Who will win tonight’s debate? Will Christopher Luxon release his foreigner land purchase tax calculations spreadsheet? Will Chris Hipkins talk about sausage rolls?
We do have to realise TVNZ has made a loss and there is real fear as to what a National government might do about that (cost cutting no more money …).
Hipkins saying Labour is “wining the battle on inflation” is fine.
But adding that “National’s tax cuts would make things worse” is wrong.
Labour wants to raise the MW to the LW and for the FPA to lift wages – to deliver as much or more help to those who need it (than tax cuts where the most goes to those on above the average/median wage).
It's good he stomped on the National Party deception about $250 every 2 weeks for the average family with kids – that is only for those paying child care with kids under 5, for the rest is $25 per week/$50 a week for a couple.
Mutch-MacKay seems as gormless and shallow as usual. These supposed 'debates' are always inconclusive and pointless. By far the best format is one-on-one interview with a well-informed, intelligent interviewer. Switched off now.
Hipkins is quite good. They're both doing the gladiator bullshit, but Luxon is doing far more playing the man not the ball. Hipkins seems better at explaining policy, probably because Labour have actual policy. Luxon is obviously well schooled at evasion.
There was a great cartoon after a Reagan-Mondale debate in the 1984 US election. Captioned something like: "Mondale gets ruthless". The speech bubbles were:
Reagan: "Flubble bubble flubble mumble …'
Mondale: "I respect the President …"
This feels like that. Given a chance to destroy, Hipkins acts nice. The only answer about Luxon's leadership should be "let's face it, he's not up to the job and we all know it".
But that wouldn't be respectful, so the BS gets a free pass. The public will pay the real price, not Hipkins.
I'm reminded of Oliver Sacks famous account of The President's (Reagan's) speech. (Although, Christopher Luxon probably has much less acting ability than what Reagan had.)
Luxon standing head and shoulders above Chippy whom seems unable to point to any successes his government has achieved while Luxon clearly communication a path forward for New Zealand.
What makes you think that there were no ram raids or crime under National when 30 police stations closed down due to a lack of funding and that no cabinet minister lost their job? Nick Smith and Judith Collins did for starters.
Nobody is born a ram raider, or a murderer – there but for the grace of God…
Imho, Mr Nobody is, and will be pretty comfortable – up the "bottom feeders"!
Why poverty in New Zealand is everyone's concern
Liang describes poverty as a "heritable condition" that perpetuates and amplifies through generations: "It is also not hard to see how individual poverty flows into communities and society, with downstream effects on economics, crime and health, as well as many other systems. Loosen one strand and everything else unravels."
A Kete Half Empty Poverty is your problem, it is everyone's problem, not just those who are in poverty. – Rebecca, a child from Te Puru
Mr Nobody is, and will be pretty comfortable – up the "bottom feeders".
After growing up in Mangere, living in South Auckland over 30 years and currently living in a suburb with significant social disparity your belief is 100% wrong.
Poverty is 100% a major motivator crime and addressing that will without doubt positively effect the crime statistics. However after six years of the current government:
Crime is worse,
Poverty is worse,
Health is worse,
Social cohesion is worse,
Cost of living is worse
New Zealand not only deserves better it requires better and this Government has proved itself as incapable of delivering.
After growing up in Mangere, living in South Auckland over 30 years and currently living in a suburb with significant social disparity your belief is 100% wrong.
Apologies for my incorrect assumption about where you currently sit at 'The Table' – up the "bottom feeders", and all the best for the future.
New Zealand not only deserves better it requires better…
Don't know about "deserves", but 100% agree with "needs" – whether our next govt is capable of delivering reduced inequality/cost of living/crime, and improved public health and social cohesion, time will tell.
Zen and the art of motorway maintenance [7 August 2023]
In this sense the pothole is a good symbol how of this election is proceeding. There are itches all around the body politic that demand scratching. In the moment we are far more aware of them than we are of the tumour quietly growing inside, the virus caught but not yet symptomatic, the vehicle crash that awaits around the corner, the fire about to engulf our home. The snake oil retailers draw attention to the easy solutions to the surface and immediate issues and we are often only too willing to reward them for it.
And what policies of National are designed to address poverty?
You tell me, I'm not a National Supporter. I thought this thread was about who performed best in last night's debate between the Labour Party and National Party and as I said last night in my opinion:
Luxon standing head and shoulders above Chippy whom seems unable to point to any successes his government has achieved while Luxon clearly communication a path forward for New Zealand.
Next you will be arguing the fact that we need air to stay alive is a claim, but to hopefully to satisfy you:
[really excessive number of links deleted]
The most frightening thing about all of those headlines (I found while putting them together at least) is how many are from this year alone.
New Zealand is BROKEN and the staus quo hasn't worked and
[evidence on TS means an explanation in your own words, backed up by selected and relevant quotes and links or references. Long lists of links with no context are considered spam and tend to piss of the moderators because your comment gets caught in the spam filter and we have to edit then release it manually – weka]
There are 2 ram raids per day in Te Puke? That could be Chris Luxon trying to park his black Merc and/or his [wife’s] Tesla or maybe his 50cc scooter. He must be holidaying there a lot based on those ‘stats’.
There are? I wouldn't know as I don't live there and would have thought that 2 ram raids per day referred to in last night's debate was nationwide. But considering crime has reached the point that the PM security team has to prevent him walking down main streets in Christchurch in the middle of the day as discussed with Megan Wood this morning on the radio perhaps that is correct.
When Chris Hipkins was in your electorate and I can't remember where it was. It must have been last week or possible the week before there was a street they were walking down Security did not want him to walk down that street. What was that street?
