The Killing Moon

Written By: - Date published: 4:11 pm, March 16th, 2015 - 75 comments
Categories: broadcasting, internet, Media, tv - Tags: , ,

Two incidences of bullying in the media have been the subject of discussion in the last few days. The first was the alleged assault and racist abuse of a TV producer on the BBC’s Top Gear program by presenter Jeremy Clarkson and the second was a bizarre verbal attack on a performer on music program the X Factor NZ by two of the judges.

What is to be learned from these events? Well, firstly, ratings count. The shows concerned are businesses and they derive a considerable portion of their income and profits from selling advertising slots. And nothing sells time on TV like controversy.

Secondly, social media can be a force for good or it can be used to try to bully decision makers into doing the wrong thing. Both incidents have seen online petitions spring up. In New Zealand there are petitions on Change.org and facebook calling for the removal of judge Natalia Kills. Ironically neither calls for the removal of the other judge, Willy Moon, whose own half-witted contribution was to accuse the contestant of being a closet serial killer. And, sadly, the comments on the facebook page include some misogynist bullying that is at least as bad as the things Kills said herself.

Happily, both Kills and Moon have now been sacked.

In Britain, a right wing blogger has launched a petition for Jeremy Clarkson to be un-suspended from his Top Gear job, despite the gravity of the alleged offence. Astonishingly, that’s now the fastest growing petition on Change.org. There’s a faint echo in that sad fact of the idea that Julian Assange should be forgiven his alleged crimes because he’s also rather popular in some quarters. Of course Julian is unlikely to take Jeremy’s job, should the latter be fired. It’s hard to do a motoring show entirely indoors.

The BBC has tolerated Clarkson’s dinosaur attitudes for far too long. By accepting his behaviour, which has included regular racist jokes, they have set a very low bar. They can’t really sack him because they have encouraged his buffoonery every profitable step of the way. And, here in Godzone, the producers of the X Factor NZ were probably hoping to survive the fallout – ‘we don’t endorse bullying!’ – and get even more viewers tonight with eyeballs glued to the box to see what outrage Kills and Moon will come up with to humiliate the wannabees. What used to be about talent is now about talons.

It’s all too predictable and all too depressing. I thought the interwebs were going to do away with broadcasting, but instead social media has become an accomplice in the bread and circuses that the MSM throws at us. I suppose I could stop watching both shows, but as I never started, that’d be futile. I guess I’ll just have to grimly hang on until free streaming kills the box’s business model.

Hopefully, we won’t have to wait too long. I’m comforted by the fact that the best reality show currently on air in the UK is Gogglebox, which is based around the concept of viewers watching viewers watching TV. It’s strangely fascinating and hopefully a sign that TV is now disappearing up its own fundamental orifice.

75 comments on “The Killing Moon ”

  1. In both cases it seems like the bullies have got sorted. Good, I despise bullies – maybe a cleanout is needed here too because the bullies are just ott and nasty, with no regard for others or even themselves. and who are bullies – you know, sort your personal shit out ffs.

    great post title btw

  2. vto 2

    Its nothing to do with your qualities as a person.
    Its nothing to do with whether or not you comply with the law.
    Its nothing to do with your honesty or otherwise.
    Its nothing to do with your bigoted behaviour.
    Its nothing to do with whether you cheat or lie.

    Its nothing to do with nothing of that

    It is all to do with your popularity – and I give you two prime examples in evidence.

    Vladimir Putin
    John Key

    After all, this is what National Party supporters said after the election – “ha ha” they said, “ha ha we proved dotcom was wrong, we proved snowden was wrong, we proved key is honest. Yes we did. We did it by voting for him”.

    Sad fact but so very very true – federated farmers even had an opinion piece saying exactly this. Fed Farmers is evidence of the sad failings of today’s society.

    Fools man, fools.

    • miravox 2.1

      It is all to do with your popularity – and I give you two prime examples in evidence.

