The H-fee explained

Written By: Steve Pierson - Date published: 6:00 pm, October 29th, 2008 - 161 comments
Categories: corruption, election 2008, john key - Tags:

A little more detail to flesh out Tane’s post. The core of the H-fee story is this:

In 1987, head of Equiticorp Allan Hawkins illegally helped Elders Merchant Finance in New Zealand with the takeover of another company. In return, Elders paid Hawkins $66m through a series of sham foreign exchange transactions. There were two so-called ‘H-Fee’ payments, which were fraudulent and illegal. When all this was uncovered, it was described as the biggest fraud in Australasian history. Hawkins and Kenneth Charles Jarrett, the head of Elders, went to jail.

John Key had joined Elders Merchant Finance in 1985. He was head of foreign exchange from 1985 until he left Elders. Key told the media and the Serious Fraud Office that he left in 1987, before the H-fee transactions took place in January and August 1988: “Just one small issue: Three months before any of those deals got decided, I had left Elders.”. Key has also said that, if he had been working at Elders when the H-fee transactions went through, he would have been making the transactions.

Actually, as now established by the Herald, Key left in June 1988, after the first H-fee. That means John Key was the head of Elders Forex when massive illegal transactions were being conducted by that business group. Key himself says that he would have been the one making the transactions. It remains to be seen if Key actually signed off the deals, but he clearly knows more than he led us to believe. Why else would he lie about the date that he left Elders on multiple occasions?

As so often with Key, we are left asking the same question: ‘if he has nothing to hide, why all the lies?’

161 comments on “The H-fee explained ”

Comments are now closed

Jeeves 1

29 October 2008 at 6:12 pm

“Key has also said that, if he had been working at Elders when the H-fee transactions went through, he would have been making the transactions.”

Where does it say that?
insider 2

29 October 2008 at 6:23 pm

Key was quoted on the radio as saying he has only found out about the first transaction now. Spookily I had wondered if this might be the case because that way the dates would add up.

In other words (and this needs to be checked) he has never said he left in 87 only that he left 3 months before the illegal transaction occured. We have been assuming 87 because we knew about the first transaction.
marco 3

29 October 2008 at 6:36 pm

Its an interesting story this and not so much for the H fee because your average New Zealander barely remembers it and doesnt really understand it.
Its interesting because in breaking the story the Herald have stolen the thunder from Labour (if it is to be believed that Labour were going to break the story).
In breaking the story this afternoon they have been able to give John Key time to respond for tomorrows print, whilst allowing minimal coverage on the 6 O’Clock news. Im guessing that tomorrows Herald will not have any new or startling revelations and in fact will pretty much kill off the story. I may be wrong but it appears the Herald are trying to take the edge off a potentially damaging story.
ben 4

29 October 2008 at 6:37 pm

Steve, you get the right to take the moral high ground when your leader does the right and proper thing and sacks Winston. Until then, IMO you are being hypocritical in the extreme for not directing the same line of questioning at the present leadership.
Rod 5

29 October 2008 at 6:40 pm

So some guy in Australia did the first deal and went to jail for it – what has that got to do with “It remains to be seen if Key actually signed off the deals”?
What exactly are the lies you refer to?
Just as well responsible policemen investigated the case way back then, not you.
You seem badly befuddled – perhaps it’s time for the retirement home for you, old chap.
Felix 6

29 October 2008 at 6:43 pm

macro that is exactly my reading of it as well.
ben 7

29 October 2008 at 6:46 pm

The article says

“In 1988, Key was on the verge of leaving Elders”

Key was not even called as a witness in the court case.

You have nothing. What a total beat up.
IrishBill 8

29 October 2008 at 6:46 pm

“What exactly are the lies you refer to?”

Those would be John’s lies to the Herald about when he left Elders. Why would he lie?
insider 9

29 October 2008 at 6:51 pm

If Marco and Felix are right and the Herald was trying to spike it, I would have pursued the angle that Labour are trying to dig dirt rahter than say key is being accused of misleading.

It says the Herald has seen the court files – we assume the same as Mike Williams looked at – which looks like a joint approach by the Herald and Labour, just as Labour did with TVNZ on some other stories.

It just doesn’t read like a preemptive strike
ben 10

29 October 2008 at 6:52 pm

Those would be John’s lies to the Herald about when he left Elders. Why would he lie?

He wouldn’t. He might, on the other hand, get the date slightly wrong 20 years after the fact.
IrishBill 11

29 October 2008 at 6:59 pm

“He wouldn’t. He might, on the other hand, get the date slightly wrong 20 years after the fact.”

So what you’re saying is after it came up on the radar as a serious issue and knowing that it could be used by Labour against him and having filed a statement with the Australian authorities about it he then got the date wrong in an interview with the Herald? An interview which he set up to set the record straight on the matter? Excuse me if I find that very hard to believe.
Ianmac 12

29 October 2008 at 7:06 pm

Do I have the impression that the site here is attracting the Nat support team? Still what they are saying is good counterbalance and often worth considering from my limited understanding. I guess that something might come out of it but since the “others Bill Ralston for eg” quote the Herald as an authority, and if Marc is right, the story might be killed tomorrow. Hope not. The MSM have certainly made a meal of Winston yet again and he is but a small player, but my mate John? Tomorrow then?
Roflcopter 13

29 October 2008 at 7:07 pm

But of course any information you’ve read/seen so far is far superior than anything the SFO could come up, right?

*rolls eyes*
RedLogix 14

29 October 2008 at 7:15 pm

The relevant quote from the original Herald article/bio/blowjob dated July 19 this year is this:

In 1988, Key was on the verge of leaving Elders, unshackling himself from a three-year contract after agreeing to three months’ “gardening leave” before taking up his new job at Bankers Trust, newly established in New Zealand. On his last day, he took Richards to lunch at a Wellington restaurant called Plimmer House where they drank champagne to mark Key’s departure. During the lunch, Richards had to leave, saying he had to meet Australian-based Elders director Ken Jarrett…….The record would show, he said, that he wasn’t involved. But the the interesting thing, Key said at the time, was that if he had still been working at Elders, it would likely have been him, not Richards, with whom Jarrett would have met that day.

This implies that because Key was leaving Elders, that it was Jarret who handled the September transaction and therefore took the fall not Key. How very fortunate. But of course it leaves a huge unanswered question about who handled the equally illegal January transaction. It had to have been Key, yet today on RNZ he denies all knowledge of it.

It also ties into IB’s point above. This was a critical juncture in Key’s professional life, even if he was innocent of all wrong-doing… he escaped involvment by the skin of his teeth. There is no question that these dramatic events were something any normal person would recall, and that in preparation for an in-depth interview with the Herald (not something that happens every day of the week for most of us) he should have ensured he had his dates and details correct.

His apparent failure to get his story right tells us that he is covering something.
bobo 15

29 October 2008 at 7:19 pm

The Herald in effect were trying to deflect the story by breaking it today but I agree its too complicated for the average voter to understand, insider trading was also common place by alot of our prominent businessmen. Even after the the huge Herald bio on John Key a few months back I was none the wiser about his history only that he tended to think giving his personal email to a child in a high risk home environment was somehow doing his bit for charity..

Doesn’t Owen Glen look sleazier every time you see him in Fiji on tv frolicking with his blonde “friends” and buying a mail order chiefdom… Helen made one of her biggest ever mistakes getting involved with this tobacco shipping tax evader who only wanted the Monaco post to get diplomatic immunity when entering the USA. Is he hanging around in Fiji till the election so he can fly over if Labour gets the boot to gloat.
Steve Pierson 16

29 October 2008 at 7:20 pm

insider, et al. He told the Herald and the SFO that he left in 1987.

insider. do you seriously think he only found out about the first h-fee now?
– he was at Elders, in charge of the division when it happened
– he was friends with Paul Richards, who carried out at least the second, if not the first, H-fee
– he was interviewed by the SFO on the case
– this was the largest fraud in Australasian history, involving his former work, his friends
– when it was his story that he left in 1987, he was saying he left 3 months before the H-fee.
– he refers to deals, plural
travellerev 17

29 October 2008 at 7:24 pm

Hum puzzling indeed.

It appears that either John Key was involved or had knowledge about the H-fee scandal or he was involved with Andrew Krieger and his attack on the NZ dollar in 1987. I would like to know which one he (or his masters) thinks is the most damaging for his chances of being elected.

It pays to remember that Bingham was one of the three journo’s who wrote the pre-emptive white wash “unauthorised” biography article published in the NZ Herald on 19 July.

Let me give you one question that JK should be able to answer.

1/ In this interview with Claire Trevett in which he states he had left Elders in early 1987 (way before the deal was done which was October 1987) to work for Bankers Trust).

2/ On his Wiki page (By the way this had the 1987 date on a year ago and it changed but I can’t prove it) and in the NZ Herald he states that he moved to Bankers Trust after Andrew Krieger attacked the NZ dollar. Andrew Krieger stopped trading for Bankers Trust in February 1988

In these interviews 1 and 2 he and his boss state unequivocally that he was the sole trader tasked with supplying Andrew Krieger with whatever he needed and dealing in millions with the man.

Question: You must have been doing one or the other. Either you worked for Elders in a time which was arguably the most corrupt time at Elders or you were involved in the biggest attack on the NZ dollar. In the NZ Herald it is stated that the records will show that you, John Key worked with Andrew Krieger after the attack. Are you willing to show us those “records” and if not why not
Janet 18

29 October 2008 at 7:33 pm

At the end of National Radio’s Checkpoint Julian Robins reported from Invercargill on Key’s response. He had consulted with his minders (CT? ) on the road to Invercargill and delayed communication with the waiting media until after the TV news deadlines (or even Checkpoint’s).

Julian then parroted the Nat P line that it was just a desperate Labour party looking for dirt, and a long time ago etc etc (I despair of these embedded journalists sometimes) –
(not even mentioning that Key had attacked Helen all day over Monacco without justification)

I think there will be a lot of activity happening behind the scenes getting the Herald to dilute and deflect this story and disappear it by morning.
forgetaboutthelastone 19

29 October 2008 at 7:33 pm

‘On his Wiki page (By the way this had the 1987 date on a year ago and it changed but I can’t prove it)’

Have you tried the ‘way back machine‘?.

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Key
Ianmac 20

29 October 2008 at 7:34 pm

By the way on NBR they report that the Two Johns Ad fall foul of the Standards Authority. Relates to inaccuracy of Kiwisaver cut in half.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/two-johns-ad-falls-foul-standards-authority-37078
Nick C 21

29 October 2008 at 7:38 pm

“It remains to be seen if Key actually signed off the deals”

What this means is: There is absolutely no evidence so far that Key signed off on the deals, or had anything to do with them beyond working at Elders at the time. More like a pop gun than a bomb
travellerev 22

29 October 2008 at 7:39 pm

hey RedLogix,

F*&k politeness. LOL.

All I want for those people who are waking up is to have a second look at the collapse of building 7.

Peace
Danny 23

29 October 2008 at 7:43 pm

Ben, your comment “he might, … get the date slightly wrong …” is a joke, right?

If you are not kidding, then you are obviously about 15 years old. Good on you for being interested in politics if so.

But seriously kid, this was a big deal.

Also, when one gets interviewed by the SFO as well as the ANCA relating to a FOREX trade at a firm where one was the head of FOREX trading, one f’in well remembers. You will learn this as you grow and experience things of magnitude.
Danny 24

29 October 2008 at 7:46 pm

Nick C said:

“There is absolutely no evidence so far that Key signed off on the deals, or had anything to do with them beyond working at Elders at the time.”

What he is really saying is:

“I have no idea how large FOREX trades take place, but I really like National and don’t want this to be bad, in spite of my ignorance”
vto 25

29 October 2008 at 7:47 pm

So Key may have worked at a place at a time dodgy deeds were done dirt cheap.

