I am perturbed by what seems to be indirect advertising for National in two TV adverts.
I could be wrong on the first, which starts with an image of the current Labour election logo
then shows images of 60’s era drinkers before morphing to an image of someone who started a new brew.
The second shows images of someone carrying another man around. It seems to be an advertisment for a bank, but the visceral message is one of liberal individualism and lack of concern for others.
It would be consistent with laying the ground for swingeing ‘welfare reforms’ early in the next term.
Having met some members of the Auckland advertising fraternity, I am not surprised.
Just the usual Brighter future with John Key and National. Now is it me ? or does it look like John Key has put himself ahead of everything the Nats hold dear?
It was worse than that before Jim Anderton officially complained to the Broadcastingcompaints Commision about the inaccuracy of that add and made them change it – I think they cut some parts out of it.
Indeed they did, Akldnut. They reworded it to make it marginally more historically accurate and removed the direct anti-Labour party smear. But it is still weak as weasel’s piss, particularly as the vast majority of beer sold by DB was, and is, DB Draught. And most workers would have drunk jugs in the pub and filled up flagons to take home with them, rather than purchase bottles anyway.
The media seem to be swinging in behind ACT as they realise their plan for Key to govern alone might be too much of a stretch, so they want to place our fate in the hands of two genuine, gold-plated whack-jobs, Brash and Banks.
Yes Tom. The amazing repetition of the drink of tea campaign and the value that they reckon it will give Key is a MSM strategy of Plan B. Including Radio National.
There must be someone out there who can publicly release the story. It does have a political as well as a personal side to it. It stinks that the hypocritical pratt is being allowed to get away with it. I don’t remember the media having much by way of ‘scruples’ in the nine years of the Labour government!
Interesting how National and ACT can get away with little “nudge, nudge, wink, wink” deals and everything is hunky dory.
But Jim Andertlon – who is retiring – writes a letter openly endorsing Labour candidates Megan Woods – and the Electoral Commission and Police accept a complaint from Cameron Slater?!?!
More curious is that CERA has spent over a hundred thousand taxpayers dollars on a big, glossy pamphlet promoting Gerry Brownlee and delivering it to every letterbox in Christchurch, right in the middle of a general election campaign? This stinks to high heaven. Brownlee’s people micro-manage the hoards of PR flunkies at CERA, so the idea they and he had no idea is just fantasy. But they will get away with it. No news here, right?
I would hardly call the Epsom deal a “nudge, nudge, wink, wink” affair. It is about as obvious as you can get!
The Anderton situation is simply a case of not having a promoter statement on a letter/ad as required by law. Sloppy practice – it would have been fine with those few words printed at the end – but a few people have been caught out by this.
No it isn’t. As obvious as you can get would be if National ran away from their voters in Epsom and dropped their candidate off the ballot paper.
However I think that they have lost the opportunity to do that. We must be past the point where the candidate can be withdrawn from the ballot paper – I think that they are either printed or sent for printing now.
I think early voting has started too, so I expect it’s way too late to get off the ballot. But where’s the fun in that anyway? More entertaining to sit back and see if a trainwreck eventuates 🙂
I remember an anecdote about a reverse situation in council elections in Auckland in the thirties, where the Labour Party belatedly agreed to join a united front campaign to oust the Tories from control of the various local councils. In one area the leaflets had already been printed, so a gold coloured sticker was printed with the names of the two extra united front candidates and added to the literature before it was sent out.
The result was that the voters reading the pamphlet assumed that the latter two names in gold were the preferred candidates and they bolted in. Possibly the only time the Communist Party of NZ ever won a popular mandate!
John Key’s ‘brand’ that John Banks wants to endorse?
‘SHONKY’.
By having a ‘cuppa’ with, (doing a deal with ) in my considered opinion, someone yet to be charged or convicted ‘white collar’ criminal John Banks – who wants to help run the country, but arguably couldn’t properly run Huljich Wealth Mangement (NZ) Ltd Kiwisaver schemes?
Same with Don Brash?
Is John Key by effectively endorsing John Banks as the electorate candidate for National Party voters to support in Epsom – is John Key equally endorsing John Banks and Don Brash’s commercial competence as former Directors of Huljich Wealth Management (NZ) Ltd?
Is John Key effectively confirming that he does not support ‘ONE LAW FOR ALL’ and for the same charges to be equally laid against John Banks and Don Brash as were laid against former fellow Director of Huljich Wealth Management (NZ) Ltd – Peter Huljich?
It has been confirmed this morning that the FMA will not apply ‘ONE LAW FOR ALL’ and equally charge Don Brash or John Banks as former Directors of Huljich Wealth Management (NZ) Ltd, as was charged fellow former Director Peter Huljich.
So – how ‘fit for duty’ is FMA CEO Sean Hughes?
Who picked him?
Oh yes – the FMA ‘Establishment Board’ – made up of National Party appointees, hand-picked by NATIONAL Commerce/Justice Minister – Simon Power?
The same NATIONAL Commerce/Justice Minister Simon Power, who is going through the ‘revolving door’ and coming out to head Westpac Private Bank?
So – someone chosen by hand-picked National Party appointees, is not going to lift a finger against the former Leader of the National Party – Don Brash, or former National Party Minister of Police, and Local Government – John Banks?
I guess – no surprises there………….
So -if the FMA are arguably not going to do their job – what’s next?
Watch this space…………………..
All this happening here in ‘clean, green, 100% pure New Zealand’ – perceived to be the least corrupt country in the world, (along with Denmark and Singapore – according to the 2010 Transparency International ‘Corruption Perception Index’.)