Megan Wood
Oh it was Selwyn Street.
Mike Hosking
Why wouldn't you want to walk down Selwyn Street?
Megan Wood
Oh I don't know it wasn't a decision that the prime minister or any of his team made it was Security.
Mike Hosking
But why would they be worried about Selwyn Street?
But considering crime has reached the point that the PM security team has to prevent him walking down main streets in Christchurch in the middle of the day…
Did "the PM security team” really “prevent him walking down main streets in Christchurch in the middle of the day…", or is that just spin?
Ah jeez, I'll start taking this seriously in a moment – I apologise.
[@5:19 minutes]
There are? I wouldn't know as I don't live there and would have thought […]
The problem with your factual assertions is that they are fact-free and amount to nothing more than RW talking points. In other words, you are trolling with made up BS reckons, not facts.
I note that another Mod has already dealt with your other comment (https://thestandard.org.nz/the-great-debate/#comment-1968904) that was a litany of RW spin. Just as well because I had another inconvenient piece of information for you to digest:
It has already been acknowledged in the past that ram raids were not singled out as a crime.
They were merely grouped in with robberies for statistical purposes.
Sorry, no evidential link to that.
It then became a political football that National picked up and ran with.
No one tackled them so they scored with it and are still scoring with it.
Dear Labour Party strategists. When you tell Chippy to talk about climate change get him to own the NZ Steel deal which will effectively take 300,000 cars off the road for a pretty cheap price. It is not a negative. It should be celebrated. It is what an activist Government does.
I just heard Fran O'Sullivan over at the Daily blog's working group panel say "New Zealander's are past egalitarian values .Now they just want to get ahead "
And that folks, is what 40 years of neoliberalism delivers .Getting ahead by trampling on the heads of those underfoot.
Communities fractured into dog eat dog , peak individualism
Get ahead? By owning property, creating nothing, doing nothing memorable or useful or valuable for the community. Work for a multi-national company overseas, come back and buy a couple of houses. Trade them up and realise their untaxed capital gains.
I will be tempted to break my sobriety when that evil women shuffles off this mortal coil. Ruth Richarson's "Mother of all Budgets" caused immense societal damage which the country is continuing to suffering from.
I think the Daily Blog post debate panel is really worth watching. Bryce Edwards, Fran, Simon Wilson and Jordan Williams. Comperes Bomber and Damien Grant.
Some how what that panel had to say and how they operated sums up NZ politics for me.
BTW I think Fran wasn't necessarily endorsing that people should concentrate on getting ahead rather than egalitarianism. I think it was just her perspective on current attitutes.
I also interpreted "getting ahead" as meaning not merely scrapping by. But of course Fran is the only one who confirm what she meant.
I found it interesting that she called out what you are not allowed to talk about nowadays without facing cancellation. She mentioned cogovernance, gender and the Listener 7
Simon Wilson is more an activist than a journalist and of course he is allowed to be.
There has always been an advantage to those able to work with others – we once had the co-operative society to assist with this and the trustee bank (profits back into community) – but we have allowed banking rules/regulation and corporate monopoly to form the neo-liberal order – the people as wage slave to corporate profit (suppressed unions and migration to enable greater employer profit is now the norm) doing the best for themselves.
Luxon's game was to dominate every conversation and have the last word. It didn't matter if he was talking nonsense – which he frequently was – just so long as he spoke the most often and the loudest.
Didn't watch it all, but from what I saw – it wasn't a debate. Not in any real sense. How many topics were covered, 50+? (including all the silly quickfire nonsense).
If you can't say A therefore B but C because D … then there's no debate, no depth. You might as well just say "Petrol prices, boo! Climate change, boring!"
Spinners will say their guy won, but let's face it, we all lost. Treated like game show idiots. F*ck TVNZ.
Hipkins missed a few chances to deliver decisive blows to Luxon on the issue of how ACT threatens to divide New Zealanders over the Treaty of Waitangi and abandon the small gains we have made on climate change. He made only one reference to the right wing coalition of nutters that I picked up and it was far too polite. Luxon was very vulnerable on these issues but Hipkins let him off too lightly.
Hipkins needs to get down and dirty in the next debate. Graphically describe how the NACTs want to dismember the public service and lift house prices and interest rates to new levels.
He failed on a really basic principle. Do not passively accept your opponents' framing. And in this case, the moderator's framing, which was more or less the same thing.
But he's done this since he became PM, so nothing new.
His game now will be to try and avoid blame for the loss.
Sure members of his team let him down, but he’s chosen to accept that we can cut back the public service and he’s consistently signaled that much climate change work is to be defunded.
The Chris & Chris Show successfully broke the chronic tedium of the campaign so well done TVNZ. The surprise winner was Cunliffe. First time ever, he didn't come across as totally clueless. In fact, everything he said was good, so life after politics has worked a miraculous transformation.
Jack Tame was as good too. Hipkins has to ditch the worried look but I like his new fast-talking style. Luxon oscillated between the usual Nat roboticism and authenticity; still not much substance there, flunked a few credibility challenges too. If Hipkins can somehow get a gravitas transplant, game on!
The PM's problem is Labour's dead cat bounce potential. Given their record, what can secure a bounce? Luxon's helping him by faking it on finance. Anyone with half a brain watching knows refusing to release his professional advice is a sign of weakness.
Apart from the contention over misrepresentation over the value of Nationals tax cuts, the heat was over dealing with disadvantage in accessing health care, assistance to landlords and plans to reduce emissions.
Hipkins was disadvantaged by the lack of questions over wages, working conditions and National being dependent of making savings to government.
