Who took Slater’s emails?

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, August 16th, 2014 - 58 comments
Categories: john key, national - Tags: , ,

Cameron slater john key

The aftermath of Nicky Hager’s book rumbles on. The Herald this morning has further coverage on issues arising from the Book. The discussion between Cactus Kate and Slater about Hager’s address and how publishing it could put him in some danger is the subject of an article. The subsequent publishing of Hager’s address by Slater says a great deal about what sort of person he is.

John Armstrong has a prescient column about the week’s events, rightfully describing the tirade of abuse National has sent Hager’s way as “one of the most sustained efforts by National to destroy an individual’s credibility since the party’s political witch trials of the Muldoon era.”

He describes National’s tactics well:

National’s tactic has been to keep the focus on Hager and persuade people he had hidden motives for writing the book – rather than being drawn into arguments about its damning contents.

This has worked for National to some degree – somewhat to Hager’s frustration.

Key’s damage control operation was designed to both defuse and confuse. However, the Prime Minister looked and sounded distinctly uncomfortable when questioned by reporters on Thursday afternoon.

He conceded nothing. He repeatedly answered questions by saying the book’s allegations had “nothing to do with National”.

When it was pointed out to him that National was clearly implicated, he made excuses, saying he had not been briefed on the detail.

If Key’s answers sounded glib there was good reason. The vilification of Hager by Key and Steven Joyce, National’s election campaign supremo and the one designated to front for National when there is trouble, is a charade.

Their dilemma is that they have to rubbish the book as being wrong on every score when they know much if not all of it, is accurate, simply because the contents come straight out of the mouths of Slater, Ede and other National Party figures and associates.

As much as anything, Hager has simply done a compilation job. Key’s and Joyce’s deny-everything stances are not tenable for long. But if they admit Hager is right about one thing, then they have to concede he is right about everything.

Danyl McLaughlan has posted a passionate column on the consequences of the book.  It is well worth a read.  I particularly enjoyed these passages:

But some of the reporters listening to the PM have read the book. And when Key insists that the real dirty politics comes from the left, I think, or hope, that they’ll reflect that no one on the left is publishing the addresses of journalists online in the hope that someone assaults or murders them in revenge for writing about tax-havens, which is what Cathy Odgers, Cameron Slater David Farrar and Matthew Hooton discuss on page 91. Also, no one on the left is going around brothels trying to find out whether journalists have visited them, so they can be blackmailed, which is what Cameron Slater, the Justice Minister’s close friend, and long-term collaborator with the Prime Minister’s office is up to. No one on the left runs smear campaigns against attempted rape victims, or publishes graphic affidavits describing their political enemies having sex. There’s no one comparable to Slater on the left of politics, or blogging. He is a phenomenon unique to the National Party.  Key can insist that this is all just a lie, just a conspiracy story, but people who read the book know that this is simply documentation from Slater’s emails and that the Prime Minister is lying to their faces.

So I don’t think Key’s line will work, or that this story is going away. I haven’t talked to any gallery journalists since it was released but I suspect that – if nothing else – the confirmation of the long-nurtured bitter suspicion that Key’s office has been screwing them on OIA requests by forwarding them to Slater for early publication will ensure that this story runs and runs throughout the rest of the campaign.

And this:

Whatever the wider implications, the book has had a profound effect on me, personally. Something that doesn’t come across in the news coverage about Dirty Politics, and Cameron Slater, Jason Ede, Jordan Williams, Simon Lusk et al is just how fucking awful these people are. They spend their lives trying to poison and contaminate our politics. They enjoy seeing people suffer. They get excited by the idea of breaking up the marriages of their political enemies and ruining their lives. And John Key stands up and bleats about how everything they do is fine, and the people on the left are the nasty ones. Fuck him.

Well said Danyl.  Interestingly in the comments to a few of his recent posts are suggestions from people I do not recognise that I do the same as Slater.   How is this for a bet?  For each post identified that I have written which engages in the same sort of character assassination and muck raking that Slater does I will give $100 to Greenpeace.  Go ahead.  Knock yourselves out.