Clark was the numero uno at a place all the while knowing full well that her Foreign Minister was engaging in full blown outright lies to the NZ public about donations to his party and about Monaco Consul appointments. Foreign Minister has been found to be a perjurer by his own peers. Foreign Minister remains.

hmmmmm, let me think – if I had to choose between the two……………….
NeillR 26

29 October 2008 at 7:47 pm

His apparent failure to get his story right tells us that he is covering something.
Really? I’ve always found that people with something to hide are very careful to get their story right – like the Winston Peters of this world. Innocent people are much more likely to get something wrong, because they haven’t coached themselves to recall every last detail.
Key IS a Liar 27

29 October 2008 at 7:49 pm

John Key also denied any involvement with Andy Kreiger, head of Banker’s Trust and the multimillion dollar currency raid on the NZ dollar in 1987 “because he (Key) did not start at Banker’s Trust until 1988.” But it seems he was not involved with the H Trust Fee either because he was not working at Elders in 1987. John Key seems to play musical jobs depending on which multimillion dollar deal is under discussion. So dear readers take your pick. Key either served Kreiger’s desk and launched a raid on the NZ dollar costing the country 300 million and potentially tens of thousands of jobs, or, he was involved up to his neck in the H Trust Fee fraud. Neither deal is pretty nor befitting a potential Prime Minister of New Zealand.
Danny 28

29 October 2008 at 7:53 pm

“Innocent people are much more likely to get something wrong”

What NeillR is really saying is “I have never had any Court experience and have never been involved in an investigation”

Innocent people get things right. Innocent people also give verifiable details. They give them freely as they know they cannot be contradicted by what the investigator/cross examiner knows and is not letting on.
jo zinny 29

29 October 2008 at 7:57 pm

NeillR, maybe we shouldn’t overlook the character traits and behavioral differences between a trained lawyer and an accountant.. both of whom shall doubtless produce pure irony on occasion.
higherstandard 30

29 October 2008 at 7:57 pm

Key is a liar are you Travellerev ?
RedLogix 31

29 October 2008 at 7:59 pm

Trav,

The Business People article you linked to states in para. 10:

Mr. Krieger joined Salomon Brothers and traded there for two years before leaving for Bankers Trust, where he scored big in 1987. But he quit Bankers Trust at the end of 1987, disappointed with a bonus of only $3 million of the $300 million he earned for the bank.

Late 1987.

Yet the Stuff article states:

Key proved a successful “price maker”, setting Elders’ price for the kiwi from moment to moment, and attracting large flows of orders to buy and sell. He was headhunted by Bankers Trust to head their 30-strong dealing room in Auckland in 1988. Sources say Key was soon earning $1m each year in salary and bonuses, more than 30 times the average wage at the time.

He formed what was to be a lucrative relationship with 32-year-old currency trader Andy Krieger, based at Bankers Trust in New York, who began putting hundreds of millions of dollars of business through Key’s dealing room.

I know you have pointed all this out before, but according to the H-Fee story Key leaves Elders in June 1988. There simply is no way for him to have worked with Kreiger at Bankers Trust. According to these dates they missed each other by six months.

This is getting plain weird.
bobo 32

29 October 2008 at 8:00 pm

The SFO obviously think Keys word is enough for them they are hopeless, I find it hard to think of a successful case they have won in the last 15 years which isn’t against some small time con. The exact timing of him getting out shows he knew the sH*t was gonna hit the fan, and no media actually followed up looking over his CV company history dates which were vague to say the least, in fraud timing is everything I agree he knew, my point was the average voter most likely wont take this in.
travellerev 33

29 October 2008 at 8:08 pm

RedLogix,

You got it in one.
So how about a niggly little question; which of two is true and “if the records truly show what you did. Well please show us those records. LOL.
NeillR 34

29 October 2008 at 8:24 pm

The real story here is who paid Mike Williams’ trip expenses – especially given that he’s got his snout so far in the public trough.
rave 35

29 October 2008 at 8:25 pm

So what is more damaging to Key, and how good is his alibi for both?
tsmithfield 36

29 October 2008 at 8:27 pm

This is a total beat-up:

1. On the National Website JK said:

“Mr Key says he has previously clarified the year of his departure from Elders in the New Zealand Herald on July 19.”

2. The Herald, July 19, on JK’s bio, obviously based on an interview with JK, stated:

“In 1988, Key was on the verge of leaving Elders, unshackling himself from a three-year contract after agreeing to three months’ “gardening leave” before taking up his new job at Bankers Trust, newly established in New Zealand. On his last day, he took Richards to lunch at a Wellington restaurant called Plimmer House where they drank champagne to mark Key’s departure. During the lunch, Richards had to leave, saying he had to meet Australian-based Elders director Ken Jarrett.”

Precisely what JK has said in later interviews other than making a slip with the date. However, he had already previously provided the correct date to “The Herald”.

3. According to the SST, last year:

“Former Equiticorp boss Allan Hawkins and Australian-based expat and former Elders Merchant Finance executive Ken Jarrett have both confirmed Key’s claims he had nothing to do with H-Fee.”

4. The SFO said of JK, in relation to this matter:

‘Mr Key was simply one in a “vast array of innocent people, potential witnesses, in a massive fact-gathering exercise. I feel compelled to fully support the reported comments of John Key in relation to the H-Fee transaction. It should not need to be said that John Key was completely innocent of any wrongdoing whatsoever. For any politician to hint or suggest otherwise would be absolutely rubbish and pure mischief-making’.

In summary, this is a total beat-up and can only serve to backfire on Labour.
vto 37

29 October 2008 at 8:29 pm

So Helen implied Key was a wife-beater with her comment “you might shout people down at home but you wont do it to me” during the debate thing.

nasty. nasty. nasty. nasty.

nasty.

nasty. nasty.

Says a whole lot about her in fact.
Danny 38

29 October 2008 at 8:31 pm

“The real story here is who paid Mike Williams’ trip expenses …”

Awwwh, so that’s the reeeeal story.

Here is me thinking that the possibility of the man on the verge of being our next PM being in some way involved in the biggest white collar crime in our nation’s history was the story.

I was obviously looking at it the wrong way.
Danny 39

29 October 2008 at 8:36 pm

tsmithfield,

“… Allan Hawkins and … Ken Jarrett have both confirmed Key’s claims”

Well that settles it then, those are two upstanding and trustworthy individuals …
Could He Have Worked Both Jobs? 40

29 October 2008 at 8:37 pm

How is it possible for John Key to be involved in either deal? a) Kreiger’s Bankers Trust currency raid, and, b) Elder”s H Fee swindle? The Banker’s Trust raid occurred in 1987 and Elders H Fee fraud occurred in 1988. John Key by is own admission was working for neither firm at the time of these deals..
RedLogix 41

29 October 2008 at 8:41 pm

This quote also confirms the date Krieger left Bankers Trust:

Unhappiness with his bonus was said to be the reason for the resignation of Andrew Krieger, a 31-year-old foreign-exchange trader for Bankers Trust. He resigned on the day the 1987 bonuses were given out. Bankers Trust, unlike most other financial institutions, paid its highest bonuses ever for 1987. The bank would not disclose the size of Mr. Krieger’s bonus, but people on Wall Street speculated that Mr. Krieger received at least $2.5 million.

From: NYTimes Business Week

Article is dated 28th Febuary 1988.
jake 42

29 October 2008 at 8:45 pm

So a 26 year old, neophyte, Key was brought in to help mastermind one of the most insidious deals of the decade. God, if they had that much respect for him 20 years ago, maybe we should, as well 😉 I hope you guys get full credit for this one. Otherwise, Helen’s going to have to wear it. And Labour, which, you will remember, was the Government that benefitted from the transactions.
tsmithfield 43

29 October 2008 at 8:45 pm

Danny “Well that settles it then, those are two upstanding and trustworthy individuals ”

They would have no motivation to lie. In fact, they would probably like to pin the blame on someone else if they could.

With respect to the first transaction, Key, in the Herald article, has said:

“The court documents show that it was handled by Elders staff in Australia. “That’s why I’ve never known about it because it never went through our [Elders Merchant Finance] books,” said Mr Key.

This statement is based on clear records in the court documents. It is absolutely reasonable to expect that JK would not know about financial transactions that were handled by another branch in a different country. I don’t think I have to argue too hard here that he is not God.

This is clearly a beat-up as I said.
r0b 44

29 October 2008 at 8:47 pm

So Helen implied Key was a wife-beater with her comment “you might shout people down at home but you wont do it to me’ during the debate thing.

Shame on you vto.
mike 45

29 October 2008 at 8:50 pm

Neutron fizzer guys

The first tranaction was from the Aussie books which is why Key was in the dark. But this cut from the SFO report says it all really

“Mr Key was simply one in a “vast array of innocent people, potential witnesses, in a massive fact-gathering exercise. I feel compelled to fully support the reported comments of John Key in relation to the H-Fee transaction. It should not need to be said that John Key was completely innocent of any wrongdoing whatsoever. For any politician to hint or suggest otherwise would be absolutely rubbish and pure mischief-making'”

no wonder clark wants to distance herself from this tripe
vto 46

29 October 2008 at 8:51 pm

h aha r0b, I always find myself regretting things. Get this great urge to stomp on toes and then when someone says “ouch that was my toes” regret storms in.

But really, shame on her.

btw, you is not she is you?
RedLogix 47

29 October 2008 at 8:52 pm

tsmithfield,

You are running a distraction. There are several major discrepancies here:

1. The H-Fee deal was dreamed up in October 1987, and the first illegal transaction took place early 1988, while John Key was the head of Elders FOREX division and by his own admission was the person most likely to have handled it.

2. According to these court documents he does not leave Elders until June 1988, and then takes 3 months leave before starting with rival firm Bankers Trust. (There is no possibility that he worked for both at the same time.)

3. While at BT Key has repeatedly claimed that he had a close and lucrative relationship with the infamous Andrew Krieger.

4. However according to several cross-checked sources, and this thread has provided several, Krieger has left BT by Febuary 1988.

Key and Krieger missed each other by at least six months. Work it out for yourself… something smells much worse here than any old snapper.
Ianmac 48

29 October 2008 at 8:56 pm

By the way. Is it possible that Krieger was dealing via Key in overlapping dates? Would explain the apparent date mix ups.
Bankers Trust and NZ Rail 49

29 October 2008 at 8:57 pm

Another thing…..

Hansards

Has the Prime Minister received any reports, namely, for example, from Booz Allen and Hamilton, that say that New Zealand Rail was making $36 million in 1993 and was down to make $100 million in 1994; and does she therefore not believe that taxpayers are entitled to some compensation for the 1993 sale of New Zealand Rail by the then National Government to its corrupt mates in Fay Richwhite and a foreign-owned company, Wisconsin Central Transportation?

Rt Hon HELEN CLARK: The member, like the Labour Party, opposed that sale. But there was one person who fully backed that sale and that was Mr Key, a director of Bankers Trust, which got the contract to advise the New Zealand Government on that sale. That sale was worth $400 million to the New Zealand Government?the National Government?in 1993. In that same year?the 1993 financial year?Bankers Trust, of which Mr Key was a director, pocketed $39 million in profit. Members should ask themselves the question, who benefited from the sale of Tranz Rail? Mr Key and his friends.

[lprent: Settle on a name and build a rep with it. It is annoying when people use their handle as a editorial]
higherstandard 50

29 October 2008 at 9:10 pm

While I’m sure posting under a different name is good for the sites stats tis a little bit trollish don’t you think ?

Why doesn’t everyone just wait till tomorrow to see what the story actually is – i.e is there anything new or is it the same old story rehashed again for its smear value.

[lprent: Makes no difference to site stats. That runs on IP’s for things like unique visitors. This is a just a newbie]
Macro 51

29 October 2008 at 9:10 pm

jake
26 was hardly a ‘neophyte” in that unreal world at that time.
r0b 52

29 October 2008 at 9:11 pm

btw, you is not she is you?

Nah vto, I’m just a fan of her work.
Danny 53

29 October 2008 at 9:19 pm

tsmithfield

“They would have no motivation to lie”

They may have every motivation to lie.

Do you not know the story?
Vlad the Impaler 54

29 October 2008 at 9:49 pm

John Key is telling porkies about where he was and what he was doing in the 1987/1988 period.

When Elders was involved in the biggest fraud in Australia and NZ history, John was in charge See: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10539975

When Andy Kreiger headed the New York desk Bankers Trust and raiding the NZ currency, ” Key remembers getting a call from Krieger. The New York trader’s first question was about New Zealand’s GDP and money supply.”

See: http://www.stuff.co.nz/4385816a6160.html

When Michael Faye was consultant to the National Govt on rail and John Key headed Bankers Trust as advisor to the the National Govt on rail, both profited hugely from the sale.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0807/S00077.htm
Monty 55

29 October 2008 at 9:50 pm

whoa hooo – the turning point of the election – Clark and her poodle are up to their necks in corruption allegations – cash for honorary consulate and honours – in the meantime the left respond with a water gun attack on did john Key pay for lunch?

