Why the Pakeha Party is great news for the Left

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 9:31 am, July 9th, 2013 - 207 comments
Categories: political parties, racism - Tags: pakeha party

The ‘Pakeha Party’ has the most Facebook followers of any New Zealand political movement (excepting John Key’s page) That’s in one day of publicity. They’re seriously talking about forming an actual political party. Should we be worried about this apparent reactionary force? Nah. The creation of a ‘Pakeha Party’ would be good news.

Usually, when we look at political activism – petitions, protests etc – we see the numbers involved and extrapolate on the basis that only a very small portion of people who care about an issue will publicly display that. But it would be a mistake to look at the 34,000+ Facebook likes that the Pakeha Party garnered in 24 hours and conclude that they represent the tip of an iceberg. They’re reactionaries, by definition because the idea of a Pakeha Party is an inherently reactionary one, and they’re doing something that with extremely low entry costs in a forum that is tailor-made for the reactionary way of thinking (ditto-headism, angry symbols in place of action, no deep thought).

Let’s look at another recent example of reactionarism – the petition against marriage equality. 72,000 people signed that online petition but the reactionary movement, Family First, had nearly no impact on the debate. Reactionaries make a lot of noise per person but they have little depth as a movement – they require too much energy, too much hate.

So, don’t worry, our little proto-fascists aren’t going to morph into a serious political force. Successful fascism was a product of a time and a place, and the skillful use of new propaganda technology by some exceptional politicians. A look at the Pakeha Party’s Facebook page and their media appearances reassures me they’ve got no propaganda geniuses, no cleverness or cunning.

They’re just nobs that a bunch of nobs like. And, while there are plenty of reactionary nobs, in this country, that’s not enough to be a successful political force – you have to be able to control and manipulate the media. These guys have had one day of publicity and they’ve managed to alienate mediaworks – basically, half the media – in that time.

And that’s not all you need. You need people with political nous and experience at running a political organisation. They don’t have that. They’re just a bunch of munters.

If these guys form a real party, they will be riven by internal problems, their policies will be incoherent, and the media will give them no air time, except to expose their failures. It would be like if Cameron Slater, Larry Williams, and that racist cartoonist formed a party (in fact, I think that’ll be the limit of sympathetic media – and remember that Slater came in the bottom 10% of Auckland Council candidates)

All that will happen is that it will take a few percent of the vote, which will be wasted. Where are reactionary Pakeha votes going to come from? National and New Zealand First. That’s great news for the Left because it means a higher percentage of the Rightwing vote wasted – it might even see NZF fail to get back into Parliament. It might even make those parties less reactionary if they lose those people at the margin.

Don’t get me wrong – if there was a fascist movement forming in New Zealand that had the potential to radicalise a large element of the population and gain real political image, it would be something to fight. But if some of the Right’s moron vote wants to waste its vote, well, that’s all to the good.

207 comments on “Why the Pakeha Party is great news for the Left ”

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pollywog 1

9 July 2013 at 9:54 am

Might form me a Mad Coconuts party 🙂
- Rosetinted 1.1
  
  9 July 2013 at 9:58 am
  
  pollywog
  Sounds like a good band to have at a great party!
Rosetinted 2

9 July 2013 at 9:56 am

Yes made me think of Pauline Hanson – didn’t manage to amount to anything. But she gets a moment of fame and keeps turning up in Oz politics. To people who don’t know anything about society, the way that everyday economics and power work, well they go after someone with the most confidence, the loudest voice, unrestrained speech – They’re daring to say what we’re all thinking’ stuff.
One Anonymous Knucklehead 3

9 July 2013 at 10:12 am

Kyle Chapman must be feeling quite envious right about now.
- Lanthanide 3.1
  
  9 July 2013 at 12:38 pm
  
  IT’S NOT ABOUT MEMBERSHIP!!! THE MEDIA IS OBSESSED WITH NUMBERS!
- Takere 3.2
  
  11 July 2013 at 10:42 am
  
  Haha! Blubba Oil is keen to run as a candidate & Matthew Hooten as campaign Manager! This is from reliable sauces in the “P” party’s caucus and who’ll remain anonymous. (K. Chup, W. Heinz).
One Anonymous Knucklehead 4

9 July 2013 at 10:17 am

The Pākehā Party should do something about political correctness too!

Wouldn’t it be great though: almost worth forming another couple of right wing parties for eh.

How about a No Bludgers party?

I bet the Hard Labour party could get more friends than the Sensible Sentencing Trust.
- Rosetinted 4.1
  
  9 July 2013 at 10:27 am
  
  Hard Labour would possibly strike a chord in the NZ psyche. I have noticed the word grinder recently. It is used by the yachting fraternity to name part of their crew, and it appears on the back of people with black t-shirts, relating to coffee. So acceptance of being connected with the idea of being ground down, or being in a grind etc. may give insight into the deep NZ unconscious.
  - alwyn 4.1.1
    
    9 July 2013 at 3:36 pm
    
    If you consider what the “grinder” app is on your cell phone I think that would be a very appropriate description of the current Labour Party, considering the number of openly gay members in the Parliamentary ranks.
    On second thoughts I doubt you would have it, or know what it is.
    - Matthew Whitehead 4.1.1.1
      
      9 July 2013 at 9:36 pm
      
      I constantly wonder why people accidentally “notice” or “remark” that the Labour Party or Green Party have a decent proportion of gay MPs and members. That’s not a bad thing, it just means they’re a wide collection of individuals that don’t consider being a priveleged elite to be a qualification to represent your country.
      
      That is in every way a good thing. It’s like if someone tells you, “you’re so gay!” The correct reply is “Thank you very much for saying so!”
    - One Anonymous Knucklehead 4.1.1.2
      
      10 July 2013 at 7:37 am
      
      Alwyn I watch Top Gear, of course I know what it is. I also know bigotry when I see it. Get lost, loser.
- Martin 4.2
  
  10 July 2013 at 10:10 pm
  
  How about an “Electric Chair Party” to really split the reactionary vote.
marty mars 5

9 July 2013 at 10:30 am

I think it is a dim distraction from the real threats of those like 1law4all.

“You see the people that are racist feel persecuted and through disjointed logic they reframe their problem and make it someone else’s. So don’t get worked up about this – just enjoy the laughs and also enjoy the very dim joining up on facebook and then keep working for equality and keep fighting the real dirty racists – those like 1law4all and their moneyed mates – that is where the real battle is.”

http://mars2earth.blogspot.co.nz/2013/07/dim-distraction.html
- Martin 5.1
  
  10 July 2013 at 10:08 pm
  
  interesting link.
  - Martin 5.1.1
    
    10 July 2013 at 10:33 pm
    
    excellent cartoon and the clip about Illinois nazis 🙂
felix 6

9 July 2013 at 10:32 am

It’s not the facebook group or any potential party formed that’s the problem for the left.

It’s the sentiment, the same sentiment that damn near elected Don Brash less than a decade ago. Only a fool would laugh that off as a freak occurrence.

It’s a festering consciousness, a dark and selfish ignorance that still holds sway over much of this country, which holds us back as a nation, and which should never be underestimated.

The danger is not that it’s a political force of its own but that the sentiment becomes fuel for someone else’s political vehicle.
- karol 6.1
  
  9 July 2013 at 10:45 am
  
  It’s a festering consciousness, a dark and selfish ignorance that still holds sway over much of this country, which holds us back as a nation, and which should never be underestimated.
  
  Yes, it is disturbing that there is so much ignorance about the history of Aotearoa/NZ and the nature of oppression, injustice and inequality.
- NickS 6.2
  
  9 July 2013 at 12:14 pm
  
  It’s a festering consciousness, a dark and selfish ignorance that still holds sway over much of this country, which holds us back as a nation, and which should never be underestimated.
  
  🙁
  
  Worse yet it’s a real bastard to dislodge.
  - Ant 6.2.1
    
    9 July 2013 at 12:18 pm
    
    And it’s scary how it is so easily brought forth.
  - Mary 6.2.2
    
    9 July 2013 at 12:39 pm
    
    …but so easy to create, then locked in by generations. Ruth Richardson and the 1990s.
    - North 6.2.2.1
      
      9 July 2013 at 4:30 pm
      
      Subliminal racism.
      
      People who honestly proclaim – “I’m not racist” – because they don’t don white hoods and they do feel uncomfortable witnessing overtly racist behaviours.
      
      In their uncharted guts’ though they have no concern to identify and condemn the many, many economic manifestations of racism. Indeed many of them actively support measures and positions which in their inevitable impact are racist.
      
      An articulated – “there is no alternative….” – in respect of measures and positions having racist impact too frequently reflects an unarticulated “I’m better than you” attitude – It’s OK that it be happening to ‘them’ because (unarticulated)…….”better than……”.
      
      Subliminal racism. In the guts of people who’ve never walked in the mocassins.
- Arthur 6.3
  
  9 July 2013 at 10:17 pm
  
  It’s a festering consciousness, a dark and selfish ignorance that still holds sway over much of this country, which holds us back as a nation, and which should never be underestimated.
  
  Are you fighting evolution? Couldn’t you argue that bigotry is really just tribalism, which has been strongly favoured, genetically speaking?
  
  So, either you believe that people are fucked and bigots will always be bigots and therefore you just try and avoid the hideous people as much as possible and mind your own business.
  Or you believe that people’s heads are merely vessels that get filled up with propaganda and so your goal is to try and fill them up with yours rather than your opponents.
  
  It would be nice to believe that inside each and every one of us lies the potential for enlightenment, but in my experience, this point of view does not correspond with reality.
  
  As a friend of mine once said: line the entire population up, in order, according to any kind of measure you can conceive, pick the person in the middle and it won’t be an impressive sight…
  - Pasupial 6.3.1
    
    10 July 2013 at 9:28 am
    
    @ Arthur
    
    That was an astonishing display of “dark and selfish ignorance”.
    
    “It would be nice to believe that inside each and every one of us lies the potential for enlightenment, but in my experience, this point of view does not correspond with reality.”
    
    Why should we pay any heed to one who is so utterly unenlightened themself? This, on top of your blatant incomprehension of terms such as; “evolution”, “tribalism”, “genetically” (hint; human evolution has occurred more in a social context [eg development of writing] since the agricultural revolution, while genetically mediated evolution has been minimal over the ten[-ish] millenia since then [eg Australian hunter-gatherers could interbreed with European pasturalists]).
    
    “As a friend of mine once said: line the entire population up, in order, according to any kind of measure you can conceive, pick the person in the middle and it won’t be an impressive sight…”
    
    And doesn’t that just put the diarrhoea icing on your festering shit-cake!
- wikitoria 6.4
  
  15 July 2013 at 10:50 am
  
  Yes I totally agree with you, Someone else’s political vehicle??? Like snakes hovering in the background waiting to pounce and ride on the backs of the ignoramuses.
Bill 7

9 July 2013 at 10:54 am

Yeah, the analysis from the perspective you are choosing is right enough. But the very fact there is so much racism being expressed on so much misunderstanding of recent ‘Maori specific’ policies surely ought to be a cause for concern, no?

You think it’s okay to discount and dismiss this on the grounds that some guy, who I think genuinely believed himself to be taking an inconsequential jibe at the Mana and Maori Parties, lacks the political or media savvy to make things run?

Seems to me there is quite a deep vein of discontent out here. And, like you acknowledge, it takes one smart operator to feed into and exploit all that racist sentiment…

NZ needs a debate on racism – a proper one. Now, while I don’t expect that to happen, I think the left could do worse than acknowledge the seriousness of the situation for many poorer pakeha and insist that a class analysis is injected into any future discourse about Maori and the widespread economic plight within Maoridom.

Otherwise a fuck of a lot of people in lower economic quintiles are going to continue being angry. And that anger will increase as they get to feel more put upon, shut out and shat upon. And so more fingers of blame are going to be pointed at the wrong people on the back of wrong reasoning until, at some point, the lid won’t be successfully ‘put back on’.
- karol 7.1
  
  9 July 2013 at 10:59 am
  
  Interesting though, that the Pakeha Party is in part a response to a Mana Party policy: and the Mana Party DOES have a class analysis and incorporates policies targeting low income Maori and Pākehā.
  - Bill 7.1.1
    
    9 July 2013 at 11:16 am
    
    But if we look at how the Mana Party is generally portrayed/demonised in the msm….Hone Harawira’s nephew to take just one example?
    
    And the passing sound bite/headline is what forms the political opinion of many people. Meanwhile, it’s a fact that lower quintile pakeha were ‘dismissed’ during the Clark years due to class being exorcised from the political discourse by the over-riding focus on identity.
    
    So now, many piss poor pakeha, many of whom have no real grasp on politics, have been denied even a rudimentary understanding of class that might have informed their opinions. ‘All’ they’ve had and continue to have is a steady diet of negative dogwhistle headlines and urban myths pertaining to Maori, one strong thread of which is to do with supposed favouritism towards Maori.
    - karol 7.1.1.1
      
      9 July 2013 at 11:24 am
      
      But Mana IS doing what you asked for above:
      
      I think the left could do worse than acknowledge the seriousness of the situation for many poorer pakeha and insist that a class analysis is injected into any future discourse about Maori and the widespread economic plight within Maoridom.
      
      So surely we should be talking up their initiatives, rather than just moaning about the neglect of low income white people by too many left wing politicians?
      
      And, there is an issue that the likes of the Pakeha Party supporters willfully ignore any political initiatives that embrace ethnic diversity amongst those on the lowest incomes: initiatives that also acknowledge the impact of colonisation and racism.
      - Lanthanide 7.1.1.1.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 12:43 pm
        
        “But Mana IS doing what you asked for above:”
        
        That’s why they announced a policy for poor Maori to buy houses at government lending rates? Then hurriedly followed up by saying “actually, any low income NZers, not just Maori”.
        
        marty mars 7.1.1.1.1.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 1:38 pm
        
        Incorrect imo – the policy was always two-pronged based around the by-election and the mayoralty race.
        
        edit: this was the statement, “We know that housing is not just an issue that affects Maori; it affects every family on a low income. That’s why John Minto, will be announcing MANA’s wider housing policy on 23 July as a part of our MINTO FOR MAYOR Campaign.”
        
        http://mana.net.nz/2013/06/mana-housing-policy-announcement-for-maori-te-hamua-nikora-ikaroa-rawhiti-mana-candidate/
        
        Populuxe1 …
        
        9 July 2013 at 4:29 pm
        
        So why only announce one prong first? That makes no political sense if you are a mixed-membership party.
        
        marty mars …
        
        9 July 2013 at 4:41 pm
        
        Each prong was designed for maximum effect in the two places they were announced. Maybe that was a mistake, maybe not but imo it was a good move for maximum effect for the maximum time these things get airtime for.
        
        Molly …
        
        9 July 2013 at 5:19 pm
        
        The Mana party housing policy is on the website for those that bothered to look at it. Inclusive of all NZers like their other policies.
        
