The sincerest form of flattery

Written By: - Date published: 12:14 pm, September 7th, 2008 - 78 comments
Categories: humour, national - Tags:

The Greens billboards have shown how it’s done – striking and simple without being dishonest or simplistic. Maybe National could imitate them:

Maybe not.

78 comments on “The sincerest form of flattery ”

  1. It really needs a fat CEO. Or a polluting farmer. Or Roger Douglas.

  2. ah, roger douglas would be good.. but i just love the expression on his face.

  3. Has their ever been a more racist party than the Green party???
    Can you imagine if National had a billboard of a overweight unemployed Maori from south Auckland who beats up his wife, and they had the headline “Vote for Me” Party Vote Labour”

    The hypocritical nature of the left is repulsive.

    Still Labour supporters will lap it up.

  4. coge 4

    What HAVE they been smoking this time? Doubtless a bad batch of dak. My advice is to stay off the hydroponic.

  5. Its unbelievable how one party can hate one race so much, as I said in my previous post, if national had of done this using a blanet sterotype of a Maori, there would be outrage.

    So what the Greens are suggesting is that your average National supporter is a rich old white man and I’m guessing they are suggesting that this is a bad thing.

    Why you guys are trying to get votes by using hate, I would never know.

  6. Jimbo 6

    Brett I can’t tell if you’re being serious but you do know that this image has been mocked up as a joke, right? It’s not a real advertisement.

  7. Yep, its been mocked up as a joke, and the Greens will blast it out on their web page, saying “Its only a joke, its not a ad”

    Kind of like what Faux News does, all the time, when they want to blast the democrats, they tell ya something is a joke, but they keep playing it and playing it.

    When satire is good its great, like the brilliant Jon Stewart, but when its bad its more cringe worthy than working for David Brent.

  8. weka 8

    Here’s the Green billboards

    http://www.greens.org.nz/election08

    Can you please tell me which one you think is racist??

    Some of us are sick of the rich old white men thinking they own the place. That’s not hate.

  9. Lord Hyperbole 9

    How did you get my photograph you unsavoury sods? The last green thing we had on the estate hung from a tree.

  10. weka 10

    *Yep, its been mocked up as a joke, and the Greens will blast it out on their web page, saying “Its only a joke, its not a ad’*

    But it has nothing to do with the Greens. This blog is The Standard, which although well leftie isn’t part of any political party.

  11. Quoth the Raven 11

    How about a picture of Mr. Burns.

  12. You may be sick of some old white man thinking they own the place? Which is strange since we have a high percentage of woman in power?

    Some of us are sick of politicians on the left telling us how to think, what to eat and drink, and what to say, and are also sick of the blame game.

  13. Sarah 13

    I agree with Brett. The left should try running a campaign that doesn’t involve smear and scare tactics. At least kiwiblog doesn’t resort to these sorts of blatant hate posts.

    This blog is a joke. The bloggers here actually think they’re going to convince everyone with their left national-hating spin. But anyone with any sort of intelligence can see through it.

    The posters on the standard are just further ostracising themselves from any mainstream or common-held individuals by blogging posts such as the one above. But in a way, I should actually give the standard the thanks it deserves. Because of these hate posts and the constant complaining, indidviduals are put off the left much faster than Helen and Winston could ever do themselves.

    I’m left wing in many ways. But The Standard honestly gives the left a bad name by running these vile and one-sided acttacks on anyone who does not agree with them and blocking anyone who dares to disagree with the comments they made.

    Thank god for free speech.

  14. I like to know who donates to this blog?

    The greens billboards are very manipulative.

    Any party or company that uses children in their advertising (that isnt directly related to a child’s product) I would be very wary of.

    [please don’t comment when you’re stoned. a) we use question marks to end questions ‘i would like to know’ is a statement of your desires, not a question b) no-one donates any money to this blog, no-one gets any money for writing on it. SP]

  15. weka 15

    *You may be sick of some old white man thinking they own the place? Which is strange since we have a high percentage of woman in power?*

    Sure we have some women in some key positions. But they’ve never had the kind of power as the old white boys. Of course women have always had their own kind of power, which is probably the one you are most afraid of.