Well guys I think this is important – from the head of the SFO at the time that: “Mr Key was simply one in a vast array of innocent people, potential witnesses, in a massive fact-gathering exercise. I feel compelled to fully support the reported comments of John Key in relation to the H-Fee transaction. It should not need to be said that John Key was completely innocent of any wrongdoing whatsoever. For any politician to hint or suggest otherwise would be absolutely rubbish and pure mischief-making”

in the meantime how is the economy going?
Vlad the Impaler 56

29 October 2008 at 10:09 pm

Excuse us for deviating from APN’s ( Monopoly-Over-Mainstream-Media) orchestrated attacks on Peters but there are many unanswered questions involving John Key and the many lies he has told regarding his role in the biggest fraud in NZ’s history and the most predatory currency raid on the NZ dollar.

These may seem questions insignificant to those who dwell in blue ribbon La La land but to the average voter they raise some pretty important questions about the integrity of one John Key and his adequacy to lead NZ.
Hamish 57

29 October 2008 at 10:12 pm

Vlad the Impaler, you’re an idiot.

John was in charge for the first transaction of the scam, no one is trying to dispute that. However that particular part of the scam was in Australia. Not in New Zealand, where John was in charge at that time. John was not responsible. Every single body that has looked into this has come to the same judgment. By the time the second part of scam, John was well gone and not involved at all.

The only mistake here is that John told the Herald last year that he left in 1987, rather than 1988. That is for him to clear up. However I should note that in his autobiography by the Herald this year, he did state the right time in accordance to when he left Elders. Maybe he just made a mistake at the first interview, which is easy to do considering the event was twenty years ago.

But lets say that on the very unlikely chance you’re all right, and that John did cover up his emplyment dates at Elders to the SFO and the other bodies when they were investigating because he was involved. If John had told the SFO that he left his position in 1987 to them in their interview, they would have very easily been able to contradict him, considering they had all the correct employment evidence at hand. But considering they cleared him of any wrong doing, it would be highly likely that he did supply them with the correct information, and that he did not in fact mislead them as suggested above surrounding his employment dates.
jo zinny 58

29 October 2008 at 10:22 pm

Hamish,

would you kindly clarify both extent and meaning to your lines 2 & 3..?
higherstandard 59

29 October 2008 at 10:33 pm

Interesting that Helen Clark on the 10.30 news looked like she didn’t want to have anything to do with this story at all.
Steve Pierson 60

29 October 2008 at 10:36 pm

HS. just see what is in the Herald tomorrow, rather than trying to infer this is all nothing from your view of how the PM looked in an interview
Hamish 61

29 October 2008 at 10:43 pm

The problem is that I doubt Labour would have put all this work into it if they knew they were chasing after a dud. There must be something that caught their eye. Winston was even gloating about it earlier last week. What was revealed today certainly wasn’t it.

jo zinny – There were two H-Fee’s (or scam transactions). One from the Australian branch of Elders, and one from the branch in New Zealand. The one from New Zealand was after Key had left in 1988, so Key himself was not personally involved. As for the other H-Fee, which many people on this site have accussed John of having some part in, it was conducted by the Australian branch, and had no interaction (or proven interaction) with the branch in New Zealand.
higherstandard 62

29 October 2008 at 10:43 pm

Clinton

The vast amount of inferring seems to be coming from authors at this blog at present.

The only thing official on the whole H-FEE issue to date is the findings of the serious fraud office

“”Mr Key was simply one in a vast array of innocent people, potential witnesses, in a massive fact-gathering exercise. I feel compelled to fully support the reported comments of John Key in relation to the H-Fee transaction. It should not need to be said that John Key was completely innocent of any wrongdoing whatsoever. For any politician to hint or suggest otherwise would be absolutely rubbish and pure mischief-making’

So to take any of this seriously one would have to accept that Mike Williams is a more competent investigator of wrong doing than the combined efforts of the SFO.

But yes let’s wait for the article in the herald tomorrow.
higherstandard 63

29 October 2008 at 10:46 pm

And Clinton what I was inferring was maybe Mike Williams was not acting on the PMs orders which would suggest he’s in for a big botty spanking if this backfires.
Hamish 64

29 October 2008 at 10:48 pm

Winston knew about it earlier this week HS. He was gloating about it. If he knew, then Clark definitely had a very large role in it.
ken 65

29 October 2008 at 10:56 pm

Is this all Labour has on John Key?? As a swinging voter, I’m right off Labour for suggesting that this evidence in a matter from the 1980’s is some how a reason not to vote for him.

I don’t like dirty politics and Labours is deep into it.

Gosh, National could be raising all sorts of minor historical things about Labour, but they are not, which makes them look far more principlled to me. Or bigger stories …

Like the new Owen Glenn affair, or diplomatic intervention at LAX for example. Good on National for not going there with any of that.

No, I think Labour has sunk to a new low with inuendo from the 1980’s, how about some policy perhaps?

[Tane: I don’t know why right-wing trolls keep coming on here with new pseudonyms pretending to be ‘swinging voters’ turned off by Labour’s ‘corruption’ and ‘dirty tricks’, or whatever line National is pushing at the time. Don’t take us for fools – you were banned under a previous pseudonym and you remain banned.]
Peter Nelson 66

29 October 2008 at 11:09 pm

Wow, just come back from Australia for 3 weeks. Had enough of the bloody mines, but the money is too good to refuse.

Gee, this election is a real hum-dinger, unlike the sterile affair in Aust last year. Rudd was always going to win that.

From what my brother has said who I am staying with, there is a lot of slur coming out from both sides.

I am really interested to see what comes out tomorrow, but like most things I don’t think Key will be hurt. Mud is hard to stick in election campaigns.

Labour need a king hit on this or else they may well be finished. Or is there more to come?
Vlad the Impaler 67

29 October 2008 at 11:10 pm

Sorry? The Herald? Is the Herald not owned by media monopolist APN? The same outfit which owns just about every other news media outlet in NZ?

If John Key was involved in the Elders fraud or the Bankers Trust raid we will not learn about it via the NZ Herald or any of the rest of New Zealand’s APN media monopoly orchestra. If anything, these media propagandists will repress the facts and echo only what John Key thinks about Labour.

The Herald? LOL. A mere pale shadow of extreme right wing Investigate Magazine.
Danny 68

29 October 2008 at 11:11 pm

“As a swinging voter”

What a knob.
Ianmac 69

29 October 2008 at 11:31 pm

Helen said that they were about to release a story but that the Herald one was not it. As a conspiracy theory would the Herald run a weak story to undermine Labour’s one about to come out? Nah. Surely not. In the meantime Helen gets the blame along with Williams. Its possible that there are two different stories. Oh Hell. Go to bed Ian!
burt 70

29 October 2008 at 11:35 pm

Come on stop this complete and utter speculation about what happens next, because you are all way wrong.

The PM will ask John Key in private if he benefited from the fraud and he will say no. The Media ask him and he holds up a sign – “NO”. Then the PM says she takes the word of the honorable member and we move on. For the next six months John Key will be saying it’s a conspiracy theory and a media beat-up.

It’s a great story all the same.
Vlad the Impaler 71

29 October 2008 at 11:46 pm

If anyone disputes what has been said about who owns NZ news then take a good look at APN on google then have a search through the shareholder data pdf file on APN’s front page. Run some of these shareholders through Wikipedia. We ought to have laws governing mainstream media monopoly.
How can we have democratically free and fair elections otherwise?

http://www.apn.com.au/
dave 72

29 October 2008 at 11:48 pm

Boooooooooooooooring. The Herald won`t have anything juicy tomorrow. there’s nothing to write about. The smoking gun had no smoke and wouldnt fire.
rave 73

29 October 2008 at 11:49 pm

Redlogix I draw the conclusion that Key was in two places at once. In Auckland where if he didnt actually run the first Elders’ scam there is no way that he could not have known about it. And at the same time he was on the phone to Krieger offering him advice on the parlous state of the NZ economy and the state of the dollar.

Key has no morality when it comes to money as he said in “Who is JK” following orders is all there is. Krieger is a bit of a maverick why would JK have to work for Bankers Trust in NY to work for Krieger? 1987 was after all one hell of a year. The stinking fish is 21 years old.
Ms M 74

29 October 2008 at 11:51 pm

Umm. Question. What do you call it when an article is published on a news website containing a certain piece of information when published in 2007 but when that same article is accessed today it no longer contains that piece of information?

Yes I do have a link for the original article as it was cross posted in it’s entirety on a discussion blog on the day it first appeared on the news site in 2007.

The information now omitted is, err, pretty pertinent to when John Key left Elders as it makes mention of a specific 1987 event. The article no longer alludes to that event.
sweetd 75

29 October 2008 at 11:55 pm

“It should not need to be said that John Key was completely innocent of any wrongdoing whatsoever,” Mr Sturt said.

“For any politician to hint or suggest otherwise would be absolute rubbish and pure mischief-making.”

http://www.stuff.co.nz/vote08/4743294a28435.html
Tim Ellis 76

30 October 2008 at 12:11 am

I struggle again to see the point of these smears against John Key.

There were two H-Fee payments. The first was in January 1988. The second was in September 1988.

John Key was head of the foreign exchange dealing room at Elders New Zealand in January 1988. The first H-Fee payment was designed and managed by Elders Australia. There is no evidence that John Key had anything to do with that payment. The person who designed it and the person who received it, have denied repeatedly that Key had anything to do with the payment. Charles Sturt has publicly pointed out that Key had nothing to do with the payment.

John Key resigned from Elders in June 1988.

The second H Fee took place in September 1988. Again, the people involved in that transaction, and Charles Sturt, have said that Key had nothing to do with that transaction.

Key joined Bankers Trust after leaving Elders. Andrew Krieger’s “raids” on the New Zealand dollar took place before Key joined BT.

That’s what all the evidence to light says.

Are you guys really this desperate?
r0b 77

30 October 2008 at 12:22 am

I struggle again to see the point of these smears against John Key.

What “smears” Tim? Various facts have been reported, but I don’t see any “smears”.

Are you guys really this desperate?

You should direct your question to The Herald, which broke the story. Currently their article on this subject concludes “Read more in tomorrow’s NZ Herald, plus exclusive online audio of Key’s 2007 interview”. They seem to think they’re on to something big. I guess tomorrow we’ll find out eh? Sleep well…
Tim Ellis 78

30 October 2008 at 12:35 am

Sigh. Okay, r0b, I’ll bite. You want to know what smears.

John Key had joined Elders Merchant Finance in 1985.

True. He joined Elders New Zealand.

He was head of foreign exchange from 1985 until he left Elders.

Not true. He was head of the New Zealand dealing room. He had no position of authority at Elders Australia, which had its own forex unit.

Key told the media and the Serious Fraud Office that he left in 1987,

There’s no evidence he said that to the SFO. He made a comment to the Herald, which he corrected several months ago.

before the H-fee transactions took place in January and August 1988:

Wrong. Key never made reference to the first (Australian) H-Fee transaction, because there was never an allegation that he had anything to do with the first transaction, or had any knowledge of it. The second transaction was in September, not August.

“Just one small issue: Three months before any of those deals got decided, I had left Elders.’.

Key was referring to the September transaction. Key resigned from Elders in June 1988, three months before the September H-Fee transaction. Key’s statement was true.

Key has also said that, if he had been working at Elders when the H-fee transactions went through, he would have been making the transactions.

And what Key has said hasn’t contradicted that. Key left Elders before the New Zealand H-Fee transactions. He had nothing to do with it.

Actually, as now established by the Herald, Key left in June 1988, after the first H-fee.

The first H-Fee being the Australian transaction that Key had no knowledge or involvement in.

That means John Key was the head of Elders Forex when massive illegal transactions were being conducted by that business group.

Wrong. Key was in charge of the dealing room in New Zealand, when an Australian forex group began a massive illegal transaction.

Key himself says that he would have been the one making the transactions.

No he doesn’t.

It remains to be seen if Key actually signed off the deals, but he clearly knows more than he led us to believe.

Wrong, and yet another smear. Numerous people, from the person who received the transaction, to the person who arranged the transaction at Elders Australia, to the people who ran the SFO investigation into the transaction, have made clear that Key had nothing to do with the transaction. It doesn’t remain to be seen if Key signed off the deals. If he had signed them off, then he would have spent jail time, as Jarrett and Hawkins did.

Why else would he lie about the date that he left Elders on multiple occasions?

Wrong again. There is no evidence that Key lied once, let alone on multiple occasions. There is evidence that Key gave an incorrect piece of information to the Herald, which Key subsequently and immediately corrected. If that is dishonest and constitutes a lie, then every piece of incorrect information that SP comes up with (and there’s plenty of that), is dishonest and a lie.

Facts have not been reported r0b. “Facts”, in SP’s case, have been invented. This blog post is the very anatomy of a smear.
r0b 79

30 October 2008 at 12:53 am

You want to know what smears.

What you list is a bunch of factual claims, some of which you dispute (and you may be right or wrong, I’m not an expert on this case), but none of which constitutes a “smear”.