Yeah right.
Penny Bright
Independent Candidate for Epsom.
Camapigning against ‘white collar’ CRIME, corruption (and its root cause – PRIVATISATION) and ‘corporate welfare’. [email deleted]
I know two liberal Nats who refuse to vote for Banks or ACT on principle, so will be voting tactically for Goldsmith to keep him out. There will probably be Tory drones who’ll do as Dear Leader commands, but then there’s the rest of that diverse electorate. Watch this space…
Craig, if Labour and Greens voters in Epsom gave their electorate vote to Goldsmith *cough, cough*, that might help keep these rogues out of Parliament.
In the last election, the following candidates received these numbers of Electorate Votes,
(A) Rodney Hide – 21,102
(N) Richard Worth – 8,220
(L) Kate Sutton – 5,112
(G) Keith Locke – 2,787
Add the numbers from Green and Labour voters, to really pissed-off National supporters, and the “cunning plan” of Brash and Key may yet be undone.
In 2005 we could have easily chucked out ACT, but too many Labour/Green supporters couldn’t bring themselves to vote for Worth. It’s the lessor of two evils principle, just do it!
Goldsmith or Banks – choose one. There is no other choice.
2005 election
(A) Rodney Hide – 15251
(N) Richard Worth – 12149
(L) Stuart Nash – 6138
(G) Keith Locke – 1513
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Hon Ron Mark, Minister of DefenceTērā te haeata takiri ana mai i runga o Pukaha!Ara tai uru, whai uru, whai uru!Ara whai ato, whai ato, whai ato!Ara rā tini, ara rā tini, ara ri!The rays of the morning sun strike a new dawn upon Pukaha ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced today the appointment of diplomat Sarah Lee as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to South Africa. She will be the first female Head of Mission to represent New Zealand in Africa. “New Zealand’s relationship with South ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones wants to create a log barging facility at Hicks Bay and turn the area into a Special Economic Zone. The move would be part of protecting New Zealand's forests from being depleted by India and China, he said. It follows his announcement last week to strengthen ...
New Zealand First supports the changes recommended by the Winter Grazing Taskforce to improve animal welfare outcomes through the winter months, and the establishment of a pan-sector action group to implement them. New Zealand First Primary Industries Spokesperson Mark Patterson says the report highlights areas of concern about the animal ...
Former prime ministers Helen Clark and Sir John Key, formerly from the Labour and National parties respectively, have joined forces in support of New Zealand First’s plan to relocate Auckland's port to Whangārei. While Ms Clark and Sir John spent their political careers on opposite sides of the political divide, ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is in Japan for the Foreign Ministers' meeting of the G20 grouping of countries as one of nine "invited" countries. He has used the opportunity to cast a spotlight on the plight of Pacific countries, calling out countries which still offered subsidies or Government assistance to ...
The days of vulnerable consumers falling victim to loan sharks, truck shops and other predatory lenders are numbered, following the Credit Contracts Legislation Amendment Bill passing its third reading tonight. “Too many Kiwis are being given loans that are unaffordable and unsuitable, trapping them in debt and leaving their families ...
A Bill that prevents terrorism and supports the de-radicalisation of New Zealanders returning from overseas has passed its third reading, Justice Minister Andrew Little says. The Terrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill is a carefully targeted response to manage the risk posed by a small number of New Zealanders who have ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio will travel to Samoa on Friday, where New Zealand medical teams are helping Samoa respond to an outbreak of measles. “New Zealand has been working closely with the Government of Samoa and offering our assistance from the ...
The Government has changed the law to improve student safety and welfare in university halls of residence and other student accommodation. The Education (Pastoral Care) Amendment Bill passed its third reading this afternoon and details of an interim Code of Practice setting out the Government’s expectations of tertiary providers have also been released. ...
A new tool to help councils fund and finance infrastructure could mean some housing developments happen a decade earlier than currently planned, Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford said today. “This new tool, developed by the Government in partnership with industry and high-growth councils, will allow councils to access private debt ...
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has welcomed the release of a bold new vision for the country’s vital food and fibre sector. “I’m delighted that New Zealand’s major farmer and grower organisations are today supporting the Primary Sector Council’s vision – Fit for a Better World,” he said. “The international consumers ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has congratulated the Government of Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Bougainville Government for completing a well-conducted referendum on the future political status of Bougainville. “New Zealand supported the referendum process by providing technical advice through the New Zealand Electoral Commission and leading a Regional Police ...
In light of Cabinet’s position that freight operations on prime land in downtown Auckland are no longer viable, the Government will now embark on a short work programme to enable decision-making in the first half of next year, Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones says. Minister Jones is today releasing the ...
Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter has received the report back from a surgical mesh restorative justice process undertaken by Victoria University. The process heard stories, either in person or online submission, from more than 600 people affected by surgical mesh. “The report made for heart-breaking and confronting reading,” says ...
The Water Services Regulator Bill – Taumata Arowai , introduced to Parliament today, is a milestone for drinking water safety in New Zealand and will help improve environmental outcomes for urban waterways, rivers and lakes. “This is a breakthrough for New Zealanders in terms of providing safe drinking water throughout ...
Kia ora koutouE ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā matā wakaTēnā koutou katoaHaere ngā, moe maiKoutou ma ngā Rangatira Ko Anaru ahauKo au te Minita mo ngā TureHe Honore tino nui kei roto I ahau No reira tena koutou katoa Today, we are releasing two reports that are the ...
The Government is looking to turn around the long-term challenges of criminal justice by taking a new approach to break the cycle of offending to ensure there are fewer victims of crime. Justice Minister Andrew Little released two reports today, Turuki! Turuki! from Te Uepū Hāpai I te Ora, and ...