    *Some of us are sick of politicians on the left telling us how to think, what to eat and drink, and what to say, and are also sick of the blame game.*

    That’s fine. Get political and get out there and do something about what you want changed then. Although I can’t recall the legislation that makes me eat or think in certain ways.

    If you really want to get upset about billboards go here:

    http://national.h.ac.nz/

  16. Lord Hyperbole 16

    Is it green social policy to feature happy children on their billboards when they form a government that is responsible for the massive increase in child abuse and infanticide statistics? Bloody airy fairy sods are nothing more than useless hypocrites!

  17. Sarah 17

    The Labour Party would be my first and only guess Brett.

    Explains the large percentage of Union and Labour staff positing day to day on here. Try some transparency and openess posters of the standard (which you readily attack National over not having) and actually show your own agenda. Or your real names might be nice. Congratulations to those who are open enough to freely admit their own personal name and stand up for their own views without having to hide behind some log-in name.

  18. It seems that site, has been hijacked by Labour supporters, or I’m guessing its a Labour site.

  19. brett. what the hell are you talking about?

    clearly my picture is a humourous (not hateful) play on the stereotypical old conservative base of National – it’s his class, not his race.

  20. Sarah 20

    It’s still offensive Steve to those individuals who fit under that particular stereotype. What would happen if a right-winger were to do the exact same parody with a low class maori beer-drinking worker in the picture and a title that said ‘party vote labour’.

    I’m sure everyone would be up in arms screaming foul about how offensive that individual was being. It’s all a matter of perception.

  21. That picture had nothing to do about the guy’s class, you picked an old WHITE rich guy.

    It was stereotypical.

    Leave the humor to people who are funny.

  22. weka 22

    Satire offends all sorts of people, that’s part of its job. It’s not like it’s an actual billboard. Remember this:

    http://www.national.org.nz/PreviewEcard.aspx?ECard=IwiKiwi

    *same parody with a low class maori beer-drinking worker in the picture and a title that said ‘party vote labour’*

    And what would be the point of that billboard parody?

  23. outofbed 23

    The Green camapign looks awesome this time 10% of the vote is looking achievable
    I was on a Greeen party stall yesterday and had unbelievably good feedback and visitors.
    Only two people mentioned section 59 as a concern which was a surprise.
    Labour who were next door had moderate interest and visitors whilst the National guy packed up and went home about ten o clock through lack of interest.

  24. Uhm, I’m not stoned, and heres is a question, if anyone donated money to this blog would you except it?

    [how could they donate money to the blog? it has no legal personality, no bank account. SP]

    [lprent: Just at present the only person who donates money to the site is me (and I’m the only person or entity that ever has). That is likely to be the way that it stays. We don’t even have advertising. If the financial demands get too high, then I’d consider it. But I think we’d be more likely to just move to cheaper servers. It means that we can do things unencumbered by the need to consult anyone – including other writers on the site. ]

  25. bill brown 25

    Now, none of you elitists are allowed to point that out.

  26. Quoth the Raven 26

    Brett – I think that’s supposed to be accept. You’re in a delerium seek medical attention. Now.

  27. forgetaboutthelastone 27

    elitest here – but how are we supposed to know what he means?

  28. of course it is stereotypical, brett, that’s how satire works. But it’s clearly overblown – it mocks National voters as not ordinary Kiwis but part of a rich elite… but at the same time we all know that actual national voters don’t usually look like Rowley Birken QC (he’s a character on the fast show – the character is an over the top and hilarious play on the old drunk upper class toff)… it’s the fact that any sane person knows i’m not really saying all national voters are old drunks that makes it funny.. it wouldn’t be funny if it were hateful but it’s clearly not.. if you don’t think it’s funny you’re more than welcome to fuck off and make your own funny billboards on your site, maybe someone will see them some day.

    sarah, it’s generally not funny when the person does the mocking is in a more powerful social position – so rich, mostly pakeha national saying ‘all labour voters are poor drunk maori’ isn’t funny, it’s just the powerful kicking those at the bottom again.