      Vladimir Putin
      John Key

      And the popularity of these kind on dog whistlers has let the nasties of the leash.

      I think it’s worth taking note of how the public responds to these vile rants at ordinary people. The acceptability or not of how public figures treat people gets reflected in the real world to some degree – meaning groups of of people become less ‘worthy’ of consideration and respect. They become fair game for openly racist, bigoted etc comments and that includes the verbal ‘war on the poor’ we’re all so familiar with.

      Good to see the mills and boon (ta, oab) petition was to sack them, whereas the Clarkson petition was to re-instate someone who went on a half rant and threw a punch at someone who was passing on a message about his dinner. Classic example of personal responsibility for bad behaviour only being for some people.

      (Kudos to the woman in the bakery for calling Boon out on his tirade as well).

  3. Paul 3

    Distraction: Just another meaningless message to keep you from paying attention to all of the issues that really matter.

    • like what paul – 911, julian, vaccination, homeopathy, duvets vs blankets, the pronunciation of Himalayas… what are the issues that matter, what the hell are they???

      • Hateatea 3.1.1

        The superficiality of the reality television genre, the call to the lowest denominator, pablum for the masses instead of the reality of casualised labour, grinding poverty, the despair of the long term unemployed or underemployed, the cries for help from the unwell and less able in our society. That is what is being ignored while the media encourages us to wait breathlessly to find which talent will be taken forward to the future and which will be thrown to the wolves.

        In the meantime. the latest exploits of the Clarkson buffoon and Kimye fill the column inches where we should be being better informed about climate change and country on country spying or the real state of our economy and how many people are able to live on the income from one 40 hours per week job and how many others juggle two or three and still need WFF.

        We deserve better but we also need to vote with our television buttons and voice our feelings via other media than television because they don’t care unless it affects their bottom line

        • marty mars 3.1.1.1

          Yet at the personal level we saw a vulnerable person get bullied in a nasty, horrible way and the public responded by saying NO that is not on.

          “the reality of casualised labour, grinding poverty, the despair of the long term unemployed or underemployed, the cries for help from the unwell and less able in our society.” That sentiment of ‘NO that is not on’, can translate into all of the BIG issues we face.

          Clarkson – well racism and bully behaviour by those who think they are our betters should be opposed and fought against.

          “we should be being better informed about climate change and country on country spying or the real state of our economy and how many people are able to live on the income from one 40 hours per week job and how many others juggle two or three and still need WFF.”

          Yep I agree and all of those things are happening because those who think they are our betters do it, say it and believe it. Unless we stand up and say NO! That momentum has to start somewhere with some issue someplace…

          • Hateatea 3.1.1.1.1

            I agree that that is probably the one good thing out of that particular happening, except that, despite their protestations, TV3 will be searching for 2 more wanna be bullies to replace them and the sideshow will trundle along 🙁

      • Paul 3.1.2

        Well, not reality TV anyway.
        BTW, why the ad hominem?

        • marty mars 3.1.2.1

          “short for argumentum ad hominem, means responding to arguments by attacking a person’s character, rather than to the content of their arguments”

          I don’t think I did that. Sorry if I upset you.

          I’m just at tipping point around the “talk about the real issue” line – these are real issues to the people involved even if ‘we’ may think it vacuous, simple and unimportant – that’s what they think of ‘our’ real issues – they think they are a joke.

          How to actually engage people in the issues that ‘we’ think are important? Take those issues and expand, extrapolate and push/pull them into the consciousness not ridicule or sheeple them imo. It can be done because when it all gets down to it – everything is personal.

      • Adrian 3.1.3

        Prominent on the Herald website this morning: Benji Marshall’s comments on the X Factor stoush.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 3.2

      I’m being quite ‘distracted’ by the fact that Kills and Moon rhymes with Mills and Boon 🙂

  4. Alfonso Peres 4

    Hats off for being able to move from the sacking of two nobodies from a popular talent show to the Federated Farmers in under five paragraphs.