New Zealand firms expanding beyond the start-up phase are set for more support after today’s passage of the Venture Capital Fund Bill, Associate Finance Minister David Parker said. The Bill, which establishes a $300 million Venture Capital Fund, puts in place a key initiative of the Wellbeing Budget’s economic package. ...
E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā iwi, e ngā rau rangatira mā. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Señora Presidenta, Excellencies, Delegates. International action A common thread that runs through the Paris Agreement is the commitment we have made to each other to do what we can to ...
The Government is lifting capital investment to the highest level in more than 20 years as it takes the next step to future-proof New Zealand. Finance Minister Grant Robertson has announced $12 billion of new investment, with $8 billion for specific capital projects and $4 billion to be added to ...
The Government is forecast to run $12 billion worth of surpluses across the four years to 2023/24 as the economy continues to grow. The surpluses will help fund day-to-day capital requirements each year. These include fixing leaky hospitals, building new classrooms to cover population growth and take pressure off class ...
Budget 2020 will continue the Coalition Government’s focus on tackling the long-term challenges facing New Zealand while also investing to future-proof the economy. When the Government took office in 2017 it was left with crumbling infrastructure, severe underinvestment in public services, degraded rivers and lakes, a housing crisis and rising ...
The Minister responsible for the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 (te Takutai Moana Act 2011), Andrew Little has welcomed the launch of an online geospatial tool that provides data-rich, dynamic coastline maps that will significantly boost research and evidence-gathering under the Act. Te Kete Kōrero a Te ...
The Chief Victims Advisor to Government Dr Kim McGregor, QSO, has been reappointed in her role for a further two years. Dr McGregor has held the role since it was established in November 2015. She provides independent advice to government on how to improve the criminal justice system for victims. ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Civil Defence Minister Peeni Henare have today announced the deployment of a network of DART (Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunami) buoys. “New Zealand and the Pacific region are particularly vulnerable to natural disasters. It is vital we have adequate warning systems in place,” ...
DART Buoys Announcement Aotea Wharf, 9.30am 11 December 2019 Acknowledgements Acknowledgements to Minister for Civil Defence Hon Peeni Henare also here today. White Island It is with regret that this event shadows the tragic natural disaster two days ago. The volcanic eruptions on White Island have claimed 5 lives, ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has welcomed the first reading of the Racing Industry Bill in parliament today. This is the second of two Bills that have been introduced this year to revitalise New Zealand’s racing industry. “Our domestic racing industry has been in serious decline. The Government is committed to ...
Minister for Disability Issues, Carmel Sepuloni, is pleased to announce that $291,321 is to be awarded to national and local community initiatives to maintain and promote the use of New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL). “New Zealand is one of the few countries in the world where Sign Language is an ...
Minister for Veterans Ron Mark has announced today the Coalition Government’s initial response to work completed by the independent statutory body, the Veterans’ Advisory Board. “When Professor Ron Paterson completed his review of the Veterans’ Support Act in 2018, he made a number of recommendations, including one which I referred ...
The Government will fund the bulk of the cost of a rural water supply for the Ohakea community affected by PFAS contamination, Environment Minister David Parker announced today at a meeting of local residents. This new water scheme will provide a reliable and clean source of drinking water to the ...
I have had the opportunity to be briefed on the details of the volcanic eruption of Whakaari/White Island, off the coast of Whakatane in the Bay of Plenty. The eruption happened at 2.11pm today. It continues to be an evolving situation. We know that there were a number of tourists ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister of Civil Defence Peeni Henare have today confirmed initial Government support of $100,000 for communities affected by the severe weather that swept across the South Island and lower North Island over the weekend. The contribution will be made to Mayoral relief funds across the ...
New Zealand's High Commissioner to the Cook Islands, Tessa Temata, died in Palmerston North over the weekend, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said today. Ms Temata, 52, had recently returned to New Zealand for medical treatment. "On behalf of the Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, we extend ...
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today announced construction is underway on Wellington commuter rail upgrades which will mean more frequent services and fewer breakdowns. The upgrades include converting the Trentham to Upper Hutt single track section to a double track, with a new signalling system, upgraded stations and level crossings, and ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark and Minister for Climate Change James Shaw have announced the release of a Defence Climate Change Implementation Work Plan, titled Responding to the Climate Crisis: An Implementation Plan. The plan sets out a series of recommendations based on the 2018 New Zealand Defence Assessment, The ...
A medium-scale adverse event has been declared for the South Canterbury district, which will see up to $50,000 in funding made available to support farming communities which have been significantly affected by recent heavy rain and flooding in the area, says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. “Two weeks of solid rain ...
Thank you Professor Juliet Gerrard and your team for the comprehensive and extremely helpful report and recommendations. Thank you too to all the stakeholders and interested parties who have contributed ideas and thinking to it. “Making best practice, standard practice” is a great framework for change and the action plan ...
The Government will phase out more single-use plastics following the success of its single-use plastic bag ban earlier this year and the release today of a pivotal report for dealing with waste. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has welcomed the Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealandreport, released by her Chief Science Advisor ...
International education continues to thrive as the Government focuses on quality over quantity, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. The tuition revenue from international education increased to $1.16 billion last year with the average tuition fee per student increasing by $960. The total number of international students enrolled in New Zealand ...
I want to talk about one of the most pressing issues in our national life: the housing crisis and the poor performance of our cities. The argument I want to make to you is that generations of urban land use policy have lacked a decent grounding in economics. The consequences ...