Luxon did make it known that National intended to use external providers in health (whanau ora and maybe private), education (charter schools are back) and housing (including supply of “state/public housing” – reducing that from the waiting list). Mentioned talking to iwi about devolution of delivery.
Not fair really that Chris Hipkins had to compete against Chris Luxon and Jessica MM. She cut off our Chris to prevent him bringing substance to the non-debate. Bah!
JMM cut Hipkins off before he was able to respond to Luxon's 'mistruths'. Yes, she cut off Luxon too, but Chippy wasn't mistruthing in the first place.
All actual political discussion aside… what was with the disturbing hand choreography? Both Jessica Much and Jack Tame were gesticulating like lovelorn Italian men in a stage play…a new visual language I don't understand?
They all do it now. It must be part of the training curriculum. It annoys the hell out of me. I have yelled at them [via the TV] many a time but they still do it. 🙁
National's tax plan has blown enormous holes. Economists have said it doesn't add up and have called it bullshit. John Key said it won't work. Luxon parrots his lines but is evasive and looking dodgy by refusing to release the costings and you don't think that will affect Luxon and the National Party's polling, fisiani?
Hoping like hell that the next debate will be moderated by Kim Hill. Whatever happens will be the truth. All this crap being shovelled up to us by RW ahem! Journalists is just plain arrogant bull faeces. Time for rich people to start looking at us as the enemy. We are the people who have created their wealth. We can also create their poverty if we so wish. Tread carefully, for we tread on your dreams.
I was out tonight, so I didn't see the debate. Looking at the comments here, it seems that it would be a struggle to put together a highlights package.
There were no new policy surprises, and nor were there any new arguments (i.e. that we hadn't heard before) in support of existing policies. It was all very predictable.
Sorry NZ farmers you are not the most efficient in the world or the most efficient way to produce food taking climate change into consideration and just repeating it doesn’t affect what we will have to pay to meet our Paris obligations.
I didn't watch – the minute I heard Jessica Mutch-McKay – the ultimate concierge gallery journalist – was going to moderate I knew the debate was going to be an exercise in political kabuki. I also predicted that the outcome would be scripted performance cynicism from our utterly predictable dire pundit class – Tova was quick to not let me down this morning. To me, the unfortunate meta is Hipkins seems incapable in igniting any skerrick of tribal passion in Labour leaning voters. Expecting people to vote just to keep the other lot out isn't going to be enough. People need a reason to want to vote for you as well.
"You had 6 years" (Luxon on any topic) and "that's not true" (Hipkins on most things Luxon said on most topics – beginning with the lie that families with children got $250 extra a fortnight from tax cuts – it's only $25 a week each individual and $50 a week for a couple – the rest only occurs if there is a claim for a rebate on child care for under 5's).
I didn't see the debate. But I have seen a few snippets and read various commentaries on it.
My thoughts are that Luxon won by not losing. I haven't even seen any commentators from any political perspective claiming that Chippy wiped the floor with Luxon. Most I have seen call it a draw or a slight win for Luxon.
Many swing voters don’t really know much about Luxon. So, seeing him performing OK may have reassured them that Luxon is safe to vote for. Whereas, people already know Chippy quite well. So, they probably didn’t learn much new from him.
I think the roles are reversed from last election where Collins needed to destroy Ardern to have a chance of turning the tide. That didn't happen then. That is what Chippy needs now. But, it didn't happen last night. And, I don't think the style of either of them means it is going to happen in upcoming debates either.
If I was in Labour's shoes I would be quite worried I think.
If I was in Labour's shoes I would be quite worried I think.
I'm not in Labour's shoes, and I am quite worried about potholes, smoke and mirrors.
Zen and the art of motorway maintenance [7 August 2023]
In this sense the pothole is a good symbol how of this election is proceeding. There are itches all around the body politic that demand scratching. In the moment we are far more aware of them than we are of the tumour quietly growing inside, the virus caught but not yet symptomatic, the vehicle crash that awaits around the corner, the fire about to engulf our home. The snake oil retailers draw attention to the easy solutions to the surface and immediate issues and we are often only too willing to reward them for it.
Nats could make up some of the projected shortfall in revenue from their 15% foreign buyer tax/hoax by raising it to 25% – like they raised GST to part-fund tax cuts.
Govt’s 2010 tax cuts costing $2 billion and counting [13 May 2012]
The Green Party has today revealed that the National Government has so far had to borrow an additional $2 billion dollars to fund their 2010 tax cut package for upper income earners.
…
“The National Government said that their signature 2010 income tax cut package would be ‘fiscally neutral’ — paid for increased revenues from raising GST. That hasn’t happened.”
…
“National’s poor economic decisions have led to record levels of government debt and borrowing.”
Reminded me of 2017 where Ardern just had to not lose badly against Bill English. Anything close would be seen as a good outing, and that feels like the case here too.
In my Leaders Debate I would have a proper mediator and a decent chunk of time set aside for an actual debate like the Economy, or Housing, or Cost of Living.
Speak for 2 minutes each outlining your position
Then 10 minutes for discussion, "What would your party to to fix Economy or….."
The mediator would not be allowed to cut off the speaker.
Gabby, your comment is inane and intellectually lazy. If you watched the debate, you would be fully aware that Jessica MM repeatedly let Luxon talk at length without interruption, yet repeatedly spoke over Hipkins to prevent him from completing his responses.