Only the last one “lied on multiple occasions” looks like a smear if it isn’t true. But of course true is what it may be eh? Why don’t we both wait until tomorrow and see what, if anything, The Herald has up its sleeve? They are still teasing us with “Read more in tomorrow’s NZ Herald, plus exclusive online audio of Key’s 2007 interview”…

G’night.
milo 80

30 October 2008 at 1:08 am

Okay, I guess I’ll get banned for this, but here goes. As you ban me, just note that I have defended Standard posters on kiwiblog at times, and criticised actions by National and kiwiblog posters that I disagree with.

You shriek “LIAR” at John Key over any unanswered question, minor inconsistency or (perfectly normal) minor difference in recollection or interpretation. You engage in defamations, beat-ups and generally do anything to personally attack John Key. Yet the misrepresentations in your stories are far greater than any inconsistencies in John Key’s. You are hypocrites, and strangers to the truth. If John Key is a liar, The Standard are liars four times over.

Frankly, this behaviour disgusts me, and I hope none of you are ever in a position of political power, where your rank hypocrisy and double standards could be imposed on a wider audience.

The stink of your intellectual dishonesty makes me want to puke.
Swampy 81

30 October 2008 at 2:15 am

“Lie” is practically a swear word in politics where it is frequently used as a denigratory slur against an opponent in contexts that would never be entertained in everyday life.

If you’re going to keep throwing claims like that about, you should be providing some evidence. Just because so and so said such and such is not evidence.
r0b 82

30 October 2008 at 2:21 am

Wassamatter Milo – you seem a bit tense?

You’ve long had an unhealthy fascination with this blog, up to and including describing participants as “Labour party brownshirts in the assault on free speech”. You’ve described the government as an “enemy of democracy” that “seeks to outlaw disagreement”. Do you think it’s possible that your judgment may just be a teeny bit biased? Just a bit? Maybe?

Anyway, hope you wake up in a better mood tomorrow, perhaps by then the whole story will have fizzled out eh?
Killinginthenameof 83

30 October 2008 at 2:53 am

Interesting, a large number of kiwibloggers appear to be sitting on information regarding the possibility of a dangerous pedophile being on the loose in New Zealand. I find this deeply concerning, for the safety of every bodies kids, a complaint should be made to the police immediately. Of course, kiwiblog will need to be subpoenaed for the IP address’ of the posters who have this evidence, and them all taken to court at witnesses.

Whether or not the alleged event actually happened, they all seem quite sure that it occurred, why else would they feel comfortable accusing somebody of such a serious crime in public? As they are this confident, does any one else here find it repugnant that they are sitting on information, that is possibly costing the safety of our children (regardless of whether the event occurred or not), to release it at a more politically advantageous time? National, Farrar, Whale and their other supporters are practically facilitating the molestation of children for their own electoral (and financial) gain.
Ms M 84

30 October 2008 at 3:42 am

Tim

“Just one small issue: Three months before any of those deals got decided, I had left Elders.’. Herald Friday Aug 24, 2007

Key was referring to the September transaction. Key resigned from Elders in June 1988, three months before the September H-Fee transaction. Key’s statement was true.

Tim, sorry but that quote is in reference to the deal making that happened in 1987 not the 1988 September H-Fee transaction. From the same article:

Mr Key said he left Elders Merchant Finance in 1987 three months before the “H-Fee” was dreamed up and knew nothing of it.
Doug 85

30 October 2008 at 5:40 am

Great headline in the New Zealand Herald!!

‘Neutron bomb’ on Key proves fizzer for Govt.
Says it all.
higherstandard 86

30 October 2008 at 7:07 am

KITNO

Agreed it’s disgraceful that a vile urban legend continues to circulate and be given air about Peter in an attempt to smear him and Helen by association.

Now how do you feel that similar behaviour has been demonstrated yet again by Mike Williams and the Labour party according to today’s papers ?
Robinsod 87

30 October 2008 at 7:17 am

Williams is a fuckin idiot but the Herald’s treatment of the story is weird – why would they run a story they knew didn’t stack up as if it did only to cut the feet out of it the next day? I reckon they decided to sting Labour via Williams and he walked straight into it! I thought the guy was supposed to be an operator???

After this cock-up National’s gonna claim any attack on their policy or capability is part of a smear campaign – and they’re gonna get away with it…
higherstandard 88

30 October 2008 at 7:24 am

Sod

Agreed – This idea people have that the political parties back room boys are Machiavellian geniuses is so much drivel – on the evidence to date in NZ the senior management and strategists in the political parties are just as likely to be of the buffoon variety as those in the public sector and private industry – and in my experience the competent people in those two spheres are grossly outnumbered by the morons.
Tim Ellis 89

30 October 2008 at 7:27 am

Robinsod,

I really doubt the Herald did a sting on Williams. Williams reportedly went to Melbourne, and took a couple of Labour Party research unit researchers with him, to trawl through the 13,000 pages of evidence. The reports say that it was Williams who delivered the “evidence” to the Herald. The “smoking gun” was apparently John Key’s signature on the dealing slips in the transactions, which SP hinted at in this post, when he wrote:

It remains to be seen if Key actually signed off the deals, but he clearly knows more than he led us to believe.

I don’t doubt that SP was fed information from the Labour Party research unit on this. This comment clearly says to me that the Labour Party thought there was evidence that Key had signed off on the deals.

It was Williams who fed the information and rumours of the “smoking gun” to the Herald. Somebody–almost certainly in the Labour Party research unit–also fed the same rumours to Fairfax, as the Dom Post makes clear this morning.

You’re quite right robinsod, this is a major cock-up from Labour. The smoking gun that Labour was holding has shot themselves in the foot.

[sorry to burst your bubble, Tim, it’s just a turn of phrase. SP]
Robinsod 90

30 October 2008 at 7:37 am

Tim – I don’t mean they active sought to sting him but I figure he bumbled along with that shit and they thought “here’s a chance to make a fool of Labour” – they knew there was no “smoking gun” when they ran the “smoking gun – more tomorrow” story yesterday – why would you do that if not to set Williams up for a fool?
Rod 91

30 October 2008 at 7:43 am

WOW! Talk about a smoking gun … this from the Herald:

Labour minister and campaign strategist Pete Hodgson was more forthcoming: “Either [the Herald] have been misled or the Serious Fraud Office has been misled – I don’t know. If the SFO has been willingly misled, issues of perjury arise, but I’m a veterinarian, not a lawyer.”

Guilty of nastiness as charged … wasn’t he the beat them up guy from last election – in Dunedin wasn’t it?

Go back and get your kicks from emasculating cats, Pete.

And maybe you could give the author of the post above a job smearing on ointment, he’s good at smearing.
Tim Ellis 92

30 October 2008 at 7:46 am

Tim – I don’t mean they active sought to sting him but I figure he bumbled along with that shit and they thought “here’s a chance to make a fool of Labour’ – they knew there was no “smoking gun’ when they ran the “smoking gun – more tomorrow’ story yesterday – why would you do that if not to set Williams up for a fool?

That might well be true, robinsod. Williams lured the Herald over to Melbourne last week to trawl through the court documents, on the promise of the great smoking gun. It may well have been by last night that the Herald decided that the smoking gun was non-existent, and that the real story was the Labour Party president, and a couple of Labour Party researchers muck-raking and spreading dirt to smear John Key. It looked last night when the story broke that the news was going to be pretty sensational–it turned out this morning that it was indeed sensational, but not the story that we thought it was going to be.

I heard from a Labour Party source–and I’m not blowing smoke here, it was the husband of a Labour Party candidate at a meet-the-candidates meeting, and I’m happy to name the candidate’s husband and the date of the meeting where he said it to me in the conversation–that there was supposedly a whole lot of dirt on John Key, relating to the H-Fee. That was over a month ago. The Labour Party have been peddling this muck for some time to anybody who will listen.
higherstandard 93

30 October 2008 at 7:48 am

Rod

Indeed one of the most bizarre comments by a politician since John Bank’s screeching effort about poodles and rubber stamping fetishes etc.
vto 94

30 October 2008 at 7:51 am

Such a shame I have to depart for the whitebait-soaked boondox again today – the election is just starting to get interesting.

What with Peters exposed as a simple out and out liar again. And now with labour’s neutron bomb blowing up in its face. (both hardly surprising given that that ever present force called karma lives so vibrantly. why do people ignore it?).

There was a bit of a push back to the left in the polls. I suspect that swing, which would have swung back to the nats etc anyway, will reverse with extra force now. Thanks Winston Bjeikle-Peterson (he sounds like him more and more every day – does anyone manage to understand the garble that comes out of his mouth).

The election is next weekend – people’s decisions will be starting to firm. 2c.
NeillR 95

30 October 2008 at 8:09 am

I reckon they decided to sting Labour via Williams and he walked straight into it!

I think “sting” is too strong. Take the cartoon in this morning’s Herald. If the Herald was really after Williams, then it would have been him getting egg on his face in the last frame, not Key.

As for the rest, there’s no doubt that Labour has been throwing allegations around about this for some time. Helen Clark is trying to distance herself from it, but given the amount of resources that Labour’s thrown at it, she must have had a significant involvement. If only they’d spent all that time and effort on trying to fix the country’s woes.
Carol 96

30 October 2008 at 8:12 am

What strikes me as strange, is that this story came from the NZ Herald, supposedly on the basis of info given to them by the Labour Party. If Labour thought that had some incriminating evidence, wouldn’t they have given it to either TV One or TV3 in time for their evening news?

It all seems to me like an attempt by NZ Herald to defuse whatever Labour had on Key, or to bury the rumours floating around on this.

Either Labour doesn’t have anything, or they’re still holding what they think is the damning evidence.
Tim Ellis 97

30 October 2008 at 8:15 am

On this point, DPF alleges this morning that the Standard deleted a post from Batman on this issue, dated 13 October. Where has this post gone? Is this the same Batman who leaked material to the Dominion Post on the H Fee, which was almost certainly produced by the Labour Party research unit?
IrishBill 98

30 October 2008 at 8:21 am

Tim, that would be this post:

http://www.thestandard.org.nz/the-road-to-lonsdale-street-part-1/

It certainly seems that we got the same material as the Dom Post. One of my comrades ran the first piece and then we had a look into it and decided it wasn’t firm enough to run with. I assumed yesterday the Herald had something more concrete because they were headlining it. I guess that old saying about “assume” stands true.
vto 99

30 October 2008 at 8:22 am

Yes Tim Ellis, I just saw that too. Farrar asks some good questions re The Standard. Wonder if anyone would care to answer…

The one re whether any authors here are parliamentary etc staffers is worthy. I have wondered this myself given the amount of detailed info and links that comes pouring out in defence of all things labour from some posters here.

Not that there would appear to be anything wrong with that I guess, unless it is perhaps in breach of employment norms or is a little deceptive and devious. r0b, you make such posts and obviously care a great deal about your politics, which is all good. What you think? Feel free to ignore as it is a little intrusive given the anon nature of this site.
Andrew 100

30 October 2008 at 8:27 am

The first post was writen by an ‘Author’ called batman:

http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:k37MswLjRjIJ:www.thestandard.org.nz/author/batman/+Batman+%22thestandard%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=nz

Now it’s posted as a ‘Guest Post’. Where did Batman go? Was he an author? Albeit for one post. Would be interesting to see where his IP address leads to?
Tim Ellis 101

30 October 2008 at 8:29 am

Ah yes, thank you IB. I assumed from what DPF wrote that Batman’s post had been deleted, but I see now that it had merely been changed with an update.

I assumed yesterday the Herald had something more concrete because they were headlining it. I guess that old saying about “assume’ stands true.

It really does puzzle me why SP and several other commenters at the Standard got so excited by it yesterday. It is clear that some on the Left were absolutely vehement that the smoking gun–John Key’s signature on the dealing slips–had been uncovered, which is why SP no doubt hinted that the Herald possibly had evidence that John Key “signed off” on the transactions.

My reading, however, is that as of last night’s news bulletin, when One News ran with the story, that the PM was distancing herself from the story from that point. She said she hadn’t “handled” the issue. She must have known that the evidence didn’t stack up, and that the other story–that Mike Williams took several Labour Party researchers to Melbourne to trawl through the documents on a fishing expedition for the smoking gun–would become the big story.
Fool 102

30 October 2008 at 8:37 am

A fishing trip with the hope of flushing out some reaction from national?

Combined with a cap in hand bagging expedition to the Australian Labor Party perhaps? For a media workshop?

Looking for a new job Mike?