But back to the subject of this post.  Who, in the light of Slater’s description of a deceased West Coaster as “feral” had the most reason to try and silence him and bring him down?  Who had the most to lose?  Was it the left?  My bet is that elements within the National Party had decided that he and Jason Ede had gone too far and had to be silenced.  I have seen before how during the Len Brown scandal there was considerable kick back against Slater from parts of the National Party.  Maybe this time they had decided that Slater’s malign effect on politics had to end.

58 comments on “Who took Slater’s emails? ”

  1. One Anonymous Bloke 1

    Minor detail: the article with Slater’s name on it that published Hager’s details was written by Odgers.

    So, she wishes him harm, has a plan to effect that harm (give or take her racist delusions about Chinese people) and puts the plan into effect using an accomplice.

    Might the NZ Law Society have an opinion about this? Might the Police?

    • Foreign Waka 1.1

      Police is under Minister Mrs Colin’s and the Law society is gutless that one wonders whether we see a drama from the roman council a few thousand years ago. None of them are independent as you might expect in a democracy. This means that the law is being adapted to suit the rich and powerful – this also reveals that NZ is more like Fiji then anybody cares to admit.

    • disturbed 1.2

      OAB
      Allison Horwood is a lawyer mixed up with Slater in some seedy Tax evasion scheme company in Belize, and until a couple of days ago, so she is dirty.
      Now this Odgers is as bad so do we see a pattern?

      Business as usual on Planet key as the song goes so close to the truth they forced Electoral Commission to ban it.

      Gag, Gag, Gag,

  2. Roflcopter 2

    Awesome last paragraph, you should write a book on it…. no proof, dumb innuendo, and trying to start a new sideshow.

    Mickey, I would have thought you’d be keeping your head down somewhat, because it is now becoming more and more public knowledge amongst readers that don’t indulge in blogs that for every Farrar/Slater on the right, there’s an equivalent on the left…. and it’s becoming more public by the day.

    Or you can just keep rocking on, I don’t mind, but don’t complain and make excuses when your boss ends up having to answer sticky questions….. again.

    • just saying 2.1

      Okay.
      Pick five days at random and compare the entire content of the Standard with the entire content of Whaleoil.

      Anyone who imagines any kind of equivalence (and that includes Josie ‘Lifestyle block’ Pagani) can put their money where their mouth is.

      Right-wingers are such sensitive wee snowflakes when it come to their own feelings. But if you don’t see much of the population as being as real and human as you are, I guess it’s easy to imagine that being called a “silly bitch” and tracking someone down and hounding them with the intent to destroy their life and drive them to suicide as being about the same.

      • felix 2.1.1

        I have offered many of these tools the same challenge many times.

        None have ever taken it up.

      • Chris 2.1.2

        “Right-wingers are such sensitive wee snowflakes when it come to their own feelings.”

        Just loved Farrar’s faux-hurt/sadness/offence/despair at Hager’s revelations – said it made him want to give up politics.

        Wonder if he’ll want to be on The Panel again? Wonder if they’ll want him back? Or want Williams back? Interesting those two were ever on there in the first place. And to think Bradbury was kicked off? Danyl’s description of Slater/Williams/Lusk/Odgers is spot on.

        • Much like Slater’s declaration on Twitter two days ago that he’d never agree to an interview with TV3. So naturally he was on The Nation this morning.
          https://twitter.com/davidfarrier/status/500391317457743872

          • Chris 2.1.2.1.1

            Will be interesting if Radio NZ will want Williams, Farrar, Hooton or even Franks back on air after all of this. Imagine Williams and Farrar on The Panel now? Even Kathryn Ryan must be having second thoughts about Hooton being on her show after he emailed the name of Hager’s street to Slater. What a total crock about it “already being in the public arena, it’s all over his select committee submissions”. Odgers was talking about publishing it for the purpose of allowing thugs to go to Hager’s house. This can’t be shrugged off as nothing. Odgers sent the email saying why the address should be published. If nobody provided the address or it wasn’t published maybe it could shrugged off as jokey big talk. But then Hooton sent the name of the street, and then Slater published the full address. This is no bloody joke. Hooton is as evil as Odgers and Slater and Williams.