        One soundbite comment from a fairly recent addition to politics should have sent those interested to their party website as the course of first response.
        
        Quality reporting in the media would prevent a lot of erroneous assumptions and misinformation from gaining traction.
        
        Matthew Whitehead …
        
        9 July 2013 at 9:43 pm
        
        Yes, but that’s sorta like saying proper application of skepticism might prevent belief in unicorns. Eminently practical but unlikely to happen. 🙂
      - Bill 7.1.1.1.2
        
        9 July 2013 at 1:41 pm
        
        Apart from the fact I was meaning to refer to the full broad spectrum of the left (parliamentary and non-parliamentary) rather than just a single parliamentary representation of the left – this housng policy? I dunno. Didn’t hear it and so will defer to Lanth’s comment below on the assumption it’s accurate.
        
        Anyway, that aside, I’m questioning the biased msm messaging around Mana (and the housing ppolicy might be a part of that) as well as the fact they (msm),along with the major left political parties, have expunged class from any political or economic analysis/understanding..
        
        Meanwhile, the reason I’m hesitant to talk up the Mana Party (as opposed to their policies) is that they are underpinned by the remnants of the authoritarian left. But that’s an entirely different matter….
    - weka 7.1.1.2
      
      9 July 2013 at 1:39 pm
      
      “Meanwhile, it’s a fact that lower quintile pakeha were ‘dismissed’ during the Clark years due to class being exorcised from the political discourse by the over-riding focus on identity.”
      
      “by the over-riding focus on other identity”
      
      fify
      
      I agree with the general idea here Bill, but I’m still not sure what you mean by over-riding focus on identity (by Clark/Labour). Can you please clairify with some examples.
      - Bill 7.1.1.2.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 1:54 pm
        
        I can’t give you a single example where class was a part of the equation. It’s as though somebody decided it didn’t exist. And so the outcome was a pile of policies focussing on gender or culture/ethnicity etc that, de-facto assumed everything else to be equal.
        
        And everything else isn’t equal. So yes, Maori, women and other identifiable groups suffer double and triple whammy discriminations or disadvantages. And that should be addressed. But so, similtaneously, should the dynamics of class.
        
        Otherwise you wind up with the unacceptable, yet understandable shit that’s all over that fb page.
        
        weka 7.1.1.2.1.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 1:58 pm
        
        “And so the outcome was a pile of policies focussing on gender or culture/ethnicity etc that, de-facto assumed everything else to be equal.”
        
        I’m asking for some examples of that from past governments. I guess the gay marriage bill would be one example, but I’m still not getting the over-ridingness you refer to.
        
        Bill …
        
        9 July 2013 at 2:28 pm
        
        I don’t know what you’re not getting. Class has been a necessary ingredient that has been systematically left out of every single policy designed to bring some affirmative action to bear on some or any disadvantaged or discriminated sector/section of society or citizenry.
        
        And that, inevitably leads to understandable levels of resentment building among those who are ‘merely’ subjected to the dynamics of class in a market economy…they and their deteriorating situation ‘doesn’t exist’. And with class analysis being expunged, there are fewer ways for those people to get a handle on the why’s and wherefores’ of what has been happening to them these past 20 odd years. And then in steps racism to fill the void of comprehension.
        
        It happens every single time the economic chips are down where class has been removed from the political discourse.
        
        weka …
        
        9 July 2013 at 3:09 pm
        
        “I don’t know what you’re not getting.”
        
        Yes, it’s like you are talking about something I just don’t see yet.
        
        “Class has been a necessary ingredient that has been systematically left out of every single policy designed to bring some affirmative action to bear on some or any disadvantaged or discriminated sector/section of society or citizenry.”
        
        Yes.
        
        “And that, inevitably leads to understandable levels of resentment building among those who are ‘merely’ subjected to the dynamics of class in a market economy…they and their deteriorating situation ‘doesn’t exist’. And with class analysis being expunged, there are fewer ways for those people to get a handle on the why’s and wherefores’ of what has been happening to them these past 20 odd years. And then in steps racism to fill the void of comprehension.”
        
        Yes.
        
        “It happens every single time the economic chips are down where class has been removed from the political discourse.”
        
        Yes.
        
        I follow all that (might not agree completely, but generally I get it).
        
        What I don’t get is when you say that there have instead been lots of policies based on identity politics. I just don’t know what *you* mean by that. I’m asking for examples because that will tell me what you mean.
        
        Bill …
        
        9 July 2013 at 5:11 pm
        
        Maybe if the ‘Closing the Gaps’ policies were kept in mind while reading through that fb page, you’d see what I mean. eg – while attempts were made to address Maori educational needs or outcomes, with the absence of class from the analysis or from the proposed solutions, many lower quintile Pakeha felt (rightly or wrongly) that they were left ‘twisting in the breeze’ while Maori were receiving special attention.
        
        The problem doesn’t arise because of attempts to address Maori educational needs or whatever. That would generally be viewed as laudable if recognition had been made of the fact that those who are generally economically disadvantaged also deserve special attention – and within a social democratic context, they do.
        
        But what we have is a legacy in the social conciousness that insists Maori remain favoured – and all the while those who are ‘simply’ economically disadvantaged get stigmatised…the unemployed, IB claimants, those on the DPB.
        
        And the many workers who simply can’t stack up enough hours/earnings in a low wage economy where the gap between rich and poor is widening quite fast, definitely have a residual memory of all the ‘Closing the Gaps’ talk of the fifth Labour government. As I said in another comment, the urban myths around ‘the Maori family down the street’ getting *this* or *that*…where *this* and *that* are things pakeha in poverty can’t access – are as common as and it doesn’t matter if it’s not the reality. What matters is that it all feeds into this Pakeha Party nonsense. And what matters is that the fuel was provided by Social Democratic liberals creating policies to deal with what were, in part economic disadvantages while refusing to take the main root cause of economic disadvantage into account.
- One Anonymous Knucklehead 7.2
  
  9 July 2013 at 11:00 am
  
  Best the Left take steps to reverse the trend too.
  - Rosetinted 7.2.1
    
    9 July 2013 at 1:22 pm
    
    We have a European party/parties. Where the prime interest is that of Europeans, with some attempt at understanding Maori aspirations. Now Maori have set up their own party/parties with the same approach, but in reverse, and with a lot more understanding of European aspirations than they show for Maori ones.
Sable 8

9 July 2013 at 11:45 am

Depression (I’m not using the bullshit PC word recession) tends to lead to conservatism in politics. Its not surprising that racially motivated parties are springing up. Just look at the Nazi’s in the 1930’s.

To be fair however, we do have a Maori party so why not a European party or an Asian party? Indeed, why is it when a white person makes a move of this kind they are labelled racist and when its another ethnicity, its expressing their cultural values?

Food for thought.
- marty mars 8.1
  
  9 July 2013 at 11:57 am
  
  what ethnicity is ‘white’? what cultural values are ‘white’?
  - Sable 8.1.1
    
    9 July 2013 at 12:06 pm
    
    Since you are asking what’s “Maori” if we apply your yardstick?
    - marty mars 8.1.1.1
      
      9 July 2013 at 12:19 pm
      
      That is based on whakapapa but please answer – it’s okay if you can’t because it is a trick question – you see there is no ‘white’ – it is bullshit, made up mainly for the maintenance of privileges over others who aren’t in the wee group.
    - framu 8.1.1.2
      
      9 July 2013 at 12:21 pm
      
      i think youve missed the point there
      
      is being maori having brown skin? or something else?
      
      so – what ethnicity is “white”. can you point to the ethnic homeland of white people?
      - vto 8.1.1.2.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 12:32 pm
        
        pakeha is an ethnicity.
        
        although some will deny pakeha that becuase it does not suit those some.
        
        marty mars 8.1.1.2.1.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 12:50 pm
        
        you do not understand what the term means vto and looks like you are back pushing your little barrow of woe
- Daveosaurus 8.2
  
  9 July 2013 at 7:46 pm
  
  “we do have a Maori party so why not a European party”
  
  We already have a bunch of European parties. Starting with the Nats.
Mark Fletcher 9

9 July 2013 at 12:21 pm

So the “Pakeha Party” is racist but the “Maori Party” is not. How does that logic work?
- karol 9.1
  
  9 July 2013 at 12:31 pm
  
  *sigh* do you really need to ask?
  
  OK, then.
  
  Because Maori are disadvantaged in ways that Pakeha aren’t (see the post that began this discussion). There is a strong need to redress the balance.
  
  Because we do not live in a meritocracy with a level playing field.
  
  Because we already have political parties that prioritise Pakeha interests: the National Party, ACT.
  
  Because the Pakeha Party is as opposed to the Mana Party as thte Maori Party – clarely failing to understand the connection between class disadvantage and disadvantages arising from the legacy of European colonisation.
  
  Because you don’t seem to understand what racism is: prejudice + power.
  - karol 9.1.1
    
    9 July 2013 at 12:31 pm
    
    *clearly*
    - Mark Fletcher 9.1.1.1
      
      9 July 2013 at 12:49 pm
      
      “Because you don’t seem to understand what racism is: prejudice + power.”
      
      Because I don’t understand what racism is!
      
      from Wikipedia
      
      “Racism is usually defined as views, practices and actions reflecting the belief that humanity is divided into distinct biological groups called races and that members of a certain race share certain attributes which make that group as a whole less desirable, more desirable, inferior, or superior.
      
      The exact definition of racism is controversial both because there is little scholarly agreement about the meaning of the concept “race”, and because there is also little agreement about what does and doesn’t constitute discrimination.”
      
      Don’t see either of those two words here.
      
      So again answer the question.
      
      “So the “Pakeha Party” is racist but the “Maori Party” is not. How does that logic work?”
      - Pascal's bookie 9.1.1.1.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 12:55 pm
        
        Because the ‘Pakeha party’ seems to think that Maori, by virtue of being Maori, are not entitled to the limited compensation they are getting for passed and ongoing injustices.
        
        ie, that it’s some sort of outrage that Maori are getting partial compensation for things that were done to them becuase they were Maori.
        
        vto 9.1.1.1.1.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 1:06 pm
        
        I don’t think that quite gets the full picture P’s b. Imo most people are more than happy for measures to be put in place that compensate and put right injustices that have occured. This is happening in various forms and they are generally supported.
        
        Where it goes wrong is when these measures push outside of that parameter. In their view, some measures go beyond that and create this “special” position. A position that comes from privilege of birth and race. Privileges that are not accepted for very good reason.
        
        marty mars …
        
        9 July 2013 at 1:13 pm
        
        As John Minto explained “the TOTAL amount spent by the government on ALL treaty settlements so far is still less than the amount John Key’s cabinet spent bailing out the wealthy investors in South Canterbury Finance.”
        
        The indigenous people of this land are the most patient, tolerant people around – pity more don’t realise this.
        
        Pascal's bookie …
        
        9 July 2013 at 1:21 pm
        
        snap
        
        Pascal's bookie …
        
        9 July 2013 at 1:20 pm
        
        Sure. Folks are fine with the fact that compensation is due, but they are pissed off that the teeny slice we are paying is too high.
        
        The idea that ‘we are going to put right the injustices’ is kind of part of the problem. We are negotiating the size of the small token effort that iwi will accept. There is massive goodwill on the part of iwi and hapu in all of this that is met with howls of outrage.
        
        It’s ridiculous.
        
        But what are these special privileges?
        
        Honouring the Treaty? That’s not a special privilege, it’s the deal.
        
        vto …
        
        9 July 2013 at 1:29 pm
        
        You miss my point p’s b. Maybe it’s intentional. I have give one example of privilege below in Christchurch. And I have commented endlessly on the treaty, it’s honouring, and its value as a structure in today’s world. It needs honouring and then it needs heavy remediation.
        
        Pascal's bookie …
        
        9 July 2013 at 1:33 pm
        
        Not sure how you can say we need to honour the Treaty in the same breath that you say it’s terms are unacceptable.
        
        You will have no luck renegotiating the Treaty when talking like that.
        
        vto …
        
        9 July 2013 at 1:40 pm
        
        Come on p’s b, I don’t believe you believe what you are writing there…
        
        Why on earth can’t one party to an agreement say to the other that they are not happy with the terms, state that they will honour them nonetheless, and also state that at some point renegotiation will be required?
        
        This happens all of the time across the whole of the world every single day.
        
        You know this to be a reality I’m sure. There is a even an entire area of law around entering into contracts that are wrong in some way, and legislation called the Contractual Mistakes Act. While not applicable to contracts such as the treaty, the very existence of this law indicates the reality of these situation.
        
        weka …
        
        9 July 2013 at 2:05 pm
        
        The Treaty is between the Crown and Iwi. I don’t believe the Crown is saying that they’re unhappy with the terms. Mostly they’ve said ‘what terms?’, and then when Maori have pushed, they’ve said, ok those terms but our way.
        
        Pascal's bookie …
        
        9 July 2013 at 2:37 pm
        
        Why on earth can’t one party to an agreement say to the other that they are not happy with the terms, state that they will honour them nonetheless, and also state that at some point renegotiation will be required?
        
        I’m not saying you can’t say it. Say whatever you like.
        
        I’m saying you won’t have any luck without actually getting on with honouring part without having a big old cry about how ‘unjust’ it is every time something pops up.
        
        vto …
        
        9 July 2013 at 2:59 pm
        
        You sound totally unconvincing about whatever it is you are saying
        
        Pascal's bookie …
        
        9 July 2013 at 3:18 pm
        
        nah. You’re just not hearing what I’m saying.
        
        Iwi and hapu don’t owe the Crown anything. There is no moral, legal, or anything other than good will on their part that says they have to accept anything less than 100% compensation.
        
        While pakeha whinge and cry about how much ‘special’ treatment Iwi and Hapu are getting, (when the fact is they are being generous to a fault), then there is no way in hell they should listen to ideas about renegotiation.
        
        Pakeha can be as sad and angry as they like, but it won’t get them anywhere. they need to try actual good will.
        
        vto …
        
        9 July 2013 at 11:35 pm
        
        you’re talking about the righting of the past wrong and I’m pretty sure you can see that i’m talking about the prevention of the future wrong
        
        Pascal's bookie …
        
        10 July 2013 at 10:53 am
        
        Honouring the treaty doesn’t just mean (making a largely symblic token gesture towards) righting the previous breaches.
        
        It means abiding by it today as well. You seem to be saying that you think abiding by it today is wrong. That’s where I think your position comes into conflict with ‘honouring the treaty’.
        
        vto …
        
        10 July 2013 at 11:19 am
        
        I’m aware that honouring the treaty involves righting past wrongs and abiding by it today. But herein lies the problem with it imo, as you intimate.
        
