post on Facebook.
Athena 5

26 September 2013 at 12:57 pm

The exclusive brethren are about to get 9 million to integrate their schools, is someone trying to sweeten them up again?
- Delia 5.1
  
  26 September 2013 at 1:38 pm
  
  Exclusive about other New Zealanders, except when it comes to tax payer dollars which are not exclusive. They should fund themselves, anti social outfit, that claims only they are the special ones.
  - mike e 5.1.1
    
    26 September 2013 at 10:46 pm
    
    exclusive bretheren have high alcoholism and pedophelia rate more than double the general population rates.
    They are also connected to extreme far right birther gun lobby and neo nazi’s etc etc !
- Jenny Kirk 5.2
  
  26 September 2013 at 6:52 pm
  
  Where is this information, please, Athena – that Exclusive Breth are to get $9m for their schools ?
  - karol 5.2.1
    
    26 September 2013 at 7:05 pm
    
    It referred to here in this post by bsprout, which links to this RNZ article last updated this morning:
    
    A private school run by the Brethren religious group has become the largest to apply to join the state sector as an integrated school.
    
    Westmount School has 1600 students scattered across 24 sites from Northland to Southland. The Education Ministry says it is preparing a report on the application for the Education Minister.
    
    The Westmount Education Trust says integration has worked well for Catholic, Jewish and Islamic schools and would be good for Westmount School.
    
    It says it would give the school greater opportunities to share its teaching methods and allow its students to benefit from increased resources.
    
    However, the Post Primary Teachers Association and the Educational Institute oppose the application.
    
    They say government funding for the school will leap from $2.3 million a year to more than $9 million, and that money would be better spent elsewhere.
    
    More at the links.
    - Daveosaurus 5.2.1.1
      
      26 September 2013 at 7:52 pm
      
      There’s nothing in the RNZ article stating that it’s the Exclusive Brethren, though. The EBs are a (batshit insane) splinter group of the Plymouth Brethren movement, the same way that the Phelpsites are a (batshit insane) splinter group of the Baptists.
      - Pascal's bookie 5.2.1.1.1
        
        26 September 2013 at 8:04 pm
        
        http://www.westmount.school.nz/about/our-beliefs
        
        which directs you to here
        
        http://www.plymouthbrethrenchristianchurch.org/
        
        which says:
        
        In some countries we have been known as Exclusive Brethren, Plymouth Brethren IV or simply just Brethren.
        
        Open Brethren usually identify themselves as such, in my experience of them.
        
        Murray Olsen 5.2.1.1.1.1
        
        26 September 2013 at 8:58 pm
        
        My father was Open Brethren and as far as I know, they had no private schools. Unless something has changed, this lot are Exclusive.
      - karol 5.2.1.1.2
        
        26 September 2013 at 8:11 pm
        
        Good point. The school mentioned is Westmount., which calls itself Plymouth Brethren.
        
        But I see that this can also be the same church that is called Exclusive Brethren.
        
        Plymouth Brethren website.
        
        In some countries we have been known as Exclusive Brethren, Plymouth Brethren IV or simply just Brethren.
        
        So Plymouth’s split into exclusive and open Brethren in the 19th century.
        
        But Exclusives often just call themselves Brethren.
        
        Hard to differentiate.
        
        But this 2008 article identifies Westmount schools as being Exclusive Brethren.
        
        And this 2009 article.
        
        mike e 5.2.1.1.2.1
        
        26 September 2013 at 10:54 pm
        
        Bruce Hales from Tasmania is their leader he has had close ties to little johnny Howard, they were caught out illegally wiring laundered money to Australia $85 million US to undermine the left and promote the right, I haven,t seen if they have been prosecuted yet!
        Thats probably where the $500,000 donation came from illegal extreme far right fundamentalists
    - Rogue Trooper 5.2.1.2
      
      26 September 2013 at 8:00 pm
      
      always remember the emphasis I place upon Religion in the coming eschatology karol; of no faith some may be, but hey, let’s have some critical realism for His sake. 😉
Rogue Trooper 6

26 September 2013 at 1:18 pm

“The Great Way is quite even,
yet people prefer byways.
When courts are extremely fastidious
the fields are seriously neglected
and the granaries are very empty.
They wear colourful clothing
and carry sharp swords,
eat and drink to their fill
and possess more than enough.
This is called the vanity of thieves.”
gobsmacked 7

26 September 2013 at 1:29 pm

On his recent trip to the UK (when he was supposed to be working for us, the NZ public, not the National party) John Key attended a caucus retreat for British Conservative MPs, in rural Oxfordshire.

The guest speaker was one Lynton Crosby.

The NZ media have largely ignored this, although it was reported in Britain.
- karol 7.1
  
  26 September 2013 at 1:42 pm
  
  Useful information, gs.
  - gobsmacked 7.1.1
    
    26 September 2013 at 2:01 pm
    
    Google “Chipping Norton” along with “John Key” or similar.
    
    Plenty of info, e.g.
    
    http://blogs.ft.com/westminster/2013/09/lynton-crosby-lectures-tory-mps-on-immigration-at-secret-hotel-event/
    - blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 7.1.1.1
      
      26 September 2013 at 3:37 pm
      
      @ gobsmacked,
      
      That makes me really furious. Just imagine the frothing and spewing forth that would occur in the media if it were a gathering for left wing politicians!
      
      And all they are really doing is grouping together to work out how best to fool people into voting against their best interests.
- Dumrse 7.2
  
  26 September 2013 at 8:26 pm
  
  Big deal. Was he supposed to be working for you 24/7 with no time to himself ???????
wyndham 8

26 September 2013 at 1:31 pm

Nobody has yet mentioned the evil machinations of one Simon Lusk ! My understanding is that he still moves about in the shadowy world of NAct propaganda.

Great article karol. TS is indeed fortunate to have your expertise in ferreting out some great exposes of NAct.
- karol 8.1
  
  26 September 2013 at 1:42 pm
  
  Yes, I came across mention of Lusk in my research for this post. It’ll keep. The post is long enough.
red blooded 9

26 September 2013 at 3:20 pm

If Exclusive Bretheren folk want to exclude their kids from a balanced, open education; exclude aspects of the NZ curriculum they don’t like (bye bye Darwin);exclude girls from freedom of choice and equality within their church and their relationships and exclude people whose sexuality they don’t approve of then they can damn well exclude themselves from the receipt of public funding. My tax dollars should be going to State schools (and while the EB might be an extreme example, I don’t actually believe that state funds should go to any religious school – teaching religious belief as revealed fact does kids a disservice).
- Chooky 9.1
  
  26 September 2013 at 4:32 pm
  
  The New Zealand education system was set up as on the principles of a high quality, egalitarian, secular state run education, with equality of opportunity for all children
  ( see: Colin McGeorge, “Schools and socialisation in New Zealand 1890-1914′
  
  ….it has been eroded in recent years and State Schools have been run down, class sizes increased, and school fees expected
  
  …. private and charter schools should NOT be receiving any New Zealanders’ tax dollars.
  