    • trickledrown 2.2

      Shonkey and Slater have shat on to many people ,Rolfharriscopter repeating the bullying lines doesn’t make it right.
      You are in league with the underhanded undermining of Democracy!
      It must be your turn to spray and walk away!

    • Tracey 2.3

      are you saying slater is delusional? Or a liar? Are you saying Hager invented all the emails? To back your assertions about left wing blogs you first need to address these questions?

  3. Mike 3

    On the acknowledgements page Hager thanks “the National Party staffer who first suggested I work on this subject”

    • Tracey 3.1

      Noticed that too, and noticed it has completely been ignored in media discussion and questions

      • Foreign Waka 3.1.1

        Be careful what you wish for as there is now a new modus operandi in place to bring civil servants to slaughter…

      • Local Kiwi 3.1.2

        Tracy,

        “Noticed that too, (no media had mentioned it was a Nat staffer that suggested Hager do the book) and noticed it has completely been ignored in media discussion and questions”

        That’s because no investigative MSM Journo has read the book for MSM yet and we should challenge why not?

        Cant we get opposition to bring this up?????

    • Mary 3.2

      The Hollow Men’s dedicated “to the principled conservatives in the New Zealand National Party”, too.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 3.3

      A better wingnut! My wish granted 🙂

  4. mpledger 4

    Who gained the most from Brash’s stolen emails? Key … and Joyce. Who benefits from Slater’s stolen emails – Joyce . His main competition within the National party is from the Collins/Slater faction and this is one way to side-line them and it’s also likely to hasten Key’s exit from politics leaving Joyce top dog.

  5. Local Kiwi 5

    Good take Mickey,

    I will respond to Roflcopter’s comment.

    ” Who, in the light of Slater’s description of a deceased West Coaster as “feral” had the most reason to try and silence him and bring him down? Who had the most to lose? Was it the left? My bet is that elements within the National Party had decided that he and Jason Ede had gone too far and had to be silenced. I have seen before how during the Len Brown scandal there was considerable kick back against Slater from parts of the National Party. Maybe this time they had decided that Slater’s malign effect on politics had to end.”

    Best to look at every direction and get it out there, as Nat’s will be swiftly desperately trying to close down the subject before the thing gets viral.

    I witnessed a daily spectacle of the Watergate scandal, when living in Canada.

    Watergate is a study as the same thing happened with the identical deliberate stealing of opposition political party files.

    I was as a Kiwi living & working in Canada during the 1970’s when Watergate broke it began the same and it built up in the very same way.

    First with the removal of the Democrats Party headquarters files by supposed Cleaners, “yeah right”,

    Then most public commentators and news folk all began speculating on who had the strongest motive out there to benefit from the scandal exactly as you have excellently pointed out.

    In the 1970’s no Slater/Farrar types were visible, but one can now imagine they were there, but as a comparison in those times there was no such similar veiled threats or subtle hints from the Government to “silence the lambs” as Roflcoper suggests.

    Rofl suggests warning that we to be aware as there will be any pressure to answer “sticky questions”.

    God is this for real?

    Are we already living in a police state?

    Pictures in my mind of goose stepping storm troopers coming to raid everyone’s computers and interrogate all that blog? 1933 Germany again.

    This picture was flashed all over the screens and now the Police Minister Bush has appologies to Tuhoi.

    Since then it was repeated when the raid on Kim.com Mansion occurred what a shambles, and even during the 1951 Wharf strike, so we know they are capable of these actions.

    But if Government does clearly bagain suppress free speech between all who blog, that will be far worse than what they are already doing subtlety, as they orchestrate the banning the Planet key video song and Kim.com party video.

    If widespread suppression of free speech on Left blog site becomes the norm, then the electorate will at last have a serious issue to confront as they go walking to the pooling booth.that then reviles where this Government is taking us to a police state.

    Nicky Hager has consistently placed himself on the line for our right to know what is going on behind the scenes and for freedom of information and to give us all “Informed consent: prior to voting.