  29. Typical response I would expect from someone from the left.

  30. Steve: Who are you to say whats funny and whats your not? Thats a bit pretentious isnt it?

    [you’re saying what’s funny and what’s not too – your view is just opposite to mine.. but i assume it’s only me that’s being pretentious. SP]

  31. Felix 31

    Typical or stereotypical, Brett?

    edit: What are you doing here Brett apart from saying what’s funny and what’s not?

  32. higherstandard 32

    “sarah, it’s not funny when the person (who) does the mocking is in a more powerful social position – so rich, mostly pakeha national saying ‘all labour voters are poor drunk maori’ isn’t funny, it’s just the powerful kicking those at the bottom again.”

    No double standards on this site ……. more along quietly now – and after such a reasonable first paragraph too.

  33. It would be quite easy to donate money to this blog, just go up to Steve, slip a 50 Dollar note in his Karl Marx book, tell him to keep up the good work and to keep bashing big bad John Key who has the audacity to have nice house, which I’m sure he didn’t earn himself through hard work.

    It will be quite easy.

    I don’t think Steve has figured out, if ya going write something on a blog on the internet, your going to get people who disagree with you.

    [brett, pretty used to people disagreeing with me by now, thanks, many of them in a more sophisticated manner than this. Obviously, someone giving me money is different from giving The Standard money. But I would not seek any such money and if someone did want to donate to The Standard I would suggest they give the money to a different Leftwing political cause instead – I have more than enough money for my needs, The Standard doesn’t need any money, apart from price of the server space, which Lynn pays out of his own unimpoverished pocket. SP]

    [lprent: Oh it isn’t that unimproverished. I have a lawsuit and building site to fund. Some dickhead in the previous national government thought it’d be a good idea to deregulate the building industry.

    Some idiots in the C&R (aka local National party in drag) did so without getting good building checks done on buildings like mine. Consequently the Auckland City Council (currently C&R dominated)has been spending considerable time in the high court. Our case come up in March. For the last two years I’ve been forking out money in massive interest payments. Fortunately this happens to be the cheapest entertainment around – all I had to do was give up smoking to pay for it. ]

  34. Felix:

    Im taking the south park point of view, not the lefist point of view, my main complaint is you cant say, you cant make fun of one sector and say you cant make fun of another, that is bigoted and that is what this site is doing.

  35. Felix 35

    And if you spend all day drinking and typing inane things on other people’s blogs?

  36. forgetaboutthelastone 36

    Brett Dale:

    I lol’d. You are doing an excellent job at satire there yourself. You are a hilarious parody of your stereotypical RWNJ.

  37. Felix 37

    Brett please put those thoughts into a sentence so they may be addressed.

  38. Pascal's bookie 38

    Brett, do you consider the Monty Python skit “upper class twit of the year” racist and sexist?

    Is The Simpsons racist and sexist because Monty Burns is a white male?

    Were the IWI/KIWI billboards racist?

    How about the Mcain campaign calling Obama ‘presumptuous’?

    What if it was ‘uppity’ instead, would that be racist?

    How about Dykeocracy? Is that sexist? Or nanny state? Does that offend you?

    I’m only asking because you seem to take this stuff seriously, and those examples after the Monty Burns aren’t satire so I’m genuinely interested in your thoughts.

  39. weka 39

    It’s not so much that people disagree with you Brett, it’s that no-one can follow what you are on about.

  40. Felix 40

    weka: it’s about getting on the piss and letting it all out as far as I can follow.

  41. weka 41

    *How about Dykeocracy? Is that sexist? *

    That’d be homophobic or heterosexist 😉

  42. Pascal's bookie 42

    Weka, true enough, if the targets of that jibe were always lesbian eh.

  43. Excellent!!!!

    Surly your not comparing the great Monty Burns of the simpsons to thestandard?

    The Simpsons is funny because it has a go at everybody, at all sterotypes, not just one.

  44. weka 44

    PB, ae some people seem to think that calling a het woman a dyke is the worst thing you can say. Still seems pretty homophobic to me.