        As per many previous posts, imo the provisions of the treaty create structures in society which are not sustainable (e.g. the governance pieces). Assuming (for the sake of argument) that is correct and that it does create unsustainable structures, then yes there is a real problem in honouring those parts of the treaty today. These are the parts that require renegotiation, and that needs to start now. No point in putting in place structures that are unsustainable – in fact worse than ‘no point’, it would potentially be dangerous and destablising to do so.
        
        Other parts of the treaty clearly would pose no problem with honouring as they create no such difficulty into the future.
        
        However, as to your actual point, I don’t see any problem with going about te tiriti along these lines. It can be honoured and renegotiated at the same time – non problema. It is open, honest and upfront. It can be debated and thrashed back and forth. We are all grown adults.
        
        Out of this, as a tangent, two things have surprised me. One, that people cannot see these flaws in what the treaty provides for when it comes to a sustainable stable equal society and its necessary structures. Two, that people seem to think that the world’s finest minds were applied to the drafting of the treaty. It was bashed together in a hurry in a volatile time around 1840. It should be expected that the creation of a perfect document to last into the future for these purposes would be near impossible to achieve in those circumstances.
        
        marty mars …
        
        10 July 2013 at 4:00 pm
        
        your whole argument is flawed because YOU say it is unsustainable. It is sustainable but first it would have to be enacted which it hasn’t been thus we have great inequality for Māori. If you ever tried arguing from the position that it is sustainable – you might get a pleasant surprise.
      - One Anonymous Knucklehead 9.1.1.1.2
        
        9 July 2013 at 1:00 pm
        
        In simple terms, racism = Mark Fletcher.
      - karol 9.1.1.1.3
        
        9 July 2013 at 1:04 pm
        
        Racism = prejudice plus power is pretty much explained on the wiki page you refer to, especially under the sociological definition of racism:
        
        It’s partly there in your quote, especially in relation to the mention of “practices and actions”, that make ” that group as a whole less desirable, more desirable, inferior, or superior.”
        
        For that to be wide spread, it requires that one group is designated as “superior”, and for that to happen throughout society, it requires that the “superior” group holds the balance of power. So, merely being critical of, or taking action against the privilege of the “superior” group, does not amount to racism. It’s an attempt to challenge racism.
        
        The sociological definition:
        
        Some sociologists have defined racism as a system of group privilege. In Portraits of White Racism, David Wellman has defined racism as “culturally sanctioned beliefs, which, regardless of intentions involved, defend the advantages whites have because of the subordinated position of racial minorities”.[23] Sociologists Noël A. Cazenave and Darlene Alvarez Maddern define racism as “…a highly organized system of ‘race’-based group privilege that operates at every level of society and is held together by a sophisticated ideology of color/’race’ supremacy.
        
        Again, this is more than just prejudice against one group by those of another group. It amounts to a whole system of privilege, giving one group more power than another.
        
        Try thinking about the explanations and understanding them, rather than just trying to find some key words.
  - tas 9.1.2
    
    9 July 2013 at 2:06 pm
    
    Hone Harawira is a lot more powerful than David Ruck. If racism=prejudice+power, does that make Harawira racist and Ruck not racist?
    - karol 9.1.2.1
      
      9 July 2013 at 2:15 pm
      
      Racism is about the relative power of sections of society – groups of people and their place within a wider system that gives more privileges to selected categories of people, rather than to individuals.
      
      On an individual basis, in some situations, Harwira does have more power than Ruck. But we are also talking about parties that represent groups of people. And Harawira’s position in attempting to represent Maori and others on low incomes, he gets demonised by the MSM and other more dominant MPs and parties. His power is thus fairly limited.
      - tas 9.1.2.1.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 2:41 pm
        
        So you’re saying it isn’t
        racism=prejudice+power
        rather it’s
        racism=prejudice+having the same skin colour as people with power,
        right?
        
        One Anonymous Knucklehead 9.1.2.1.1.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 2:49 pm
        
        It doesn’t matter how much you try, Tas. No-one is going to agree with your personal little definition of how racism equals being a cry-baby about Hone Harawira, or pretending that there’s no white privilege in New Zealand, or any other version of twisted half-bright bigotry.
        
        Okay?
        
        Pasupial 9.1.2.1.1.2
        
        9 July 2013 at 3:09 pm
        
        @ tas
        Not even wrong; simply incoherent.
        
        tas 9.1.2.1.1.3
        
        9 July 2013 at 3:23 pm
        
        You don’t have a counter point do you?
        
        Saying racism=prejudice+power doesn’t make sense if you don’t define what you mean by power.
        
        karol …
        
        9 July 2013 at 3:25 pm
        
        I already wrote about it as a “system” of privilege. You are deliberately trying to skew things to make it seem as if it’s all a level laying field, or even that Maori as a group are more privileged than Pakeha.
        
        tas …
        
        9 July 2013 at 3:51 pm
        
        You talk about a system of privilege as if it is uniform across all Pakeha. There is a difference between averages and individuals: On average Pakeha are better-off than Maori. But there are plenty of individuals that buck the trend.
        
        There are lots of disadvantaged Pakeha in this country who are left behind when welfare and educational opportunities are offered to Maori only.
        
        Judging by the poor english on the Pakeha Party page, these people are hardly the educated, well-off, white people you seem to imagine.
        
        One Anonymous Knucklehead …
        
        9 July 2013 at 3:59 pm
        
        Who’s imagining? Your comment is very much in line with what Bill has been saying, that this issue is not just about identity politics, but has to be analysed along class lines too.
        
        North …
        
        9 July 2013 at 5:02 pm
        
        Counterpoint nothing Tas but if you’re mad keen on it…….having a Maori All Blacks team is racist, yes ?
        
        It’s just that your words so far are in the same vein as that rubbishy old claim the delight of arsehole racists who saw the rubbishy old claim as a knockout blow in the debate over apartheid in sport.
        
        Warning: backing the rubbishy old claim is essential if you want to maintain much of the nonsense you’ve given above. Withdraw now Tas……..
        
        tas …
        
        10 July 2013 at 10:05 am
        
        I don’t understand your comment. Having a racially-restricted sports team is racist. My position is that any racial discrimination is racist and wrong. (And generally conflating averages with individuals is wrong.)
        
        karol …
        
        9 July 2013 at 5:03 pm
        
        And maybe, tas, in the light of Zetetic’s list, you could provide a list of all the ways Pākehā are disadvantaged?
        
        tas …
        
        10 July 2013 at 10:35 am
        
        I fully support measures to improve social, economic, and health outcomes for Maori. However, the democratic process in NZ is being perverted to give Maori undue political influence. For example, we have
        
        Maori electorates,
        Maori Statutory Board on the Auckland council, and
        lots of provisions in the RMA requiring primacy of Maori interests.
        
        These measures are entirely orthogonal to the goal of improving outcomes for Maori. So how do you justify them?
        
        Fundamentally, I object to the culture we have in NZ where introducing racist laws is tolerated and applauded, as long as the right racial group is being favoured.
        
        Racism is wrong; it divides society. And it sickens me to see people argue that restricting something to one racial group is not racist as long as that racial group is Maori.
        
        One Anonymous Knucklehead …
        
        9 July 2013 at 3:27 pm
        
        How can there be a counter-point to an incoherent non-point?
        
        framu …
        
        9 July 2013 at 3:29 pm
        
        pretty sure Karol did define what she meant there
        
        karol 9.1.2.1.1.4
        
        9 July 2013 at 3:31 pm
        
        Skin colour is a matter of perception. But perceptions about skin colour fuel racism. “race” is in the mind of the beholder. Racism has an impact on people’s lives. Maori ethnicity is not a matter of skin colour. It’s about culture and lineage.
        
        But, also, if someone publicly identifies as Maori, racist stereotypes get applied to them.
        
        Yeah, so it’s not straight forward.
        
        But look back again at the original post at the top of the page. these are the real impacts on people’s lives.
vto 10

9 July 2013 at 12:29 pm

People laugh at this at their peril. What’s that saying about first they try to laugh at you, then they threaten you, then they listen to you? Something like that….

What is it that they are saying? Why are they saying it? Methinks it requires some thinking..

It doesn’t surprise me. I have been saying for a long while now that race relations in this country are all fouled up and tangled in an untangleable mess. I have suggested that people resent there being two sets of rules for two sets of people in one place (and yes yes sure thats what the last wave of immigration and colonialism did too – two wrongs don’t make a right). Making tangata whenua “special”, making anyone “special”, does not go down well, does not get accepted, does not get respected. It leads to exactly this. Told you so.

People would do well to remember where the pakeha came from, the times and wrongs of the places they came from, the hardships and oppression they suffered themselves too and sought to escape. Many of them see similar structures being recreated around them again. This is resisted by them. They don’t like it. People would do well to think through this from the perspective of te ao pakeha and try to understand how they come to this view. Simply crying like a simpleton “you dumb racists” indicates the tide is out..

it is of course a big subject which the above touches only lightly on, but rather than regurgitate anythign and everything pakeha and maori in thes isles, how about answering perhaps a more important question, namely “what is to be done about it?”
- framu 10.1
  
  9 July 2013 at 12:38 pm
  
  isnt that misunderstanding what is meant by “special” though?
  
  i was always taught that tangata whenua were special for the simple reason that this was their birth place (putting historical, pre-‘maori’ migration aside) and existed as a historical and present day culture no where else on the earth.
  
  not special as in “better than you or i” – but special as in “unique to our country”
  - vto 10.1.1
    
    9 July 2013 at 12:49 pm
    
    It seems the term “special” in this circumstance refers to more than that however, judging by the way it has been described in these pages at times in the past. For example, it is extended to include privileges such as separate governance, which have arguably arisen from the current understanding of the treaty as well. This is more than just “being unique”, it is reality on the ground. It is happening in the central city rebuild in Christchurch at the moment where Ngai Tahu gets to govern over all residents by way of its RMA decision-making position. This particular example has been commented on by many people in Christchurch. It is an example of that resentment of a “special” position.
    
    Of course, there is substantial argument that this “special” position has been conferred by te tiriti, and that may well be the case. However, that does not make it acceptable to people. It is at this point that the problems intimated by these pakeha party people arise. It is also why I have long suggested that te tiriti has heavy flaws.
    - Molly 10.1.1.1
      
      9 July 2013 at 11:04 pm
      
      After reading your previous comments, I don’t even know whether to bother, but I’ll take a deep breath … and here goes…
      
      Resource consents are issued after consideration of the following four RMA criteria: environmental, economic, social and cultural.
      
      For environment – they will get a report from an environmental officer, economic will be drawn up (if necessary) by a financial authority, social ( will be input from the community, or a report on the effect of the local community).
      
      Now we come to cultural. Local government around NZ has not been completely on the ball by recording sites or areas of cultural significance, and around most of the country they acknowledge this by contacting local iwi whenever resource consents are required. In this way they achieve two outcomes: they ensure that the resource consent will not increase the negative impact on local Māori, and consent by consent they piece together a more detailed cultural map than has ever existed.
      
      Who else would you go to in Christchurch to do this, but Ngai Tāhu? Are you seriously saying the same about contacting environmental officers regarding their expertise on environment? OR do you think there is a better source for information regarding culture down in Christchurch?
      
      You call it privilege, but only because you think Ngai Tāhu “gain” by this process. All they achieve is (perhaps) a reduction in future losses of heritage and cultural sites or features of significance.
      
      We have groups in Auckland with substantial voice too, who protect their idea of heritage, with great support from council and media. Very little nitpicking and dislikes, visit the Save the Masonic Tavern to see a list.
      
      Then tell me again, why your criticism of cultural advice from Ngai Tāhu is valid, and yet you have not chosen to give voice to similar concerns for heritage groups that often only consider pākehā history and sites of significance.
      - vto 10.1.1.1.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 11:23 pm
        
        you have missed the point
        
        Molly 10.1.1.1.1.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 11:33 pm
        
        Which was?
        
        vto …
        
        9 July 2013 at 11:38 pm
        
        to explain is surely too late but ngai tahu have not just a consultation role which is fine and good and there was never any comment passed on that but they have a decision making position i.e. law-making position. you should do rma101 and find out about it.
        
        Molly …
        
        9 July 2013 at 11:42 pm
        
        You mean that the council is actually trying to follow the intent of the treaty – rather than paying lip service to it. For shame! No wonder you are concerned. That decision making obviously belongs only to the crown.
        
        vto …
        
        9 July 2013 at 11:48 pm
        
        it’s got nothing to do with the Christchurch City Council.
        
        good night useless
        
        Molly …
        
        9 July 2013 at 11:58 pm
        
        …at the moment, Christchurch City Council at the moment has little to do with Christchurch City Council…
        
        As for the RMA process, you may be right about how it has been handled in terms of relaying the WHY behind Ngai Tahu having that role.
        
        I have no problem with that being the case, but you obviously do – OR – alternatively, have a problem with the decision to do so not being transparent.
        
        It would just be good to see a valid example of “privilege” being identified. IMO you have not done so yet. But too late to continue, GN vto – sure there will be something else tomorrow to debate.
        
        vto …
        
        10 July 2013 at 10:08 am
        
        Molly, that decision-making position within the Christchurch central city rebuild that Ngai Tahu has is exactly an example of that privilege. That is the whole point. It is relatively small and subtle. So small and subtle that most everybody, including yourself clearly, doesn’t know the reality of that position. But the principle is significant and important.
        
        But don’t worry, it has flown over the heads of most others too.
        
        I’ll be back in the future when something crops up about this sort of governance-over-others position and say I told you so.
- marty mars 10.2
  
  9 July 2013 at 12:41 pm
  
  Well we have bandied that around before – for me it is simple – pākehā have to trust Māori, enact the equality guaranteed in the treaty and get over themselves – lose the attitude that says ‘I’m better’, eat some humble pie and realise that the world doesn’t revolve around their privileges – a lot of pākehā have to grow up and discard their antiquated notions of superiority. But they won’t imo they will keep holding on to all last vestiges of privilege until their stupid fingers are pried off the throat of the world.
Lanthanide 11

9 July 2013 at 12:35 pm

“So, don’t worry, our little proto-fascists aren’t going to morph into a serious political force. ”

I have an anecdote that sums this up perfectly. I had an acquaintance back in 2008 who said he walked in one of the protests against the “attack on democracy” fervor that the right whipped up about Labour’s political campaigning legislation. I hadn’t realised the guy was particularly interested in politics so thought that was interesting.

Next time I saw him was on election day 2008, at about 4-5pm. I asked who he voted for. He didn’t vote because he “didn’t care” because it “didn’t affect him”.
amirite 12

9 July 2013 at 1:04 pm

To me they seem just a bunch of bored white middle age well-off males who are for some unbeknown reason feeling discriminated and diminished by the ‘Maoris’ and the ‘wimmens ‘and who have discovered the Internet as a vehicle for their daily whinges. For instance, they ‘want what Maori already get.” I don’t think they’d mean they’d like to share in more unemployment, discrimination, poverty, high crime statistics.