[lprent: don’t use e-mail addresses in th name field – changing to something more suitable. Also adding to moderation to draw your attention to it]
IrishBill 103

30 October 2008 at 8:37 am

Tim, yeah one of the standardistas (who will go unnamed) decided it deserved its own author as it was part of a series being anonymously emailed to us. Others, including myself, didn’t believe that was an appropriate way to do it so we changed it to a guest post on the same day, dug into the story and then decided there wasn’t enough hard evidence to run with it any further. That’s why there was no part two.

Ironically we thought it had too much potential to backfire. It seems others on the left didn’t.
John Stevens 104

30 October 2008 at 8:39 am

Irish – your comment on assumption reminds me about the old Steve Segal movie. Always stuck in my head.
Goon 1 ‘He is dead.’
Goon 2 ‘Did you see the body?’
Goon 1 ‘No, but I assume he is dead.’
Goon 2 ‘Assumption is the mother of all fuck ups.’
Carol 105

30 October 2008 at 8:42 am

Another point that puzzles me:

There’s been rumours of Labour holding a neutron bomb for some time, which they were going to drop during the campaign. Yet the Herald story yesterday tallks of Williams going to Melbourne in the last week to trawl through court records. If they already had sufficient evidence, or were missing one small piece, why wait til the last week for the trip to Melbourne?
coge 106

30 October 2008 at 8:43 am

Well at least Labour knew it was time to “call the vet”
& put Hodgson on the job. Time that old nag of a party was put down. What the public really need to know is whay Williams & a team of Labour party researchers used taxpayer money for this latest sojourn to Melbourne. Also Clark distancing herself from the issue, meant she had prior knowledge of it in that she knew there was a very good chance of blowback. If there was anything it the story she likely would have front footed it.
expat 107

30 October 2008 at 8:50 am

Sounds like the Standard and Labour are awfully close to libel.

You don’t want to make accusations that are untrue and the SFO have made clear are untrue and you can’t prove, do you?

Another drop of the ball by the research team.

H1 and H2 must be incandescent.

[lprent: Nowhere near libel. Perhaps you should read the actual posts rather than other peoples comments. But thats right you’re a troll…. You haven’t been able to read in the past, why should you now? How many times have I banned you?]
vto 108

30 October 2008 at 8:51 am

Clark says the story is not one she is running…

Huh? I don’t know who she thinks would believe that. The master/mistress of deception. Surely that is a lie.

Another example of the reins of power tainting those who hold them too long (one of many several for Clark). As ever in the filed of human history.

She must go. And if she doesn’t I predict whe will blow apart during a fourth term.
Tim Ellis 109

30 October 2008 at 8:52 am

There’s been rumours of Labour holding a neutron bomb for some time, which they were going to drop during the campaign. Yet the Herald story yesterday tallks of Williams going to Melbourne in the last week to trawl through court records. If they already had sufficient evidence, or were missing one small piece, why wait til the last week for the trip to Melbourne?

Carol, you’re asking people not involved in Labour Party’s strategy to justify Labour Party strategy.

Labour have clearly been talking up rumours of a neutron bomb for some time. These rumours have appeared from various posters here at the Standard, through comments made by press gallery journalists, to hints from senior Labour politicians. This has several effects: if a neutron bomb did exist (even if they didn’t have it), it flushes it out. If they didn’t have the neutron bomb, then it potentially intimidates John Key in a game of psychological warfare. Thirdly, if they didn’t have one, the mere hint that there was one, and consistently talking it up, convinces many (including several Standard commenters) that the neutron bomb must exist.

Why wait for the last week for Melbourne? I suspect, and it’s just my opinion, that Labour realised it didn’t have the smoking gun, felt desperately about the poll position and desperately hoped that the smoking gun existed in the court documents.

It is my belief that the Labour Party campaign has been structured entirely around rumour-mongering of the smoking gun: the “this one is about trust”, the “two Johns”, the “slippery John” attacks, the obsession among Labour Party sympathisers with John Key–have all been pre-cursors to the neutron bomb, supposed to be released today–which would confirm and validate every claim the Labour Party has made about John Key’s credibility. Instead of validating those claims, the non-existent neutron bomb has destroyed those claims, and destroyed Labour’s credibility.
Ms M 110

30 October 2008 at 8:52 am

Coge excellent news the vets on the case! I said last night the story is not H-Fee but what Key told the investigators and it seems Hodgson agrees with me. Either he lied to the Herald about leaving Elders in 1987, and ultimately lying to the New Zealand public or he’s lied in 1991 when being investigated as one of many H-Fee witnesses.
Billy 111

30 October 2008 at 8:54 am

This is truly hilarious. You guys were soooo excited at the top of this thread and now you’ve just kind of…run…out…of…steam.

Williams’ phone is switched off. Pete Hodgson is in hiding and Helen has said all she has to say about the issue.
Billy 112

30 October 2008 at 8:58 am

Ms M,

How can we trust a man who got wrong by six months the date on which he left a job 20 years ago?

Make a sentence out of these words: clinging power desperately to.

IrishBill: let me reiterate my earlier comment: So what you’re saying is after it came up on the radar as a serious issue and knowing that it could be used by Labour against him and having filed a statement with the Australian authorities about it he then got the date wrong in an interview with the Herald? An interview which he set up to set the record straight on the matter? Excuse me if I find that very hard to believe.
Tim Ellis 113

30 October 2008 at 9:00 am

Ms M, the vet came by this morning, at approximately one minute after four o’clock, to euthenaze the horse. It has been dead for five hours. You may find it therapeutic, but you aren’t achieving anything by continuing to flog it.

There isn’t any evidence Key “lied to the Herald about leaving Elders in 1987”. There is evidence Key made a mistake in referring to his departure year as 1987, which he subsequently corrected as 1988. That departure year did not change the substance of Key’s story–that he wasn’t involved or had any knowledge of the first H-Fee transaction (which was undertaken by Elders Australia, where Key did not work), and that he departed Elders New Zealand three months before the second transaction.
dave 114

30 October 2008 at 9:00 am

Boooooooooooooooring. The Herald won`t have anything juicy tomorrow. there’s nothing to write about. The smoking gun had no smoke and wouldnt fire.

Sorry I was wrong. the Herald did have something. to write about. Neutron bomb on Key proves fizzer for the Government

Bwhahahahahahahahaha.
Carol 115

30 October 2008 at 9:05 am

Tim, my qestions aren’t to anyone in particular. They are just ones that occur to me, and indicate things that don’t quite add up for me. I think the righties are speculating pretty wildly about this, and drawing conclusions too early.

There seems to be a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes on both the left and right IMO.

The Herald breaking of the story yesterday always seemed strange to me, and I wasn’t expecting it to result in any conclusive evidence.

I am really just waiting to see how things play out.
Ms M 116

30 October 2008 at 9:05 am

Billy Hmm.
expat 117

30 October 2008 at 9:11 am

Major major fuckup by the Research Unit – and the NZH journo’s will be as livid about the duplicity as H1 and H2 are about the rank incompetence.
Billy 118

30 October 2008 at 9:14 am

Ms M,

I suppose the only sensible conclusion we can come to is that it is part of an international conspiracy of bankers and media-owners. I am pretty sure George Bush is part of it too (although how he found time after master-minding that whole 911 thing I do not know). One thing is for sure, if they could fake a moon landing covering up a 26 year old’s involvement in a major international fraud would be easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy.

Noticed how the serious lefties have gone quiet and its only the conspiracy nuts who are left trying to run this?
Billy 119

30 October 2008 at 9:17 am

IrishBill,

It seems you are kind of on your own on this. Mike Williams has turned his phone off. Pete Hodgson has nothing to say. Neither does Helen. Why I wonder? Maybe because this thing barks like a dog, Phil.
coge 120

30 October 2008 at 9:17 am

Carol, my guess is the left will defend this story to the hilt, too late for them to back down having thrown their weight behind it. They are still trying to work out an angle to spin it.

How do Kiwi taxpayers feel about their money being
wasted on this Melbourne sojourn? Appalled. I’m curious to know the amount it costed us.
Tim Ellis 121

30 October 2008 at 9:17 am

Carol:

There were two possible conclusions to what Labour Party was doing, digging up dirt.

1. Conclusive evidence that John Key is a crook, or;
2. Conclusive evidence that the Labour Party is prepared to rumour-monger and throw mud at John Key, in a desperate attempt to smear him.

Both of those options are big, big stories. Mike Williams lured the Herald to Melbourne, purportedly to show the Herald evidence of the first option. The evidence didn’t exist. The smoking gun–John Key’s signature on the dealing slip–did not exist. Mike Williams was unable to uncover anything that the SFO didn’t uncover relating to the complex H Fee. The SFO found that Key had nothing to do with the H Fee. He wasn’t even investigated, he was so remote from it.

So there was not conclusive evidence that John Key is a crook. Therefore, the other option, given that the Labour Party has been promising for a long time that they would produce evidence of Key’s misdeeds–and find out not to have that evidence–shows the Labour Party as being involved in the most disgusting dirty-tricks campaign that New Zealand has seen. That is a huge story.
Dom 122

30 October 2008 at 9:17 am

It’s okay – if Key becomes PM he’ll be dethroned by the lie(s) that he’s told that are still waiting to bite him in the bum but that simply haven’t risen the surface yet.

Karma…it’s a great thing.
vidiot 123

30 October 2008 at 9:19 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhcjRoU0C7g

Not so much a bomb, more a dance.
Roflcopter 124

30 October 2008 at 9:20 am

If you’re gonna have a smoking gun, make sure you’re holding it the right way around before pulling the trigger.
Janet 125

30 October 2008 at 9:25 am

There seems to be a bit of an effort by the right to defuse this whole Key issue on this site. Says much – they are really fearful that even if the details are fuzzy Key is tarred with the brush of the nasty money trader mentality that has caused the current crisis. Well this has just reminded people that self-centred, money grabbing, don’t care who or what you hurt attitude is anathema to NZers. But this is the ‘fresh face’ of the National Party.

Here is a man who was involved in selling NZ Rail to Fay Richwhite, and doesn’t think it is necessary to declare his shareholding when an MP asking questions about the companies involved.

It is all so unethical. How can anyone justify it?
Carol 126

30 October 2008 at 9:25 am

Tim, you’re speculating wildly. I’m just asking questions and waiting to se how things play out. IMO, the left doesn’t need any neutron bomb. Even if they get elected, key won’t last long

The right has spent a lot of time over the last 2 years trying to dig dirt on & smear Labour MPs and NZ 1st. How much money have they spent on that? It’s not surprising that Labour has retaliated with similar tactics.
Billy 127

30 October 2008 at 9:26 am

It seems the righties have taken over the Standard. Viva la revolucion.

Get the feeling they’re all just a little bit embarrassed?
the sprout 128

30 October 2008 at 9:28 am

“if he has nothing to hide, why all the lies?”

Indeed, you really do have to wonder. Either he:

1. has a remarkably idiosyncratic selective memory, a bit like Owen Glenn

2. has a tendency to make shit up on the go, a bit like Jenny Shipley

3. has something to hide, a bit like Rodney
higherstandard 129

30 October 2008 at 9:29 am

Careful one of those multiple blog personality nutters like Billy Vlad the impaler might get upset and come after you.
NeillR 130

30 October 2008 at 9:29 am

It’s okay – if Key becomes PM he’ll be dethroned by the lie(s) that he’s told that are still waiting to bite him in the bum but that simply haven’t risen the surface yet.
I’d expect this kind of post on Facebook or Bebo but not a site that purports to hold serious discussions about politics. Maybe you’ve come to the wrong place – seriously.
expat 131

30 October 2008 at 9:29 am

LOL.

Labour have just burnt all bridges with the Nations media on this one!

The ‘brains trust’ on the 9th floor have really really fucked this one up!

Labour trawls for Key ‘smear’

‘Not a scintilla of evidence’ linking Key to scandal

By VERNON SMALL and ELISABETH SEXTON – The Dominion Post | Thursday, 30 October 2008

ACCUSATIONS: National leader John Key is facing questions about his time at Elders Merchant finance.

LATEST: Labour has been digging through John Key’s past in an attempt to link him to sham currency deals, in what National is labelling a desperate smear campaign.
Tim Ellis 132

30 October 2008 at 9:38 am

Janet:

Here is a man who was involved in selling NZ Rail to Fay Richwhite,

No, Janet. That is wrong. John Key was currency trading at BT at the time. Clearly a very different unit that worked on SOE privatisation. I don’t know what you do for a job, but surely you understand the concept of different business units within an organisation. Like, let’s say, for example, that there is evidence that Pete Hodgson, Mike Williams, Helen Clark, some Standard posters, Heather Simpson, and much of the Labour Party Research Unit are actively involved in digging up dirt and spreading innuendo about a supposed “smoking gun” linking John Key to corrupt activity. Just because there is evidence of that doesn’t mean that Phil Goff is involved in that activity.