Health Minister Dr David Clark says new appointments to DHBs represent a significant changing of the guard, with 13 new chairs including four Māori chairs. Today 76 appointments have been announced to complement elected board members, as well as eight elected members appointed as either chair or deputy chair. Four ...
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Fletcher Tabuteau, is travelling to Germany, Poland, Austria, and Spain next week to bolster New Zealand’s political and trade relationships in Europe. While in Spain, Mr Tabuteau will represent New Zealand at the 14th Asia-Europe (ASEM) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Madrid. “New Zealand strongly supports ...
“I’ve spoken to Minister Faafoi, who has apologised for his poor handling of this issue,” Jacinda Ardern said. “I have confidence in Kris as a hardworking and effective Minister, but this should have been dealt with in a much clearer manner, and I’ve made my views on that very clear ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters met with Tongan Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa in Wellington today. The pair signed a Statement of Partnership setting out joint priorities for cooperation out to 2023. “We welcomed Prime Minister Tu'i'onetoa on his first visit to New Zealand as Prime Minister. Tonga ...
The Minister of Police Stuart Nash says his sympathies are with the family of a man who died after being shot by Police in Kurow. “Initial reports are that Police were called by a family member to help the man who was threatening to harm himself,” Mr Nash says. “However ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Scott Morrison is picking up that Australia’s devastating, prolonged fires are producing a soured, anti-government mood among many in the community. It may not be entirely rational for people to turn on politicians in such ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katharine Kemp, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, UNSW, and Co-Leader, ‘Data as a Source of Market Power’ Research Stream of The Allens Hub for Technology, Law and Innovation, UNSW Today, the federal government responded to the recommendations of the Australian Competition and ...
Winston Peters hopes mergers of NZME and Stuff and RNZ and TVNZ will save local journalism. Bernard Hickey argues they are more likely to again prove costly diversions. ...
The foreign affairs minister Winston Peters will be travelling to Samoa tomorrow to visit hospitals and medical teams dealing with the ongoing measles outbreak. ...
Andrew Little says the justice system is “taking wrecked lives and wrecking them just a little bit more”, but will the Govt cough up with what's needed for transformative change? ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lidia Morawska, Professor, Science and Engineering Faculty; Director, International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health (WHO CC for Air Quality and Health); Director – Australia, Australia – China Centre for Air Quality Science and Management (ACC-AQSM), Queensland University of Technology Bushfire smoke ...
Winston Peters is bemoaning how long a decision on Northport is taking, saying if you're faced with inevitability, you should act. But Cabinet ministers have put off making a call until next year. ...
A review of the ANZ Bank New Zealand's missteps over the past year has found complacency at the most senior level, leading to the departure of its long serving chief executive. ...
Dr Bryce Edwards.In his big-spending infrastructure announcement yesterday, Grant Robertson reinforced what many political commentators say about him – he’s electorally smart, but way too conservative to be a genuine leftwing minister of finance. Robertson does what is right for winning votes, but not necessarily what is in the ...
Council of Licenced Firearms Owners (COLFO) says the announcement today of three changes to the Arms Bill should be the start of a large-scale rewrite, or even eventual abandonment. ...
The failure of high-growth councils to supply enough infrastructure to support housing development has led to some serious social and economic problems, the NZ Productivity Commission states in a local government funding and financing report released today. ...
Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) says that while the Budget Policy Statement 2020 promises to extend Budget 2019’s 'Wellbeing' framework and states "reducing child poverty and improving child wellbeing" as a priority, spending plans don’t ...
The National Party's new health platform includes $50 million a year for cancer drugs, a boost to Pharmac funding and the reintroduction of National Health Targets. ...
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) is lamenting the lack of courage shown in the Productivity Commission’s Local Government Funding Report, saying that while it makes many worthy recommendations, its play-it-safe-approach relegates the report ...
Wellington 12 December 2019: The Government’s announcement to future-proof New Zealand with a $12billion investment in infrastructure is a positive sign for the country’s future. ...
19-year-old Benee’s track ‘Glitter’ is climbing international charts thanks to being given a TikTok dance. How does that work? Josie Adams explains what a TikTok dance is, and how this social media app is the new MTV.Who is Benee?Benee has had a huge 2019, with the Aucklander riding sparkling pop ...
Newsroom has asked the district court to end a defamation action by business site NBR over a news story discussing NBR and ex National MP Steven Joyce. ...
Today, at a meeting of Auckland Council’s Governing Body, councillors voted unanimously for a series of resolutions that will require greater direct involvement in resolving the ongoing dispute between unions and NZ Bus from Auckland Transport and the Minister ...
“Important policy and legislative developments have landed today which could enable a bolder, more streamlined way of delivering new infrastructure for the benefit all New Zealanders,” says Infrastructure New Zealand CEO Paul Blair. ...
The Public Service Association welcomes the announcement of a new strategic direction for the justice system, but says union members want to be properly included in designing the system they will eventually implement. ...
The success stories of people with extra struggles may not get awards and trophies, but they’re worth celebrating all the same, says Jai Breitnauer.It’s the time of year for awards assemblies and prize-givings, for clubs and teams handing out certificates and trophies. It’s traditional, as we approach Christmas and the ...
Millions of dollars worth of New Zealand fruit and grapes were at risk of rotting on the branch due to a shortage of local pickers. So a visionary group of Central Otago growers. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katherine Gibney, NHMRC early career fellow, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity The pacific island nation of Samoa has been making headlines over the past month due to a significant measles outbreak. At last count, 4,995 measles cases had been ...