Unfortunately from time to time they’re able to stir up that hidden racist, bigoted underbelly that is always present in NZ society and get them mobilised, even if for a short while.

As for the number of Likes, the Chocolate chip cookies’ FB page has double more likes than God’s page. 🙂
- weka 12.1
  
  9 July 2013 at 1:51 pm
  
  What makes you think they are well-off?
- BM 12.2
  
  9 July 2013 at 2:02 pm
  
  Yeah because bored white middle age well-off males spend all their time on book face.
  
  Facts are there’s some serious hostility from Non Maori in regards to Maori.
  
  Reason:
  All people ever see or hear of Maori is when they’re whinging about what cunts paheka are( looking at you Hone),stealing shit and committing crime(police 10-7) or been given vast sums of money in treaty settlements while everyone else is struggling to pay the bills and still complaining.
  
  There’s the answer to why the paheka party has so many likes.
  - One Anonymous Knucklehead 12.2.1
    
    9 July 2013 at 2:08 pm
    
    So you’re saying the problem is pervasive dishonesty – selective reporting, etc. about Māori.
    - BM 12.2.1.1
      
      9 July 2013 at 2:14 pm
      
      A big part of the problem these days is Maori have decided to pull away from main stream NZ and just stick to themselves.
      
      A lot of peoples perceptions of Maori are only what they see and hear in the media and let’s be honest, it’s not particularly positive.
      - framu 12.2.1.1.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 2:19 pm
        
        “A lot of people perceptions of Maori are only what they see and hear in the media”
        
        well whose fault is that?
        
        perhaps if people pulled their heads in and actually listened to the people involved instead of the media they might learn something.
        
        for example – your second sentence proves that your first is based on a false presumption
        
        BM 12.2.1.1.1.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 2:26 pm
        
        Do you think Maori are a lot more insular than compared to 30 years ago?
        
        I think they are.
        
        One Anonymous Knucklehead …
        
        9 July 2013 at 2:30 pm
        
        Depends on your special personal definition of insular, but again, you’ve failed to establish this.
        
        marty mars …
        
        9 July 2013 at 2:53 pm
        
        You’ve hit the nub there bm – you see it doesn’t matter what Māori do, it will never be good enough for some. So Māori may as well, and imo should, just get on with the job of looking after themselves and their loved ones and from that everyone will benefit – and the actual reason that some don’t like that is because they are protecting the tiny little bit they think they have – sadly those people would actually benefit from greater equality for Māori but they don’t get it – apparently for some it is sort of comforting to know there are worse off people around.
        
        framu …
        
        9 July 2013 at 3:30 pm
        
        the answer to your question resides in your previous comments
      - One Anonymous Knucklehead 12.2.1.1.2
        
        9 July 2013 at 2:20 pm
        
        So the media tells lies, the “mainstream” gives Māori the hairy eyeball, and that means Māori are to blame for all the keeping to themselves that you have failed to establish they do?
  - felix 12.2.2
    
    9 July 2013 at 3:17 pm
    
    “All people ever see or hear of Maori is when they’re whinging about what cunts paheka are( looking at you Hone),stealing shit and committing crime(police 10-7) or been given vast sums of money in treaty settlements while everyone else is struggling to pay the bills and still complaining.”
    
    I’m sorry to hear you don’t have any maori friends, BM.
    
    Especially considering that most racists claim to have heaps of them.
    - BM 12.2.2.1
      
      9 July 2013 at 4:00 pm
      
      I am part Maori cuz, does that count?
      - felix 12.2.2.1.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 4:06 pm
        
        No.
        
        North 12.2.2.1.1.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 5:58 pm
        
        Agree with you Felix – it doesn’t matter a shit.
        
        It only matters to the likes of BM, Bennett, Bridges who don the korowai and claim whakapapa from time to time solely to conceal that they are dismissive and disrespectful of Maori. – in glibly doing so actually underlining that they are dismissive and disrespectful of Maori.
        
        Great comment Marty Mars @ 12.2.2.1.2
        
        And to Populuxe in response to Marty: if Maori definitively subscribe to homogeniety at all (that they do is bullshit anyway in my experience) – that is as a result of “all Maori this” and “all Maori that” FIRST emerging from the mouths of essentially racist or racist-inclined pigs pissed off when Maori figure particularly in any positive way – settlements etc.
        
        Better that all those “Meearies” just stop their whining and accept the graciousness of “our” kindly invitation to join this “everyone equal” (LOL) “NZ One Nation NZ” (LOL) –
        
        “Come on in bro’…….you’re in the cheap seats tho’…….there’s a good fulla”.
        
        notwoniceuh …
        
        10 July 2013 at 12:37 am
        
        +1
      - marty mars 12.2.2.1.2
        
        9 July 2013 at 4:27 pm
        
        do you mean you whakapapa back, whether you know the details or not or what? If you do then your comments above are directed at yourself – colonisation is a fucken shitpile because it attempts and sometimes succeeds in cutting off connection and I know this because some of my cousins who look Māori (as in brown) and some who don’t, spend a bit of time bemoaning other Māori. They have fallen into the trap, they think they are kiwis but they aren’t really – they are just tolerated and sneered at behind their backs, which anyone who is Māori but doesn’t look it will testify to.
        
        Populuxe1 12.2.2.1.2.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 4:39 pm
        
        I don’t understand why you insist on presenting Maori as some undifferentaited mass who all think identically and want the same things. That’s clearly not true of any demographic and just heps foster racist stereotypes – “all Maori this” and “all Maori that”.
        
        marty mars …
        
        9 July 2013 at 4:55 pm
        
        ummm check my comment pops I didn’t do that in fact i did the opposite of that. Or do you mean the bit about colonisation and or the bit about those that are Māori but don’t look it getting special insights into the unguarded moments of some people.
        
        BM 12.2.2.1.2.2
        
        9 July 2013 at 4:49 pm
        
        When I say part Maori it’s more just in the genetic sense than the cultural sense.
        
        My father has a lot of Maori on his side, he’s descended from Ngāti Huarere but never had a lot to do with the Maori culture side of things.
        
        He was invited to a few of the tribal meetings but never took up the offer.
        
        marty mars …
        
        9 July 2013 at 4:59 pm
        
        Mate you have a lot more than a lot of people in knowing where your lines come from, good luck in connecting up if you choose to go that way.
        
        North …
        
        9 July 2013 at 6:43 pm
        
        Honest acknowlegment there BM – my lumping you in with Bennett and Bridges and others was spot on then, you Bullshit Meearie.
        
        Perhaps I’m too charitable. Maybe honesty’s got nought to do with it. Maybe the thought that people might actually identify you as one of “those useless horis” was too much aye ?
        
        Hope it’s not absolutely churlish but maybe if pater had been more interested in his whakapapa you wouldn’t be quite like you are. Imagine…….you coulda beaten Hekia to Education.
        
        Maybe even married a dame/knight. Not asserting then apologising.
        
        BM …
        
        9 July 2013 at 7:11 pm
        
        I wonder if we’re related, would that bother you uncle North?
        
        Molly …
        
        9 July 2013 at 11:23 pm
        
        Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew! Uncle North’s nephew!
Rosetinted 13

9 July 2013 at 1:26 pm

amirite
Sweet.
tas 14

9 July 2013 at 1:41 pm

The Pakeha Party has exposed the racial bias of NZ media. They never criticise the maori party for being inherently racist. The rule seems to be:
maori only = “progressive”
pakeha only = racist!!

I doubt the Pakeha Party will make an electoral splash, but it shows that many NZers don’t like the way we approach race relations.
- framu 14.1
  
  9 July 2013 at 1:51 pm
  
  you didnt read any of the discussion here did you?
  - tas 14.1.1
    
    9 July 2013 at 2:09 pm
    
    I did.
    - One Anonymous Knucklehead 14.1.1.1
      
      9 July 2013 at 2:13 pm
      
      You didn’t establish that the Māori Party is inherently racist. That’s your main handicap, although there are no doubt others.
    - framu 14.1.1.2
      
      9 July 2013 at 2:13 pm
      
      so why are you making a mirror copy of a previous comment that has been substantially responded to?
    - North 14.1.1.3
      
      9 July 2013 at 6:18 pm
      
      Well if you did read Tas…….you didn’t comprehend.
      
      Common in those afflicted with subliminal racism on the rumble. When it rumbles loud enough to have its owner click on there’s something amiss it’s marked by behaviours placed somewhere in the spectrum from nausea at one end to violence at the other.
      
      To your credit you’ve only reached the point of looking fu’k’n’ idiotic.
- Pasupial 14.2
  
  9 July 2013 at 3:17 pm
  
  @ tas
  
  Wrong, but at least coherent this time. Though, indeed; “many NZers don’t like the way we approach race relations”. However we may understand different things from that statement.
  
  Amended racism rule:
  
  Racial group(s) included = Progressive
  Racial group(s) excluded = Racist
  - tas 14.2.1
    
    9 July 2013 at 5:00 pm
    
    That’s a silly distinction. So Whites only = Racial group included = Progressive?
    - One Anonymous Knucklehead 14.2.1.1
      
      9 July 2013 at 5:18 pm
      
      That’s either a demonstration of complete idiocy or bad faith. I’m picking bad faith, the sort of bad faith that only bigoted trash would exhibit.
      
      Does this low-life garbage really expect people to believe that “whites only” can be misinterpreted as inclusive?
      
      Still, the government promotes its MPs on the basis of their ethnicity and gender, the likes of Tas are simply aping them.
      - tas 14.2.1.1.1
        
        10 July 2013 at 2:05 pm
        
        I think all racial discrimination is bad. I’m trying to understand why you think discrimination against Pakeha is good, but discrimination against Maori is bad. My point is that distinguishing based on inclusion/exclusion is silly. Obviously “whites only” is racist, but it’s an inclusive rule, so by Pasupial’s silly rule it’s progressive.
        
        One Anonymous Knucklehead 14.2.1.1.1.1
        
        10 July 2013 at 2:38 pm
        
        I’m trying to understand why you think you can casually misrepresent my opinions (not to mention Pasupial’s) and I’m picking it’s another demonstration of low ethical standards.
        
        tas …
        
        10 July 2013 at 3:07 pm
        
        How am I misrepresenting you and pasupial? I’m asking you to clarify when you think racial discrimination is OK and when it isn’t. Answer the question, rather than attacking me for not understanding your non-answers.
        
        One Anonymous Knucklehead …
        
        10 July 2013 at 3:11 pm
        
        It’s never justifiable (do not take this as a tacit admission of any individual example you concoct in some self-serving display of bad faith) and neither is your notion of what the word inclusive means.
        
        PS: I didn’t attack you, I attacked your low ethical standards, which you are at liberty to change.
        
        tas …
        
        10 July 2013 at 4:12 pm
        
        If racial discrimination is never justifiable, does that mean you consider Maori seats to be unjustifiable?
        
        McFlock …
        
        10 July 2013 at 4:25 pm
        
        🙄
        
        One Anonymous Knucklehead …
        
        10 July 2013 at 4:32 pm
        
        No, it means you have to demonstrate that the Māori seats meet the test of racial discrimination. Saying “it’s self-evident” won’t cut it.
        
        tas …
        
        10 July 2013 at 10:51 pm
        
        Knucklehead: Maori seats are by definition racially discriminatory. Maybe you like to move the goalposts by redefining racial discrimination to exclude discrimination against non-maori. But I’m not playing that game. Humour me: let’s just say “racial discrimination” refers to all discrimination based on race or ethnicity, regardless of which race is being discriminated against.
        
        I want you to answer the question: When do you think racial discrimination is acceptable? I say the answer is never.
        
        Paupial …
        
        11 July 2013 at 8:55 am
        
        @ tas
        
        Your inability to understand; how societal groups and racial identification intersect, says far more about your ability to understand than it does about the reality of concepts which have rushed so far over your head.
        
        As for your attempt at muddying the waters by claiming exclusion = inclusion: “Whites only = Racial group included = Progressive?”. That’s some spectacular idiocy you’re parading there!
        
        tas …
        
        11 July 2013 at 3:48 pm
        
        Paupial: You aren’t answering my question. You seem to be claiming that I don’t understand my own question. Please enlighten me then!
        
        When do you think it is OK to discriminate based on race?
        
        Maori seats discriminate based on race. If you are debating this fact, you are being stupid (and disingenuous). The electoral act uses the term ‘race’ and restricts the Maori roll to the Maori race.
        
        You are taking my comment out of context. I presented it as an example of silliness. So of course it’s idiotic! Stop misrepresenting me and answer my question.
        
        weka …
        
        11 July 2013 at 4:19 pm
        
        tas, you seem to be a bit confused by the word ‘discriminate’.
        
        Seeing as how actual people haven’t been able to get this through to you, let’s try the dictionary.
        
        discriminate
        1 recognize a distinction; differentiate : babies can discriminate between different facial expressions of emotion. See note at distinguish .
        • [ trans. ] perceive or constitute the difference in or between : bats can discriminate a difference in echo delay of between 69 and 98 millionths of a second | features that discriminate this species from other gastropods.
        
        2 make an unjust or prejudicial distinction in the treatment of different categories of people or things, esp. on the grounds of race, sex, or age : existing employment policies discriminate against women.
        
        For the Maori seats you need to apply definition 1. There is a distinction between Maori and non-Maori (hence the seats), but it’s not a prejudicial one. No-one is saying that Maori get seats because they are better than Pakeha. There is nothing wrong with acknowledging difference.
        
        For the Pakeha Party, eg making statements that Maori apply for benefits and white people have jobs is discriminatory according to definition 2, because (a) the distinction being claimed is false, and (b) claiming the false distinction makes out that one group is better than the other, thus supporting one group while undermining the other group.
        
        tas …
        
        11 July 2013 at 5:46 pm
        
        weka: Really?! Are you going down the route of arguing that Maori seats are not racially discriminatory?
        
        I am clearly using definition 2. The Maori roll is discriminatory because the majority of the population is *not allowed* to join it. Definition 1 does not cover actions, only perceptions.
        
        You are not answering my question. You are redefining my question to suit you – shifting the goalposts if you will. This is ridiculous. I’m asking a simple question and you just keep redefining the question, calling me stupid, and avoid answering it.
        
        You know exactly what I’m asking. Answer my question.
        
        When do you think it is OK to treat people differently based on their race?
        
        One Anonymous Knucklehead …
        
        11 July 2013 at 5:57 pm
        
        Because of cultural considerations. Like I wouldn’t offer my Muslim neighbour pork, or leave you alone with my children.
        
        weka …
        
        11 July 2013 at 6:12 pm
        
        tas, you’re still failing to understand the word discriminate in all its meanings.
        
        However, let’s try another tack.
        
        “When do you think it is OK to treat people differently based on their race?”
        
        Leaving aside that there is no such thing as race, I think it is ok to treat people differently based on ethnicity when there is clear evidence of that group of people being subjected to institutional and structural racism.
        