  45. Tim Ellis 45

    Hey Brett, give it a rest man. The picture here wasn’t from the Green Party. It was a mock up by SP. You didn’t think it was funny, fair enough. You make a good point that SP wouldn’t dare use a picture of an obese Maori voter as typical of labour-voting, because that would be considered racist. You could have also made the point that the picture above could well have been party vote labour, with a picture of crusty old George Hawkins, Harry Duynhoven, Michael Cullen, Mark Burton, etc etc.

    When it comes to crusty old white guys, there are far more in Labour’s caucus than there are in any other political party. Equally, SP knows that when it comes to diversity National has a lot more to choose from, with candidates who are actually going to make it into Parliament, than what Labour’s got. In reality the real National Party vote billboard would have young and talented people like Nikki Kaye, Melissa Lee, Sam Lotu-Iiga, Simon Bridges, Hekia Parata, etc etc. Even John Key is a generation younger than Helen Clark.

    I think the Standard is entitled to post anonymously. Call them out individually when their authors are being partisan, sure. It works much more effectively than trying to rail against the whole machine. There’s plenty of argument you can come up with on such a poor effort as this from SP. This was an attempt at humour. Some people found it funny. You didn’t. That’s life. But if you’re going to argue against it, use the arguments rather than attacking the whole site.

    The captcha is “so Aldershot”. Maybe I’ve been hanging around this place too long, but this is the second time I’ve seen the word “Aldershot” in a Standard captcha. It is still only the second time I’ve ever seen the word “aldershot”. Anybody know, without resorting to a dictionary or google, what an Aldershot is?

  46. outofbed 46

    Aldershot is town in UK with an large British Army camp

  47. Quoth the Raven 47

    Brett is a member of the PC police.

  48. Bill 48

    Maybe a post-lobotomy patient should have used in the piss take instead? Not very sensitive, but much nearer the mark given the unbearable dribble emanating from those of a right wing bent in the comments above.

    On the matter of the Green billboards, pretty good. Could easily have slipped into mash potato smaltz, but haven’t.

  49. Pascal's bookie 49

    weka, sorry for being unclear. Im certainly not saying that it’s not homophobic, it most certainly is. It’s also sexist though yeah?

    I sort of understood the term to be based around the idea that political, or any other sort of power, is inherently masculine.

    Therefore where any women have any power they must be ‘faux women’;therefore ‘Lesbians’; therefore ‘Dykeocracy’. So both homophobic on it’s face, and sexist at heart. It’s a twofer!

    Brett.
    Nope, I’m comparing the stereotype in this post to Monty Burns, because it’s the same stereotype.

    How about those IWI/KIWI billboards?

  50. How about a picture of Mr. Burns.

    Now that’s a good idea – but better for last election, not this one.

    Looking at National’s energy, environment, and climate change policies, what about the Huntly power station, or a giant open-cast coal mine?

    (Captcha = abrogated bases. They belonged to us, but we’re giving them away…)

  51. Personally I thought those billboards were not that amusing, I guess some people who like low brow humor thought they were funny.

    I thought the reaction to them was the funniest thing about them.

  52. Tim Ellis 52

    Well done oob, I’ve learned something new without having to google it. That’s pretty rare nowadays.

  53. Pascal's bookie 53

    I didn’t think they were funny either. It honestly hadn’t occurred to me that they were meant to be . I do think they were effective though.

  54. jaymam 54

    There’s got to be a worser way:
    http://i36.tinypic.com/ngoapg.jpg

    (the bad grammar intentional, in line with other right-wing billboards)

  55. Pascal's bookie 55

    ” you cant make fun of one sector and say you cant make fun of another”

    This is the heart of it, and the coronary comes when you are talking about power relationships.

    Godwin alert!

    It’s one thing to make Nazi jokes along the lines of Harry Enfield’s ‘Not too Camp’ jibes, or sing songs about the number of gonads various reich officials could claim possession of.

    Joking about how many Jews can fit in a VW? Not so funny.

  56. bill brown 56

    Hey, PB, just watched upper class twit of the year – thanks for that, I like a laugh of a Sunday afternoon.