    By you doing the same as Watergate public did we found the real culprit and will do here also as we progress along the path of discovery.

    Nicky Hager should be admired and supported for his fight to save our freedom and democracy and we must support his rights and ours to freedom of speech, as many great leaders have said freedom is worth dying for in many ways in the past.

    “The price of freedom is constant vigilance.”

  6. Trainman 6

    If the Nats were to get back in it will be a very nasty parliament as the other side of politics delve into every rotten corner of the Nats.

  7. MrSmith 7

    I like many are guilty of wondering who went after Slater, after some thought though, speculating about who might want to bring him down is just playing into their hands, don’t you think?

    I would prefer to concentrate on the substance of the book and get as many people to read it as possible.

    • Tracey 7.1

      yes and this thread topic has fallen for the nat strategy of making this about stolen emails rather than the behaviours they reveal, hook line and centre

    • mickysavage 7.2

      I agree the substance is most important and I am sure there will be other posts on the matter. This post is mostly about substance as well. I thought the National line that it is a left wing conspiracy is weak and deserves a response.

      • Tracey 7.2.1

        dfinitely and that armstrong, for now, has woken up, suggests that maybe, just,maybe, hagers book has given him the chance to comment on something he already knew some of but didnt feel the owners would publish if he led it?

  8. weka 9

    Good to see Armstrong writing sensibly on this. This will reflect the opinion of many traditional conservatives who aren’t comfortable about the hard right bullshit but generally won’t go so far as to do anything about it. Hopefully the tide will turn now.

    Key claimed it was no coincidence that the book’s launch had followed the burning of an effigy of himself, the “f *** John Key” video, the description of Key as “Shylock” by a Labour candidate and the widespread vandalising of National’s election hoardings.

    He argued that the left did not want to debate the real election issues because it could not win the policy argument. So the left was playing dirty.

    Conspiracy theorist!!!

    • aerobubble 9.1

      Key lost the plot when he declared a crowd of drunks crying out f.j.k was part of a conspiracy.

      What’s worse, is Slater saying his emails were stolen but its okay for him to use Labour’s database?

      Then the clincher, Key’s childhood mate seemingly fast tracking Slater’s government information request.

      And all this is before we get into Collins and her activities.

      Sure was it obvious Slater is a mud-slinger, and that Key is best mates with him. But I don’t agree that its a conspiracy to write a book going into depth about their love in, when its just journalism to enquire how far Key is up Slaters backside metaphorically pulling the strings.

      • Picard110 9.1.1

        I loved the comment from slater about the threats he is getting, how Hagar has to take responsibility for that.

        Given slater has caused many many people to have death threats sent to them, or threats in general, and say, not my fault that people did this because of what I published, is a joke.

        No. People should not threaten the disgusting Slater’s life, however if slater won’t take responsibility for his own actions, nicky should tell the fat man, to f&$k off.

        • nadis 9.1.1.1

          Why the hate on fat people? You can despise Whaleoil without the fat abuse. If you denigrate people because of their size your usually only half a step from sexism, racism etc.

    • My question to Key is: so was the effigy-burning and chanting-video part of some really involved marketing for the book launch, or did Nicky Hager decide that the effigies and chanting were damaging the left and whip up a complete book full of leaked information in less than a week?

      You know, since it’s “no coincidence” and all.

  9. Local Kiwi 10

    “This post is mostly about substance as well. I thought the National line that it is a left wing conspiracy is weak and deserves a response.”

    Yes indeed, we must “delve into every rotten corner of the Nats”

    Also the media as they were complicit was design it appears.

    We also must remind the media dumbed down method used to cover the book, as no MSM investigative Journalist has done what we want yet.

    To concentrate on the substance in the book, and of course this comes back to the difference between Watergate and Slatergate.

    A complicit MSM by design, or in plain words used in Watergate, “a deliberate cover up”.

    This is what incensed the public most of all in Watergate and the shame placed on Richard Nixon as he said shaking his head “I have never lied” is now being played by John Key saying “National had nothing to do with it”

    Denying any involvement was Nixon’s downfall also as the evidence mounted day by day like Slatergate will.