  …..if special interest groups want to indoctrinate their kids into religious beliefs (and often sexist, homophobic, racist , anti – science and anti equality of opportunity for girls…values ) as in religious, special character or charter schools …..they should pay for them themselves ….and preferably after normal school hours.
  
  ….any special privileges/finance/buildings /small class sizes/special tuition must go to the Public State Schools first….
  
  I also strongly object to propping up the Exclusive Brethren…especially as they are already fat from lack of taxation for their businesses and they denied a friend of mine a university education because she was an Exclusive Brethren girl….She would have loved to have studied science.
  - Rogue Trooper 9.1.1
    
    26 September 2013 at 7:19 pm
    
    nooooooooooo, not science. 😉
    - Chooky 9.1.1.1
      
      26 September 2013 at 7:49 pm
      
      @RT…she was very good at biology and chemistry in the large state secondary school I attended ….but she was not allowed to eat ( with us sinners) …let alone go to university. I guess she was destined for Exclusive Brethren motherhood….
      - Rogue Trooper 9.1.1.1.1
        
        26 September 2013 at 7:56 pm
        
        I understand sects Very well Chooky; studied with at least four in the last eight years. Christ wept.
Skinny 10

26 September 2013 at 7:09 pm

What Labour doesn’t need is the loss of support through a private members Bill intended to lower the drink limit in half. It will have a backlash effect on Labour. It will be a huge resentful turn off to hundreds of thousands of responsible drinkers who enjoy a few drinks at pubs & clubs around the Country. I’ve had a number of mates that say if Labour get this Bill approved they will not get their vote. Campaigning for Labour will be tougher having to defend this Bill should it pass.
- McFlock 10.1
  
  26 September 2013 at 7:11 pm
  
  Nah.
  If you’re going to drive, don’t drink.
- karol 10.2
  
  26 September 2013 at 7:16 pm
  
  Amazing to see what some people’s priorities are. Being a danger on the roads? Wanting life easier no matter the risks to others? Voting out a government that is damaging lives and the country’s future?
  - Skinny 10.2.1
    
    26 September 2013 at 8:49 pm
    
    The point is if Labour want to win in 2014 trying to push this bill will only succeed in allowing Key to trot out a line something like “responsible Kiwis in general behave sensibly drinking and we are not going to punish them with ‘nanny state’ laws, this is what your voting for if you vote Labour.”
    Hmm a fair few of those 800,000 previous non voters are hardly going to be infused with a Bill like this, a vote attracting policy I think not.
    - McFlock 10.2.1.1
      
      26 September 2013 at 10:01 pm
      
      I dunno.
      
      Just point to the latest case of rural kids being killed in a single-vehicle-involved alcohol+speed crash on an empty road. There’s not too much gap between events.
      
      Hence the ads.
    - QoT 10.2.1.2
      
      26 September 2013 at 10:30 pm
      
      And then Labour respond “Well it was good enough for John Key when his government banned talking on your cellphone while driving.”
- Rogue Trooper 10.3
  
  26 September 2013 at 7:25 pm
  
  Mate, I was a mechanic for a Southland rural trucking company (towards the end of a 23-year career working with machinery and it’s operators). The amount of intoxicated driving and subsequent domestic unrest that arises from your anecdotal reality is beyond a couple of pale ales. Time for a change! F#ck The Piss! The level of booze consumption in NZ is one of a number of structural realities holding the nation back.
  - RedLogix 10.3.1
    
    26 September 2013 at 8:18 pm
    
    According to Berl it’s around $4b pa.
    
    And that’s probably a low-ball.
    
    And before you try and measure alcohols monstrous legacy of sheer misery and heartache. Yeah I know it’s the ‘drug that makes capitalism bearable’ … but fuck it. Time we grew out of it.
    - Rogue Trooper 10.3.1.1
      
      26 September 2013 at 8:21 pm
      
      Great to see you round these parts. (moderation :-D, along with those other tWo taoist gems).
  - vto 10.3.2
    
    26 September 2013 at 8:21 pm
    
    .
    aint that a roguelement
    
    as a southland elefant
    
    dances holdbacks
    - Rogue Trooper 10.3.2.1
      
      26 September 2013 at 8:29 pm
      
      trying to get a dvd to play on the CD player.sigh Transsiberian , looks good (Ben Kingsly) if I can get it to play. (new DVD player next week). 🙂
      - vto 10.3.2.1.1
        
        26 September 2013 at 8:41 pm
        
        .
        north to south
        
        gold to gold
        
        Rogue Trooper 10.3.2.1.1.1
        
        26 September 2013 at 8:58 pm
        
        Oh well, thank the Lord for good music, friends, the aroma of an evening meal and a good book or two. Been improving the soil and placing some perennials along with summer flowers.
        
        vto …
        
        26 September 2013 at 9:00 pm
        
        and a new round of kauri sprout
        
        Rogue Trooper …
        
        26 September 2013 at 9:05 pm
        
        ae
irascible 11

27 September 2013 at 7:11 pm

http://theirasciblecurmudgeon.blogspot.co.nz/2013/07/the-links-between-key-cameron-and.html
- blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 11.1
  
  27 September 2013 at 7:18 pm
  
  Great article, thanks Irascible

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or the past 14 years, ever since the Spanish government cheated on an autonomy deal, Catalonia has reliably given pro-independence parties a majority of seats in their regional parliament. But now that seems to be over. Catalans went to the polls yesterday, and stripped the Catalan parties of their majority. ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
2 days ago

Having an enrolment date is not depriving anyone of a vote
David Farrar writes – Radio NZ report: Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins said the Electoral Commission should make sure the system ran smoothly and “taking away the right of thousands of people to vote” was not the answer. “Thousands of people enroled and voted on the day. If ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
2 days ago

Perhaps house prices don’t always go up
Don Brash writes – There was a rather revealing headline in the Herald on Sunday today (12 May). It read “One in 8 Auckland homes on market were bought during boom, may now sell for loss”. The first line of text noted that “New data shows one in ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
2 days ago

Can’t read, can’t write, can’t comprehend – and won’t think…?
Mike Grimshaw writes – At a time when universities are understandably nervous regarding the establishment of the University Advisory Group (UAG) and the Science System Advisory Group (SSAG) it may seem strange – or even fool-hardy – to state that there are long-standing issues in the tertiary sector ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
2 days ago

Time for some perspective
Lindsay Mitchell writes – A lack of perspective can make something quite large or important seem small or irrelevant. Against a backdrop of high-profile, negative statistics it is easy to overlook the positive. For instance, the fact that 64 percent of Maori are employed is rarely reported. For ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
2 days ago

Will NZ Herald’s ‘poor journalism’ cost lives?
Earlier this year, the Herald ran a series of articles amounting to a sustained campaign against raised pedestrian crossings, by reporter Bernard Orsman. A key part of that campaign concerned the raised crossings being installed as part of the Pt Chevalier to Westmere project, with at least 10 articles over ...
Greater AucklandBy Matt L
2 days ago