A notable example of Jessica MM cutting off Hipkins yet allowing Luxon to speak extensively was when the topic of the health system and doctor training was raised- she let Luxon rave on about a pie in the sky, grandiose idea of a new medical school at Waikato University, but when Hipkins replied that the current medical schools can cater to increased doctor training numbers, Jessica MM talked over him, didn’t let him elaborate, and cut him off.
She also jumped from topic to topic, not allowing Hipkins to answer in depth. Jessica MM at one point commented that Luxon was doing really well- this is totally biased, fawning, and unprofessional.
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Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
A week that began in triumph ended in an all-too-familiar disaster for the Green Party. Duncan Greive asks if there’s something in the mission that breaks its best and brightest. A long, strange week for the Green party began with a fantastic poll result. On one level this is hardly ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Vanuatu’s former prime minister and opposition MP Ishmael Kalsakau has stepped down — just two days after he confirmed he was the rightful opposition leader. Kalsakau, MP for Port Vila, confirmed to ABC’s Pacific Beat, and the Vanuatu Daily Post on Thursday that he ...
What’s to blame for the coalition’s choppy start? Six months in, and the mojo meter is in the doldrums. A new poll would put National out of power and sees its leader, Chris Luxon, sliding in popularity. How much is it about policy, how much coalition management and a perception ...
The striking report goes far beyond the proposed repeal of the Oranga Tamariki Act’s Treaty of Waitangi provision, and its impact should be felt far beyond the unique circumstances of the claim it addresses. Earlier this week, the Waitangi Tribunal released an interim report on the government’s proposed repeal of ...
The world has been experiencing a productivity slowdown, from which New Zealand has not been exempt. COVID-19 temporarily boosted labour productivity, but more recently, productivity has retreated. The overall trend since 2007 has been one of slow productivity ...
What’s more wasteful than spending $315k on syrup and machine maintenance? Trying to drum up a controversy about it.Cast your mind back to the pre-pandemic idylls of 2019. A “rat” was a disgusting rodent and not a self-administered plague test; the sixth Labour government was in power; and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Professor of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Monash University, Monash University Ken stocker/Shutterstock In the wake of numerous killings of women allegedly by men’s violence in 2024, thousands of Australians have joined rallies across the country to demand action ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Henry Cutler, Professor and Director, Macquarie University Centre for the Health Economy, Macquarie University Oleg Ivanov IL/Shutterstock Waiting times for public hospital elective surgery have been in the news ahead of this year’s federal budget. That’s the type of non-emergency surgery ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantine Panegyres, McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow, Historical and Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne Amna Artist/Shutterstock One of the earliest descriptions of someone with cancer comes from the fourth century BC. Satyrus, tyrant of the city of Heracleia on the Black Sea, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Rose, Professor of Sustainable Future Transport, University of Sydney LanaElcova/Shutterstock Electric vehicles are often seen as the panacea to cutting emissions – and air pollution – from transport. Is this view correct? Yes – but only once uptake accelerates. Despite the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giselle Natassia Woodley, Researcher and Phd Candidate, Edith Cowan University There is widespread agreement Australia needs to do better when it comes to gender-based violence. Anger and frustration at the numbers of women being killed saw national rallies over the weekend and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Graham, Lecturer in Economics, University of Sydney Mark and Anna Photography/Shutterstock As home ownership moves further out of reach for many Australians, “rentvesting” is being touted as a lifesaver. Rentvesting is the practice of renting one property to live ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sukhmani Khorana, Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, UNSW Sydney Netflix The new season of Heartbreak High is garnering mixed reviews. Critics are writing about the racy story lines, comparing it to other coming-of-age series about teenage relationships and ...
Bob Carr intends to launch legal action against Winston Peters and Julie Anne Genter is facing a second allegation of bullying. Both sucked the air out of an announcement on education, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in ...
In 1995, Sally Clark went out on her own in a bold and unorthodox attempt to join an illustrious group of equestrian riders conquering the world. In the days of glovebox road maps, brick cell phones, and the hit song How Bizarre, Clark refused to follow Sir Mark Todd, Blyth ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Beaglehole, Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago niphon/Getty Images The number of people accessing medication for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Aotearoa New Zealand increased significantly between 2006 and 2022. But the disorder is still under-diagnosed and ...
To celebrate the start of New Zealand music month, we look back at the best local tuneage that managed to weasel its way into Hollywood productions. There’s nothing quite like the thrilling zap of recognition when New Zealand weasels its way into a glamorous Hollywood production. Crack open a Tui ...
People trust other people more than institutions. So how can the media gain that trust through journalists without losing what’s important about the institution? Anna Rawhiti-Connell reflects on two years of curating the news for The Bulletin.Amonth ago, armed cops descended on my neighbourhood as calls to “lock your ...
A warning – suicide is discussed in this podcast New Zealand’s own long-running soap Shortland Street doesn’t hesitate to kill off its much-loved characters. But would TVNZ dare to kill off our favourite soap? That’s the fear as times get tough in television – even though it’s been pointed out ...
Essay: If the Crown harms children, how do you hold it accountable? Analysis by Aaron Smale in light of the Waitangi Tribunal court decision. The post The Crown versus Māori Children appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Opinion: PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – are a class of thousands of man-made chemicals used widely in everyday consumer items such as textiles, packaging, and cookware, popular for their water, grease and stain-repellent properties. However, the very properties that make PFAS so attractive to manufacturers are also what ...
NONFICTION 1 The Last Secret Agent by Pippa Latour & Jude Dobson (Allen & Unwin, $37.99)’ This is the hottest book in New Zealand, number one with a bullet in its first week, selling more than any overseas title, and demand is so huge that it’s already been reprinted. A ...