You’re engaging in some pretty weak guilt-by-association there Janet. By your standard, you must think pretty lowly of Helen Clark’s association with Winston Peters, who has been found by the Privileges Committee to be a liar.
Felix 133

30 October 2008 at 9:40 am

vto, whe?

Freudian slip? 😉
dave 134

30 October 2008 at 9:47 am

Let’s say, for example, that there is evidence that Pete Hodgson, Mike Williams, Helen Clark, some Standard posters, Heather Simpson, and much of the Labour Party Research Unit are actively involved in digging up dirt

Let’s say that Helen Clark has already come out and said its not a story she is involved in. I believe her.
Daveski 135

30 October 2008 at 9:51 am

I’m in and out of touch with real world due to various commitments so was interested to see how things panned out this morning.

What a joke. There are some decent people here on the left who one day will front up and admit what a cock-up this has been. Labour has indulged in high-risk personality politics and seems to have failed. Couple this with their treatment of Owen Glenn and you paint not a particularly pleasant picture of where Labour is at.

Frankly it is quite sad. Helen clearly has talents, is driven, and manages her team well. But these desperate events so how far Labour has plummeted if this is how it believes it needs to win the election.

You’d have to think if this is all Labour has got, National will continue to sleep walk to victory. I agree than National has failed to sparkle this campaign but it looks like there will get three years to rebuild while sitting on the treasury benches.
vto 136

30 October 2008 at 9:53 am

hee hee felix, no. just big fingers hitting the ‘w’ instead of the ‘s’. perhaps i need some filipino fingers…
Matthew Pilott 137

30 October 2008 at 10:01 am

“Mike Williams lured the Herald to Melbourne, purportedly to show the Herald evidence of the first option.”

He lured them there? I heard he went there – I didn’t hear that the Herald went with him. Is that true?

“ Therefore, the other option, given that the Labour Party has been promising for a long time that they would produce evidence of Key’s misdeedsand find out not to have that evidenceshows the Labour Party as being involved in the most disgusting dirty-tricks campaign that New Zealand has seen.”

As I understand it, the ‘neutron bomb’ call came from the right. Labour have not been promising any such thing. Do you really think that the media and Labour would sit happily on something substantial? That’s just not credible, Tim. The Dominion Post mentions that Fairfax, along with a govt department in Victoria, investigated the signature, and found it to not be Key’s.

They considered it worthy of investigation. It turned out that it was not Key’s signature. In your mind, Tim, does that mean it should not have been investigated. Do you feel the same way, for example, about unsolved crimes – that they should not be investigated (ignoring the clear logical flaw in your reasoning)?

Given the remarkable similarity between Key’s signature and the one on the cheque, it would only be prudent to investigate. Imagine if Labour did not do so, nor Fairfax, Key became PM and then the cheque was uncovered? That would be a disaster, far beyond the National Party.

Why you consider this investigation to be part of “the most disgusting dirty-tricks campaign that New Zealand has seen” is beyond me, Tim. Just because the cheque was not signed by Key does not mean it should not have been investigated.

According to you, Tim, every police investigation that does not result in a sentence must also be a dirty tricks campaign against the accused, if that is your criteria.

I assume that you also think The Herald, Fairfax Newspapers, TV1 and TV3 are all complicit in this dirty-tricks campaign that labour was “involved in”. Off ya high horse, lad. You also might want to check out what a dirty ticks campaign looks like – this ain’t one, and to throw allegations around like that makes you look very naive and very excitable.
higherstandard 138

30 October 2008 at 10:11 am

Mat

It had been investigated at length around 20 years ago by the SFO.

Sturt the head of the SFO at the time was on the radio this morning.

“John Key was simply one of scores of innocent people interviewed by the SFO in this investigation.”
There was “not a scintilla of evidence” linking him to anything untoward, Mr Sturt said.

The Labour party was looking for dirt to smear Key end of story.

In relation to the H-Fee people have also conveniently forgotten that the government of the time was also criticised for benefitting at the expense of Equiticorp creditors and shareholders by turning a blind eye to the H fee transaction.
The government was ordered by the courts to pay $268m as its share of liability for the sale of NZ Steel. The judge at the time said the government “unjustly enriched’ itself through the shonky deal.’

Now who was the government at that time ?

More to the point can we get this election over and done with and get stuck into planning to do about the current state of NZ’s economy ?
Matthew Pilott 139

30 October 2008 at 10:18 am

“The Labour party was looking for dirt to smear Key end of story.”

If they had found something, then it would still be ‘dirt’ to ‘smear’ him with? Oh, that’s an interesting take. Is that what the police do? I’m not equating teh two, because Labour, the New Zealand Herald, Fairfax, TV1 and TV3 are clearly not the police, but if they found he did something wrong then he deserves to have it brought up. Like Tim, you look very naive and excitable.

“More to the point can we get this election over and done with and get stuck into planning to do about the current state of NZ’s economy ?”

I believe both parties are working towards that, as both parties would want to have a plan, should they win. Unfortunately it’s not as sexy as h-bombs or Monaco! Incidentally, gosh our economy is doing well, compared to our trading partners and other countries. Aren’t we lucky the good Doctor got rid of all that debt.
milo 140

30 October 2008 at 10:22 am

r0b – absolutely my judgement is biased, No question. And yes I enjoy a good bit of political invective, (as do you). Sometimes I’ll get the better of you, and sometimes you or your friends will get the better of me. But I do try hard not to engage in personal attacks and intellectual dishonesty.

If you can find cases where I have done so, well I’ll eat my electrons.
higherstandard 141

30 October 2008 at 10:28 am

“Incidentally, gosh our economy is doing well, compared to our trading partners and other countries.”

Eh – the PREFU was bad the next update from the RB may be worse we have not performed particularly well in the OECD rating that the PM was looking to improve our position in.

But kudos for the government for setting up the “Cullen” fund, Kiwisaver and retiring public debt – this is to be applauded.

On the Elders/Equiticorp issue – you miss my point that if there was anything there it would have been found by the SFO at the time – to suggest that Mike Williams and Labour party staffers would find something that had been missed is laughable – to suggest that they were doing it for reasons that extended much beyond an attempt to smear Key is also naive.

As I said when this story broke if Key had done anything wrong I would expect him to feel the full force of the law come down on him – but that I doubted there would be anything to it as it had been thoroughly investigated previously.
jo zinny 142

30 October 2008 at 10:35 am

Hamish,

thank you for that information..unable respond late evening last, so apols if you inconvenienced.. however.. you wrote:â€”

There were two H-Fee’s (or scam transactions). One from the Australian branch of Elders, and one from the branch in New Zealand. The one from New Zealand was after Key had left in 1988, so Key himself was not personally involved.

Going off the information on the standard’s blog can I take it (datewise) that the enzed-originated scam payment was made 7 September.?

Further, your answer suggests someone reasonably well-briefed on the context of these dealings. Could you therefore explain what these later proven illegal or unlawful payments were for? What was the deal..? Why two payments etc..
Tim Ellis 143

30 October 2008 at 10:38 am

Matthew, this was not an unsolved crime. It was a crime where the perpetrators had been convicted, some twenty years earlier. The only piece of slightly interesting material is that John Key’s signature was similar to an Australian executive. Despite the fact that the authorities concluded that Key had absolutely no involvement in either transaction, that the person who received the transaction, the person who organised the the transaction, and the person who investigated the transaction, considered Key to be irrelevant to the transaction–the Labour Party persisted.

And what did they find? Again, a signature that was similar. Let’s visit fantasy-land for a moment, and pretend that 26 year old John Key, sitting in the forex dealing room at Elders in New Zealand, has the authority to write sixty million dollar cheques on behalf of Elders Australia. Are you with me? Right. Don’t you think that somebody might have noticed Key’s signature on the cheque?

It wasn’t Key’s signature. The smoking gun didn’t exist. Labour have been going around telling people that there is a smoking gun relating to Key and the H Fee to anybody who will listen. I can tell you for a fact Matthew that a mid-level Labour Party organisation figure, and husband of a Labour Party candidate, told me precisely this a month ago. I’m quite happy to name the person involved, and the date of the conversation, if you challenged me on that.

This has been a spectacular and humiliating back-fire for the Labour Party Matthew. I don’t doubt that you honestly did believe that the smoking gun would be produced today. It’s easy to say after the fact, but the very idea of a smoking gun was just ludicrous to begin with.
Ianmac 144

30 October 2008 at 10:55 am

You might expect that John Key was able to enunciate a clear vision of where he would take NZ into the future.
You would expect that he could explain in succinct terms how he would do that.
You would expect that his attention to detail, like recollection of dates,would be excellent.
I know that perception is personal but in the extended interview with Catherine on Nine to Noon this morning, I think he failed on all these factors. I believe that Catherine on our behalf, was like Audrey Young and a little uneasy about his likely performance as our future PM, on the grounds of lack of transparency.
This to me is the guts of the doubts leading to the need to look under the rocks. Would it have been necessary had it been on Don Brash’s integrity? Most unlikely.
Matthew Pilott 145

30 October 2008 at 11:09 am

Hi Tim, it’s me, really. The website keeps logging me out and not letting me back in under my registered name.

There were some inconsistencies in Key’s story, which I think made it sensible to investigate. That they did not turn up anything serious does not mean they should not have been investigated.

“I don’t doubt that you honestly did believe that the smoking gun would be produced today.”

Really Tim? You don’t doubt I genuinely believe something I have never implied, said or even mentioned? Are we still talking about that fantasy-land of yours? What was I talking about earlier – naive and excitable? The second is really showing through today. If I thought htere was something it would be because The Herald implied as such, not for any other reason.

“Let’s visit fantasy-land for a moment, and pretend that 26 year old John Key, sitting in the forex dealing room at Elders in New Zealand, has the authority to write sixty million dollar cheques on behalf of Elders Australia. Are you with me? Right”

Ah, in a previous job I was in I had authority for transfer payments up to $NZ30m. I’m not talking myself up – it was not an important, powerful or senior role by any stretch of the imagination – I’m just pointing out that it’s fantasyland for you only through ignorance and your tendency to assume you know the Facts.

So the smoking gun didn’t exist. Well and good – you only find that out by looking for it, don’t you think?

HS, I can only gather you don’t understand what a smear is, along with Tim. If Key had dome something wrong, and this was proven, it would not be a smear. Genuine question: Which of the following two is a smear?

1 – Republican activists trying to paint Obama as a terrorist and a muslim

2 – Hollow Men accusations leading to the fall of Don Brash

I’m tending to agree with you and Tim, in that it seems odd that Labour think there was something the SFO missed that they could pick up. But in saying that, he did deny any involvement and say he was gone by the time it all went down, yet actually was at Elders, apparently, when bad stuff happened. Therefore, it is something worthy of looking into. And it’s still not a smear.
Lew 146

30 October 2008 at 11:21 am

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

I can’t believe anyone gives this any credence. When the boss of the Serious Fraud Office says there’s no culpability, there’s no damned culpability.

And it’s a particularly bizarre set of circumstances to believe the SFO when it comes to Winston and not when it comes to John.

L
r0b 147

30 October 2008 at 11:28 am

The one re whether any authors here are parliamentary etc staffers is worthy. I have wondered this myself given the amount of detailed info and links … r0b, you make such posts and obviously care a great deal about your politics, which is all good. What you think? Feel free to ignore as it is a little intrusive given the anon nature of this site.

vto, usually I wouldn’t confirm or deny anything about myself – I like a world where personal details don’t matter, and it’s about the quality of the arguments. But FYI I am not a staffer or employed politically in any way, and I don’t live or work in Wellington. I’m just a random member of the Labour Party.
jo zinny 148

30 October 2008 at 11:36 am

Hi All,

to my hearing this morning JK said “absolutely not” to plunket’s question of his involvement in the aforementioned scam dealings. which is one answer – and way of answering – that question. In so doing it is also issue closed, he would wish. as indeed others here would, too.

let us take it to be so on the face of it. Though not without facing the follow-up. The mention and matter of a “smear”. What is the “smear”? His word, and somewhat slavishly followed by a number of commenters on this blog. okay, all are entitled to their opinion, wheresoever it comes from. BUT are they talking about the same thing..?

SMEAR then, what is the smear.? And why the assertion of it? so soon after such an emphatic denial.?

Is it projecting JK-style – front foot and all that (which to a batsmen lessens the odds of correctly defending his wicket or scoring) – or otherwise political and manipulating belief around something else. Distracting.? For instance.