The Kaka’s diary for the week to May 19 and beyond
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 19 include:PM Christopher Luxon is expected to hold his weekly post-cabinet news conference at 4:00pm on Monday.Parliament is not sitting this week. It resumes next week for a two-week sitting session up to and ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
2 days ago

Webworm Popup Photos!
Hi,Thanks to all the beautiful Worms who came to the LA Webworm popup on Saturday.It was a way to celebrate the online store we launched last week — and it was super special.As I talk about a lot, I really value our community here — and it was a BLAST ...
David FarrierBy David Farrier
2 days ago

2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #19
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, May 5, 2024 thru Sat, May 11, 2024. (Unfortunate) Story of the week "Grief that stops at despair is an ending that I and many others, most notably ...
Skeptical Science
3 days ago

The Gods Must Be Woke.
Last night the largest solar storm in decades resulted in Aurorae being seen across Aotearoa, causing many to ask why?Why was the sky pink? What was all this stuff about the power grid? Have we, as so many have wondered since the election, reached the end of days?I had a ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
3 days ago

More road
We have been on the road in England, squeezing down narrow lanes, flying up the M6, loving hedgerows and villages and cathedrals, liking the 21st century less.There have been moments when it’s felt like a movie trope. The pub in Exford, lovely seventeenth century bar, almost more dogs than people, ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
3 days ago

Seeing the Aurora Australis
There’s a solar-storm on at the moment, and since the South Island is having a day and night with clear skies, that means Aurorae. I have just got back from a midnight visit to Tunnel Beach – southwards-looking over the Sea, and without the light pollution. Quite a few others ...
A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
3 days ago

Welcome to the current welfare mess
Michael Bassett writes – I’m not sure that it’s much comfort to anyone to know that the post-Covid surge in violent crimes, gang activity, ram raids, random shootings, thuggery and stabbings is occurring in other countries as well as New Zealand. These days, wagging school, out-of-control welfare and ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
4 days ago

A shovel-ready autopsy
Oliver Hartwich writes – Cast your mind back to mid-December. A new Prime Minister had just been sworn in, the new Government started its 100-day programme, and Christmas was only days away.Amid all the haste, a report landed that would have deserved our attention.I am talking about the ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
4 days ago

Why we almost blacked out and how to fix it
TL;DR: An unseasonally early icy blast at the same time as some long-overdue maintenance almost caused Aotearoa-NZ’s electricity system to black out this week. That’s because a quadropoly of gentailers1 have prioritised paying dividends from their rising profits and adding debt over investing in 1.5 GigaWatts of new wind farms ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
4 days ago

What Is Instagram Trying To Sell Us?
Hi,Before we crack into today’s Webworm, I wanted to acknowledge the fact that Israel is pushing into Rafah. Over 100,000 Palestinians are now attempting to flee the one place that was deemed “safe”.Trouble is, the place they’re fleeing to is already destroyed. Total annihilation is the end goal here.“Israel is ...
David FarrierBy David Farrier
4 days ago

Precious Little Excitement: Warner Brothers, Peter Jackson, and Gollum
Back in February 2023, I made the cardinal mistake of getting my hopes up. Warner Brothers declared that fresh Middle-earth movies were in the works: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2023/02/24/it-never-rains-but-it-pours-warner-brothers-and-impending-tolkien-adaptations/ My assumption, based on which rights were available, and what had already been done, was that this was a stab at either the Angmar ...
A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
5 days ago

Do We Need a Population Census?
‘It has been said that figures rule the world. Maybe. I am quite sure that it is figures which show us whether it is being ruled well or badly.’ GoetheI was struck at a recent conference on equity for the elderly, how many presenters implicitly relied upon Statistics New Zealand. ...
PunditBy Brian Easton
5 days ago

No, the govt will not be cutting back on every budget – and the Defence vote is among those to be ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reporting on defence spending late last year, RNZ said the coalition government will have to make some tough calls this term to help the force address staff shortages and ageing infrastructure. “These are huge, huge amounts of government spending. It’s a significant proportion of the government’s ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
5 days ago

The Treasury and productivity
Late last week The Treasury released a new 40 page report on “The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections” (productivity forecasts and projections that is, rather than any possible fiscal implications – the latter will, I guess, be articulated in the Budget documents). In short, if (as it has) ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
5 days ago

The Controller and Auditor-General’s role
Peter Dunne writes – I am always wary when I hear that the Controller and Auditor-General has commented on or made recommendations to the government about an issue of public policy that does not relate strictly to public expenditure. According to the legislation, the role of the Controller ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
5 days ago

More harm than good
How Labour’s and National’s failure to move beyond neoliberalism has brought NZ to the brink of economic and cultural chaos Chris Trotter writes – TO START LOSING, so soon after you won, requires a special kind of political incompetence. At the heart of this Coalition ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
5 days ago

Real reason Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Chhour
And why did the Crown not challenge the Tribunal’s jurisdiction? Gary Judd writes – Retired District Court Judge, David Harvey, has posted on his A Halflings View Substack an excellent summary of Justice Isacs’ judgment declining to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
5 days ago

Losing confidence in the integrity of NZ elections
Bryce Edwards writes – Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result?As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
5 days ago

Macklemore's Pro-Palestinian Protest.
Macklemore isn’t someone I’d usually think about. Sure I liked his big hit from a few years back, everybody did it was catchy and cool with some memorable lines. But if I was going to think of artists who might speak out on political matters or world events, he wouldn’t ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
5 days ago

Gordon Campbell on miserly school lunches, and the banning of TikTok’s Gaza coverage
Another week goes by in the Luxon government’s efforts to roll back the past 70 years of social progress. The school lunches programme is to be downgraded by $107 million, and women need bother their heads no longer about pay equity, let alone expect ACC to provide adequate sexual violence ...
Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
5 days ago

Weekly Roundup 10-May-2024
Brrr, the first cold snap of the year. Hope you’re rugged up nice and warm. Here are some stories that caught our eye this week… This Week on Greater Auckland On Monday, we had a post from a new contributor, Connor Sharp, who dug into the public feedback ...
Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
5 days ago

The Hoon around the week to May 10
Almost all of the Wellington City Council’s recommended zoning changes to allow many more apartments and townhouses in its inner-suburbs have been approved.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guest on geopolitics, ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
5 days ago

Skeptical Science New Research for Week #19 2024
Open access notables A Global Increase in Nearshore Tropical Cyclone Intensification, Balaguru et al., Earth's Future: Tropical Cyclones (TCs) inflict substantial coastal damages, making it pertinent to understand changing storm characteristics in the important nearshore region. Past work examined several aspects of TCs relevant for impacts in coastal regions. However, ...
Skeptical Science
5 days ago