  10. David H 11

    To be honest, I don’t give a shit who did steal them. But they should be given a medal for saving our freedoms by revealing this festering wound in NZ politics. Just my opinion.

    • aerobubble 11.1

      The very actions of Key and his crew expose much. As everyone knows, people leave their doors open by mistake, disgruntled employees, or enterprising hackers, can and have left open computer systems. Hey, there was a zombie supermarket a few years back in Hamilton, whose doors and lights came on in the middle of the night, the Police could not act against the shoppers since they could reasonably expected to have thought the shop open and the supermarket was illegally open… …however that’s not the case withe the Labour database. Had Key and his office had any self-control they would immediately have told Labour about the mistake, as they themselves would have like to have been. Just as a neighbor seeing you left you door open all day will inevitably worry and come over and check, finding nobody in, they close it. But Key doesn’t see any impropriety in associating with Slatter, and isn’t taking any efforts to distance himself from him.

      That’s why Key must resign, how can we trust government spies having all this information when the government so poorly handles it, then when expose to using private information for political ends, has no response than to attack the messenger Hager.

      Deeply disappointed with our government.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 11.2

      Could it be your own version of Snowden ?
      A local kiwi in GCSB who used the sophisticated tools they would have available to get at Slaters secrets.

      Hardly likely to be an average Joe who could do a brute force attack. Or even the more likely keyboard logger to get the passwords.

  11. Redzone 12

    Labour now turning hard focus on Collins today and her ‘close personal friend’Slater (that sounds so familiar…) rather than scatter gun approach. They will get more traction this way.

    Good strategy as she is one of the most vulnerable and culpable in this sordid little mess and probably the most linked to WO. The evidence is damning and key supposedly has her on final warning. Yeah right. So pressure will mount on him to do something.

    She also goes feral when under pressure as we saw in the Horrorvida episode and will be a major liability for key in the lead up to the election is she goes postal.

    Labours job is to make this the story that keeps on giving right through Nats campaign launch- in the most positive way of course!

  12. Picard110 13

    Well slater is now panicking. He is banning anyone from his site who points out that more and more what is in the book is being corroborated by other reporters, oia officials and even Judith Colin’s.

    Key needs to fire Colin’s, and slater needs to be investigated for his part in hacking labours site.

    • So_called_arthur_king 13.1

      “Hacking” implies illegitimate breaking into a secured, password protected, non-public site. It’s not the correct term for slater’s actions. The Labour sites were open to the public, accessible with minimal technical knowledge, and required no breaking of any security – results were even searchable on google. Need to be careful with your terms.

      [lprent: Always nice to see someone so ignorant trying to invent laws that don’t exist.

      Perhaps you should read the crimes act and some actual law. Start here and look down the links.

      Comment again when you can at least have a minimal knowledge of the subjects you write about. ]

      • So_called_arthur_king 13.1.1

        I wasn’t implying any legal aspects – merely stating that the term hacking doesn’t describe accurately what slater and ede allegedly did. Hager’s emails on the other hand…

        [lprent: Of course you were looking at the legal aspects. You just don’t accept them. I’ve been a programmer for a very long time. Slater (and you) are delusional if you don’t understand the 2003 changes to the Crimes Act.

        As soon as Slater copied the data and started saying what he would do with it he was exactly legally and morally the same as the person who got the data off the Whaleoil server. There is no difference in the eyes of the computing community, the legal community or morally. He was a thief.

        But that is his legal problem and probably Hager’s source legal problem. It isn’t Hagers problem. Hager just has the problem of protecting his source. ]

  13. redfred 14

    Let the drip drip drip of the emails release begin. National will be forced to answer each allegation one at a time.

    Get the big ones out the release the 8GB all on wikileaks.

    PLEASE

  14. Debbie Brown 15

    Between Cathy “the forehead” Odgers and the tobacco industry/db breweries/etc did Cam actually write many posts at all? All his site seems to be is these mates of his posting u der his name and the retreading of you tubesgreatest hits….hardly “new media” as he constantly likes to bang on about…
    Anyway I see the tough guy has started his usaul shrill whenever he is called out…”I’m receiving death threats! Its all yourfault msm!” Fukingblouse.