  57. Lord Hyperbole 57

    “How about a picture of Mr. Burns.”

    I take a better photo than Brendon does and I own a nuclear power plant.

  58. Christopher Nimmo 58

    Last election the local nats billboard actually DID have a picture of Mr Burns plastered over it.

    Happen anywhere else?

  59. Lord Hyperbole 59

    Chris – was it Peter, Brendon or Monty Burns?

  60. toad 60

    Steve Pierson said: The Greens billboards have shown how it’s done – striking and simple without being dishonest or simplistic. Maybe National could imitate them:

    Nope, they won’t get it together Steve, Thay can’t even get the grammar correct.

    I’d say maximise the Party vote for the Greens. That’s the best way to give the big finger to those with a far-right agenda who back National and their hidden agenda.

    Given the policies, the Nats would have to be swallowing dead rats for the next 3 years to get Green support!

  61. r0b 61

    When it comes to crusty old white guys, there are far more in Labour’s caucus than there are in any other political party.

    Ahh, wrong.

    Equally, SP knows that when it comes to diversity National has a lot more to choose from, with candidates who are actually going to make it into Parliament, than what Labour’s got.

    Wrong again. You’re usually more accurate than this Tim.

  62. Rob 62

    Steve money was donated to your blog by Labour who paid for your server hosting am I not correct!!

    [lprent: Wrong (as usual).

    The Labour party has never paid for anything to do with this blog. A kind organization donated some server space to the NZLP. Needless to say the NZLP had absolutely no idea what to do with this. So they gave control of it to some activists to provide facilities for other left activists. When the standard was falling over due to lack of bandwidth, access to the servers was offered and accepted.

    So the NZLP has never paid anything to maintain this site. The server space you’re referring to was paid for by the donor. Of course that idiot Whale is incapable of understanding subtleties like that, just as I suspect you are.

    Rather than let the NZLP put up with undeserved flak from the bottom feeders around the blogs, after 3 weeks, I moved the site to my home server. Shortly thereafter put it in the linux server that it now resides in, and steadily increased my payments to keep the resource levels up.

    Now I take great pleasure in terminating idiots like you who even mention the topic here. I consider that it shows a considerable level of stupidity bearing in mind the number of times I’ve explained this. I’m tired of it so I *love* making examples of people who mention it in my presence – I like helping people achieve martyrdom.

    Banned for ummm 2 months to contemplate . E-mail me after the election to get removed from the blacklist. I’m putting you there because you do not ban yourself, and put too many messages into the moderation queue.]

  63. Christopher Nimmo 63

    Monty burns. Definitely.

    I think I have a photo somewhere.

  64. Lord Hyperbole 64

    It wasn’t an airbrushed photo of him trying to look twenty years younger? Just like Miss Clark does every election.
    [lprent: You’re looking to me like a troll. Lift your Standard or leave. So far I haven’t seen anything useful in any of your comments. ]

  65. Anita 65

    Rob,

    Even I know you’re not correct.

    This has been canvassed (and recanvassed) so many times that the facts have passed into our collective mind (except, apparently, yours).

  66. Short Shriveled and Slightly to the Left 66

    “At least kiwiblog doesn?t resort to these sorts of blatant hate posts.”
    Bahahahahahahahaha

  67. Rob. Before I joined the collective, the Standard was hosted on server space that Labour had been donated and passed on to us for a total of 7 days.

    The Standard had outgrown our previous server, the Labour offer was accepted, perhaps unwisely, but they decided The Standard needed bigger space to grow into than Labour had given anyway and moved on to our current server, which Lynn pays for. There was no money from Labour for the cost of the server at any point.

    Yup, there was 7 days on a server, server space worth approximately bugger all a year (what’s 7/365ths of bugger all?)

    [lprent: The NZLP didn’t even pay for that space for 21 days. It was a donation to them. So as usual he is dead wrong – and now banned.]

  68. Felix 68

    Christopher Nimmo:

    I remember one between Hamilton and Raglan with Burns pasted over Brash. The resemblance was striking.