Bryce Edwards: Losing confidence in the integrity of NZ elections
Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result? As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and always answered “yes”, with very few ...
Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
5 days ago

The Song of Saqua: Volume VIII
Thus far May has followed on from a quiet April in the blogging department, but in fairness, it has been another case of doing what I am supposed to be doing, namely writing original fiction. Plus reading. So don’t worry – I have been productive. But in order to reassure ...
A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
6 days ago

Pretending to talk other people’s languages
Fakes can come in many forms.A Rolex, for instance.A tan can be fake. Read more ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
6 days ago

What’s new? A social agency with an emphasis on “investment” instead of “wellbeing” – b...
Buzz from the Beehive A new government agency will open for business on July 1 – the Social Investment Agency. As a new standalone central agency effective from 1 July, it will lead the development of social investment across Government, helping ministers understand who they need to invest in, what ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
6 days ago

Following the political money
Bryce Edwards writes – “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
6 days ago

Hipkins would rather no one remember that he was Minister of Education
Alwyn Poole writes – After being elected to Parliament in 2008 the maiden speech of Hipkins was substantially around education policy. He was Labour’s spokesperson for education 2011 – 2017. He was Minister for Education from 2017 until February 2023. This is approximately 88% of the time Labour ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
6 days ago

Fashionable follies
Eric Crampton writes – A fashion industry group is lobbying for protections. They make the usual arguments and a newer one. None of it makes sense. An industry group says it pumped $7.8 billion into the economy last year – that’s 1.9 percent of New Zealand’s GDP. ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
6 days ago

Justice for Bainimarama!
In December 2006, Fiji's military leader Voreqe Bainimarama overthrew the elected government in a coup. He ruled Fiji for the next 16 years, first as dictator, then as "elected" Prime Minister. But now, he's finally been sent to jail where he belongs. Sadly, this isn't for his real crime of ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
6 days ago

March for Nature in June
Don't like National's corrupt Muldoonist "fast-track" law? Aotearoa's environmental NGO's - Greenpeace, Forest & Bird, WWF, Coromandel Watchdog, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, and others - have announced a joint march against it in Auckland in June: When: 13:00, 8 June, 2024 Where: Aotea Square, Auckland You ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
6 days ago

Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Thursday May 9
Seymour describes sushi as too woke for school meals. There are no fish sushi meals recommended by the School Lunches programme. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Government will swap out hot meals for packaged sandwiches to save $107 million on school lunches for poor kids. MSD has pulled ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
6 days ago

The non-woke $3 Lunch.
I don't mind stealin' bread from the mouths of decadenceBut I can't feed on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled, yeahBut it's on the table, the fire's cookin'And they're farmin' babies, while slaves are workin'The blood is on the table and the mouths are chokin'But I'm goin' hungry, yeahSome ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
6 days ago

Labour’s chickens come home to roost
The Ardern Government’s chickens came home to roost yesterday with the news that the country is short of natural gas. In 2018, Labour banned offshore petroleum exploration, and industry executives say that the attendant loss of confidence by the industry impacted overall investment in onshore gas fields. Energy Resources Minister ...
PolitikBy Richard Harman
6 days ago

Calvin Reviews Lord of The Rings
Hi,If you’ve been digging through the newly launched Webworm store (orders are being dispatched worldwide as I type!) you’ll have noticed the best model we had was Calvin.This is Calvin.Calvin.Calvin is 7, and is the son of my producer over on Flightless Bird, Rob — aka “Wobby Wob”. Rob also ...
David FarrierBy David Farrier
6 days ago

Climate Adam: How to visualise Climate Change (ft. Katharine Hayhoe)
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Climate change is everywhere. And when something's everywhere it can feel like it's nowhere. So how do we get our heads ...
Skeptical Science
6 days ago

The wrong direction
Some good news on climate change today: the energy transition away from fossil fuels is picking up speed, and renewables now make up 30% of global electricity supply. Meanwhile, in Aotearoa, we're moving in the opposite direction, with Genesis Energy announcing that it will resume importing Indonesian coal. Their official ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
7 days ago

National hates democracy
Its a law like gravity: whenever a right-wing government is elected, they start attacking democracy. And now, after talking to their Republican and Tory and Fidesz chums at the International Democracy Union forum in Wellington, National is doing it here, announcing plans to remove election-day enrolment. Or, to put it ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
7 days ago

No Tikanga Please, We're Lawyers.
Yesterday Winston Peters focussed his attention on the important matter at hand. Tweeting. Like the former, and quite possibly next, orange POTUS, from whom he takes much of his political strategy, Winston is an avid X’er.His message didn’t resemble an historic address this time. In fact it was more reminiscent ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
7 days ago

Member’s Day
Today is a Member's Day, and it seems we've entered the slowdown as things emerge from select committee. First up is the committee stage of Greg O'Connor's Child Protection (Child Sex Offender Government Agency Registration) (Overseas Travel Reporting) Amendment Bill, which will be followed by the second readings of Stuart ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
7 days ago

Hurrah for coal – Shane Jones welcomes Genesis Energy’s import plans as natural gas production s...
Buzz from the Beehive A significant decline in natural gas production has given Resources Minister Shane Jones an opportunity to reiterate his enthusiasm for the mining and burning of coal. For good measure, he has praised an announcement from Genesis Energy that it will resume importing coal. He and Energy ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
7 days ago

Bryce Edwards: Following the political money
“Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The political parties are legally obliged to make ...
Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
7 days ago

A Left-Right ranking of universities in NZ: a practical guide for students and parents
Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim. Extreme Left Auckland University of Technology Evidence The ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
7 days ago

Inflation and GST thresholds
Eric Crampton writes – I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
7 days ago

Green Party grapples with persistent scandals
Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes – Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
7 days ago

A law school to be avoided – Auckland University of Technology
Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
7 days ago

17 people in Malaita stand in way of China’s takeover of the Solomons
Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
7 days ago

Gordon Campbell on the Hamas Ceasefire Offer, and Mark Mitchell’s Incompetence
With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
7 days ago

Government ignorant of evidence in neglect of tamariki
Today’s justification from the Minister for Children for scrapping protections for our tamariki was either a case of ignorance or deliberate deception. ...
Greens
15 hours ago

Gang policy setting communities up for failure
The Green Party says the Government’s misguided policy on gangs will fail, following the announcement of the establishment of a national gang unit and district gang disruption units to target gang activities. ...
Greens
17 hours ago

Statement from police spokesperson Ginny Andersen
“With Police pay negotiations still unresolved after six months in Government, Mark Mitchell has today rolled the Commissioner out for a rebrand of their approach to gang crime,” Labour police spokesperson Ginny Andersen said. ...
Labour Blog
17 hours ago

Charter schools not a serious solution
We need serious investment and solutions into our education system, not a vanity project from David Seymour. ...
Greens
18 hours ago

Release: Ideological charter schools won’t increase achievement
The Government bringing back 50 charter schools will not increase achievement and is a distraction from the core mission of the education system, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Labour Blog
19 hours ago