        But you will note that I’m not saying prejudically. There is a difference between understanding the Maori stats in welfare and employment are worse than Pakeha (perceiving difference isn’t wrong or bad, it’s just acknowledging fact), and saying that Maori are bludgers/lazy whereas Pakeha aren’t (because that’s patently untrue).
        
        So, again, there is nothing wrong with difference, or differentiating. It’s when you add in bigotry (derogatory belief not based on fact) that you are engaged in prejudice.
        
        Honestly, I don’t know where this idea that racism is merely seeing and acting on difference comes from.
        
        Edit: plus what OAK said.
- notwoniceuh 14.3
  
  10 July 2013 at 12:50 am
  
  dave ruck is a conman with a string of failed businesses. as someone who is so unfortunate as to have met him in person he certainly seemed to fit the stereotype of a white guy from Christchurch. He is also a terrible DJ. people like him make me seem racist for believing in stereotypes.
  - tas 14.3.1
    
    10 July 2013 at 2:02 pm
    
    Personal attack…
Yes 15

9 July 2013 at 2:11 pm

lol the Pakeha Party is already looking like a left wing fringe and with more oxygen you are giving it the more fringe it looks.

Fringe = left

man you guys really need to look at who you give oxygen too! I can hear it now – ‘Yes” we give you too much oxygen – but I am good for business on here.

its a dumb party – which will fall over
- framu 15.1
  
  9 July 2013 at 2:16 pm
  
  “already looking like a left wing fringe”
  
  why? how?
  
  while i agree its a dumb party i dont see how fringe = left. Fringe = fringe, end of story
  
  unless you think kyle chapman is mainstream
  - felix 15.1.1
    
    9 July 2013 at 3:24 pm
    
    Yes is just pushing the new framing. John Key is doing it too.
    
    The idea is that there’s a “centre- right” but no “centre-left, so “left” now means anything outside the centre.
    
    It’s stupid, illogical, and dishonest, but that’s what we get for engaging with these fucks as if there were good faith involved, when we should have just taken them all out behind the barn a long time ago.
    - marty mars 15.1.1.1
      
      9 July 2013 at 3:34 pm
      
      + 1 they don’t have ‘good faith’ it’s not in their bones and we belittle ourselves by engaging with them as if they do
      - framu 15.1.1.1.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 3:48 pm
        
        +1 – its either duplicity or stupidity with some
    - framu 15.1.1.2
      
      9 July 2013 at 3:36 pm
      
      but i always end up asking myself “are they really evil or just really really stupid?”
      
      “dick cheney or ideological zoolander” if you will
      - marty mars 15.1.1.2.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 3:54 pm
        
        evil or stupid – both I think but I’m not sure which causes which – probably doesn’t matter
    - One Anonymous Knucklehead 15.1.1.3
      
      9 July 2013 at 3:44 pm
      
      +1 Felix.
      
      I start from the assumption that any given right winger is still upset that their side lost WWII.
      - marty mars 15.1.1.3.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 3:46 pm
        
        lol
      - felix 15.1.1.3.2
        
        9 July 2013 at 4:09 pm
        
        lol but true!
      - weka 15.1.1.3.3
        
        9 July 2013 at 5:10 pm
        
        “I start from the assumption that any given right winger is still upset that their side lost WWII.”
        
        Yeah, but I bet some of your best friends are conservatives.
        
        One Anonymous Knucklehead 15.1.1.3.3.1
        
        10 July 2013 at 8:15 am
        
        Exactly. This means my assumption is entirely justified.
      - The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 15.1.1.3.4
        
        10 July 2013 at 7:54 am
        
        Like the left are bitter at losing the Cold War?
    - Yes 15.1.1.4
      
      9 July 2013 at 3:50 pm
      
      its a silly stupid fringe party – dont give it a life on here – that is what I am saying
      - One Anonymous Knucklehead 15.1.1.4.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 4:01 pm
        
        Yes, but racist parties will always take votes from National and Winston First, so no wonder you’d rather they went away. Diddums.
      - framu 15.1.1.4.2
        
        9 July 2013 at 4:30 pm
        
        its not all your saying sunshine. And considering your past behaviour i would caution any one to not take you claims of concern seriously
- One Anonymous Knucklehead 15.2
  
  9 July 2013 at 2:17 pm
  
  Well, the expectation is that if it doesn’t fall over it will take votes off the National Party and Winston First, while failing to meet the 5% threshold.
  
  I’m sure you can argue against that analysis but sincerity might be a bit of a struggle.
- North 15.3
  
  9 July 2013 at 6:21 pm
  
  You give oxygen to most on TS Yes, yes ?
  
  Leaving less for you hence your screechy choking.
- notwoniceuh 15.4
  
  10 July 2013 at 12:57 am
  
  they’re about as left as can be, a bunch of dumb national voters of the camp “we vote national because they are good and i also love the colour blue”. btw do you know which way is up or down?
captain hook 16

9 July 2013 at 2:36 pm

The Pakeha party is composed of piffleheads with too tight elastic in their underpants and socks cutting off the blood supply from their vital organs.
They are the same people that think they can just fuck with anyone if they dont like them.
i.e. kiwi knuckledraggers.
Populuxe1 17

9 July 2013 at 4:25 pm

Yeah, nah. The number of likes the Pakeha Party has is completely meaningless. Due to th enature of Facebook, it’s impossible to say what some of those likes represent. It’s quite likely that several thousand of the people who liked the page come from the left and just want to keep an eye on how it develops or even for trolling purposes.
- notwoniceuh 17.1
  
  10 July 2013 at 1:14 am
  
  the party itself is meaningless since the guy that runs it has 0 idea about politics. although he does have the typical ill informed racist opinions some people from the south island have. hes a known con artist who knows a thing or two about the internet and marketing. he’s simply whipping up controversy to boost his facebook page likes so he can somehow make money off it. oh how i wish it were true and they were stealing the dumbest of the dumb from nationals voter base
  - Populuxe1 17.1.1
    
    10 July 2013 at 12:25 pm
    
    The South Island isn’t any more racist than the north Island and people who perpetuate this myth are showing their provincial ignorance
CentreOfLeft 18

9 July 2013 at 6:50 pm

By my count, Pakeha have… 6 parties representing them in Parliament: National, Act, United Future, NZ First, Labour AND the Greens (yes, just because Labour and Greens are to the left doesn’t mean they don’t cater to Pakeha interests as well… especially when polls make Labour wobbly)

Also, I’m honestly quite surprised that this new entity is… progressive enough to even use the term “Pakeha”. It’s not an insult, I’ve never used it as one but I know enough Pakeha complain about the word that I throw my hands up and call them whatever they want to be called.
- Populuxe1 18.1
  
  9 July 2013 at 9:18 pm
  
  Which is kind of weird because Winston is Ngati Wai and I can’t think of an MP more likely to put off racists than Asenati Lole-Taylor.
  - Murray Olsen 18.1.1
    
    10 July 2013 at 2:52 am
    
    That just shows how inclusive Ngati Wai are, or they would have kicked him out.
    - Populuxe1 18.1.1.1
      
      10 July 2013 at 12:22 pm
      
      Or maybe they just recognise Maori as being a group of diverse viewpoints and not some sort of romantic cardboard cutouts for the benefit of making certain bleeding hearts of the left feel good about themselves.
felix 19

9 July 2013 at 8:00 pm

Rather good cartoon says it all
- BM 19.1
  
  9 July 2013 at 8:07 pm
  
  I just don’t get this whole white privilege thing.
  if we lived in the USA, yeah sure, but NZ, nah it just doesn’t fly.
  - felix 19.1.1
    
    9 July 2013 at 8:20 pm
    
    Tough titty.
    
    Believe it or not, we aren’t all here to explain the bleeding obvious to idiots.
    - BM 19.1.1.1
      
      9 July 2013 at 8:31 pm
      
      I don’t think there’s anything to explain, it’s all a figment of your imagination, you’ve transposed an American issue regarding Negros and their struggle for equality onto the Maori.
      There’s just no comparison.
      - marty mars 19.1.1.1.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 8:42 pm
        
        Try looking at it from the indigenous perspective – think about the native americans and other indigenous peoples around the world – the similarities in experience are obvious and glaring – most if not all colonised peoples have ended up on the bottom of the heap and that is not coincidence and it was not by accident either.
        
        That cartoon is correct and good and shows the utter bullshit of the so called Māori privileges that some get worked up about.
        
        BM 19.1.1.1.1.1
        
        9 July 2013 at 8:48 pm
        
        Yeah, a lot of what I know regarding Maori issues comes from my Missus who spent a few years studying the treaty, different indigenous treaties, early NZ history etc at Uni.
        
        Maori did get a rough deal on a few things, but of all the colonized indigenous people the Maori were by far the best treated and most respected.
        
        In was actually the height of sophistication to invite a Maori chief back to England and have him stay as a guest on your estate.
        The British had great respect for the Maori.
        
        marty mars …
        
        9 July 2013 at 8:59 pm
        
        yeah nah sorry mate that just is not true – doesn’t matter if they strangle you or stab you, they’re still trying to kill you, no matter which way they do it and if they succeed you are just as dead as the next guy.
        
        Populuxe1 …
        
        9 July 2013 at 9:21 pm
        
        Neither of your narratives are entirely accurate
        
        marty mars …
        
        9 July 2013 at 9:31 pm
        
        they are true though but don’t worry they are MY narratives I’m not speaking for all the people lol
        
        Populuxe1 …
        
        10 July 2013 at 12:20 pm
        
        I was talking about you and BM – you don’t have more than one narrative.
        
        marty mars …
        
        10 July 2013 at 4:05 pm
        
        thank you.
- weka 19.2
  
  9 July 2013 at 8:12 pm
  
  Very good felix.
Pascal's bookie 20

9 July 2013 at 8:42 pm

Heh

Pretty much all over rover

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10896079
- felix 20.1
  
  9 July 2013 at 11:21 pm
  
  lolz. Who woulda thunk it came from Christchurch, eh?
  
  Also, from the article:
  
  Mr Ruck admitted he had been sentenced to 10 months in prison for stealing $40,000 of DJ equipment. He served five months in Paparoa Prison, he said.
  
  “There is a small number of DJs in Christchurch who hate my guts, in my opinion because I’m better than them.”
  
  Yeah, that’s probably why.
  - notwoniceuh 20.1.1
    
    10 July 2013 at 1:35 am
    
    yea that or that he plays shit music. which he does
Mal 21

9 July 2013 at 8:46 pm

BM. Sounds to me like you are a part maori trying so hard to be pakeha, hmmmmm
- BM 21.1
  
  9 July 2013 at 8:52 pm
  
  Lol, I’m a real absolute bitzer.
  
  Irish,Maori,Portuguese, the list goes on.
Yes 22

9 July 2013 at 9:47 pm

Why are you giving this pakeha party air….you have just given it more life.
- notwoniceuh 22.1
  
  10 July 2013 at 1:33 am
  
  yes and more power to it. i hope the idiots turn out in droves for this one. another positive aspect is it raises the average IQ of nationals voter base ever so slightly
- chris73 22.2
  
  10 July 2013 at 7:19 am
  
  Its what I would do if I was advising the left, keep it going as long as you can and try to link it to the National government.
  - One Anonymous Knucklehead 22.2.1
    
    10 July 2013 at 7:38 am
    
    No need to link it, just watch with glee as they drag Winston First under 5% and tale votes off Slippery.
Wrive 23

11 July 2013 at 5:25 pm

I think, perhaps, you neglect to ponder the question of exactly how attractive the ideas of the Pakeha Party are to those who are not well off. It’s one thing to be wealthy and find their ideas attractive, but it’s quite another to sit at home and think, “I’m poor too, where is my help”. And right now? That help, that representation isn’t coming from the Left, who are, instead, much more interested in what has been called “identity” politics. If you are poor, you’re probably better off being brown in terms of assistance… It doesn’t matter what your ethnicity is, a lower socio-economic standing is going to impact you the same way and it is not good.

The Left should be all about money and it isn’t, remember that.
- One Anonymous Knucklehead 23.1
  
  11 July 2013 at 5:54 pm
  
  That explains why inequality fell under the fifth Labour government. No, wait…
- weka 23.2
  
  11 July 2013 at 6:05 pm
  
  “If you are poor, you’re probably better off being brown in terms of assistance…”
  
  Probably? If there was ever a citation needed it’s that statement. Or even just give us some concrete examples, say five of them.
  
  “It doesn’t matter what your ethnicity is, a lower socio-economic standing is going to impact you the same way and it is not good.”
  
  So being poor is the same as being poor and continually exposed to racism?
  
  I completely agree that low income and poor people in NZ are getting shafted. But poor white men are picking the wrong target if they think that Maori (or beneficiaries) are to blame.
  
  “The Left should be all about money and it isn’t, remember that.”
  
  Since when?
  
  btw class politics are identity politics too.
Young and Dumb 24

11 July 2013 at 11:53 pm

As someone who tends to lean to the right, I am extremely embarrassed that I know any idiot that likes this party.

This party just makes white people who have some discontent for race based policies seem like complete bigots.

I sincerely hope these guys do not form a party. I can only imagine the shitfight between a flailing ACT Party, Conservative Party and these fucking morons for that radical right vote.
Matthew Hooton 25

13 July 2013 at 10:39 am

I think the Pakeha Party would be good news for John Key because it would take votes from NZ First and Labour but not get to 5%. See http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/pakeha-party-good-news-john-key-142817
- One Anonymous Knucklehead 25.1
  
  13 July 2013 at 10:54 am
  
  “Anyone who wonders what to make of Matthew Hooton’s public contributions to New Zealand politics really should read what he writes in private. ”
  
  Nicky Hagar.

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The Government can head off to the holidays, entitled to assure itself that it has done more or less what it said it would do. The campaign last year promised to “get New Zealand back on track.” When you look at the basic promises—to trim back Government expenditure, toughen up ...

PolitikBy Richard Harman

3 days ago
Skeptical Science New Research for Week #51 2024

Open access notables An intensification of surface Earth’s energy imbalance since the late 20th century, Li et al., Communications Earth & Environment: Tracking the energy balance of the Earth system is a key method for studying the contribution of human activities to climate change. However, accurately estimating the surface energy balance ...

Skeptical Science

3 days ago
Join us at 5pm for 2024’s last Hoon

Photo by Mauricio Fanfa on UnsplashKia oraCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with myself , plus regular guests and , ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

3 days ago
Christmas Gifts: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.

“Like you said, I’m an unreconstructed socialist. Everybody deserves to get something for Christmas.”“ONE OF THOSE had better be for me!” Hannah grinned, fascinated, as Laurie made his way, gingerly, to the bar, his arms full of gift-wrapped packages.“Of course!”, beamed Laurie. Depositing his armful on the bar-top and selecting ...