Two newspaper reports illustrate the contrasting involvements of science and spiritual beliefs in the aftermath of the White Island eruption. Meanwhile several iwi have placed rāhui over their customary coastal areas. This effectively represents a customary prohibition on all maritime activities for the whole of the Eastern Bay of Plenty ...
From Middle Earth to outer space, New Zealand business has covered a lot of ground in the last 10 years. Business editor Maria Slade looks back.As the world emerged blinking from the chaos of the 2008/2009 global financial crisis, New Zealand began the 2010s in relatively good shape. We’d recovered ...
The Spinoff’s cartoonist Toby Morris chats and draws with New Zealand’s doodlers in the webseries Two Sketches. This episode, Toby is the guest of Sir Michael Hill… Jeweller.To close out the season, and potentially the series, Toby boards the super yacht of jeweller, entrepreneur, rich lister and, now, cartoonist, Michael ...
Today's release of Turuki Turuki will be welcome news for people in prison and all those working in the criminal justice system. But its most important message is that all sides need to come together. Turuki Turuki is a call for political ...
The New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says the coalition Government agrees RNZ and TVNZ need protecting at a time when media industry is in dire straights. ...
When Barbara Cox joined a football team in 1973, she was one of the first women in the country to do so. She’s still fighting for women in the sport to get the respect they deserve. Auckland women didn’t play football in 1972. Auckland women cooked and cleaned and looked after ...
Richard MacManus meets Aimee – the digital assistant with a human touch. For years we’ve been worried about robots taking our jobs, but in fact it’s “digital humans” that are increasingly joining the workforce. At least, that seems to be the case in customer service. Southern Cross Health Society, New Zealand’s ...
Election rallies ain’t what they used to be. Boris’s election eve shindig was an invitation-only event for party faithful. The location (at a smallish venue in the London Olympic park) was disclosed to attendees only on the day (presumably to head off the risk of protest).The set-up is for ...
New Zealanders waiting for hip and knee surgery and other medical procedures, and families struggling to put food on the table will be funding increased profits for banks and corporate investors following Finance Minister Grant Robertson's $12 billion ...
Business is Boring is a podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand. This week he talks to Campbell Ellison from Callaghan Innovation and Alexandra Allan, CEO of Food Bowl.One of the ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has published the 2019 ‘Public Sector CEO Rich List’ at www.taxpayers.org.nz/ceo_rich_list Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “This year taxpayers will pay $62 million in salaries for just 140 people. ...
The first step in making things fairer, for those that have experienced a miscarriage or stillbirth, got closer with the passing of the first reading of Labour MP Ginny Anderson’s Holidays Act (Bereavement Leave for Miscarriage) Amendment Bill on Tuesday. ...
All over the world, driver error and risk-taking is a leading cause of road crashes [1]. For many employees, driving is the riskiest activity they undertake at work. Organisations looking to encourage and manage safe driving behaviours will benefit ...
The greatest show to ever air on New Zealand TV screens, and arguably any screens ever, had a tenure of just three tragically short years.It was on air from March 1997 to September 1999. It had an ensemble of impossibly jazzy New Zealand children and a live studio audience. It ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Government infrastructure spending, fiscal policy Chris Trotter: Grant Robertson Spends Up Large – On The Establishment Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Politics and economics ...
Thursday, 12 December: Great South has today released a profile of Southland’s emission sources for the 2018 calendar year. It shows that agricultural-related emissions were identified to be the largest emission source for Southland, representing 69% ...
Britain votes today in an election brought on by the ongoing failure of the House of Commons to approve any of the Brexit deals put before it over the last couple of years by successive Prime Ministers, Theresa May and now Boris Johnson. Mr Johnson ...
The case for a complete relocation of Auckland’s Waitematā Harbour freight port is far from established. Nevertheless, Auckland will grow over the long term, and the freight operations need to move away from the area close to the downtown Ferry Terminal. This area should become like Sydney’s Circular Quay. The ...
Climate change crisis; - “transport emissions are a major culprit causing horrendous weather events.” At CEAC; we will watch with interest of how the transport funds will be used to improve our transport infrastructure and lower our climate change ...
Finance Minister Grant Robertson unveiled a $12 billion infrastructure spending boost that was at the top end of most short-term political expectations. ...
From unpaid teachers to match fixing to sex in a toilet, these are the news stories that outraged New Zealand in the 2010s.Paul HenryThe decade in NZ scandal started out strong thanks to TV and radio host Paul Henry (for the edification of younger readers, he was like Mike Hosking, ...
The Minister for the Environment, Hon David Parker, has this evening launched EDS’s final report on its Resource Management Law Reform Project at a function in Wellington. The project took a first-principles look at how New Zealand’s resource management ...
The power of government to order users and companies to decrypt encrypted data and devices needs stronger privacy protections and additional safeguards, according to a study published by researchers at the University of Waikato. ...
The final Cabinet meeting of the year is on Monday, but an announcement on the future of public broadcasting may not be made until next year given there's only be two of after that. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Manwaring, Senior Lecturer, Politics and Public Policy, Flinders University The cost of running the 2017 UK general election was estimated at £140 million (A$270 million). It’s likely to be higher this time. In 2017, the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats ...
National Leader Simon Bridges is accusing the Government of "screwing up the economy," after new Treasury figures revealed the books would be going into deficit next year. ...