Release: Visas needed for Palestinians with family in New Zealand
The Government must show some compassion and create a special visa to allow Palestinians with family in New Zealand to be reunited with them here. ...
Labour Blog
20 hours ago

Release: Govt’s stubbornness will harm Māori children
Government has remained stubborn and is ramming its Bill into the House today, which the Waitangi Tribunal has said will hurt vulnerable children. ...
Labour Blog
2 days ago

‘Lucky dip’ process too casual for hearing critical submissions on Fast Track approvals bill
Te Pāti Māori is showing extreme concern over the Environment Select Committees adoption of a lucky dip draw to determine hearings for the Fast Track Approvals bill. Of the 27,000 submissions, 2,900 requested to present. All organisations will be heard; however, the remaining 2,350 submitters will be subject to a ...
Māori Party
2 days ago

New Zealand First Member’s Bill to protect women’s spaces
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...
NZ First Press Release
5 days ago

Release: Support for climate adaptation inquiry
Labour supports a Notice of Motion in the House today to move the Finance and Expenditure Committee to conduct an inquiry on climate adaptation. ...
Labour Blog
5 days ago

Greens welcome cross-party approach to climate adaptation
The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
Greens
5 days ago

Release: Sexual violence prevention among hundreds of job cuts at ACC
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
Labour Blog
6 days ago

Government shows allergy to evidence in benefits crackdown
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
Greens
6 days ago

Minister of Finance reheats austerity politics
This morning’s pre-Budget speech from the Minister of Finance offered no “meaningful” news on the Government’s trickle-down economics based plans. ...
Greens
6 days ago

A win for Wellington – Greens welcome more housing
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
Greens
7 days ago

Release: Backtrack on school lunches a win for Kiwi kids
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Labour Blog
7 days ago

Release: Hon Willie Jackson to debate at the Prestigious Oxford Union
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Labour Blog
7 days ago

Members Bill will prevent Māori land confiscations
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
Greens
1 week ago

TIKANGA IS NOT LAW. IT IS CULTURAL INDOCTRINATION.
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
NZ First Press Release
1 week ago

Release: National won’t commit to full Nelson Hospital upgrade
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Release: Labour calls for fast track list to be released
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Release: National gaslights women fighting for equal pay
National has scrapped the pay equity taskforce that fights for equal pay for women and looks at ethnic pay gaps. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: More job cuts, fewer houses under National
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Children fall deeper through the cracks in Govt cuts
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Labour honours memory of Sir Robert Martin
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: 130,000 cattle saved from live export
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Central Bank makes clear Government is pouring fuel on housing crisis fire
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

New unemployment figures paint bleak picture
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: National’s job cuts already starting to bite as unemployment rises
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: National hiking transport costs for families and young New Zealanders
Weekly expenses will grow for more than 1.6 million New Zealanders as the Government ends free and half price public transport fares tomorrow. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Labour welcomes EU free trade agreement
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Surprise: Landlord tax cuts don’t trickle down
The Green Party is renewing its call for rent controls following reports of rental prices hitting an all-time high. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: $1.7b for no increase in access to medicine
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: National should heed Tribunal warning and scrap coalition commitment with ACT
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: More accountability for preventable workplace deaths this Workers’ Memorial Day
Labour is calling for more accountability for preventable workplace deaths because everybody who goes to work deserves to come home safely. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Gaza: Aotearoa Must Support Independent Investigation into Mass Graves
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Māori Party
3 weeks ago

Joint statement of Christopher Luxon and Emmanuel Macron: Launch of the Christchurch Call Foundation
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and President Emmanuel Macron of France today announced a new non-governmental organisation, the Christchurch Call Foundation, to coordinate the Christchurch Call’s work to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. This change gives effect to the outcomes of the November 2023 Call Leaders’ Summit, ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
17 hours ago

Panel announced for review into disability services
Distinguished public servant and former diplomat Sir Maarten Wevers will lead the independent review into the disability support services administered by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. The review was announced by Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston a fortnight ago to examine what could be done to strengthen the ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
18 hours ago

Minister welcomes Police gang unit
Today’s announcement by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster of a National Gang Unit and district Gang Disruption Units will help deliver on the coalition Government’s pledge to restore law and order and crack down on criminal gangs, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. “The National Gang Unit and Gang Disruption Units will ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
19 hours ago

New Zealand expresses regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today expressed regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric towards New Zealand and its international partners. “New Zealand proudly stands with the international community in upholding the rules-based order through its monitoring and surveillance deployments, which it has been regularly doing alongside partners since 2018,” Mr ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
19 hours ago

New Chief of Defence Force appointed
Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies MNZM is the new Chief of Defence Force, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. The Chief of Defence Force commands the Navy, Army and Air Force and is the principal military advisor to the Defence Minister and other Ministers with relevant portfolio responsibilities in the defence ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
19 hours ago

Government puts children first by repealing 7AA
Legislation to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has been introduced to Parliament. The Bill’s introduction reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the safety of children in care, says Minister for Children, Karen Chhour. “While section 7AA was introduced with good intentions, it creates a conflict for Oranga ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
20 hours ago

Defence Minister to meet counterparts in UK, Italy
Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week travel to the UK and Italy to meet with her defence counterparts, and to attend Battles of Cassino commemorations. “I am humbled to be able to represent the New Zealand Government in Italy at the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of what was ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
21 hours ago

Charter schools to lift educational outcomes
The upcoming Budget will include funding for up to 50 charter schools to help lift declining educational performance, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. $153 million in new funding will be provided over four years to establish and operate up to 15 new charter schools and convert 35 state ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
21 hours ago

COVID-19 Inquiry terms of reference consultation results received
“The results of the public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has now been received, with results indicating over 13,000 submissions were made from members of the public,” Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “We heard feedback about the extended lockdowns in ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

The Pacific family of nations – the changing security outlook
Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues Ladies and Gentlemen, Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

NZ and Papua New Guinea to work more closely together
Health, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Driving ahead with Roads of Regional Significance
The coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

New Zealand congratulates new Solomon Islands government
A high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office. “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

New Zealand supports UN Palestine resolution
New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

Speech to the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

$571 million for Defence pay and projects
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Climate change – mitigating the risks and costs
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Getting new job seekers on the pathway to work
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Accelerating Social Investment
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Getting Back on Track
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

NZ – European Union ties more critical than ever
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Therapeutic Products Act to be repealed
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Decisions on Wellington City Council’s District Plan
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Rape Awareness Week: Government committed to action on sexual violence
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Smarter lunch programme feeds more, costs less
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Report provides insights into marine recovery
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

NZ to send political delegation to the Pacific
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Low gas production threatens energy security
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Defence industry talent, commitment recognised
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Speech to the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Speech to the Sixth Annual New Zealand Government Data Summit
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Ceasefire agreement needed now: Peters
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Daily school attendance data now available
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Ambassador to United States appointed
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