Bowalley Road

3 days ago
GDP Figures No Christmas Present for New Zealand

Data released by Statistics New Zealand today showed a significant slowdown in the economy over the past six months, with GDP falling by 1% in September, and 1.1% in June said CTU Economist Craig Renney. “The data shows that the size of the economy in GDP terms is now smaller ...

NZCTUBy Stella Whitfield

3 days ago
Cheeseburgers and Stunt Monkeys

One last thing before I quitI never wanted any moreThan I could fit into my headI still remember every single word you saidAnd all the shit that somehow came along with itStill, there's one thing that comforts meSince I was always caged and now I'm freeSongwriters: David Grohl / Georg ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

3 days ago
MSD rejecting 220 pleas for food grants each day

Sparse offerings outside a Te Kauwhata church. Meanwhile, the Government is cutting spending in ways that make thousands of hungry children even hungrier, while also cutting funding for the charities that help them. It’s also doing that while winding back new building of affordable housing that would allow parents to ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

3 days ago
The Wing Parties’ Economic Policies.

It is difficult to make sense of the Luxon Coalition Government’s economic management.This end-of-year review about the state of economic management – the state of the economy was last week – is not going to cover the National Party contribution. Frankly, like every other careful observer, I cannot make up ...

PunditBy Brian Easton

3 days ago
Back on Track

This morning I awoke to the lovely news that we are firmly back on track, that is if the scale was reversed.NZ ranks low in global economic comparisonsNew Zealand's economy has been ranked 33rd out of 37 in an international comparison of which have done best in 2024.Economies were ranked ...

Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tūī

3 days ago
Book Review: How Big Things Get Done

This is a guest post by George Weeks, reviewing a book called How Big Things Get Done by Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner Want to know how to do something big? Ask someone who has done it before! Professor Bent Flyvbjerg has spent his career studying megaprojects. In 2023, ...

Greater AucklandBy Guest Post

4 days ago
Gordon Campbell On Why We Can’t Survive Two More Years Of This

Remember those silent movies where the heroine is tied to the railway tracks or going over the waterfall in a barrel? Finance Minister Nicola Willis seems intent on portraying herself as that damsel in distress. According to Willis, this country’s current economic problems have all been caused by the spending ...

WerewolfBy ScoopEditor

4 days ago
Dragging our way towards the finish line, the end of this year can’t come soon enough for many…

Similar to the cuts and the austerity drive imposed by Ruth Richardson in the 1990’s, an era which to all intents and purposes we’ve largely fiddled around the edges with fixing in the time since – over, to be fair, several administrations – whilst trying our best it seems to ...

exhALANtBy exhalantblog

4 days ago
Handling Democracy.

String-Pulling in the Dark: For the democratic process to be meaningful it must also be public. WITH TRUST AND CONFIDENCE in New Zealand’s politicians and journalists steadily declining, restoring those virtues poses a daunting challenge. Just how daunting is made clear by comparing the way politicians and journalists treated New Zealanders ...

Bowalley Road

4 days ago
Open letter to the Minister of Dwindling Finances

Dear Nicola Willis, thank you for letting us know in so many words that the swingeing austerity hasn't worked.By in so many words I mean the bit where you said, Here is a sea of red ink in which we are drowning after twelve months of savage cost cutting and ...

More Than A FeildingBy David Slack

4 days ago
Open Government: The joke ends

The Open Government Partnership is a multilateral organisation committed to advancing open government. Countries which join are supposed to co-create regular action plans with civil society, committing to making verifiable improvements in transparency, accountability, participation, or technology and innovation for the above. And they're held to account through an Independent ...

No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant

4 days ago
An unusual sort of press conference

Today I tuned into something strange: a press conference that didn’t make my stomach churn or the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Which was strange, because it was about the torture of children. It was the announcement by Erica Stanford — on her own, unusually ...

Sapphi’s SubstackBy Sapphi

4 days ago
This substack has talked about this government’s seeming corruption & pro-corporate issues...

This is a must watch, and puts on brilliant and practical display the implications and mechanics of fast-track law corruption and weakness.CLICK HERE: LINK TO WATCH VIDEO Our news media as it is set up is simply not equipped to deal with the brazen disinformation and corruption under this right wing ...

Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tūī

4 days ago
NZCTU: Minister needs to listen to the evidence on engineered stone ban

NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Acting Secretary Erin Polaczuk is welcoming the announcement from Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden that she is opening consultation on engineered stone and is calling on her to listen to the evidence and implement a total ban of the product. “We need ...

NZCTUBy Stella Whitfield

4 days ago
Wednesday 18 December

The Government has announced a 1.5% increase in the minimum wage from 1 April 2025, well below forecast inflation of 2.5%. Unions have reacted strongly and denounced it as a real terms cut. PSA and the CTU are opposing a new round of staff cuts at WorkSafe, which they say ...

NZCTUBy Jack McDonald

4 days ago
Can the government change its mind on the ferries?

The decision to unilaterally repudiate the contract for new Cook Strait ferries is beginning to look like one of the stupidest decisions a New Zealand government ever made. While cancelling the ferries and their associated port infrastructure may have made this year's books look good, it means higher costs later, ...

No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant

4 days ago
Notes from Afar: Will Luxon Attend Waitangi Day? And Opposition Calls Out Nicola Willis for “C...

Hi there! I’ve been overseas recently, looking after a situation with a family member. So apologies if there any less than focused posts! Vanuatu has just had a significant 7.3 earthquake. Two MFAT staff are unaccounted for with local fatalities.It’s always sad to hear of such things happening.I think of ...

Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tūī

4 days ago
Member’s morning

Today is a special member's morning, scheduled to make up for the government's theft of member's days throughout the year. First up was the first reading of Greg Fleming's Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill, which was passed unanimously. Currently the House is debating the third reading of ...

No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant

4 days ago
Going Backwards

We're going backwardsIgnoring the realitiesGoing backwardsAre you counting all the casualties?We are not there yetWhere we need to beWe are still in debtTo our insanitiesSongwriter: Martin Gore Read more ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

5 days ago
Blaming Treasury & Labour, Willis looks for even more Austerity

Willis blamed Treasury for changing its productivity assumptions and Labour’s spending increases since Covid for the worsening Budget outlook. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, December 18 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast above ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

5 days ago
December-24 AT Board Meeting

Today the Auckland Transport board meet for the last time this year. For those interested (and with time to spare), you can follow along via this MS Teams link from 10am. I’ve taken a quick look through the agenda items to see what I think the most interesting aspects are. ...

Greater AucklandBy Matt L

5 days ago
The Making of a Mental Health Rockstar

Hi,If you’re a New Zealander — you know who Mike King is. He is the face of New Zealand’s battle against mental health problems. He can be loud and brash. He raises, and is entrusted with, a lot of cash. Last year his “I Am Hope” charity reported a revenue ...

David FarrierBy David Farrier

5 days ago
It could have been worse

Probably about the only consolation available from yesterday’s unveiling of the Half-Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) is that it could have been worse. Though Finance Minister Nicola Willis has tightened the screws on future government spending, she has resisted the calls from hard-line academics, fiscal purists and fiscal hawks ...

PolitikBy Richard Harman

5 days ago
The Deep Divisions of Local Government

The right have a stupid saying that is only occasionally true:When is democracy not democracy? When it hasn’t been voted on.While not true in regards to branches of government such as the judiciary, it’s a philosophy that probably should apply to recently-elected local government councillors. Nevertheless, this concept seemed to ...

Sapphi’s SubstackBy Sapphi

5 days ago
Willis’ austerity strategy just isn’t working

Long story short: the Government’s austerity policy has driven the economy into a deeper and longer recession that means it will have to borrow $20 billion more over the next four years than it expected just six months ago. Treasury’s latest forecasts show the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s fiscal strategy of ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

5 days ago
Sabin 33 #7 – Are solar projects hurting farmers and rural communities?

On November 1, 2024 we announced the publication of 33 rebuttals based on the report "Rebutting 33 False Claims About Solar, Wind, and Electric Vehicles" written by Matthew Eisenson, Jacob Elkin, Andy Fitch, Matthew Ard, Kaya Sittinger & Samuel Lavine and published by the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia ...

Skeptical Science

5 days ago
Join us for a pop-up Hoon at 5pm on HYEFU

Come and join myself and CTU Chief Economist for a pop-up ‘Hoon’ webinar on the Government’s Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) with paying subscribers to The Kākā for 30 minutes at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream to watch our chat. Don’t worry if ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

5 days ago
‘Ideas Worth Saving’: A Call for Papers

Some years ago, I found myself pondering the power of literature to endure. Or at least the power of some of it to endure, while the rest vanishes in mere decades: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2019/08/07/look-on-my-works-ye-mighty-and-despair-the-literary-future/. I have similarly had fun with the subject in some of my short stories, such as Another Alexandria ...

A Phuulish FellowBy strda221

5 days ago
Corrections is torturing prisoners again

In 1998, in the wake of the Paremoremo Prison riot, the Department of Corrections established the "Behaviour Management Regime". Prisoners were locked in their cells for 22 or 23 hours a day, with no fresh air, no exercise, no social contact, no entertainment, and in some cases no clothes and ...

No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant

5 days ago
HYEFU and BPS data shows New Zealand is way off track

New data released by the Treasury shows that the economic policies of this Government have made things worse in the year since they took office, said NZCTU Economist Craig Renney. “Our fiscal indicators are all heading in the wrong direction – with higher levels of debt, a higher deficit, and ...

NZCTUBy Jack McDonald

5 days ago
“Better economic management”

At the 2023 election, National basically ran on a platform of being better economic managers. So how'd that turn out for us? In just one year, they've fucked us for two full political terms: The government's books are set to remain deeply in the red for the near term ...

No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant

5 days ago
Shameless, clueless

AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...

More Than A FeildingBy David Slack

5 days ago
Minimum wage ‘increase’ is an effective cut

The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi are saying that the Government should do the right thing and deliver minimum wage increases that don’t see workers fall further behind, in response to today’s announcement that the minimum wage will only be increased by 1.5%, well short of forecast inflation. “With inflation forecast ...

NZCTUBy Jack McDonald

5 days ago
Crazy ’bout a Sharp-dressed Man

Oh, I weptFor daysFilled my eyesWith silly tearsOh, yeaBut I don'tCare no moreI don't care ifMy eyes get soreSongwriters: Paul Rodgers / Paul Kossoff. Read more ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

5 days ago
How much should you worry about a collapse of the Atlantic conveyor belt?

This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bob Henson In this aerial view, fingers of meltwater flow from the melting Isunnguata Sermia glacier descending from the Greenland Ice Sheet on July 11, 2024, near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. According to the Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet (PROMICE), the ...

Skeptical Science

5 days ago
8% ACT Party Creates One Ring To Rule Them All

In August, I wrote an article about David Seymour 1 with a video of his testimony, to warn that there were grave dangers to his Ministry of Regulation:David Seymour's Ministry of Slush Hides Far Greater RisksWhy Seymour's exorbitant waste of taxpayers' money could be the least of concernThe money for Seymour ...

Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tūī

6 days ago
When austerity worsens public debt & cuts GDP

Willis is expected to have to reveal the bitter fiscal fruits of her austerity strategy in the HYEFU later today. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/TheKakaMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, December 17 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

6 days ago
Govt to double number of toll roads

On Friday the government announced it would double the number of toll roads in New Zealand as well as make a few other changes to how toll roads are used in the country. The real issue though is not that tolling is being used but the suggestion it will make ...

Greater AucklandBy Matt L

6 days ago
Luxon’s pre-emptive strike

The Prime Minister yesterday engaged in what looked like a pre-emptive strike designed to counter what is likely to be a series of depressing economic statistics expected before the end of the week. He opened his weekly post-Cabinet press conference with a recitation of the Government’s achievements. “It certainly has ...

PolitikBy Richard Harman

6 days ago
Gordon Campbell On The Coalition’s Empty Gestures, And Abortion Refusal As The New Slavery

This whooping cough story from south Auckland is a good example of the coalition government’s approach to social need – spend money on urging people to get vaccinated but only after you’ve cut the funding to where they could get vaccinated. This has been the case all year with public ...

WerewolfBy ScoopEditor

6 days ago
More public service contempt of parliament

Back in 2023 the New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties raised concerns about the inherent conflict of interest involved in public service agencies supporting parliamentary select committees. Our parliament is run on a shoestring, so depends on the public service for advice. But public service agencies work for Ministers, not ...

No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant

6 days ago
If There Is A God

And if there is a GodI know he likes to rockHe likes his loud guitarsHis spiders from MarsAnd if there is a GodI know he's watching meHe likes what he seesBut there's trouble on the breezeSongwriter: William Patrick Corgan Read more ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

6 days ago
A Lipstick Government

Here’s a quick round up of today’s political news:1. MORE FOOD BANKS, CHARITIES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS AND YOUTH SOCIAL SERVICES SET TO CLOSE OR SCALE BACK AROUND THE COUNTRY AS GOVT CUTS FUNDINGSome of Auckland's largest foodbanks are warning they may need to close or significantly reduce food parcels after ...

Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tūī

6 days ago
NZCTU open letter to Treasury on undue restrictions on restricted briefings

Iain Rennie, CNZMSecretary and Chief Executive to the TreasuryDear Secretary, Undue restrictions on restricted briefings This week, the Treasury barred representatives from four organisations, including the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi, from attending the restricted briefing for the Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update. We had been ...

NZCTUBy Jack McDonald

6 days ago
Why you won’t hear me advocate for electric cars

This is a guest post by Tim Adriaansen, a community, climate, and accessibility advocate. I won’t shut up about climate breakdown, and whenever possible I try to shift the focus of a climate conversation towards solutions. But you’ll almost never hear me give more than a passing nod to ...

Greater AucklandBy Guest Post

7 days ago
Coalition forced to back down on tolling Pahiatua track

A grassroots backlash has forced a backdown from Brown, but he is still eyeing up plenty of tolls for other new roads. And the pressure is on Willis to ramp up the Government’s austerity strategy. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

7 days ago
Thank You

Hi all,I'm pretty overwhelmed by all your messages and emails today; thank you so very much.As much as my newsletter this morning was about money, and we all need to earn money, it was mostly about world domination if I'm honest. 😉I really hate what’s happening to our country, and ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

7 days ago
2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #50

A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 8, 2024 thru Sat, December 14, 2024. Listing by Category Like last week's summary this one contains the list of articles twice: based on categories and based on ...

Skeptical Science

7 days ago
Making Gravy

I started writing this morning about Hobson’s Pledge, examining the claims they and their supporters make, basically ripping into them. But I kept getting notifications coming through, and not good ones.Each time I looked up, there was another un-subscription message, and I felt a bit sicker at the thought of ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

1 week ago
Nothing here but the shadows

Once, long before there was Harry and Meghan and Dodi and all those episodes of The Crown, they came to spend some time with us, Charles and Diana. Was there anyone in the world more glamorous than the Princess of Wales?Dazzled as everyone was by their company, the leader of ...