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, Friday 3 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Asia Pacific Report A West Papuan resistance leader has condemned the United Nations role in allowing Indonesia to “integrate” the Melanesian Pacific region in what is claimed to be an “egregious act of inhumanity” on 1 May 1963. In an open letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Organisasi Papua Merdeka-OPM ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra A key part of the Albanese government’s political strategy is to fill the news cycle with its presence and messaging. Ministers are deployed to the maximum, even when they’ve little to say. This week ...
Recent extreme weather events showed the importance of a well-functioning insurance system, says Commerce and Consumer Affairs minister Andrew Bayly. ...
By Jo Moir, RNZ News political editor, and Craig McCulloch, deputy political editor New Zealand’s Labour Party is demanding Winston Peters be stood down as Foreign Minister for opening up the government to legal action over his “totally unacceptable” attack on a prominent AUKUS critic. In an interview on RNZ’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Brakenridge, Postdoctoral research fellow at Swinburne University, Centre for Urban Transitions, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute The Conversation, Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock People have a pretty intuitive sense of what is healthy – standing is better than sitting, exercise is great for overall ...
The Wellington-based Reserve Force soldier is now almost three years into his New Zealand Army career with 5th/7th Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. ...
"The Government needs to release the review immediately as this reckless approach to change risks disjointed decision making and creates more distress and uncertainty for staff," Fitzsimons said. ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor Jeremiah Manele has been elected Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, polling 31 votes to 18 over rival candidate and former opposition leader Mathew Wale with one abstention. The final result of the election by secret ballot was announced by the Governor-General, Sir David Vunagi, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Priestley Habru, PhD candidate, public diplomacy, University of Adelaide Former foreign minister Jeremiah Manele has been elected the next prime minister of Solomon Islands, defeating the opposition leader, Matthew Wale, in a vote in parliament. The result is a mixed bag for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shaun Eaves, Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Jamey Stutz, CC BY-SA How often do mountains collapse, volcanoes erupt or ice sheets melt? For Earth scientists, these are important questions as we try ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Flood, Professor of Sociology, Queensland University of Technology Shutterstock Most young adult men in Australia reject traditional ideas of masculinity that endorse aggression, stoicism and homophobia. Nonetheless, the ongoing influence of those ideas continues to harm men and the people ...
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Hipkins talks about climate change and Luxon talks about the economy. Sums up the difference between the left and the right.
I'm unable to stream online off TVNZ.
I’ve had to go to Stuff for news reporting of it.
I’ll have to wait for it to go on demand and watch then.
Just as well they do not do the world cup …
You're not missing much, I've turned off even before the first ad break.
"I love the energy you're bringing!" says Jess to Luxon. Who cares? What does she think she is? It's not Celebrity Treasure Island.
Pretty chaotic so far. I think that it will be more important to look confident than to be coherent …
We do have to realise TVNZ has made a loss and there is real fear as to what a National government might do about that (cost cutting no more money …).
Hipkins saying Labour is “wining the battle on inflation” is fine.
But adding that “National’s tax cuts would make things worse” is wrong.
Labour wants to raise the MW to the LW and for the FPA to lift wages – to deliver as much or more help to those who need it (than tax cuts where the most goes to those on above the average/median wage).
Tried again (from the start) and to the weather …
Hipkins start about hearing from Christopher and himself reminds one a Jim Carrey film about Irene.
It's good he stomped on the National Party deception about $250 every 2 weeks for the average family with kids – that is only for those paying child care with kids under 5, for the rest is $25 per week/$50 a week for a couple.
Mutch-MacKay seems as gormless and shallow as usual. These supposed 'debates' are always inconclusive and pointless. By far the best format is one-on-one interview with a well-informed, intelligent interviewer. Switched off now.
Freakin Michael Hill Jeweller ad followed by a Countdown ad during the break. Ah capitalism …
sugar ads after the sugar tax debate.
KFC Crispy ad too, lol.
I'd forgotten how shrill and shouty the ads are (I rarely watch TV these days).
It's all about ram raids and the cost of living – giving the people what they want.
Hipkins' answer on Taiwan was freakin good and well weighted.
It was so good Luxon understood and quickly agreed. Would've been great if Luxon answered first, he would've fucked it up for sure.
I'm waiting for jessica@6pm.news to ask how often the candidates masturbate…….this is the worst leaders debate I have ever seen…….
Hipkins is quite good. They're both doing the gladiator bullshit, but Luxon is doing far more playing the man not the ball. Hipkins seems better at explaining policy, probably because Labour have actual policy. Luxon is obviously well schooled at evasion.
Gotta say, for all the resources, this is underwhelming.
The Working Group does a way better, if a tad more chaotic, job. Without state funding, as you will be told if you have a look.
Tonight there is a review of these two by a panel of political pundits at 9pm. On the usual platforms.
In the quickfire, it shows how closely aligned these two are.
Agree. I've been pretty underwhelmed. Both seem to be PR-polished to within an inch of their lives.
There was a great cartoon after a Reagan-Mondale debate in the 1984 US election. Captioned something like: "Mondale gets ruthless". The speech bubbles were:
Reagan: "Flubble bubble flubble mumble …'
Mondale: "I respect the President …"
This feels like that. Given a chance to destroy, Hipkins acts nice. The only answer about Luxon's leadership should be "let's face it, he's not up to the job and we all know it".
But that wouldn't be respectful, so the BS gets a free pass. The public will pay the real price, not Hipkins.
Good point.