    • vto 4.1

      Assuming you are responding to my point at 2 above, yes thanks for the positive feedback.

      It is surprising, but shouldn’t be, that people are the same no matter where. Here of course the silly ideas of the reality tv people correspond to the silly ideas of the federated farmers. And John Key antics correspond to Putin antics. It is all about popularity – Key said it. Television said it. Federated Farmers said it. Putin said it. Ffs, it is all the world is about today.

      Why is that surprising? It aint that hard to identify alfonso – you just need to open your eyes.

  5. weka 5

    I didn’t think the tirade from Kills and Moon was that bad compared to whatshisface on that US show a few years ago. But they obviously seriously misjudged NZ culture to think it was ok here.

    Besides, they should be fired just for thinking they are so cool and original (ah the hubris of the young who haven’t been around very long but think they have). Dress style as intellectual property? what a couple of numpties.

  6. xanthe 6

    Paul Henry

    • b waghorn 6.1

      Don’t remind me only weeks away from that dinosaur cackling at us from TV . Hopefully it won’t be to long before he makes a fool of him self and gets sacked again.

    • Paul 6.2

      What a horrible thought

    • Tracey 6.4

      Was thinking the same thing. he is also a bully and it appears to be one of the main attractions for TV3 to bring him back… he has bullied many people on air over the years and no petitions started (to my knowledge)? What was different is perhaps that the particular reality show has a younger demographic which has been taught about bullying and the consequences and paul henry’s audience is older and ignorant of such things?

      • Molly 6.4.1

        I do wonder if they “bully vicariously” through Paul Henry.

        A man their age saying all those things that you would never even dream of saying because … let’s face it… he sounds like a maladjusted fourteen year old.

  7. Ecosse_Maidy 7

    Reality, Game Show, Non Talent Show Debacle.

    We get the TV we deserve.

    401 channels and nothing on.

    Keys, Cameron, Abbot and right wing clique,
    rubbing their hands together as they say …don’t look here at cuts, lies, non responsible government in your name,

    Look Over there, at very cheap tackiness and start a petition.

    Bridges to be built to not built in Northland?

    Sending our troops without proper legal oversight in harms way?
    Spying On You All, Cook Island or Not?

    Oh Noooooo…..

    Don’t Look into any of that,,,Look at Reality Benefit Fraudsters,

    Watch judges demeaning contestants, See A TV Presenter commit ABH and start another aghast petition.

    TV The Methadone subsititute of The Masses and the friend of the ruling establishment…

    On The Other hand,,,,Please feel free to switch the fucker off!

  8. felix 8

    Hilarious. This whole fiasco was engineered to be a distraction from Willie Moon’s #digraceful misogynistic attack on a woman at a Kingsland bakery the other day.

    They thought they were smart enough to manipulate the media, but it turns out they’re too stupid to be on a reality tv show.

  9. idlegus 9

    Love Gogglebox! Best thing on telly (or youtube as the case is for me), the celebrity one is hilarious especially Kathy Burke. Narrated by Caroline Ahern of Royle Family fame to give you an E.G. of the humour.

  10. TheContrarian 10

    “he first was the alleged assault and racist abuse of a TV producer on the BBC’s Top Gear program by presenter Jeremy Clarkson”

    Which part of the article details the “racist abuse”? Are my eyes failing me?

  11. North 11

    Careful that this whole business of a ridiculously indeed sadly conceited young woman and her dickhead husband on a fucking rubbish reality show (designed more to put big bucks in the pockets of grey money people than anything else) – doesn’t generate amongst ‘us’ the heat that homeopathy does. All this ultimately rancourous soul searching about whether we care enough, widely enough, I dunno ?

    Already I sense mature commenters here sniping and slashing at one another. For me it’s enough to belly-laugh at OAB’s “Mills and Boon” and suspect that this ugly pair weren’t just “sacked”. They got mean lettters from Russell McVeagh or Simpson Grierson leaving them in no doubt that their behaviour is actionable under the “bringing into disrepute” clauses in their contracts which had them both in snivelling tears. And running to first/business class check-in. Where with impunity she can be a little madam and he a studied toff. At 14 years of age both of them FFS !