More Than A FeildingBy David Slack

1 week ago
The United Right: the FSU’s Continued Efforts to Undermine Academia

The collective right have a problem.The entire foundation for their world view is antiscientific. Their preferred economic strategies have been disproven. Their whole neoliberal model faces accusations of corporate corruption and worsening inequality. Climate change not only definitely exists, its rapid progression demands an immediate and expensive response in order ...

Sapphi’s SubstackBy Sapphi

1 week ago
Showing the Americans how to do it

Just ten days ago, South Korea's president attempted a self-coup, declaring martial law and attempting to have opposition MPs murdered or arrested in an effort to seize unconstrained power. The attempt was rapidly defeated by the national assembly voting it down and the people flooding the streets to defend democracy. ...

No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant

1 week ago
2 Men, 1 Haircut

Hi,“What I love about New Zealanders is that sometimes you use these expressions that as Americans we have no idea what those things mean!"I am watching a 30-something year old American ramble on about how different New Zealanders are to Americans. It’s his podcast, and this man is doing a ...

David FarrierBy David Farrier

1 week ago
Chris Penk’s Hate Parade

What Chris Penk has granted holocaust-denier and equal-opportunity-bigot Candace Owens is not “freedom of speech”. It’s not even really freedom of movement, though that technically is the right she has been granted. What he has given her is permission to perform. Freedom of SpeechIn New Zealand, the right to freedom ...

Sapphi’s SubstackBy Sapphi

1 week ago
Tell me a story

All those tears on your cheeksJust like deja vu flow nowWhen grandmother speaksSo tell me a story (I'll tell you a story)Spell it out, I can't hear (What do you want to hear?)Why you wear black in the morning?Why there's smoke in the air? Songwriter: Greg Johnson.Mōrena all ☀️Something a ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

1 week ago
As Our Power Lessens: Accepted

2024 is now officially my best-ever year for short stories. My 1,850-word dark fantasy piece, As Our Power Lessens, has been accepted for the upcoming solstice edition of Eternal Haunted Summer (https://eternalhauntedsummer.com/), thereby making that six published short stories for the calendar year. As always, see the Bibliography page for ...

A Phuulish FellowBy strda221

1 week ago

National’s Greatest Misses 2023-4

National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards. In no particular order, here are the National Government's Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. ...

Labour Blog

2 days ago
Release: Minister’s plan for tertiary sector a backwards step

Returning to the model that was failing for most polytechnics and Institutes of Technology is not the answer. ...

Labour Blog

2 days ago
Release: National buries 1019 planned homes

It’s been revealed that National has cancelled 60 percent of its housing projects planned before mid-2025 amidst housing woes. ...

Labour Blog

2 days ago
Release: Rule-Czar bill a right-wing power grab

The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...

Labour Blog

2 days ago
Release: Why not both? Luxon shuns Waitangi celebrations

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is running away from problems of his own creation, with his decision not to go to Waitangi. ...

Labour Blog

3 days ago
Govt’s ‘free speech’ legislation stokes fear, not freedom

The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...

Greens

3 days ago
Release: Nicola Willis spirals country deeper into recession

The economy shrank 1% this quarter and New Zealand has tumbled into the depths of a recession of Nicola Willis’ making. ...

Labour Blog

3 days ago
Release: Hikes for company directors but not ordinary Kiwis

Working people are going backwards while company directors are being given huge pay hikes. ...

Labour Blog

4 days ago
ECE no place to cut corners

The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...

Greens

4 days ago
Release: Strengthening Justice Services for New Zealanders

A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...

Labour Blog

4 days ago
Release: Labour will continue fight against destructive projects

Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...

Labour Blog

5 days ago
Green Government will revoke dodgy fast-track projects

The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...

Greens

5 days ago
Government for the wealthy keeps pushing austerity

The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...

Greens

5 days ago
Release: Visa changes let migrant workers be paid less

The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...

Labour Blog

5 days ago
Release: Nightmare before Christmas for Nicola Willis

With more debt and a larger deficit, Nicola Willis’ reputation is in tatters after her failure to return the Government’s books to surplus. ...

Labour Blog

5 days ago
Warning to Fast-Track Applicants – ‘Exploit the Whenua, Face the Consequences’

Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...

Māori Party

5 days ago
Release: Govt cuts wages for lowest paid NZers… again

For the second year running, the government has effectively cut wages for the lowest paid workers in New Zealand. ...

Labour Blog

5 days ago
Govt’s miserly 1.5% minimum wage will take workers backwards

The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...

Greens

5 days ago
Release: Govt shirking responsibility for rate hikes

All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...

Labour Blog

6 days ago
Luxon’s ‘localism’ strikes again

The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...

Greens

6 days ago
Release: Govt breaks promise on EV chargers

The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...

Labour Blog

6 days ago
Greens call for end to subsidies for Methanex

The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...

Greens

6 days ago
Govt child poverty targets allow for increase in poverty

The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...

Greens

1 week ago
Release: Four weeks annual leave under threat

The Government’s attack on workers continues with news it is scrapping work on the Holidays Act. ...

Labour Blog

1 week ago
Govt’s emissions plan for measly 1% reduction

New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...

Greens

1 week ago
Greens stand in solidarity with Whakaata Māori on sad day

The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...

Greens

1 week ago
Sanctions regime to create more hardship for families

Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...

Greens

1 week ago
Govt gifts renters housing anxiety for Christmas

Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...

Greens

1 week ago
Release: National Party urged to support modern slavery legislation

Labour is urging the Prime Minister to walk the talk and support legislation combating modern slavery. ...

Labour Blog

2 weeks ago
Release: Labour has lost confidence in the Speaker

The Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament made an unprecedented decision on the government amendment to the Fast Track Approvals Bill last night. ...

Labour Blog

2 weeks ago
One year on, still no progress on new ferries

Today’s announcement from the Government on its plan for new ferries throws more uncertainty on the future of the country’s rail network. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Release: Nicola Willis’ smaller ferries will cost more

After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...

Labour Blog

2 weeks ago
Bill to sanction unlawful occupation of Palestine

Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Release: Labour fully supports greyhound racing ban

The Government has done the right thing in moving to ban greyhound racing. ...

Labour Blog

2 weeks ago
Greyhound racing industry ban marks new era for animal welfare

After years of advocacy, the Green Party is very happy to hear the Government has listened to our collective voices and announced the closure of the greyhound racing industry, by 1 August 2026. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Rangatahi voices must be centred in Government’s Relationship and Sexuality Education refresh

In response to a new report from ERO, the Government has acknowledged the urgent need for consistency across the curriculum for Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Govt introduces archaic anti-worker legislation

The Green Party is appalled at the Government introducing legislation that will make it easier to penalise workers fighting for better pay and conditions. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Winston Peters – Kinleith Mill Speech

Thank you for the invitation to speak with you tonight on behalf of the political party I belong to - which is New Zealand First. As we have heard before this evening the Kinleith Mill is proposing to reduce operations by focusing on pulp and discontinuing “lossmaking paper production”. They say that they are currently consulting on the plan to permanently shut ...

NZ First Press Release

2 weeks ago
Swarbrick calls on Auckland Mayor to end delay of revival of St James Theatre

Auckland Central MP, Chlöe Swarbrick, has written to Mayor Wayne Brown requesting he stop the unnecessary delays on St James Theatre’s restoration. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
He Ara Anamata: Greens launch Emissions Reduction Plan

Today, the Green Party of Aotearoa proudly unveils its new Emissions Reduction Plan–He Ara Anamata–a blueprint reimagining our collective future. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago

Internationally-trained doctors jump at chance to boost health workforce

Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Health New Zealand will move swiftly to support dozens of internationally-trained doctors already in New Zealand on their journey to employment here, after a tripling of sought-after examination places. “The Medical Council has delivered great news for hardworking overseas doctors who want to contribute ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

11 hours ago
PM appoints business leader to APEC Business Advisory Council

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has appointed Sarah Ottrey to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). “At my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,” Mr Luxon says. “New Zealand’s ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
New intelligence oversight appointments

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced four appointments to New Zealand’s intelligence oversight functions. The Honourable Robert Dobson KC has been appointed Chief Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, and the Honourable Brendan Brown KC has been appointed as a Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants. The appointments of Hon Robert Dobson and Hon ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
New housing developments able to progress more quickly

Improvements in the average time it takes to process survey and title applications means housing developments can progress more quickly, Minister for Land Information Chris Penk says. “The government is resolutely focused on improving the building and construction pipeline,” Mr Penk says. “Applications to issue titles and subdivide land are ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Actions to speed up air travel delivering results

The Government’s measures to reduce airport wait times, and better transparency around flight disruptions is delivering encouraging early results for passengers ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Improving the efficiency of air travel is a priority for the Government to give passengers a smoother, more reliable ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Ending contracted emergency housing in Rotorua

The Government today announced the intended closure of the Apollo Hotel as Contracted Emergency Housing (CEH) in Rotorua, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. This follows a 30 per cent reduction in the number of households in CEH in Rotorua since National came into Government. “Our focus is on ending CEH in the Whakarewarewa area starting ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Vocational education and training decisions support return to regions

The Government will reshape vocational education and training to return decision making to regions and enable greater industry input into work-based learning Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds says. “The redesigned system will better meet the needs of learners, industry, and the economy. It includes re-establishing regional polytechnics that ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Reducing the environmental impact of synthetic refrigerants

The Government is taking action to better manage synthetic refrigerants and reduce emissions caused by greenhouse gases found in heating and cooling products, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Regulations will be drafted to support a product stewardship scheme for synthetic refrigerants, Ms. Simmonds says. “Synthetic refrigerants are found in a ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Ngāruawāhia section of Waikato Expressway back to 4 lanes for Christmas

People travelling on State Highway 1 north of Hamilton will be relieved that remedial works and safety improvements on the Ngāruawāhia section of the Waikato Expressway were finished today, with all lanes now open to traffic, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“I would like to acknowledge the patience of road users ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Appointments to the ENZ board

Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds, has announced a new appointment to the board of Education New Zealand (ENZ). Dr Erik Lithander has been appointed as a new member of the ENZ board for a three-year term until 30 January 2028. “I would like to welcome Dr Erik Lithander to the ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Government to celebrate Waitangi Day around NZ

The Government will have senior representatives at Waitangi Day events around the country, including at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, but next year Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has chosen to take part in celebrations elsewhere. “It has always been my intention to celebrate Waitangi Day around the country with different ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
More gangs added to Gangs Act list

Two more criminal gangs will be subject to the raft of laws passed by the Coalition Government that give Police more powers to disrupt gang activity, and the intimidation they impose in our communities, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. Following an Order passed by Cabinet, from 3 February 2025 the ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Judicial appointment announced

Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Justice Christian Whata as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Whata’s appointment as a Judge of the Court of Appeal will take effect on 1 August 2025 and fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Hon Justice David Goddard on ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
GDP data highlights importance of growth

The latest economic figures highlight the importance of the steps the Government has taken to restore respect for taxpayers’ money and drive economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Data released today by Stats NZ shows Gross Domestic Product fell 1 per cent in the September quarter. “Treasury and most ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Strengthening Free Speech in Universities

Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Minister of Education David Seymour today announced legislation changes to strengthen freedom of speech obligations on universities. “Freedom of speech is fundamental to the concept of academic freedom and there is concern that universities seem to be taking a more risk-averse ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Launch of Emergency Cellular Priority Service

Police Minister, Mark Mitchell, and Internal Affairs Minister, Brooke van Velden, today launched a further Public Safety Network cellular service that alongside last year’s Cellular Roaming roll-out, puts globally-leading cellular communications capability into the hands of our emergency responders. The Public Safety Network’s new Cellular Priority service means Police, Wellington ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Minister reopens Mangamuka Gorge

State Highway 1 through the Mangamuka Gorge has officially reopened today, providing a critical link for Northlanders and offering much-needed relief ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“The Mangamuka Gorge is a vital route for Northland, carrying around 1,300 vehicles per day and connecting the Far ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Funding confirmed for second Ashburton Bridge

The Government has welcomed decisions by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) and Ashburton District Council confirming funding to boost resilience in the Canterbury region, with construction on a second Ashburton Bridge expected to begin in 2026, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering a second Ashburton Bridge to improve resilience and ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Government boosts support for avian influenza response

The Government is backing the response into high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Otago, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says. “Cabinet has approved new funding of $20 million to enable MPI to meet unbudgeted ongoing expenses associated with the H7N6 response including rigorous scientific testing of samples at the enhanced PC3 ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Levelling the playing field for media advertising

Legislation that will repeal all advertising restrictions for broadcasters on Sundays and public holidays has passed through first reading in Parliament today, Media Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “As a growing share of audiences get their news and entertainment from streaming services, these restrictions have become increasingly redundant. New Zealand on ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Inspector-General of Defence appointed

Today the House agreed to Brendan Horsley being appointed Inspector-General of Defence, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Mr Horsley’s experience will be invaluable in overseeing the establishment of the new office and its support networks. “He is currently Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, having held that role since June 2020. ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Fire and Emergency New Zealand final levy rates confirmed

Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to the final regulations for the levy on insurance contracts that will fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand from July 2026. “Earlier this year the Government agreed to a 2.2 percent increase to the rate of levy. Fire ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
More AML relief on the way for Kiwi businesses

The Government is delivering regulatory relief for New Zealand businesses through changes to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act. “The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill, which was introduced today, is the second Bill – the other being the Statutes Amendment Bill - that ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Hawke’s Bay Expressway moving at pace

Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed further progress on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS), with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board approving funding for the detailed design of Stage 1, paving the way for main works construction to begin in late 2025.“The Government is moving at ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Government seeks partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned-land

The Government today released a request for information (RFI) to seeking interest in partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned land with low farming and conservation value (excluding National Parks) Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced. “Planting trees on Crown-owned land will drive economic growth by creating more forestry jobs in our regions, providing more wood ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Wide ranging legislation to make justice system more efficient

Court timeliness, access to justice, and improving the quality of existing regulation are the focus of a series of law changes introduced to Parliament today by Associate Minister of Justice Nicole McKee. The three Bills in the Regulatory Systems (Justice) Amendment Bill package each improve a different part of the ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Diverse skills in community trust appointments

A total of 41 appointments and reappointments have been made to the 12 community trusts around New Zealand that serve their regions, Associate Finance Minister Shane Jones says. “These trusts, and the communities they serve from the Far North to the deep south, will benefit from the rich experience, knowledge, ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Torture redress for survivors of the Lake Alice Unit

The Government has confirmed how it will provide redress to survivors who were tortured at the Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital Child and Adolescent Unit (the Lake Alice Unit). “The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care found that many of the 362 children who went through the Lake Alice Unit between 1972 and ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
A busy year in the House