And if so, why? What on earth could be fraught about recalling the circumstances – difficulties faced for working in that scam environment. impacts upon a fellow, albeit not personally involved in the subject which was more than likely the topic of significant conversation. Around today’s equivalent of the water-cooler. Face it, who among such folk would want to be ignorant of such matters otherwise.?

Believe you me a very good question.

Not answered at all by today’s politician. Whose manner and denial stamps him ABOVE questioning and common concerns. An autocrat.

How do kiwis get along with guys in office who are anything but the friendly vote-catching characters they have been posterizing..
Tim Ellis 149

30 October 2008 at 11:42 am

Matthew, I apologise for saying you believed that a smoking gun would be produced today. I confused somebody else’s post as coming from you.

So the smoking gun didn’t exist. Well and good – you only find that out by looking for it, don’t you think?

Matthew, several Labour Party figures have been spreading the rumour for some time that the smoking gun did exist, and that it would be released at an appropriate time. That exercise was not an attempt to clarify a few minor inconsistencies in John Key’s previous public statements. It was deliberately designed to smear John Key with the suggestion that he was involved in a major fraud. SP bought into that smear yesterday with this very post. You will note I broke down SP’s argument with the following:

http://www.thestandard.org.nz/the-h-fee-explained/#comment-99255

Now, let’s say you think there might be a smoking gun. Is it a smear to tell everyone that you have a smoking gun, when you don’t, hoping that just by saying there is one, that there’s a greater chance that if there is such a thing, it will be produced? I think so. And that’s what the Labour Party did.

The Labour Party were looking for information to discredit John Key. It backfired.
Matthew Pilott 150

30 October 2008 at 11:54 am

Tim, no worries there. From what I can see, Labour thought what they had was very serious. I can understand why, looking at the signatures in question. I’d imagine that is what anyone who has been mentioning this was speaking about. That was proven to be wrong, and I suspect that they won’t be mentioning it again – it’s still not a smear – discrediting someone through actions they knowingly took, and then attempted to conceal would not constitute a smear in any sense. They were wrong about the information, though, and it didn’t help their cause.
milo 151

30 October 2008 at 11:56 am

vto – I agree with r0b. I don’t think the identify of the authors important, it’s the ideas that matter.

(Actually, I’m really Dick Cheney, and posting here is what I do to relax)
Pascal's bookie 152

30 October 2008 at 12:06 pm

“(Actually, I’m really Dick Cheney, and posting here is what I do to relax)”

It’s all good fun till someone gets shot in the face.
Vlad the Impaler 153

30 October 2008 at 10:10 pm

As predicted, the NZ Herald ( read: National’s Own Propaganda Paper) repressed the facts and told only half the story.

Why did the Herald fail to mention the name of the executive whom they claim signed the cheque? If it was Ken Jarrat why not say so and if, as the Herald seems to be claiming, the signature was Ken Jarrat’s, why does he sign JK and not KJ?

Not over for me. My suspicions were aroused when Key started telling lies
about the dates he worked at Elders. Suspicions deepened when the Herald failed to name the alleged executive who signed the cheque. Was it because people would ask, why would this person sign his initials backward as in J K ( John Key) not K J ( Kenneth Jarrat)

We only have the Herald version of events. Is that enough for you?
Tim Ellis 154

2 November 2008 at 9:15 am

Good one Vlad. It wasn’t Jarrett’s signature. You must be the only person in New Zealand who still believes it is Key’s signature.
kiwidada 155

2 November 2008 at 4:06 pm

No it wasnt Ken Jarrats signature on the cheque as we learnt from Stuff today. It was according to these infamous media whores…. Maxwell Nicolls.

It is no surprise then the Herald failed to tell us this. Who in their right mind would believe such a fallacy? What a laugh.

And dont give me that old line about the Serious Fraud Office or Charles Sturt either. Charles Sturt is a well known National-ACT Party stooge. Anyone who knows anything about the Winebox knows that Charles Sturt claimed to have read tens of thousands of pages involving tax fraud in about half an hour, a tax fraud so complex not even experienced accountants could follow it. If Charles Sturt says John Key was investigated and cleared then you can guarantee he was not.
Ianmac 156

2 November 2008 at 4:20 pm

As I said elsewhere the column by Eugene Bingham on the Herald yesterday 2 Nov, is no longer on-line as far as I can see.
Its removal from the menu Election 08 after a day seems a bit odd.
But still have it. Check signature detail:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz-election-2008/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501799&objectid=10540463&pnum=0
kiwidada 157

2 November 2008 at 5:00 pm

Ok and I say the initialled signature is John Keys. The J is the same as is the strange little hill in the bottom of the K.

The initials definitely are not MN, they are JK.

I do not trust John Key. I believe that he would lie and lie about this, just as he lied and lied about the shares he had in NZ Rail to parliament and to the press until he was caught red-handed by the TVNZ reporter who had the details of his 100,000 shares in her hand.

The story about the date of the dinner he also fabricated, as his credit card being used, and the Elder’s employment dates he gave to the media.

He was involved up to his sleazy neck, and if nobody else can see this then they have not come across many bad liars.
paw prick 158

2 November 2008 at 5:15 pm

Kiwida
are you serious? or just stupid,
maybe your time would be better spent looking into Shane jones and cash for passports, or how much HC knew about winston.
this one is a non event

[lprent: I’m flagging you as a probable flamer troll from your comments. Nothing said of any major import, looks like it comes out of a troll phrasebook, and a distinct lack of thought. Look at Policy and lift your standard.]
te ururoa 159

2 November 2008 at 6:01 pm

Hey paw prick!! The guy is right. The signature is the same as Key. See for your self. You want the issue to die. Yeah I can see why, man. Your party would not do to well if the rest of the country woke up to your man being a thief.

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Gareth’s WorldBy admin
3 hours ago

Mazda: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Reliability, Value, and Performance
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
3 hours ago

What Are Struts on a Car?
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
3 hours ago

What Does Car Registration Look Like: A Comprehensive Guide
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
3 hours ago

How to Share Computer Audio on Zoom
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
7 hours ago

How Long Does It Take to Build a Computer?
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
7 hours ago

How to Put Your Computer to Sleep
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
7 hours ago

What is Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT)?
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
7 hours ago

iPad vs. Tablet Computers A Comprehensive Guide to Differences
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
7 hours ago

How Are Computers Made?
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
7 hours ago

How to Add Voice Memos from iPhone to Computer
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
7 hours ago

Why My Laptop Screen Has Lines on It: A Comprehensive Guide
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
7 hours ago

How to Right-Click on a Laptop
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
7 hours ago

Where is the Power Button on an ASUS Laptop?
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
7 hours ago

How to Start a Dell Laptop: A Comprehensive Guide
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
7 hours ago

Bryce Edwards: Serious populist discontent is bubbling up in New Zealand
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
7 hours ago

How to Take a Screenshot on an Asus Laptop A Comprehensive Guide with Detailed Instructions and Illu...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
7 hours ago

How to Factory Reset Gateway Laptop A Comprehensive Guide
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
7 hours ago

The Folly Of Impermanence.
“You talking about me?” The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Bowalley Road
10 hours ago

A crisis of ambition
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
10 hours ago

Have 308 people in the Education Ministry’s Curriculum Development Team spent over $100m on a 60-p...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
10 hours ago

'This bill is dangerous for the environment and our democracy'
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
11 hours ago

The Bank of our Tamariki and Mokopuna.
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
12 hours ago

The worth of it all
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
15 hours ago

What is the Hardest Sport in the World?
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
18 hours ago

What is the Most Expensive Sport?
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
18 hours ago

Pickleball On the Cusp of Olympic Glory
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
18 hours ago

The Origin and Evolution of Soccer Unveiling the Genius Behind the World’s Most Popular Sport
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
18 hours ago

How Much to Tint Car Windows A Comprehensive Guide
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
18 hours ago

Why Does My Car Smell Like Gas? A Comprehensive Guide to Diagnosing and Fixing the Issue
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
18 hours ago

How to Remove Tree Sap from Car A Comprehensive Guide
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
18 hours ago

How Much Paint Do You Need to Paint a Car?
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
18 hours ago

Can You Jump a Car in the Rain? Safety Precautions and Essential Steps
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
18 hours ago

Can taxpayers be confident PIJF cash was spent wisely?
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
Point of OrderBy gadams1000
1 day ago

EGU2024 – An intense week of joining sessions virtually
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
Skeptical Science
1 day ago

Submission on “Fast Track Approvals Bill”
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
1 day ago

The Case for a Universal Family Benefit
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
PunditBy Brian Easton
1 day ago

A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
Submissions on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law are due today (have you submitted?), and just hours before they close, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has been forced to release the list of companies he invited to apply. I've spent the last hour going through it in an epic thread of bleats, ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
1 day ago

On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
1 day ago

New Zealand has never been closed for business
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
1 day ago

Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
1 day ago

Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
Chris Trotter writes – MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
1 day ago

The Hoon around the week to April 19
TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
1 day ago

The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
2 days ago

Nicola's Salad Days.
I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
2 days ago

Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
2 days ago

Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
Greater AucklandBy Matt L
2 days ago

Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. The data is from February this ...
Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
2 days ago

Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
PolitikBy Richard Harman
2 days ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fast-track submissions period must be extended
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. ...
Greens
1 day ago

Release: Progress on climate will be undone by Govt
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. ...
Labour Blog
1 day ago

Release: Dark day for Kiwi kids as a third of Govt cuts affect them
News that 1000 jobs at the Ministry of Education and Oranga Tamariki could go is devastating for future generations of New Zealanders. ...
Labour Blog
3 days ago

Release: Alarm as Government signals further blow to school lunches
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. ...
Labour Blog
3 days ago

Release: Quick, submit – stop Govt’s dodgy approvals bill
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. ...
Labour Blog
4 days ago

Government throws coal on the climate crisis fire
The Government’s policy announced today to ease consenting for coal mining will have a lasting impact across generations. ...
Greens
4 days ago

Release: Public transport costs to double as National looks at unaffordable roading project instead
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. ...
Labour Blog
5 days ago

Release: Cost of living in Auckland still not a priority
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. ...
Labour Blog
6 days ago

Greens look to fast-track submissions on harmful law
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Release: Govt should stop making people’s lives harder and build more homes
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Release: Melissa Lee missing in action on media
The action Melissa Lee promised to protect democracy and the media sector is missing, Media and Communications spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Landlord Government leaves little hope for renters
The Government’s announcement on tenancy rules prove that it does not care about renters. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Opportunity to build a more sustainable economy
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Significant step forward in fixing cruel and unjust past
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Missed opportunity but NZ will surely one day recognise the right to a sustainable environment
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Release: Don’t cut our lunches – clear message sent to Government
Tens of thousands of people are demanding the Government commits to fully funding free and healthy school lunches. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Release: Govt makes U-turn on Suicide Prevention Office
Labour welcomes the Government’s U-turn on the closure of the Suicide Prevention Office, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

CCC issues warning over further climate delay
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Luxon targets lame and lousy example of leadership
If talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Luxon targets are lousy example of leadership
If talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Commitment to disability communities missing from Govt priorities
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Methane target review is dangerous duplication
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Government must commit to school building project for disabled students
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: National must take mental health seriously
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Referendums for Māori wards a racist step backwards
The Government's imposed referendum on Māori wards is a racist step backwards for Māori representation, and disregards Te Tiriti o Waitangi. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Job losses at Health not worth it for tax cuts
New Zealand will feel the harm of the National Government’s reckless cuts to jobs at the health ministry for generations, says Ayesha Verrall. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Press release: No Māori initiatives in Government’s nothing plan
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Thirty six point PR spin
The Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...
Greens
3 weeks ago

Thirty six point PR spin
The Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...
Greens
3 weeks ago

Thirty six point PR spin
The Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...
Greens
3 weeks ago

Release: Social housing off Government’s to-do list
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Labour Blog
3 weeks ago

PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
14 hours ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Inflation coming down, but more work to do
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Roads of National Significance planning underway
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Navigating an unstable global environment
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Joint US and NZ declaration
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Firms invited to apply for fast-track consents include 'environmental destroyers' – ...
Environmentalists have slammed a list of organisations who have been invited to apply to the Government's proposed fast-track approvals scheme. ...
Radio NZ – political
4 hours ago

Solomon Islands political chess begins with Manasseh Sogavare re-elected in East Choiseul
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara Solomon Islands’ incumbent prime minister Manasseh Sogavare has been re-elected in the East Choiseul constituency. It is the opening move in the political chess match to form the country’s next government. Returning officer Christopher Makoni made the declaration late last night after ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
5 hours ago