New permit proposed for recreational gold mining
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

NZ and the UAE launch FTA negotiations
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

New Zealand Sign Language Week an opportunity for anyone to sign
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Next stop NASA for New Zealand students
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

$1.9 billion investment to keep NZ safe from crime
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

OECD reinforces need to control spending
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

British High Commissioner Speech To The NZIIA: In An Unstable World, Standing With Our Friends Is Ne...
This decade is becoming increasingly characterised by accelerating instability and standing with our friends is needed now more than ever. ...
Scoop politics
59 mins ago

Resolving funding block only way forward for infrastructure
Opinion: The pressure of funding the infrastructure deficit must be reduced or at least shared by central government The post Resolving funding block only way forward for infrastructure appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Lianne Dalziel
1 hour ago

Libraries covering a third of NZ to migrate data to Australia
Why your library might be shifting its information to Australian data centres, and whether experts think that’s a problem The post Libraries covering a third of NZ to migrate data to Australia appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy David Williams
1 hour ago

Transpower takes blame for Simeon Brown’s ‘misleading’ chart
The energy minister said there were no low power supply notices issued before 2019, but that’s because the system was only introduced that year The post Transpower takes blame for Simeon Brown’s ‘misleading’ chart appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Marc Daalder
1 hour ago

Govt reviewing ‘counterintuitive’ fishing permits for biosecurity zone
Despite the $11m invested in eradication of exotic caulerpa, commercial crayfish permits were issued for an impacted area The post Govt reviewing ‘counterintuitive’ fishing permits for biosecurity zone appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Andrew Bevin
1 hour ago

Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 15 May
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 15 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles
1 hour ago

Former Kiwi MPs’ names aired in Hong Kong security trial
The controversial national security trial of a Hong Kong newspaper founder has touched on the work of former Kiwi MPs The post Former Kiwi MPs’ names aired in Hong Kong security trial appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Sam Sachdeva
1 hour ago

The Reserve Bank’s double-pronged cash plan
What happens when cash is king – and then your bank leaves. A businessman in a town that hasn’t had a bank for three years says the Reserve Bank’s plans to put more cash in the hands of its people and introduce digital cash could save hours of time. John ...
NewsroomBy Tom Kitchin
1 hour ago

Daily crossword, Wednesday 15 May
The post Daily crossword, Wednesday 15 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles
1 hour ago

Taskforce disestablishment a setback for pay equity claims – employers
Employers in the funded NGO sector say the goal of reaching pay parity with the public service is now further away The post Taskforce disestablishment a setback for pay equity claims – employers appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Emma Hatton
1 hour ago

Ockhams: Catton wins People’s Choice
The people have spoken, in their hundreds. Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton has been overwhelmingly voted the favourite New Zealand book of 2023 as nominated by ReadingRoom readers. The vote can informally be regarded as the People’s Choice award – ahead of tonight’s Ockham book awards, where Catton’s novel is competing ...
NewsroomBy Steve Braunias
1 hour ago

Doubts about value, results from charter schools – education figures
Reintroduced charter schools will be tightly monitored, but a lack of transparency in reporting was a key criticism they faced last time around. ...
Radio NZ – political
7 hours ago

At a glance: the 2024 federal budget split four ways
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matt Garrow, Editorial Web Developer The government has handed down its budget for 2024–25. It’s delivered a $9.3 billion surplus for the financial year just about to finish but is forecasting a $28.3 billion deficit for next year. Here’s the key points: ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
8 hours ago

View from The Hill: What the Reserve Bank thinks of Chalmers’ budget will be nearly as important a...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Jim Chalmers has produced a benign third budget aimed at soothing hard-pressed voters agitated about their high cost of living and punishing interest rates. At the same time he has walked a tightrope, trying ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
8 hours ago

Relief on energy bills for all in a federal budget that bets on lower inflation
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Wes Mountain/The Conversation, CC BY-ND A $300 energy rebate for all households from July 1 and a 10% increase in Commonwealth Rent Assistance are key measures in a budget targeting cost-of-living relief that put ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
8 hours ago

Budget 2024: Chalmers fights inflation, will it be enough for a rate cut?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra Treasurer Jim Chalmers promised an “inflation-fighting and future-making budget” and he has delivered by introducing measures aimed at directly bringing down inflation. Combined, his A$300-per-household energy rebate and ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
8 hours ago

Budget 2024: As Chalmers fights inflation, will it be enough for a rate cut?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra Treasurer Jim Chalmers promised an “inflation-fighting and future-making budget” and he has delivered by introducing measures aimed at directly bringing down inflation. Combined, his A$300-per-household energy rebate and ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
8 hours ago

Chalmers is bitten by the giveaway bug in a budget that contains good news for almost everyone
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Bartos, Professor of Economics, University of Canberra Treasurer Jim Chalmers has been bitten by the giveaway bug. This budget contains not only the well-foreshadowed tax cuts for all taxpayers, but a range of new spending measures in health, education, infrastructure, aged ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
8 hours ago

Curfew in New Caledonia after Kanak riots over French voting change plan
By Stephen Wright and Stefan Armbruster of BenarNews French authorities have imposed a curfew on New Caledonia’s capital Nouméa and banned public gatherings after supporters of the Pacific territory’s independence movement blocked roads, set fire to buildings and clashed with security forces. Tensions in New Caledonia have been inflamed by ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
9 hours ago

Gang unit will disproportionately affect Māori and Pasifika, Te Pāti Māori say
Amid criticism from opposition parties, a gang expert says it focuses on an area of political and public worry. ...
Radio NZ – political
9 hours ago

Sir Maarten Wevers to lead Ministry for Disabled People review
The review will investigate how to keep disability support services funded by the ministry going in the long-term. ...
Radio NZ – political
9 hours ago

David McBride goes to prison – and Australian democracy takes a hit
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Greste, Professor of Journalism and Communications, Macquarie University Governments and their agencies wield awesome power. At times, it is quite literally the power over life and death. That is why in any functioning democracy, we have robust checks and balances designed ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
10 hours ago

Longer appointments are just the start of tackling the gender pain gap. Here are 4 more things we ca...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle O’Shea, Senior Lecturer, School of Business, Western Sydney University PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock Ahead of today’s federal budget, health minister Mark Butler last week announced an investment of A$49.1 million to help women with endometriosis and complex gynaecological conditions such ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
10 hours ago

71st Everest Day: A Celebration Of New Zealand-Nepal Relationship And The Quest To Preserve The Ever...
As the world commemorates the 71st Everest Day, it's not just a celebration of human achievement but also a reflection of the enduring bond between New Zealand and Nepal. This day marks the historic feat of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa ...
Scoop politics
12 hours ago

Activists Seek To Shut Down Gender-critical Event: Tākina Events Must Uphold Speech Rights
Individuals in Wellington, led by City Councillor Nīkau Wi Neera, are working to use the ‘hecklers veto’ to shut down Inflection Point , a gender-critical event to be held at a Te Papa venue this weekend featuring speakers such as Bob McCoskrie ...
Scoop politics
12 hours ago