  69. toad 69

    Thought The Standard’s readers might also like this one.

  70. Pretty weak, actually, I thought the Greens were above gutter politics.

    Does anyone here really think that is going to happen under a centre right Government?

  71. Lew 71

    Brett Dale: Are you getting the sense that you protest too much, yet?

    L

  72. outofbed 72

    Does anyone here really think that is going to happen under a centre right Government?

    Surely it should read
    Does anyone here really think that there is going to be a centre right Government?

  73. vto 73

    Just seen this – disgusting and hypocritical. You just love to take the piss out of white middle class older men don’t you.

    No doubt somebody above has already suggested doing the fat-arsed lazy dole-bludger, probably maori or islander in south auckland, who has a cuzzy in the courts or jail. Stereotypes ay SP? gotta love ’em. And my god how you seem to love stereotypes – well only certain ones. of course. otherwise it is racist. isn’t it.

    the biggest letdown of the current state of the left

  74. I love that old guy from the fast show…fantastic. His entire response to life was that ‘…I was drunk at the time.’ Gosh if the tories were half as appealing, Id be half inclined to vote for them!

  75. vto 75

    oh alexandra, just a joke was it?. ha ha ha. sounds familiar.

  76. Lets not forget the IWI – KIWI billboards. The above is hardly aimed at creating the same social division that the Nats attempted to do in 2005. Whether something is racist surely depends on who is telling the story. Most of the members of the Greens and indeed on this site, have old white men as fathers, grandfathers and so on. Too me it depicts the same tired men, (with the exception of key) with the same tired agenda.

  77. vto 77

    you have a point in the first couple of sentences. and that is precisely what I was getting at – it gets applied in reverse and the blinkers go on. its just that the abuse aimed at men, white men, white middle class men today grates heavily. call me a new-age menimist.

    anyway, you said above “Most of the members of the Greens and indeed on this site, have old white men as fathers, grandfathers and so on. Too me it depicts the same tired men, (with the exception of key) with the same tired agenda.”

    If you think then, alexandra, that NZ today is that bad then you may have a point in calling them tired and impliedly useless. But if, like me, you consider NZ society to be a society that is almost certainly one of the fairest and wealthiest that has ever existed, one of the easiest ever in which to get a roof over your head and food in you belly, one of the easiest in which to break out of your ‘caste’, one of the easiest to get educated, get a job, do nothing, do whatever your heart desires, then you had better start thanking those “tired men” because according to so much of the left today those “tired men” have been responsible for creating the society we have today.

    Sure there is always room for improvement. But they are responsible, as even you seem to acknowledge in your own post, and so should not only be critically evaluated for their shortcomings but also thanked for the great things this society has achieved.

    (and of course the NZ women and things the labour movt has wrought, but this is specifically about the so-called “tired men”. they actually aint that bad, and look at what they have achieved.)