I'm reminded of Oliver Sacks famous account of The President's (Reagan's) speech. (Although, Christopher Luxon probably has much less acting ability than what Reagan had.)
https://www.salon.com/2015/08/31/oliver_sacks_brilliant_essential_lesson_what_the_legendary_science_writer_taught_us_about_politics_the_human_mind/
Luxon standing head and shoulders above Chippy whom seems unable to point to any successes his government has achieved while Luxon clearly communication a path forward for New Zealand.
Well then perhaps you might like to answer the question how often you masturbate…..
No body there?
More frequently than Labour Ministers loose their Cabinet position but less frequently than Ram Raids are committed in Labour's New Zealand.
Phew.. not as frequent as Luxons verbal ejaculations then……
What makes you think that there were no ram raids or crime under National when 30 police stations closed down due to a lack of funding and that no cabinet minister lost their job? Nick Smith and Judith Collins did for starters.
Nobody is born a ram raider, or a murderer – there but for the grace of God…
Imho, Mr Nobody is, and will be pretty comfortable – up the "bottom feeders"!
The Side Eye’s Two New Zealands: The Table
https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/16-08-2022/the-side-eyes-two-new-zealands-the-table
After growing up in Mangere, living in South Auckland over 30 years and currently living in a suburb with significant social disparity your belief is 100% wrong.
Poverty is 100% a major motivator crime and addressing that will without doubt positively effect the crime statistics. However after six years of the current government:
Crime is worse,
Poverty is worse,
Health is worse,
Social cohesion is worse,
Cost of living is worse
New Zealand not only deserves better it requires better and this Government has proved itself as incapable of delivering.
Apologies for my incorrect assumption about where you currently sit at 'The Table' – up the "bottom feeders", and all the best for the future.
Don't know about "deserves", but 100% agree with "needs" – whether our next govt is capable of delivering reduced inequality/cost of living/crime, and improved public health and social cohesion, time will tell.
Evidence?
And what policies of National are designed to address poverty?
You tell me, I'm not a National Supporter. I thought this thread was about who performed best in last night's debate between the Labour Party and National Party and as I said last night in my opinion:
All claims without supporting evidence.
And without reference to the global circumstance – both pandemic and global cost pressures on all nations.
Next you will be arguing the fact that we need air to stay alive is a claim, but to hopefully to satisfy you:
[really excessive number of links deleted]
The most frightening thing about all of those headlines (I found while putting them together at least) is how many are from this year alone.
New Zealand is BROKEN and the staus quo hasn't worked and
[evidence on TS means an explanation in your own words, backed up by selected and relevant quotes and links or references. Long lists of links with no context are considered spam and tend to piss of the moderators because your comment gets caught in the spam filter and we have to edit then release it manually – weka]
mod note.
Are all nation states broken when there are global problems?
None, SPC.
There well may have been, but what ever the statistic was it wasn't 2 per day.
There are 2 ram raids per day in Te Puke? That could be Chris Luxon trying to park his black Merc and/or his [wife’s] Tesla or maybe his 50cc scooter. He must be holidaying there a lot based on those ‘stats’.
There are? I wouldn't know as I don't live there and would have thought that 2 ram raids per day referred to in last night's debate was nationwide. But considering crime has reached the point that the PM security team has to prevent him walking down main streets in Christchurch in the middle of the day as discussed with Megan Wood this morning on the radio perhaps that is correct.
Link? Crime or citizens abusing a politician?
Newstalk ZB – 20230920
Hmm you listen to Hosking?
The poster child of nodding RW bobbleheads uugh ……enough said
I try to catch ĥis interviews with the PM (Tuesday) and the MPs on Wednesday mornings as they coincide with when I run my girls to school.
Otherwise usually listen spotify/podcasts/audio books. Really enjoying re-listening to World War Z currently.
Did "the PM security team” really “prevent him walking down main streets in Christchurch in the middle of the day…", or is that just spin?
Is that you Mike?
The problem with your factual assertions is that they are fact-free and amount to nothing more than RW talking points. In other words, you are trolling with made up BS reckons, not facts.
I note that another Mod has already dealt with your other comment (https://thestandard.org.nz/the-great-debate/#comment-1968904) that was a litany of RW spin. Just as well because I had another inconvenient piece of information for you to digest:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/498394/the-falsehood-christopher-luxon-was-allowed-to-repeat-in-the-leaders-debate
Count yourself lucky that I had a busy day today and weka got to you first.
Incognito
It has already been acknowledged in the past that ram raids were not singled out as a crime.
They were merely grouped in with robberies for statistical purposes.
Sorry, no evidential link to that.
It then became a political football that National picked up and ran with.
No one tackled them so they scored with it and are still scoring with it.
Dear Labour Party strategists. When you tell Chippy to talk about climate change get him to own the NZ Steel deal which will effectively take 300,000 cars off the road for a pretty cheap price. It is not a negative. It should be celebrated. It is what an activist Government does.
Two things stood out for me.
Both Chrises bought their first house at 24. That's the sound of everyone under 30 banging their head in the TV screen.
TVNZ's Ipsos poll found that 50% of New Zealanders don't think climate change will affect them. Fucking hell.
I just heard Fran O'Sullivan over at the Daily blog's working group panel say "New Zealander's are past egalitarian values .Now they just want to get ahead "
And that folks, is what 40 years of neoliberalism delivers .Getting ahead by trampling on the heads of those underfoot.
Communities fractured into dog eat dog , peak individualism
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2023/09/19/9pm-live-tonight-freeview-200-the-working-group-taxpayers-union-post-leaders-debate-analysis-live-from-backbenchers-pub/
God I hope you are wrong.
What binds us as a country?
Get ahead? By owning property, creating nothing, doing nothing memorable or useful or valuable for the community. Work for a multi-national company overseas, come back and buy a couple of houses. Trade them up and realise their untaxed capital gains.