    • lprent 15.1

      Agreed. He has a rather repetitive set of behaviours. From blustering up a story to whining about how he is the real victim when it blows up. From boasting about how brave and noble he is to the abject crawling that he displays in court.

      But I guess I don’t need to tell you about that…

      • ghostwhowalksnz 15.1.1

        It was amusing to reader his posters wishfully thinking Hager would end up in court, all the while it is Slater who is in court for publishing some one elses business emails

    • One Anonymous Bloke 15.2

      Is not a tool entitled to complain at the damage its master does?

    • Chris 15.3

      Interesting that Odgers seems to have taken all the posts down from her inactive blog. She began winding down a while ago but the posts were still there. Went looking for her nasty shite about “the heaving underclass” that Slater likes to bang on about but saw she’s removed all posts. Wonder when that happened? It was clear from the beginning that something wasn’t right with her and Slater, all that threatening talk like “don’t mess with Whaleoil or Cactus Kate”. What tossers. Anyway, in case people have forgotten, Odgers certainly isn’t able to erase this which is still there for all to see.
      There’s a whole lot of stuff about Odgers around that media ought to start having a look at. Danyl McLauchlan’s description of her is so right:

      http://tumeke.blogspot.co.nz/2011/06/hateful-cathy-odgers-as-act-candidate.html

    • disturbed 15.4

      Slater is pathetic. and his mates they show aggression till you meet them in public on their own. Probably why the ministers Collins Joyce Key and co always have ten bodyguards around them. We pay for that!!

      Bet he’s really a cry baby though, loud mouths like him, Joyce and Key are all gutless without the power trip they had till now.

  15. Debbie Brown 16

    I honestly beleive in this case little johnny key is the tool, cam and judith are his masters, he just cant seeit. The rest of NZ can see it when they watch his performance last thursday, repeating ad infinitum “its a left wing conspiracy, I’m relaxed, hagar is a conspiracy theorist”…..he has been hung out to dry by Judith again. She really is the gift that keeps giving.

    • Picard110 16.1

      Key needs to man up and fire her.

      • disturbed 16.1.1

        Collins has stuff on Key we believe,.

        She is still arrogant.

        And yes Key is the fall guy I believe.

        Yes Joyce & Collins are the executioner.

        Key said when things get negative he will leave remember 2011 around the teapot enquiry
        before the 2011 election?
        “Key says he’ll quit politics if National loses election”
        By Audrey Young
        NZ Herald
        5:30 AM Monday Jan 3, 2011

  16. BLiP 17

    I think its more likely that Slater’s site was looted by the fellow students of the man who died on the West Coast. He was, after all, studying IT.

    On the provision of Nicky Hager’s address to Cactus Kate’s Chinese billionaire contacts, I was mightily suprised to hear Matthew Hooton hand out Nicky’s address again on Thursday’s Nine To Noon. Listen at about 13:05 – http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/20145654

    I’m wondering if its a breach of the Broadcasting Standards – it certainly wouldn’t be the first time Hooton has been in breach of them and a second complaint may – finally – get Radio New Zealand to consider whether or not giving space to that National Ltd™ mouthpiece is worth the effort.

    • So_called_arthur_king 17.1

      Given that hager’s address is in the phone book and is the only entry for that name on the white pages website I don’t see that giving it out in the media is much of a story.

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    Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi The fact that a ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    13 hours ago
  • Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    14 hours ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' at 10:10am on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st Century The SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims Stuff Steve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    14 hours ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things on Tuesday, March 19
    It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    15 hours ago
  • New Life for Light Rail
    This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail  Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    16 hours ago
  • Why Are Bosses Nearly All Buffoons?
    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    18 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – 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. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    2 days ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • 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
    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
  • 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
    4 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
    4 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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 ...
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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 ...
    6 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
    6 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

  • 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
    7 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
    12 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
    14 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
    14 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
    1 day 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 ...
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