Trans Community To Rally Against Hate
The transgender community, whānau & allies will rally outside Tākina/Wellington Convention Centre against anti-trans confederation “Inflection Point NZ,” who are hosting a conference to encourage parliamentarians to restrict trans people’s ...
Scoop politics
13 hours ago

Net Migration Loss Of New Zealand Citizens Exceeds 50,000
Before the current high levels, the record annual net migration loss of New Zealand citizens was 44,400 in the February 2012 year. ...
Scoop politics
13 hours ago

Charter schools: What are they, how are they different, and are they better than public schools?
What exactly are charter schools and what makes them different to regular public schools? Here's what you need to know. ...
Radio NZ – political
13 hours ago

End is nigh for public ownership of Auckland Airport shares
A strategic asset for Auckland that has been fought over for years as either sacrosanct or a sacred cow looks certain to be sold and the proceeds of around $1.3 billion put in a new investment fund. A year after bitter political struggle ended in a compromise in which Auckland ...
NewsroomBy Tim Murphy
14 hours ago

Bryce Edwards’ Analysis – The Govt’s Fast-Track being demolished by submissions to Parliament
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – the Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz) Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. The number of voices raising concerns about the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill is rapidly growing. This is especially apparent now that Parliament’s select committee is listening to submissions from the public to evaluate the ...
Evening ReportBy Bryce Edwards
14 hours ago

‘A lot of fire, violence’: Nouméa erupts as protests halt New Caledonia
RNZ Pacific New Caledonians lined up in long queues outside shopping centres to buy supplies in the capital Nouméa today amid political unrest in the French territory Demonstrations, marches and clashes with security forces erupted yesterday and French High Commissioner Louis Le Franc told the public broadcaster he had called ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
14 hours ago

Christchurch Call to continue as charity
The initiative, established by former prime minister Dame Jacinda Ardern, aims to stop violent extremism online. ...
Radio NZ – political
14 hours ago

An NRL player died at training due to exertional heat stroke. What is it and what should coaches and...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samuel Chalmers, Senior Lecturer in Human Movement, University of South Australia The tragic death of Manly rugby league player Keith Titmuss in 2020 due to exertional heat stroke is a reminder of the life-threatening nature of the condition. Titmuss died after ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
15 hours ago

Luxon Must Rule Out Taxpayer Funding For “fatally Compromised” Christchurch Call
Internet Governance Project founder Milton Mueller asked “is the Christchurch Call accomplishing anything?” Increasingly it seems the only thing it hopes to achieve is killing off free expression. ...
Scoop politics
16 hours ago

NZ foreign minister Peters cancels New Caledonia visit as unrest erupts
New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has cancelled his visit to New Caledonia due to pro-independence unrest throughout the French Pacific territory. Peters and a delegation of other ministers was due to visit the capital Nouméa later this week. Nouméa’s La Tontouta International Airport is expected to remain closed ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
16 hours ago

‘I thought we could wear Zoolander outfits’: Pip Adam and Emily Perkins on the Ockhams
Audition by Pip Adam and Lioness by Emily Perkins are both shortlisted for the fiction award at the 2024 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. Here the authors discuss awards, writing, Selling Sunset, review culture, Zoolander and more. Pip Adam: Whenever I think about writers and our ambitions, I can’t help ...
The SpinoffBy The Spinoff Review of Books
16 hours ago

Influence, authority and power: how elite women played a crucial role in the Italian Wars of the 16t...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Broomhall, Director, Gender and Women’s History Research Centre, Australian Catholic University Andrea Mantegna, Minerva (Athena) expelling Vices from the Garden of Virtue, from the Studiolo of Isabella d’Este, Palazzo Ducale, Mantua (c. 1499–1502). Louvre Museum/Wikimedia Commons Wartime has often presented opportunities ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
17 hours ago

Some say the Treaty of Waitangi divides NZ – a new survey suggests the opposite is true
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olli Hellmann, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Waikato Getty Images The stories Aotearoa New Zealand tells itself about the history of Te Tiriti o Waitangi/the Treaty of Waitangi have evolved considerably over time. For many decades, starting with the ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
17 hours ago

Police to establish national gang unit
Police are setting up frontline teams to tackle crime and intimidation by gangs, Andrew Coster has announced. ...
Radio NZ – political
18 hours ago

Why are auroras so hard to predict? And when can we expect more?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Carter, Associate Professor, RMIT University Aurora visible from Cope Cope, Victoria on May 11 2024. cafuego/Flickr, CC BY-SA On Saturday evening before Mother’s Day, Australians witnessed a rare celestial spectacle: a breathtaking display of aurora australis, also known as the southern ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
18 hours ago

Watch: Police Commissioner Andrew Coster announces new 'National Gang Unit'
Police are setting up frontline teams to tackle crime and intimidation by gangs, Andrew Coster has announced. ...
Radio NZ – political
18 hours ago

Watch live: Police Commissioner Andrew Coster announces new 'National Gang Unit'
Andrew Coster has revealed new dedicated police teams will tackle organised crime. ...
Radio NZ – political
18 hours ago

‘As much as we built it, it built us’: How Sunday said goodbye
Tara Ward watches as TVNZ’s long-running current affairs show bows out with humility and grace. We have just 12 days left to view the final episode of Sunday on TVNZ+. In just over a week, there will be no more evidence of the award-winning current affairs show on the digital ...
The SpinoffBy Tara Ward
18 hours ago

Botched prison mutiny, protests ahead of New Caledonia constitution vote
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk New Caledonia has gone through yet another day of tense political protests and a failed prison mutiny — a few hours ahead of a vote in Paris’s National Assembly on a government-tabled Constitutional amendment. This amendment would “unfreeze” the list of ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
19 hours ago

Winston Peters cancels New Caledonia visit amid violent unrest
The Foreign Affairs Minister was due to visit the capital Nouméa this week. ...
Radio NZ – political
20 hours ago

One woman’s ranking of her 20 favourite local band shirts
To celebrate New Zealand Music Month, Sophie Ricketts wears a different band T-shirt every day. Here she picks her top 20. I love music. I love listening to it, I love seeing it live, and I love buying a T-shirt from the band or artist I’ve enjoyed. Every year, during ...
The SpinoffBy Sophie Ricketts
20 hours ago

Behind the roller door: How people are using their garages for much more than storage
Research from AA Insurance reveals more and more people are taking pride in their garage. Meet three New Zealanders using their space in creative ways. If you think of a garage, you might picture a dark room with a parked car. There might be some tools on the wall, or ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
20 hours ago

Critical Forestry Research Under Threat As Attack On Science Ramps Up
Government spending cuts have forced Scion, the dedicated Crown research institute charged with growing forestry exports, to propose shedding a significant number of scientists. ...
Scoop politics
20 hours ago