Government unveils $12b infrastructure boost, much of it focused on roads and rail; and much awaited report on combatting foreign interference in elections delivered. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Brumm, ARC Future Fellow, Griffith University Our team has discovered a cave painting in Indonesia that is at least 44,000 years old and which may cast new light on the beginnings of modern religious culture. This ancient painting from the island ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Sweller, Emeritus Professor, UNSW This is the first of two essays exploring key theories – cognitive load theory and constructivism – underlying teaching methods used today. Explicit guidance and feedback from teachers is more effective in teaching students new content and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Hartley, Research Fellow (Housing and Homelessness) at the Centre for Social Impact, UNSW A private member’s bill, moved by Labor MP Josh Burns, recently called on the Australian government “to help build more affordable homes” in response to the growing homelessness ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Salvatore Ferraro, PhD candidate, RMIT University The board of Australia’s second-biggest bank is in for some stick at its annual general meeting today, as Westpac shareholders vent their displeasure at the scandal involving breaches of anti-money-laundering rules. But though it will be ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ayesha Scott, Senior Lecturer – Finance, Auckland University of Technology In the 12 years since New Zealand introduced the retirement fund KiwiSaver, nearly three million New Zealanders have enrolled and 30 KiwiSaver providers are now collectively managing NZ$57 billion in investments. But ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tanya Dalziell, Associate Professor, English and Literary Studies, University of Western Australia Nick Broomfield’s latest documentary, Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love tells the story of the fabled relationship between Leonard Cohen and Marianne Ihlen, which unfolded after they met on the ...
Two more victims of the Whakaari-White Island eruption have died overnight, taking the death toll to eight, with eight others believed dead on the island. ...
Two new reports both recommend fresh approaches to the way criminal justice is approached. Today, changes to the system will come into effect immediately. ...
A cup of tea and a lie 
If you want to study propagandist techniques, you are typically told to study Dictatorships. Not unfair, but what’s always been more interesting to me is so-called “democratic” countries and their broader information systems. Why? Because people opt for it, even as they decry “totalitarian regimes!”.. It’s quite an eye ...8 hours ago
Introducing legislation which shits on the public's right to know seems to have become a daily occurrence for this government. Today's example is the Infrastructure Funding and Financing Bill. The bill establishes a framework for the establishment of "special purpose vehicles" (SPVs) to hide debt from local government balance sheets ...11 hours ago
Below is the longlist of words and phrases generated in the korero phase of Public Address Word of the Year 2019, with some editorial moderation. Now it's time to vote. As you'll doubtless be able to see, you get three ranked choices. Use your power wisely. Or frivolously, whatever.As usual, ...11 hours ago
by Daphna Whitmore This week 800 unionised bus drivers in Auckland were suspended from work after they refused to collect fares as part of a campaign of industrial action. Drivers working for Auckland’s largest bus company NZ Bus are asking for more pay and better working conditions after being offered ...15 hours ago
As details emerge about what unfolded on Whakaari / White Island two days ago, my thoughts go out to all the families affected by this terrible event. My thoughts are also with the first responders who worked in perilous circumstances to assist and protect those affected. Both local and ...16 hours ago
BMG research have unleashed their final poll of the 2019 campaign:Westminster voting intention: CON: 41% (-)LAB: 32% (-)LDEM: 14% (-)GRN: 4% (-)BREX: 3% (-1)via @BMGResearch , 06 - 11 Dec Chgs. w/ 06 Dec That's a bit of a "Dunno why we bothered" sort of poll. "Phillip, I'm afraid I've been a ...17 hours ago
Grant Keeps On Trucking: Out of the $12 billion Robertson has announced for infrastructure investment, $8 billion will be allocated to specific projects, with the balance of $4 billion held in reserve. What does it say about this Government's "transformational" ambitions that 85 percent of that $8 billion is to ...18 hours ago
I love data. It’s amazing the sort of “discoveries” I can make given a data set and computer statistical package. It’s just so easy to search for relationships and test their statistical significance. Maybe relationships which ... 3 days ago
The state of the United Kingdom is fractured, torn up, shredded. The Empire is gone, it died a long time ago. And yet, the country is still tracking with a lead in favour of the ones who play to the ingrained, class-bound division for political gain. It is a disgrace ...5 days ago
It should be obvious by now but let’s be clear: The same folk who regularly traffic in disinformation, misinformation and “fake news” are also those who most strongly claim that their freedom of expression rights are being violated when moves are made to curb hate speech (as opposed to protected ...5 days ago
“Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last.” ― Martin Luther King Jr. A long and bitter court feud between former Conservative Party leader Colin Craig and Jordan Williams has been settled, with an apology and compensation from Williams. On Tuesday, Craig sent out ...1 week ago
While much of the NZ left has transitioned to postmodern and identity politics in relation to transgender ideology, there are some very good articles about that deploy Marxist methodology in relation to this subject. The one below is from the British marxist group Counterfire and appeared on their site here ...1 week ago
“America the Beautiful!”, staunch defender of democracy, freedom and… a whole lot of despotic tyrants that play nice with what is called “the Washington Consensus.” America is indeed capable of immense good, but like any Nation, and most assuredly any aspirant to the mantle of Empire, great, immense evil. All ...2 weeks ago
Image credit: The beginner’s guide to blogging I notice a few regulars no longer allow public access to the site counters. This may happen accidentally when the blog format is altered. If your blog is ... 2 weeks ago
New Zealand First MP Darroch Ball’s bill introducing a six-month minimum sentence for assaults on first responders has passed its first reading in Parliament. Mr Ball said the new offence of "injuring a first responder or prison officer with intent" would target people who attacked paramedics, police, firefighters, and corrections ...1 day ago