Spit on the third of the country renting.
Well I hope I'm wrong too.
I hope we can get our mojo back, but the divisions over covid don't make me that hopeful
I will be tempted to break my sobriety when that evil women shuffles off this mortal coil. Ruth Richarson's "Mother of all Budgets" caused immense societal damage which the country is continuing to suffering from.
I think the Daily Blog post debate panel is really worth watching. Bryce Edwards, Fran, Simon Wilson and Jordan Williams. Comperes Bomber and Damien Grant.
Some how what that panel had to say and how they operated sums up NZ politics for me.
BTW I think Fran wasn't necessarily endorsing that people should concentrate on getting ahead rather than egalitarianism. I think it was just her perspective on current attitutes.
I also interpreted "getting ahead" as meaning not merely scrapping by. But of course Fran is the only one who confirm what she meant.
I found it interesting that she called out what you are not allowed to talk about nowadays without facing cancellation. She mentioned cogovernance, gender and the Listener 7
Simon Wilson is more an activist than a journalist and of course he is allowed to be.
Hipkins did so in partnership with his brother.
There has always been an advantage to those able to work with others – we once had the co-operative society to assist with this and the trustee bank (profits back into community) – but we have allowed banking rules/regulation and corporate monopoly to form the neo-liberal order – the people as wage slave to corporate profit (suppressed unions and migration to enable greater employer profit is now the norm) doing the best for themselves.
Luxon's game was to dominate every conversation and have the last word. It didn't matter if he was talking nonsense – which he frequently was – just so long as he spoke the most often and the loudest.
Remind you of any particular physical activity Anne…….
Lets just say it as it is, National and Luxon are just a facsimilie of the real deal…comes on strong but somewhat faded and illegible in the end……
Where is Brian Edwards when you need him….maybe Jack is the real deal…stuff it i’m off to bed….
So …
Didn't watch it all, but from what I saw – it wasn't a debate. Not in any real sense. How many topics were covered, 50+? (including all the silly quickfire nonsense).
If you can't say A therefore B but C because D … then there's no debate, no depth. You might as well just say "Petrol prices, boo! Climate change, boring!"
Spinners will say their guy won, but let's face it, we all lost. Treated like game show idiots. F*ck TVNZ.
well put. It was stupid really, what a waste.
Hipkins missed a few chances to deliver decisive blows to Luxon on the issue of how ACT threatens to divide New Zealanders over the Treaty of Waitangi and abandon the small gains we have made on climate change. He made only one reference to the right wing coalition of nutters that I picked up and it was far too polite. Luxon was very vulnerable on these issues but Hipkins let him off too lightly.
Hipkins needs to get down and dirty in the next debate. Graphically describe how the NACTs want to dismember the public service and lift house prices and interest rates to new levels.
He failed on a really basic principle. Do not passively accept your opponents' framing. And in this case, the moderator's framing, which was more or less the same thing.
But he's done this since he became PM, so nothing new.
His game now will be to try and avoid blame for the loss.
Sure members of his team let him down, but he’s chosen to accept that we can cut back the public service and he’s consistently signaled that much climate change work is to be defunded.
In part he’s made National’s case for them.
The Chris & Chris Show successfully broke the chronic tedium of the campaign so well done TVNZ. The surprise winner was Cunliffe. First time ever, he didn't come across as totally clueless. In fact, everything he said was good, so life after politics has worked a miraculous transformation.
Jack Tame was as good too. Hipkins has to ditch the worried look but I like his new fast-talking style. Luxon oscillated between the usual Nat roboticism and authenticity; still not much substance there, flunked a few credibility challenges too. If Hipkins can somehow get a gravitas transplant, game on!
The PM's problem is Labour's dead cat bounce potential. Given their record, what can secure a bounce? Luxon's helping him by faking it on finance. Anyone with half a brain watching knows refusing to release his professional advice is a sign of weakness.
Apart from the contention over misrepresentation over the value of Nationals tax cuts, the heat was over dealing with disadvantage in accessing health care, assistance to landlords and plans to reduce emissions.
Hipkins was disadvantaged by the lack of questions over wages, working conditions and National being dependent of making savings to government.
Luxon did make it known that National intended to use external providers in health (whanau ora and maybe private), education (charter schools are back) and housing (including supply of “state/public housing” – reducing that from the waiting list). Mentioned talking to iwi about devolution of delivery.
As to making savings … the issue of National standing by its policies and not adopting those of ACT to afford its tax cuts …also not covered
Probably a win for Luxon on the basis he didnt shit the bed.
I think the stand out winners were the audience. Were they real? Just asking for a friend.
Chris Hopkins was great.
Jessica whatshername was dressed to go to a cocktail party. Let Pollyanna go on way too far.
Didn’t address the BIG QUESTION. Show us your costings
. Hipkins by far. Showed empathy, caring and passion for New Zealand/Aotearoa.
Luxon is a slimy turd and needs to be flushed.
"Hipkins by far. Showed empathy, caring and passion for New Zealand/Aotearoa"
Yes.
Not fair really that Chris Hipkins had to compete against Chris Luxon and Jessica MM. She cut off our Chris to prevent him bringing substance to the non-debate. Bah!
JMM cut Hipkins off before he was able to respond to Luxon's 'mistruths'. Yes, she cut off Luxon too, but Chippy wasn't mistruthing in the first place.
All actual political discussion aside… what was with the disturbing hand choreography? Both Jessica Much and Jack Tame were gesticulating like lovelorn Italian men in a stage play…a new visual language I don't understand?