The moment of friction.
Headline: The moment of friction. – 36th Parallel Assessments In strategic studies “friction” is a term that it is used to describe the moment when military action encounters adversary resistance. “Friction” is one of four (along with an unofficial fifth) “F’s” in military strategy, which includes force (kinetic mass), ...
Evening ReportBy Dr Paul Buchanan
7 hours ago

Fast-track Bill A Fraud Being Perpetrated On All Future Generations
The Fast-track Bill, if passed, would allow three Ministers, unchallenged and unchecked, to approve the immediate extraction and exhaustion of one-off resources. ...
Scoop politics
10 hours ago

Focus on Politics: Luxon boosts defence amid rising global tensions
As global tensions escalated this week, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was touring Southeast Asia, strengthening defence and security ties. ...
Radio NZ – political
10 hours ago

Why the pathology bulk-billing campaign is more about driving industry profits than saving you money
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne iamharin/Shutterstock For many people, the term “bulk billed” refers to a GP visit they don’t have to pay ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
12 hours ago

All about Emma: Three writers talk about the name they share in common
Emmas Hislop, Sidnam and Wehipeihana discuss what’s in a name. Emma Sidnam: Hello Emmas! Thank you so much for agreeing to do this with me. My first question for you is related to what’s been on my mind for a while. It’s very important. You see we’ve recently had some ...
The SpinoffBy The Spinoff Review of Books
12 hours ago

Restoring coastal habitat boosts wildlife numbers by 61% – but puzzling failures mean we can still...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Sievers, Research Fellow, Global Wetlands Project, Australia Rivers Institute, Griffith University Chris Brown Humans love the coast. But we love it to death, so much so we’ve destroyed valuable coastal habitat – in the case of some types of habitat, ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
12 hours ago

Public sector job cuts: Affected staff criticise leaders' handling of announcements
Staff are shell shocked and frustrated, and say leaders handled the announcements poorly. ...
Radio NZ – political
12 hours ago

‘The room went dead quiet’: Josh Thomson on his worst 7 Days moment
Josh Thomson on the 80s milk ad jingle he can’t stop singing, the beauty of The Simpsons, why Jersey Shore is as good as Shakespeare and more. For someone who spends a lot of time on our screens, popping up in everything from 7 Days to Taskmaster, Educators to Good ...
The SpinoffBy My Life in TV
13 hours ago

Shadow-boxing turns real for Israel and Iran
In apparent defiance of the Biden administration, the Netanyahu government has now initiated missile strikes against Iran. Last Saturday night (Sunday morning in New Zealand) Iran launched more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against Israeli military targets. With the assistance of US, UK and possibly French forces, ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Contributor
15 hours ago

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon meets KPIs on Southeast Asia mission
Power Play - Asked for his own assessment of the visit, the prime minister said he was returning home "excited and energised". ...
Radio NZ – political
16 hours ago

Embracing Māori Representation Enriches Democracy, Not Divides It
Māori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of Māori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao Māori (the Māori ...
Scoop politics
16 hours ago

Anne Salmond: My open submission on this radical, flawed fast-track bill
This week in Auckland, a group of young people took over the microphone at a ministerial press conference, to explain why they oppose the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. One young woman said, ‘We’re here because we love Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to raise our children in an environment that’s thriving, ...
NewsroomBy Dame Anne Salmond
16 hours ago

Short story: Finally, by Caoimhe McKeogh
The summer was wonderful. Evie was wonderful, too; finally a teenager, finally worthy of long, hot days. She shaved her legs for the first time and bought cut-off shorts from the op-shop that made them look long. She got a Warehouse singlet so tight on her new shape that her ...
NewsroomBy Caoimhe McKeogh
16 hours ago

Thomas James is a master of invention
When Thomas James was on his solo camp as part of Outward Bound, the keen outdoorsman didn’t find it too challenging, as others often do. In what might just be the perfect illustration of his character, he saw it as a great opportunity to solve a few problems. “I thought, ...
NewsroomBy Ben Fahy
16 hours ago

All 28 road tunnels in New Zealand ranked from worst to best
From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, here’s our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The first tunnel seems to have been built in 2200BC in Babylonia, kicking off a global phenomenon for digging holes in order to get places more ...
The SpinoffBy Group Think
17 hours ago

How to make the most of your market haul
Lucinda Bennett on the art of being greedy but resourceful. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. When I picture the market, it is always this time of year. Crisp air, dripping nose, counting coins with cold fingers. Sunlight pale, filtered through specks of dew still ...
The SpinoffBy Lucinda Bennett
17 hours ago

From a library basement comes a fashion history
Zoë Colling’s favourite piece in the ‘That’s So Last Century’ collection is a lubrication chart for a sewing machine from the ’60s. It’s about the size of a postcard, and carefully maintained. “I like it that this piece of ephemera highlights that manual and technical side of the skill involved ...
NewsroomBy Sharon Brettkelly
17 hours ago

Rousing farewell for Kiwi doctors flying out to Gaza aid flotilla
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
1 day ago

Communities Against The Fast-track Heartened By ‘Overwhelming’ Public Response; Disgusted By ‘...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

Renters Rights To Drastically Reduce Under Landlord Government
The Government’s announced changes around tenancy rules set renters’ rights back by nearly a decade. ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

NZPI Submission on Fast Track Approvals Bill
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

Fast Track Invite List Includes Most Destructive Industries In New Zealand
The new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

Eugene Doyle: Helen Clark on why AUKUS isn’t in New Zealand’s national interest
COMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
1 day ago

Government releases list of organisations shoulder-tapped for fast-track consents
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

The Week in Politics: Job cuts surge and Waitangi Tribunal trouble
Analysis - It's been a grim week for public servants, while trouble is also brewing between the government and Waitangi Tribunal. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

It never rains but it pours: intense rain and flash floods have increased inland in eastern Australi...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Watch: Christopher Luxon speaks to media in Manila
The PM has defended how he's talked up NZ trade on his trip to Southeast Asia, after criticism from his own delegation. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

‘It could be the death of the museum’: why research cuts at a South Australian institution have ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Government signs off $41m clean energy deal with Asian Development Bank
The government has committed $41 million to clean energy transition at the Asian Development Bank's Energy Transition Mechanism. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Are 2 mid-career AFL retirements a sign Australian athletes are taking brain health more seriously?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Luxon: Waitangi Tribunal comments from coalition parties 'ill considered'
Comments from ACT and NZ First ministers about the Tribunal were "ill considered" and "that message will be underscored" to them, the PM says. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Mental Health Foundation Facing Staff Cuts From Govt Funding Squeeze
The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

I wholeheartedly recommend The President: a brilliant revival of a play of decay, terror and revulsi...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

How the coolest little capital is shrinking
It's not the first time a government has targeted public servants for job cuts, but this time Wellington is really feeling it. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Ministers accused of Cabinet Manual breach with threats to Waitangi Tribunal
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
NewsroomBy Marc Daalder
1 day ago

Many prisoners go years without touching a smartphone. It means they struggle to navigate life on th...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Good news: midlife health is about more than a waist measurement. Here’s why
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

The Friday Poem: ‘Mitochondrial Problem’ by Evangeline Riddiford Graham
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
The SpinoffBy Evangeline Riddiford Graham
1 day ago

The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending April 18
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38) Hot off the press, this debut ...
The SpinoffBy The Spinoff Review of Books
1 day ago

Department of Conservation closing Dunedin centre, but no jobs lost
Visitor habits are changing and DOC needs to adapt in a financially sustainable way, its operations director says. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Unions Collaborate With Thousands Of Job Cuts
With New Zealand officially in recession, a swathe of mass sackings is currently sending shockwaves through the entire working class. ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

Watch live: Christopher Luxon speaks to media in Manila
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is speaking to reporters in Manila after pledging greater defence cooperation with the Philippines. Watch live. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Government sent please explain letter to Wellington City Council over transport disagreement
The contents were revealed in correspondence from Simeon Brown and Chris Bishop to Wellington's Mayor. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Some families push back against journalists who mine social media for photos – they have every rig...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Mental Health Foundation staff cuts loom, with funding falling behind rising costs
Chief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

The ‘devil comet’ 12P/Pons-Brooks has finally become visible from Australia. What can we expect?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland Pons–Brooks visible from Utah, March 9 2024. James Peirce/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND If you’re a fan of all things space, you’ve doubtless heard about the “devil comet”, which has been captivating keen-eyed observers in the ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Rugby stadiums are sold as an economic asset – but NZ needs to ask if they’re really worth it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Hamlin, Senior Lecturer in Marketing , University of Otago A multi-billion dollar stadium precinct has been proposed for Auckland, one of three proposals in front of Auckland Council for a new stadium in the city. The council is also considering revamping ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Auckland dog attacks: Callouts for attacks on other animals going up
Roaming dogs are responsible for more than a thousand attacks on animals each year, and the number is growing. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

What access to puberty blockers means for trans young people and their whānau
The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...
The SpinoffBy Julia de Bres
1 day ago

NZ and Philippines pledge defence cooperation amid rising tensions
The commitment came after a sit-down meeting between Christopher Luxon and President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr overnight. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

How superblocks can help reimagine city life
Barcelona’s city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus: “You can reimagine streets, ...
The SpinoffBy Ellen Rykers
1 day ago

Fire engineering expertise may take a big hit with job cuts at MBIE
The public sector cuts are poised to take out a big chunk of expertise at the country's building regulator. ...
Radio NZ – political
2 days ago

“Fast-track Law To Kill Kiwi”: Students Say Fight Against Anti-democracy Legislation Is Only Jus...
Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...
Scoop politics
2 days ago

‘We have thousands of Modis’: the secret behind the BJP’s enduring success in India
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
2 days ago

Online schooling is not just for lockdowns. Could it work for your child?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
2 days ago

Hear me out: You can shove your reusable period products
Yes, they’re better for the environment. No, that’s not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...
The SpinoffBy Kristin Kelly
2 days ago

Rip It Up And Start Over – Fast-Track Approvals Bill Needs To Be Scrapped
“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...
Scoop politics
2 days ago

Maori Authority Warns Government On Fast Track Legislation
The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...
Scoop politics
2 days ago

Why the government’s haste in changing the health system could come back to haunt it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
2 days ago

Many suicides are related to gambling. How can we tackle this problem?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether you’re watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
2 days ago

Things that go buzz in the night – our global study found there really are more insects out after ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
2 days ago

Why don’t Australians talk about their salaries? Pay transparency and fairness go hand-in-hand
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, it’s not the done thing to know – let alone ask – what our colleagues are paid. Yet, it’s easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
2 days ago

‘Character’ And Its Impact On Immigration Status
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...
Scoop politics
2 days ago

20,000 more on jobseeker benefits than this time last year
The government’s plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Beneficiary numbers are up – and so are ...
The SpinoffBy Catherine McGregor
2 days ago

All of the Raglan Roast cafes in Wellington, ranked from worst to best
Raglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. It’s consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...
The SpinoffBy Zoë Mills
2 days ago

Auckland uni students threaten rent strike over rising accommodation fees
Residents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously. The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
2 days ago

Warning of death from a million cuts as Oceans Secretariat dissolved
Shane Jones says people voted for change, but opponents say small cuts such as ending a special oceans secretariat are starting to add up The post Warning of death from a million cuts as Oceans Secretariat dissolved appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Andrew Bevin
2 days ago

Defence deal to counter Beijing’s aggression in South China Sea
New Zealand and the Philippines have signed a new maritime security agreement and stated their concerns over activity in the South China Sea, as Chinese vessels continue to flout international law. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos committed to signing a Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement by ...
NewsroomBy Laura Walters
2 days ago

Wellington’s ebb and flow of public servants
The thousands of government “back-office” job cuts are causing widespread pain in the capital city. In today’s episode of The Detail, we speak to three journalists and a think tank researcher, looking at the larger picture around the cuts and what effect it will have on Wellington, a city that’s ...
NewsroomBy Tom Kitchin
2 days ago

New Zealand transport planning has gone off the rails
Opinion: The famed American architect and urban designer Daniel Burnham once said, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood!” Burnham wouldn’t have been referring to the transport plans in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past five years; projects so big they hadn’t the credibility to ...
NewsroomBy Dr Timothy F Welch
2 days ago

Daily crossword, Friday 19 April
The post Daily crossword, Friday 19 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles
2 days ago

Brakes on transport and logistics sector as demand for freight slows
The transport sector is currently in the slow lane The post Brakes on transport and logistics sector as demand for freight slows appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Emma Hatton
2 days ago

Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 19 April
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],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 19 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles
2 days ago

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