About 30 jobs to go at Crown forestry institute Scion
About 30 jobs are being cut at the Crown forestry institute, the PSA says. ...
Radio NZ – political
20 hours ago

Winston Peters cancels New Caledonia vist due to unrest
The Foreign Affairs Minister was due to visit the capital Nouméa this week. ...
Radio NZ – political
20 hours ago

Watch: Charter schools to get $153m in new funding in Budget 2024
Up to 50 charter schools will be funded with $153m out of Budget 2024, David Seymour has announced. ...
Radio NZ – political
20 hours ago

Access Denied: Government Must Fund Online Access To Public Records
...
Scoop politics
21 hours ago

Scrapping the waste export levy threatens Australia’s emerging lithium battery recycling industry
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yasir Arafat, Senior Research Associate, Edith Cowan University asharkyu, Shutterstock As electric vehicle (EV) demand accelerates, so does the need for lithium batteries. But these batteries contain valuable critical minerals, as well as toxic materials, so they should not be treated ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
21 hours ago

Centenarian Recalls Battles Of Cassino Ahead Of 80th Anniversary Commemorations
NZDF personnel will support the New Zealand National Commemorative Service at the Cassino War Cemetery and a New Zealand Service of Remembrance at the Cassino Railway Station, next week. ...
Scoop politics
21 hours ago

Consultants needed for education system changes – Christopher Luxon
But the Prime Minister says he's not aware of ministry staff who are losing their jobs being asked to work as consultants. ...
Radio NZ – political
21 hours ago

The cost of being: A sex worker with a taste for luxury shopping
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a masseuse tells us how much she earns and where she spends it. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here. Gender: Female Age: 33 Ethnicity: NZ European Role: ...
The SpinoffBy The Cost of Being
21 hours ago

AI can make up songs now, but who owns the copyright? The answer is complicated
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wellett Potter, Lecturer in Law, University of New England Eugenio Marongiu/Shutterstock Artificial intelligence (AI) text and image generation tools have now been around for a while, but in recent weeks, apps for making AI-generated music have reached consumers as well. ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
22 hours ago

1968 was an inflection point for the US. Is another one coming in 2024?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liam Byrne, Honorary Fellow, School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne For many reasons, the 2024 US presidential election will be like no other. Republican nominee Donald Trump’s campaign is unprecedented. Never before has a former president who ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
22 hours ago

154 million lives saved in 50 years: 5 charts on the global success of vaccines
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meru Sheel, Associate Professor and Epidemiologist, Infectious Diseases, Immunisation and Emergencies Group, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney We know vaccines have been a miracle for public health. Now, new research led by the World Health Organization has found vaccines ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
22 hours ago

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chrissy Severinsen, Associate Professor in Public Health, Massey University Getty Images Becoming a mother is a significant identity shift, and many new mums struggle. Up to 18% of New Zealand mothers experience depression and anxiety after giving birth. The first ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
22 hours ago

Our research shows children produce better pieces of writing by hand. But they need keyboard skills ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anabela Malpique, Senior Lecturer, Edith Cowan University Norma Mortenson/ Pexels , CC BY Children today are growing up surrounded by technology. So it’s easy to assume they will be able to write effectively using a keyboard. But our research suggests ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
22 hours ago

Is it wrong to have a romantic type based on race? Yes – it’s a form of racism we rarely speak a...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron Teo, Lecturer in Curriculum and Pedagogy, University of Southern Queensland ABC Much has been written and produced about white men’s fetishisation of Asian women (crudely nicknamed “yellow fever”). The ABC’s comedy series White Fever breaks new ground by exploring an ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
22 hours ago

What the Court of Appeal’s latest ruling means for the future of the Waitangi Tribunal
The children’s minister could have been legally brought before the tribunal after all, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. The end of ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
23 hours ago

Public sector cuts: Education ministry prepares to use consultants
Staff consulting firms were already asking some of the staff being made redundant to work for them. ...
Radio NZ – political
24 hours ago

Fast-track submissions: Hundreds will miss out on speaking at committee
The Select Committee has six weeks to hear submissions and its chair said it simply did not have enough time to get through everyone. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Public service cuts: Education ministry prepares to use consultants
The Ministry of Education is already preparing consultants to do the work of the people it is laying off, say staff. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

‘Eat the bugs’: a short history of yet another global conspiracy
Seen comments on social media about eating bugs? Byron Clark explains the short history of our latest conspiracy. “No, Bill Gates nor Klaus Schwab has not funded the research done here,” reads an August 2023 Facebook post from Otago Locusts, the first farm in Aotearoa rearing insects for human consumption. ...
The SpinoffBy Byron C Clark
1 day ago

‘I get bread and milk in the mail’: Why the decline of post will hurt rural communities
Rural post is essential but expensive, and residents are worried about its future. It’s 9.30am on a Monday morning in rural Manawatū, and farmer Mairi Whittle is on an all-terrain vehicle with her two young sons. After moving sheep from one slope to another, she swings by the letterbox. Opening ...
The SpinoffBy Rachel Judkins
1 day ago

Chinese ‘volatility’ shows case for Aukus – UK diplomat
China’s massive military buildup and aggressive actions in the South China Sea are creating “volatility” that the controversial Aukus pact can help counter, the UK’s top diplomat in New Zealand says. British High Commissioner Iona Thomas will deliver a speech to the NZ Institute of International Affairs on Tuesday evening, ...
NewsroomBy Sam Sachdeva
1 day ago

The politics behind pending health appointment
Comment: ‘An outsider planted inside’ the health system is likely to assume one of its top roles The post The politics behind pending health appointment appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Ian Powell
1 day ago

Jones suggested fast-track bid at undeclared dinner
A coal miner’s bid to enter the Government’s controversial fast-track regime arose from a dinner with Shane Jones The post Jones suggested fast-track bid at undeclared dinner appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy David Williams
1 day ago

DoC responsible for $87.5m Ruapehu remediation
Remediating Mt Ruapehu if things go pear-shaped could cost more than $80m – and the new operators aren’t on the hook for any of it The post DoC responsible for $87.5m Ruapehu remediation appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Andrew Bevin
1 day ago

Where the ‘woke’ word fits in a history of racism
Opinion: Unfortunately, the term ‘woke’ is back in the news and for the most stupid of reasons: Act leader David Seymour is now designating certain types of food as ‘woke’ or not. As the Government makes cuts to school lunches, let us consider what ‘woke’ might mean here. ...
NewsroomBy Dr Neal Curtis
1 day ago

Mega-prison’s missing business case
Analysis: The Government’s decision to return to a mega-style prison seems to be missing a clear business case The post Mega-prison’s missing business case appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Laura Walters
1 day ago

East Coast mayors hold out hope for Budget as rebuild bills mount
East Coast mayors are confident their region remains a priority, despite the Government’s focus on building new roads elsewhere The post East Coast mayors hold out hope for Budget as rebuild bills mount appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Emma Hatton
1 day ago

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