Live from the Whanganui Opera House, on the final day of the 2019 Labour Party Conference, Jacinda Ardern announced the largest investment in school property in 25 years. ...1 week ago
The days of vulnerable consumers falling victim to loan sharks, truck shops and other predatory lenders are numbered, following the Credit Contracts Legislation Amendment Bill passing its third reading tonight. “Too many Kiwis are being given loans that are unaffordable and unsuitable, trapping them in debt and leaving their families ...8 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Scott Morrison is picking up that Australia’s devastating, prolonged fires are producing a soured, anti-government mood among many in the community. It may not be entirely rational for people to turn on politicians in such ...2 hours ago
Winston Peters hopes mergers of NZME and Stuff and RNZ and TVNZ will save local journalism. Bernard Hickey argues they are more likely to again prove costly diversions. ...3 hours ago
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters is travelling to Samoa tomorrow to visit hospitals and medical teams dealing with the measles outbreak. ...4 hours ago
Andrew Little says the justice system is “taking wrecked lives and wrecking them just a little bit more”, but will the Govt cough up with what's needed for transformative change? ...5 hours ago
Light rail along Dominion Rd is further behind than many might have thought. ...6 hours ago
The Environmental Defence Society has launched an insightful, bold and practical roadmap for reforming our resource management system. ...7 hours ago
A review of the ANZ Bank New Zealand's missteps over the past year has found complacency at the most senior level, leading to the departure of its long serving chief executive. ...7 hours ago
Council of Licenced Firearms Owners (COLFO) says the announcement today of three changes to the Arms Bill should be the start of a large-scale rewrite, or even eventual abandonment. ...8 hours ago
The National Party's new health platform includes $50 million a year for cancer drugs, a boost to Pharmac funding and the reintroduction of National Health Targets. ...9 hours ago
Newsroom has asked the district court to end a defamation action by business site NBR over a news story discussing NBR and ex National MP Steven Joyce. ...9 hours ago
The success stories of people with extra struggles may not get awards and trophies, but they’re worth celebrating all the same, says Jai Breitnauer.It’s the time of year for awards assemblies and prize-givings, for clubs and teams handing out certificates and trophies. It’s traditional, as we approach Christmas and the ...10 hours ago
A building developer is asking the Christchurch City Council to cordon off his defective multi-storey block in the main shopping zone. ...10 hours ago
Millions of dollars worth of New Zealand fruit and grapes were at risk of rotting on the branch due to a shortage of local pickers. So a visionary group of Central Otago growers. ...11 hours ago
Two newspaper reports illustrate the contrasting involvements of science and spiritual beliefs in the aftermath of the White Island eruption. Meanwhile several iwi have placed rāhui over their customary coastal areas. This effectively represents a customary prohibition on all maritime activities for the whole of the Eastern Bay of Plenty ...11 hours ago
The New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says the coalition Government agrees RNZ and TVNZ need protecting at a time when media industry is in dire straights. ...12 hours ago
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I am perturbed by what seems to be indirect advertising for National in two TV adverts.
I could be wrong on the first, which starts with an image of the current Labour election logo
then shows images of 60’s era drinkers before morphing to an image of someone who started a new brew.
The second shows images of someone carrying another man around. It seems to be an advertisment for a bank, but the visceral message is one of liberal individualism and lack of concern for others.
It would be consistent with laying the ground for swingeing ‘welfare reforms’ early in the next term.
Having met some members of the Auckland advertising fraternity, I am not surprised.
Doesn’t arch-Tory Michelle Boag run one of the big Auckland ad agencies? What ads do they have running at present?
Can’t help you there. Ask around. Someone on this blog should know.
Yes. The name will come to me after I hit submit.
ogilvies
Just the usual Brighter future with John Key and National. Now is it me ? or does it look like John Key has put himself ahead of everything the Nats hold dear?
you might remember that they ran that ad last election too.
And it’s false. The Black Budget beer tax was on all beers. And Export Gold was already being made years before.
And how could an Kiwi brewer not be ‘brewing his export beer in NZ?’
It’s a fucken disgrace.
Good one, Blighty !
[ Good to meet a man who knows his beers. ]
not that I would ever drink Export Gold, except at the cricket.
It was worse than that before Jim Anderton officially complained to the Broadcastingcompaints Commision about the inaccuracy of that add and made them change it – I think they cut some parts out of it.
Indeed they did, Akldnut. They reworded it to make it marginally more historically accurate and removed the direct anti-Labour party smear. But it is still weak as weasel’s piss, particularly as the vast majority of beer sold by DB was, and is, DB Draught. And most workers would have drunk jugs in the pub and filled up flagons to take home with them, rather than purchase bottles anyway.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1102/S00178/anderton-victory-over-db-export-ad.htm
yes that ad is one big fiction from start to finish.
The media seem to be swinging in behind ACT as they realise their plan for Key to govern alone might be too much of a stretch, so they want to place our fate in the hands of two genuine, gold-plated whack-jobs, Brash and Banks.
Yes Tom. The amazing repetition of the drink of tea campaign and the value that they reckon it will give Key is a MSM strategy of Plan B. Including Radio National.
Eckshully, I think the gold-plate may actually be fool’s gold!
There must be someone out there who can publicly release the story. It does have a political as well as a personal side to it. It stinks that the hypocritical pratt is being allowed to get away with it. I don’t remember the media having much by way of ‘scruples’ in the nine years of the Labour government!
the hypocritical pratt won’t be getting away it
Interesting how National and ACT can get away with little “nudge, nudge, wink, wink” deals and everything is hunky dory.
But Jim Andertlon – who is retiring – writes a letter openly endorsing Labour candidates Megan Woods – and the Electoral Commission and Police accept a complaint from Cameron Slater?!?!
Double standards, much?