    Let’s not waste energy on these nasty wee nothings “Mills and Boon”……, please ! Surely there’s nothing wrong with saying “Good fucking job !” and leaving it at that.

    • Murray Rawshark 11.1

      How can they be married if they’re only 14? As far as I know, they don’t live at Coopers Beach.

  12. Murray Rawshark 12

    “There’s a faint echo in that sad fact of the idea that Julian Assange should be forgiven his alleged crimes because he’s also rather popular in some quarters.”

    I’ve never seen anyone promote that idea. I suppose we all see echoes where we want to see them.

    As for the tv show – Marty Mars makes a lot of sense when he suggests we start from what people do care about and widen it.

    • marty mars 12.1

      Thanks Murray but my thoughts have gone well over the heads of the righteous, humourless, ivory towered fundalefties here – fuck I despair for the left and this site sometimes – I need a break from this bullshit – I’m banning myself for a week 🙂

      • Murray Rawshark 12.1.1

        Sometimes I get down on my knees and give praise to my atheist gods (I decided to be a Hindu atheist because there are heaps more to not believe in) that I didn’t learn my leftiness at a university. I was a lefty who went to uni late in life to get an interesting job. I almost feel like joining you in that week.

  13. greywarshark 13

    What used to be about talent is now about talons.
    That’s a good line.

  14. tc 14

    Aside from the obvious play on the human condition these shows are very cheap to make up against drama, comedy etc.

    Few sets, locations, actors, scriptwriters with directors and producers stringing it all together and extracting performances.

    They set it up with the subjects, judges tick the emotional boxes in pre production then shoot the crap out of it and assemble it in the edit suites knowing they’ve got all the elements.

    Reality TV is cheap TV and with NZ on Air funding and a whopping ad revenue and spin off activities make it gold. Ben Eltons ‘chart throb’ satirises it well.

  15. Jay 15

    I’m finding X Factor very enjoyable for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that a few of the artists are very talented, and it’s great to see them living their dreams.

    While it’s easy to sneer at people who enjoy them, it’s all a matter of taste when all is said and done isn’t it? The degree to which you enjoy reality TV is not, as far as I know, in inverse proportion to your IQ.

    While many here will welcome the deserved sacking of Natalia and Willy, you don’t have to look very hard on this blog to find plenty of accomplished bullies who make the Mr & Mrs Moon look benign.

  16. Tracey 16

    Is it possible that the younger demographic of this show has taught everyone something? That anti bullying programmes in our schools work and that educated in the harms of bullying and educated in how to spot it they won’t stand for it. And that younger demographic stood up and were counted? The older demographic watching the show probably went to bed and slept like babies after watching it. The younger mobilised.

    • miravox 16.1

      It would be interesting to know if some people in an older generation had a hand in setting the scene for that abuse – scripted ‘reality’? I guess the amount of money these two fools got paid would give an indication if the bullying was going completely off script or the head honchos simply misread their audience.

      • Puckish Rogue 16.1.1

        When I watched the clip what she said didn’t seem to flow, it seemed forced and at times like she was trying to remember what to say

        • felix 16.1.1.1

          Yeah it was a bit like reading your comments here.

          • Puckish Rogue 16.1.1.1.1

            Difference between her and myself is that I mean what I say on here, she was either prompted to say what she said or was trying to raise her own profile and probably didn’t believe (or care) what she was saying

  17. Jay 17

    I’m 42. Me and plenty of my friends “mobilised”. Has there ever been a time when bullying like this was acceptable? Certainly not when and where I grew up.