They all do it now. It must be part of the training curriculum. It annoys the hell out of me. I have yelled at them [via the TV] many a time but they still do it. 🙁
Best comment on the debate. By George!!
Hipkins had to dominate because he is so far behind. ODDS are $5.50 versus $1.15.
He did not dominate. next weeks poll should be interesting
National's tax plan has blown enormous holes. Economists have said it doesn't add up and have called it bullshit. John Key said it won't work. Luxon parrots his lines but is evasive and looking dodgy by refusing to release the costings and you don't think that will affect Luxon and the National Party's polling, fisiani?
Hoping like hell that the next debate will be moderated by Kim Hill. Whatever happens will be the truth. All this crap being shovelled up to us by RW ahem! Journalists is just plain arrogant bull faeces. Time for rich people to start looking at us as the enemy. We are the people who have created their wealth. We can also create their poverty if we so wish. Tread carefully, for we tread on your dreams.
Isn't Jack Tame doing the next one?
I was out tonight, so I didn't see the debate. Looking at the comments here, it seems that it would be a struggle to put together a highlights package.
consensus seems to be that it was boring.
There were no new policy surprises, and nor were there any new arguments (i.e. that we hadn't heard before) in support of existing policies. It was all very predictable.
Sorry NZ farmers you are not the most efficient in the world or the most efficient way to produce food taking climate change into consideration and just repeating it doesn’t affect what we will have to pay to meet our Paris obligations.
disappointing that Luxon was allowed to get away with that one.
Yes, TVNZ choose to use their senior autocue reader, a pretty useless moderator.
We deserve better, Campbell or Kim, Kim's retiring she would be ideal IMO so unlikely we will see her.
I didn't watch – the minute I heard Jessica Mutch-McKay – the ultimate concierge gallery journalist – was going to moderate I knew the debate was going to be an exercise in political kabuki. I also predicted that the outcome would be scripted performance cynicism from our utterly predictable dire pundit class – Tova was quick to not let me down this morning. To me, the unfortunate meta is Hipkins seems incapable in igniting any skerrick of tribal passion in Labour leaning voters. Expecting people to vote just to keep the other lot out isn't going to be enough. People need a reason to want to vote for you as well.
Curiously bloodless affair and I can't remember any specific lines.
"You had 6 years" (Luxon on any topic) and "that's not true" (Hipkins on most things Luxon said on most topics – beginning with the lie that families with children got $250 extra a fortnight from tax cuts – it's only $25 a week each individual and $50 a week for a couple – the rest only occurs if there is a claim for a rebate on child care for under 5's).
Yawn.
Yeah labour going to lose to keep control of the left.
Predictable as its a joke on you.
I didn't see the debate. But I have seen a few snippets and read various commentaries on it.
My thoughts are that Luxon won by not losing. I haven't even seen any commentators from any political perspective claiming that Chippy wiped the floor with Luxon. Most I have seen call it a draw or a slight win for Luxon.
Many swing voters don’t really know much about Luxon. So, seeing him performing OK may have reassured them that Luxon is safe to vote for. Whereas, people already know Chippy quite well. So, they probably didn’t learn much new from him.
I think the roles are reversed from last election where Collins needed to destroy Ardern to have a chance of turning the tide. That didn't happen then. That is what Chippy needs now. But, it didn't happen last night. And, I don't think the style of either of them means it is going to happen in upcoming debates either.
If I was in Labour's shoes I would be quite worried I think.
I'm not in Labour's shoes, and I am quite worried about potholes, smoke and mirrors.
Nats could make up some of the projected shortfall in revenue from their 15% foreign buyer tax/hoax by raising it to 25% – like they raised GST to part-fund tax cuts.
In other news, frauds and scams are on the rise…
Reminded me of 2017 where Ardern just had to not lose badly against Bill English. Anything close would be seen as a good outing, and that feels like the case here too.
I dared a few seconds of the 'show' switched off lest I start breaking things
In my Leaders Debate I would have a proper mediator and a decent chunk of time set aside for an actual debate like the Economy, or Housing, or Cost of Living.
Speak for 2 minutes each outlining your position
Then 10 minutes for discussion, "What would your party to to fix Economy or….."
The mediator would not be allowed to cut off the speaker.
Somewhere this morning I read where someone had tracked last nights timing:
Luxon had 47% time.
Hipkins had 32% time
JMM had 25% of the time
And they also logged the number of words each spoke.
haven't read this properly yet but some good graphics on language and time.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/election-2023/498355/hipkins-vs-luxon-the-first-leaders-debate-by-the-numbers
Thanks Weka. The data was based on the words spoken.
Luxon 43%
Hipkins 31%
JessMM 24%
Sounds like Hippy's heart just isn't in it. Maybe he doesn't disagree strongly enough with Luxie.
Gabby, your comment is inane and intellectually lazy. If you watched the debate, you would be fully aware that Jessica MM repeatedly let Luxon talk at length without interruption, yet repeatedly spoke over Hipkins to prevent him from completing his responses.
A notable example of Jessica MM cutting off Hipkins yet allowing Luxon to speak extensively was when the topic of the health system and doctor training was raised- she let Luxon rave on about a pie in the sky, grandiose idea of a new medical school at Waikato University, but when Hipkins replied that the current medical schools can cater to increased doctor training numbers, Jessica MM talked over him, didn’t let him elaborate, and cut him off.
She also jumped from topic to topic, not allowing Hipkins to answer in depth. Jessica MM at one point commented that Luxon was doing really well- this is totally biased, fawning, and unprofessional.
How about you do better with your comments.