More curious is that CERA has spent over a hundred thousand taxpayers dollars on a big, glossy pamphlet promoting Gerry Brownlee and delivering it to every letterbox in Christchurch, right in the middle of a general election campaign? This stinks to high heaven. Brownlee’s people micro-manage the hoards of PR flunkies at CERA, so the idea they and he had no idea is just fantasy. But they will get away with it. No news here, right?
I would hardly call the Epsom deal a “nudge, nudge, wink, wink” affair. It is about as obvious as you can get!
The Anderton situation is simply a case of not having a promoter statement on a letter/ad as required by law. Sloppy practice – it would have been fine with those few words printed at the end – but a few people have been caught out by this.
Fair point…
No it isn’t. As obvious as you can get would be if National ran away from their voters in Epsom and dropped their candidate off the ballot paper.
However I think that they have lost the opportunity to do that. We must be past the point where the candidate can be withdrawn from the ballot paper – I think that they are either printed or sent for printing now.
I think early voting has started too, so I expect it’s way too late to get off the ballot. But where’s the fun in that anyway? More entertaining to sit back and see if a trainwreck eventuates 🙂
I suppose they can still put notices up in a booth saying “such and such has withdrawn”.
I remember an anecdote about a reverse situation in council elections in Auckland in the thirties, where the Labour Party belatedly agreed to join a united front campaign to oust the Tories from control of the various local councils. In one area the leaflets had already been printed, so a gold coloured sticker was printed with the names of the two extra united front candidates and added to the literature before it was sent out.
The result was that the voters reading the pamphlet assumed that the latter two names in gold were the preferred candidates and they bolted in. Possibly the only time the Communist Party of NZ ever won a popular mandate!
Double Standards Frank? Kinda like you over David Garrett and the stolen babies identity theft?
???
dont worry. kweewee is going to go the same way as Richard Nixon. I am not a crook. Oh yeah.
John Key’s ‘brand’ that John Banks wants to endorse?
‘SHONKY’.
By having a ‘cuppa’ with, (doing a deal with ) in my considered opinion, someone yet to be charged or convicted ‘white collar’ criminal John Banks – who wants to help run the country, but arguably couldn’t properly run Huljich Wealth Mangement (NZ) Ltd Kiwisaver schemes?
Same with Don Brash?
Is John Key by effectively endorsing John Banks as the electorate candidate for National Party voters to support in Epsom – is John Key equally endorsing John Banks and Don Brash’s commercial competence as former Directors of Huljich Wealth Management (NZ) Ltd?
Is John Key effectively confirming that he does not support ‘ONE LAW FOR ALL’ and for the same charges to be equally laid against John Banks and Don Brash as were laid against former fellow Director of Huljich Wealth Management (NZ) Ltd – Peter Huljich?
It has been confirmed this morning that the FMA will not apply ‘ONE LAW FOR ALL’ and equally charge Don Brash or John Banks as former Directors of Huljich Wealth Management (NZ) Ltd, as was charged fellow former Director Peter Huljich.
So – how ‘fit for duty’ is FMA CEO Sean Hughes?
Who picked him?
Oh yes – the FMA ‘Establishment Board’ – made up of National Party appointees, hand-picked by NATIONAL Commerce/Justice Minister – Simon Power?
The same NATIONAL Commerce/Justice Minister Simon Power, who is going through the ‘revolving door’ and coming out to head Westpac Private Bank?
So – someone chosen by hand-picked National Party appointees, is not going to lift a finger against the former Leader of the National Party – Don Brash, or former National Party Minister of Police, and Local Government – John Banks?
I guess – no surprises there………….
So -if the FMA are arguably not going to do their job – what’s next?
Watch this space…………………..
All this happening here in ‘clean, green, 100% pure New Zealand’ – perceived to be the least corrupt country in the world, (along with Denmark and Singapore – according to the 2010 Transparency International ‘Corruption Perception Index’.)
Yeah right.
Penny Bright
Independent Candidate for Epsom.
Camapigning against ‘white collar’ CRIME, corruption (and its root cause – PRIVATISATION) and ‘corporate welfare’.
[email deleted]
Welcome aboard Penny my dear girl. Your comments are most welcome and invariably enlightening. Please keep them coming.
Wonder how Epsomites feel about being told who to vote for?
How about this for an election night scenario.
Banks wins by a hand full of votes
Act get 5.1%
nzf 4.9%
Final result
Goldsmithh wins by 100 or so
Act get 4.96%
NZF 5.04%
I know two liberal Nats who refuse to vote for Banks or ACT on principle, so will be voting tactically for Goldsmith to keep him out. There will probably be Tory drones who’ll do as Dear Leader commands, but then there’s the rest of that diverse electorate. Watch this space…
Craig, if Labour and Greens voters in Epsom gave their electorate vote to Goldsmith *cough, cough*, that might help keep these rogues out of Parliament.
In the last election, the following candidates received these numbers of Electorate Votes,
(A) Rodney Hide – 21,102
(N) Richard Worth – 8,220
(L) Kate Sutton – 5,112
(G) Keith Locke – 2,787
Add the numbers from Green and Labour voters, to really pissed-off National supporters, and the “cunning plan” of Brash and Key may yet be undone.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epsom_%28New_Zealand_electorate%29
In 2005 we could have easily chucked out ACT, but too many Labour/Green supporters couldn’t bring themselves to vote for Worth. It’s the lessor of two evils principle, just do it!
Goldsmith or Banks – choose one. There is no other choice.
2005 election
(A) Rodney Hide – 15251
(N) Richard Worth – 12149
(L) Stuart Nash – 6138
(G) Keith Locke – 1513
total of above three – 19800