  18. millsy 18

    Contrast this with a real kiwi reality talent show, Homai te Pakipaki. It has been running on Maori TV since 2008, and ordinary people can just turn up to the studio (some times out of the bush in Ruatoria), do an audition, and sing on live TV, and everyone just has a good time. No nasty judges (it is a contest, but the viewers vote via text, and the hosts give nothing but encouragement), and people of all ages and background get up and have a go.

    A lot more real than some imported format that focuses on public humiliation.

    They could have at least found judges who have had music industry experience of note.

    • Rodel 18.1

      millsy- sounds good. Must have a look.
      I generally dislike shows where people are ‘judged’ by celebrities. The ‘I’m superior you’re subordinate’ attitude just doesn’t appeal to me.
      Auditions OK. There’s a professional and necessary reality about them .

      • freedom 18.1.1

        “Auditons OK. There’s a professional and necessary reality about them ”
        Except there isn’t any reality about them Rodel. The auditions are where the manipulation of the viewer begins.

        There are the public call outs, and the hopefuls appear, only to be seen by people who are not the TV judges. The hopefuls appearance before the TV judges comes later, for a select few, once the initial selection has been made. This initial selection includes a few ‘fails’ and ‘terribles’ whose efforts are later presented as junk food treats for the reality-tv audience to gorge on. This interim period is where the ‘back-story’ pieces are sourced and spliced into the long lines of hopefuls. So, come broadcast time, the viewer has already been manipulated.

        All in all the reality of these shows is akin to the health benefits of energy drinks.

        For me, Dave Grohl sums it up in this comment

        When I think about kids watching a TV show like American Idol or The Voice, then they think, ‘Oh, OK, that’s how you become a musician, you stand in line for eight f****** hours with 800 people at a convention center and then you sing your heart out for someone and then they tell you it’s not f****** good enough.’ Can you imagine?” he implores. “It’s destroying the next generation of musicians! Musicians should go to a yard sale and buy an old f****** drum set and get in their garage and just suck. And get their friends to come in and they’ll suck, too. And then they’ll f******* start playing and they’ll have the best time they’ve ever had in their lives and then all of a sudden they’ll become Nirvana. Because that’s exactly what happened with Nirvana. Just a bunch of guys that had some s***** old instruments and they got together and started playing some noisy-a** s***, and they became the biggest band in the world. That can happen again! You don’t need a f****** computer or the Internet or The Voice or American Idol.”

        http://deltaskymag.delta.com/Sky-Extras/Favorites/Rock–n–Roll-Jedi.aspx

        • One Anonymous Bloke 18.1.1.1

          +100

        • millsy 18.1.1.2

          Well its a lot easier to obtain recording equipment than it was 15-20 years ago. Any PC can be turned into a recording studio with the right software, and amps/mixers and microphones can be obtained online.

    • rawshark-yeshe 19.1

      @tracey — wondering if Joe has a libel case against TV3 for broadcasting suggestion he was a murderer intending to kill the audience ( as per Willy Fading Moon) ? Was so far away from any judgment of his singing or performance, I would suggest it would be way outside of any releases he has signed? And live TV has at least a 15 sec delay and TV3 made the decision to broadcast and be damned ?

      • Tracey 19.1.1

        INteresting observation… I didn’t know the had a 15 second delay…

        • rawshark-yeshe 19.1.1.1

          I am pretty sure of it … will check … would he have a case you think ?

        • rawshark-yeshe 19.1.1.2

          @tracey … curiously, TV3 XFactor production has told me there was no delay on the broadcast on sunday night. (How perfectly and astonishingly careless of them.)

          In that event, I would think Joe, if he wanted to, could have a case against them for NOT having a delay and preventing the defamation of being a potential sadistic mass murderer. ( I think what Moon said is far worse than wife Kills.)

          TV3 is 100% liable as far as I’m concerned. Thoughts maybe ??

  19. Sable 20

    I haven’t watched it in five years if that tells you anything. Its either moronic games shows or the sleazy MSM journo’s on the so called news spreading the neo lib word….

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  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • There’s a name for this
    Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
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  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
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