It has been a busy, productive year in the House as the coalition Government works hard to get New Zealand back on track, Leader of the House Chris Bishop says. “This Government promised to rebuild the economy, restore law and order and reduce the cost of living. Our record this ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Consultation opens on working with engineered stone

“Accelerated silicosis is an emerging occupational disease caused by unsafe work such as engineered stone benchtops. I am running a standalone consultation on engineered stone to understand what the industry is currently doing to manage the risks, and whether further regulatory intervention is needed,” says Workplace Relations and Safety Minister ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Greater reporting on Treaty settlement commitments

Mehemea he pai mō te tangata, mahia – if it’s good for the people, get on with it. Enhanced reporting on the public sector’s delivery of Treaty settlement commitments will help improve outcomes for Māori and all New Zealanders, Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka says. Compiled together for the ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
New appointments to the Charities Registration Board

Mr Roger Holmes Miller and Ms Tarita Hutchinson have been appointed to the Charities Registration Board, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Louise Upston says. “I would like to welcome the new members joining the Charities Registration Board. “The appointment of Ms Hutchinson and Mr Miller will strengthen the Board’s capacity ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Building consent processing times improve

More building consent and code compliance applications are being processed within the statutory timeframe since the Government required councils to submit quarterly data, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “In the midst of a housing shortage we need to look at every step of the build process for efficiencies ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

5 days ago
Faster access to support through Innovation Fund

Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey is proud to announce the first three recipients of the Government’s $10 million Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund which will enable more Kiwis faster access to mental health and addiction support. “This fund is part of the Government’s commitment to investing in ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

5 days ago
New Zealand to assist Vanuatu on earthquake response

New Zealand is providing Vanuatu assistance following yesterday's devastating earthquake, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. "Vanuatu is a member of our Pacific family and we are supporting it in this time of acute need," Mr Peters says. "Our thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu, and we will be ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

5 days ago
Government takes steps to reduce card fees for Kiwis

The Government welcomes the Commerce Commission’s plan to reduce card fees for Kiwis by an estimated $260 million a year, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.“The Government is relentlessly focused on reducing the cost of living, so Kiwis can keep more of their hard-earned income and live a ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

5 days ago
Review recommends ECE regulation shakeup

Regulation Minister David Seymour has welcomed the Early Childhood Education (ECE) regulatory review report, the first major report from the Ministry for Regulation. The report makes 15 recommendations to modernise and simplify regulations across ECE so services can get on with what they do best – providing safe, high-quality care ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

5 days ago
Offshore Renewable Energy Bill passes first reading

The Government‘s Offshore Renewable Energy Bill to create a new regulatory regime that will enable firms to construct offshore wind generation has passed its first reading in Parliament, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says.“New Zealand currently does not have a regulatory regime for offshore renewable energy as the previous government failed ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

5 days ago
Local Government (Water Services) Bill passes first reading

Legislation to enable new water service delivery models that will drive critical investment in infrastructure has passed its first reading in Parliament, marking a significant step towards the delivery of Local Water Done Well, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly say.“Councils and voters ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

5 days ago
Gene Technology Bill passes first reading

New Zealand is one step closer to reaping the benefits of gene technology with the passing of the first reading of the Gene Technology Bill, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins says. "This legislation will end New Zealand's near 30-year ban on gene technology outside the lab and is ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

5 days ago

Signs of the hīkoi: More than just ‘words on cardboard’

The placards seen at the Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti conveyed "huge kōrero with immediacy", expert says: "People know the power of the word." ...

Radio NZ – political

7 hours ago
A final Ode to .. King Luxon

Cosmic CatastropheThe year draws to a close.King Luxon has grown tired of the long eveningsListening to the dreary squabbling of his Triumvirate.He strolls up to the top floor of the PalaceTo consult with his Astronomer Royal.The Royal Telescope scans the skies,And King Luxon stares up into the heavensFrom the terrestrial ...

NewsroomBy Victor Billot

14 hours ago
A hater and an enthusiast review The Royal Free by Carl Shuker

Spinoff editor Mad Chapman and books editor Claire Mabey debate Carl Shuker’s new novel about… an editor. Claire: Hello Mad, you just finished The Royal Free – overall impressions? Mad: Hi Claire, I literally just put the book down and I would have to say my immediate impression is ...

The SpinoffBy Claire Mabey

16 hours ago
Survive to 25 (December, that is)

Christmas and its buildup are often lonely, hard and full of unreasonable expectations. Here’s how to make it to Jesus’s birthday and find the little bit of joy we all deserve. Have you found this year relentless? Has the latest Apple update “fucked up your life”? Have you lost two ...

The SpinoffBy Anna Rawhiti-Connell

16 hours ago
All I want for Christmas is modern day slavery legislation

Despite overwhelming public and corporate support, the government has stalled progress on a modern day slavery law. That puts us behind other countries – and makes Christmas a time of tragedy rather than joy, argues Shanti Mathias. Picture the scene on Christmas Day. Everyone replete with nice things to eat, ...

The SpinoffBy Shanti Mathias

16 hours ago
Israeli-American historian describes attacks on Gaza as ‘war of annihilation’

Asia Pacific Report “It looks like Hiroshima. It looks like Germany at the end of World War Two,” says an Israeli-American historian and professor of holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University about the horrifying reality of Gaza. Professor Omer Bartov, has described Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza as an ...

Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report

19 hours ago
NZ govt plans to make ‘heavy handed’ change to free speech rules for universities

The New Zealand government coalition is tweaking university regulations to curb what it says is an increasingly “risk-averse approach” to free speech. The proposed changes will set clear expectations on how universities should approach freedom of speech issues. Each university will then have to adopt a “freedom of speech statement” ...

Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report

19 hours ago
Caitlin Johnstone: Where does the aggression really begin?

Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – COMMENTARY: By Caitlin Johnstone New York prosecutors have charged Luigi Mangione with “murder as an act of terrorism” in his alleged shooting of health insurance CEO Brian Thompson earlier this month. This news comes out at the same time as ...

Evening ReportBy David Robie

22 hours ago
OECD Report Highlights That More Is Needed

This report reflects that gap in our dealings overseas, and it shows that legislators, the public sector and businesses need to walk the talk. ...

Scoop politics

1 day ago
Government quietly scraps waste minimisation policies

The government has quietly cancelled plans to improve recycling and roll out a kerbside food scraps composting scheme. ...

Radio NZ – political

1 day ago
MEAA welcomes News MAP funding ‘leg up’ for Australian journalism

Pacific Media Watch The union for Australian journalists has welcomed the delivery by the federal government of more than $150 million to support the sustainability of public interest journalism over the next four years. Combined with the announcement of the revamped News Bargaining Initiative, this could result in up to ...

Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report

1 day ago
Transmission Gully partnership breakdown will not hurt future public-private partnerships, Infrastru...

The roads partnership unravelled under a confidential settlement this week, meaning NZTA will now finish off what it had said was incomplete work. ...

Radio NZ – political

2 days ago
Funding cuts to charity particularly felt over Christmas period

The number of people seeking help from Lifeline is expected to increase by 10 to 20 percent over Christmas. ...

Radio NZ – political

2 days ago
Nelson Hospital conditions ‘unbearable’ – staff

One worker says the building is decrepit and falling down around them. ...

Radio NZ – political

2 days ago
The Secret Diary of .. Luxon at Xmas

MONDAY“Merry Xmas, and praise the Lord,” said Sheriff Luxon, and smiled for the camera. There was a flash of smoke when the shutter pressed down on the magnesium powder. The sheriff had arranged for a photographer from the Dodge Gazette to attend a ceremony where he handed out food parcels to ...

NewsroomBy Steve Braunias

2 days ago
Stand by for cricket’s Smash Palace

It’s a little under two months since the White Ferns shocked the cricketing world, deservedly taking home the T20 World Cup. Since then the trophy has had a tour around the country, five of the squad have played in the WBBL in Australia while most others have returned to domestic ...

NewsroomBy Aiden McLaughlin

2 days ago
Early-onset dementia under the microscope

Comment: If we say the word ‘dementia’, many will picture an older person struggling to remember the names of their loved ones, maybe a grandparent living out their final years in an aged care facility. Dementia can also occur in people younger than 65, but it can take time before ...

NewsroomBy Shruti Sharma and Dr Brigid Ryan

2 days ago
Keeping the pirates at bay: Should the Australian ‘Blocking Order’ case prompt a discussion in N...

Piracy is a reality of modern life – but copyright law has struggled to play catch-up for as long as the entertainment industry has existed. As far back as 1988, the House of Lords criticised copyright law’s conflict with the reality of human behaviour in the context of burning cassette ...

NewsroomBy Tania Goatley and Oscar Zambuto

2 days ago
‘We were as famous as Tom Cruise’: Craig Parker on 90s Shortland St fandom

As he makes a surprise return to Shortland Street, actor Craig Parker takes us through his life in television. Craig Parker has been a fixture on television in Aotearoa for nearly four decades. He had starring roles in iconic local series like Gloss, Mercy Peak and Diplomatic Immunity, featured in ...

The SpinoffBy My Life in TV

2 days ago
‘I prioritise the mission, not my health’: Adam McGrath’s perfect weekend playlist

The Ōtautahi musician shares the 10 tracks he loves to spin, including the folk classic that cured him of a ‘case of the give-ups’. When singer-songwriter Adam McGrath returns to Kumeu’s Auckland Folk Festival from January 24-27, he’s not planning on simply idling his way through – he wants the late ...

The SpinoffBy Weekend playlist

2 days ago
The rescue dog bringing joy to Christchurch retirement homes

Alex Casey spends an afternoon on the job with River, the rescue dog on a mission to spread joy to Ōtautahi rest homes. Almost everyone says it is never enough time. But River the rescue dog, a jet black huntaway border collie cross, has to keep a tight pace to ...

The SpinoffBy Alex Casey

2 days ago
Fiji pro-Palestine nativity scene exposes Gaza as ‘hell on earth’ at Christmas

Asia Pacific Report Fiji activists have recreated the nativity scene at a solidarity for Palestine gathering in Fiji’s capital Suva just days before Christmas. The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre and Fijians for Palestine Solidarity Network recreated the scene at the FWCC compound — a baby Jesus figurine lies amidst the ...

Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report

2 days ago
Vanuatu quake: ‘Our shop was flattened like a deck of cards’

By 1News Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver and 1News reporters A number of Kiwis have been successfully evacuated from Vanuatu after a devastating earthquake shook the Pacific island nation earlier this week. The death toll was still unclear, though at least 14 people were killed according to an earlier statement from ...

Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report

2 days ago
How diplomats have broken the law in NZ – and what happened next

A handful of foreign diplomats have misbehaved during their time here - and not all of them have been brought to justice. ...

Radio NZ – political

2 days ago
Swim schools report sinking enrolments as downturn deepens

Being able to swim is often considered a life skill, but tough economic times are forcing many families to pull their children out of lessons. ...

Radio NZ – political

2 days ago
‘There will be deaths because of this’ – Warning over Health NZ IT cuts

A West Coast IT worker is warning patients will die as Health New Zealand aims to slash its data and digital staff. ...

Radio NZ – political

2 days ago
Polytech sales possible but unlikely when Te Pūkenga disestablished – minister

In a surprise move, the sale of polytechnics will be on the table when the national institute of technology Te Pūkenga is disestablished. ...

Radio NZ – political

2 days ago
Parliament’s final sitting day an insight into party factions

On Parliament's last day of the year, there was a rare glimpse of the factions within the major parties. ...

Radio NZ – political

2 days ago
Former Labour MP, North Shore mayor Ann Hartley dies

Former Labour MP and mayor of Auckland's North Shore City Ann Hartley has died. ...

Radio NZ – political

2 days ago
The closest thing Australian cartooning had to a prophet: the sometimes celebrated, sometimes contro...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Scully, Professor in Modern History, University of New England Bunker. Image courtesy of Michael Leunig, CC BY-NC-SA Michael Leunig – who died in the early hours of Thursday December 19, surrounded by “his children, loved ones, and sunflowers” – was the ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

2 days ago
Labour moves Speaker from the ‘nice’ to ‘naughty’ list

Last week's fights with the Speaker over the Fast Track schedule may have changed the tone in Parliament. ...

Radio NZ – political

2 days ago
Govt ends pilot programme for Māori and Pacific, sparking outrage

The Government announced the end of the programme that allowed Māori and Pacific people to acess bowel cancer screening at 50-years-old. ...

Radio NZ – political

2 days ago
Parliament fits an extra morning into final sitting day

The House - On Parliament's last day of the year, there was the rare occurrence of a personal (conscience) vote on selling booze over the Easter weekend. While it didn't have the numbers to pass, it was a chance to get a rare glimpse of the fact ...

Radio NZ – political

2 days ago
The Friday Poem: ‘Bejeweled log’ by Holly Fletcher

A new poem by Holly Fletcher. bejeweled log i was dreaming about wasps / wee darlings that followed me / ducking under objects / that i was fated to pickup / my fingers seeking / and meeting with tiny proboscis’s / but instead / i wake up / roll sideways ...

The SpinoffBy Holly Fletcher

2 days ago
Sunglasses don’t just look good – they’re good for you too. Here’s how to choose the right p...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flora Hui, Research Fellow, Centre for Eye Research Australia and Honorary Fellow, Department of Surgery (Ophthalmology), The University of Melbourne Versta/Shutterstock Australians are exposed to some of the highest levels of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the world. While we ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

2 days ago
How does franchising work?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Terry, Professor of Business Regulation, University of Sydney Michael von Aichberger/Shutterstock Even if you’ve no idea how the business model underpinning franchises works, there’s a good chance you’ve spent money at one. Franchising is essentially a strategy for cloning ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

2 days ago
The one episode of Shortland Street you need to watch this year

If something big is going to happen in Ferndale, it’s going to happen at Christmas. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If there’s one episode of Shortland Street you should watch each year, it’s the annual Christmas cliffhanger. The final episode of ...

The SpinoffBy Tara Ward

2 days ago
As China expands its cyber espionage and sabotage operations, how will the Trump administration resp...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William A. Stoltz, Lecturer and expert Associate, National Security College, Australian National University US President-elect Donald Trump has named most of the members of his proposed cabinet. However, he’s yet to reveal key appointees to America’s powerful cyber warfare and intelligence institutions. ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

2 days ago
The Unity Books bestseller chart for 2024

Announcing the top 10 books of the the year at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Intermezzo by Sally Rooney (Faber & Faber, $37) The phenomenal Irish writer is the unsurprising chart topper for 2024 with her fourth novel that, much like her first ...

The SpinoffBy The Spinoff Review of Books

2 days ago
Government confirms plan to dismantle Te Pūkenga, re-establish polytechs

The government has confirmed its plan to break up Te Pūkenga / New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology and re-establish independent polytechnics. ...

Radio NZ – political

2 days ago

Why the Pakeha Party is great news for the Left

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