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  • Beware political propaganda: statistics are pointing to Grant Robertson never protecting “Lives an...
    Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”. As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    24 hours ago
  • Winding back the hands of history’s clock
    Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Paula Bennett’s political appointment will challenge public confidence
     Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    1 day ago
  • Business confidence sliding into winter of discontent
    TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the coalition’s awful, not good, very bad poll results
    Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
    1 day ago
  • New HOP readers for future payment options
    Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
    1 day ago
  • 2024 Reading Summary: April (+ Writing Update)
    Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
    2 days ago
  • At a glance – Clearing up misconceptions regarding 'hide the decline'
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    2 days ago
  • Road photos
    Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Paula Bennett’s political appointment will challenge public confidence
    The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    2 days ago
  • NZDF is still hostile to oversight
    Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • Winding Back The Hands Of History’s Clock.
    Holding On To The Present: The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
    2 days ago
  • Sweet Moderation? What Christopher Luxon Could Learn From The Germans.
    Stuck In The Middle With You: As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
    2 days ago
  • A clear warning
    The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • Poll results and Waitangi Tribunal report go unmentioned on the Beehive website – where racing tru...
    Buzz  from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example.  This shows National down ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Listening To The Traffic.
    It Takes A Train To Cry: Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
    2 days ago
  • Comity Be Damned! The State’s Legislative Arm Is Flexing Its Constitutional Muscles.
    Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
    2 days ago
  • Ending The Quest.
    Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
    2 days ago
  • Will political polarisation intensify to the point where ‘normal’ government becomes impossible,...
    Chris Trotter writes –  New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Tuesday, April 30
    TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:30am on Tuesday, May 30:Scoop: NZ 'close to the tipping point' of measles epidemic, health experts warn NZ Herald Benjamin PlummerHealth: 'Absurd and totally unacceptable': Man has to wait a year for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country
    Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Worst poll result for a new Government in MMP history
    Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Pinning down climate change's role in extreme weather
    This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
    2 days ago
  • Serving at Seymour's pleasure.
    Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Webworm LA Pop-Up
    Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • “Feel good” school is out
    Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 6 Months in, surely our Report Card is “Ignored all warnings: recommend dismissal ASAP”?
    Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic plan, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy. Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    3 days ago
  • Bread, and how it gets buttered
    Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country
    Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Justice for Gaza?
    The New York Times reports that the International Criminal Court is about to issue arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over their genocide in Gaza: Israeli officials increasingly believe that the International Criminal Court is preparing to issue arrest warrants for senior government officials on ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • If there has been any fiddling with Pharmac’s funding, we can count on Paula to figure out the fis...
    Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • FastTrackWatch – The case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Monday, April 29
    TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Iran killing its rappers, and searching for the invisible Dr. Reti
    span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
    3 days ago
  • Auckland Rail Electrification 10 years old
    Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
    3 days ago
  • Coalition's dirge of austerity and uncertainty is driving the economy into a deeper recession
    Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Disability Funding or Tax Cuts.
    You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Of the Goodness of Tolkien’s Eru
    April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
    4 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #17
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
    4 days ago
  • Pastor Who Abused People, Blames People
    Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago
  • Vic Uni shows how under threat free speech is
    The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Winston remembers Gettysburg.
    Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • 25
    She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8.  The universe was ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Fact Brief – Is Antarctica gaining land ice?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
    5 days ago
  • Policing protests.
    Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago
  • Open letter to Hon Paul Goldsmith
    Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: FastTrackWatch – The Case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago
  • Luxon gets out his butcher’s knife – briefly
    Peter Dunne writes –  The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • More tax for less
    Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Real News vs Fake News.
    We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Another way to roll
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Simon Clark: The climate lies you'll hear this year
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
    5 days ago
  • Cutting the Public Service
    It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    6 days ago
  • Luxon’s demoted ministers might take comfort from the British politician who bounced back after th...
    Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious:  we live in a troubled ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • This is how I roll over
    1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Waitangi Tribunal is not “a roving Commission”…
    …it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisition   NOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes –  The High Court ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Is Oranga Tamariki guilty of neglect?
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same? Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Three Strikes saw lower reoffending
    David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Luxon’s ruthless show of strength is perfect for our angry era
    Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • 'Lacks attention to detail and is creating double-standards.'
    TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • One Night Only!
    Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • What did Melissa Lee do?
    It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #17 2024
    Open access notables Ice acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment: In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
    7 days ago
  • Maori Party (with “disgust”) draws attention to Chhour’s race after the High Court rules on Wa...
    Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  • Stronger oversight for our most vulnerable children
    The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago
  • Streamlining Building Consent Changes
    The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.      “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)
    New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...
    Good evening –   Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Accelerating airport security lines
    From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Community hui to talk about kina barrens
    People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into force
    Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Mining resurgence a welcome sign
    There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first reading
    The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government to boost public EV charging network
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure.  The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Residential Property Managers Bill to not progress
    The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Independent review into disability support services
    The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Justice Minister updates UN on law & order plan
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Ending emergency housing motels in Rotorua
    The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Trade Minister travels to Riyadh, OECD, and Dubai
    Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Education priorities focused on lifting achievement
    Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • NZTA App first step towards digital driver licence
    The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say.  “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Supporting whānau out of emergency housing
    Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Tribute to Dave O'Sullivan
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