A note to a media commentator

Written By: - Date published: 2:51 am, November 17th, 2012 - 53 comments
Categories: activism, blogs, broadcasting, democratic participation, humour, kremlinology, labour, Media, news, newspapers, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags:

I have been busy over the past few days and didn’t get around to it. But being at conference is a breathing space so I thought I’d leave a note for the media commentator Gavin Ellis who appears in this piece with Kathryn Ryan about The Standard at about 8:50 (I can’t link directly to the track because of copyright).

He appears to have been incapable of understanding things like:-

  1. lprent is the author of this post.
  2. lprent is a shorthand or a pseudonym for Lynn Prentice.
  3. And I have been using lprent as a online handle since 1979 – it was my first login to a networked system. It is as much a part of my online identity as my real name is to my legal life. Many like or loathe lprent but few touched by it can deny the personality and accumulated and valued traits (my partner describes as a harsher and more abrupt version of the meat personality). Most people online feel the same about their usual handles and will go to considerable lengths to keep their good name. Just as they would with their offline good name. Legally of course they are the much the same just as having alias is offline.
  4. pseudonymous writing ≠ anonymous writing.
  5. I also wrote this post which Gavin Ellis appears to have carefully ignored in his analysis which was in a similar vein as Eddie and Irish.
  6. Mike Smith wrote this post with a diametrically opposite analysis, as did r0b in the same days as Eddie and Irish’s posts Why didn’t Gavin mention those? They were in the same day of publication. Because they did not resonate as strongly with our readership?
  7. I’d have to question if Gavin Ellis was looking at the operation of a pseudonym as much as he was simply disagreeing with the message. That isn’t a media commentator – that is the action of a person writing an editorial on their morals and presuming we should follow them when they didn’t follow it themselves (did he ever write editorials?). I’m sure that there is a word for that.
  8. Responsibility: I know most of the people who author posts on The Standard and Mike Smith knows the others. Between us we know everyone writing under a pseudonym. We have to. We are the trustees of the trust that is legally responsible for what they write. If they write something that exposes the site to harm, then we fix it. There is a word for that as well. Gavin Ellis should know what it was in old media.
  9. Authors on our site are not ‘anonymous’. They write under their pseudonym. Nor is any commentator on our site if I choose to find out who they are.

It is pretty clear that Gavin Ellis could do with a refresher course in even the legal principles of publishing. They are essentially the same on a blog as they are on a newspaper. Left and mostly Labour party activists have various issues about the Labour party coming up to the first Labour party conference since the defeat in 2011. Some of these are being dealt with in this and follow up conferences at least in part because our authors and many others helped bring them to the surface.

Rather than deal with that reality Gavin Ellis seems to prefer to cherry pick his posts to fit around an daft thesis that appears to have never been thought through. I found it quite fascinating how unwilling he was to look at all of the authors from other sites and media saying much the same things as our authors did. I was surprised that he appeared to completely miss that both Eddie and r0b were in fact responding to material from Vernon Small earlier that weekend. That there was a cascade of posts is a natural consequence of many people thinking much the same thoughts and responding to a topical issue. The only reason that my post was so late was because we’d already had three posts on the topic on the sunday when I wrote it. So it got re-edited and went up on Monday.

All of us and all of the others that Gavin Ellis named had previously raised similar questions in earlier posts as they did last weekend and throughout the week. So why was only Chris Trotter apparently concerned prior to last weekend according to Gavin Ellis. Most of the 200+ comments responding to Eddie’s post were from commentators who’d already been talking about the same issues even before the leadership debates last year. It isn’t exactly hard to research this. Searching using our search engine or googles will reveal this in seconds or minutes.

I’d have to ask if Gavin Ellis has even been read the posts or comments in which these same issues were being raised throughout the year. Why else would he be surprised about them being naturally being re-raised in the week before the first conference since the last election. Arggh who gave this political drongo airtime. I mean it is good fiction, but hardly worthy of the name of analysis or even commentary.

One bit did make me laugh. The likelihood of our authors being ‘manipulated’ has about the same lifetime of plausibility as a snowballs chance in hell. These aren’t junior reporters. With most of them, I’d rate any manipulators chances of getting away with a straight spine after the attempt to be quite low. They make their own decisions on a personal basis about what they will write about. I know exactly the reaction I’d get if I asked them to write a particular way. These are frigging volunteers. There is no hold that I have on them apart from preventing them from writing. Obviously that isn’t something I’d like to do.

And Gavin Ellis has clearly not bothered to exert the effort of thinking about why people will prefer to use a pseudonym. What our authors do on the blog is part of their private life as volunteers for the left. The people writing with pseudonyms are in positions where it would not be difficult for the malicious to interfere in their professional lives. Our older authors are the ones writing under their own names. They are the people where there is no easy way for malicous malipulative people to interfere in the professional lives. And yes it has been done and it will be done again. Writing with a pseudonym ensures that they cannot easily be pressured or manipulated.

And if the authors are being pressured then there is always myself or Mike to deal to whoever is doing it. Speaking for myself I’d be happy to drag the festering manipulation into the open for a good public dissection. Conversely if we think that an author is going over the line between the professional and personal opinion then there are quite a lot of things that we can and will do. Which is why it doesn’t happen.

Gavin Ellis appears to have little understanding of either the politics of the left nor how we run our blog site or even forums on the net. I rather suspect that he has blindly picked up a neat theory without bothering to think about it too deeply. In fact he seems to have named it himself in relation to china. It is the antique art that used to be called kremlinology. It probably fits some strange sentimental streak for the arcane viewpoint. It would have certainly sounded like it for most activists from the left when he described sentimentally described Richard Long and Fran O’Sullivan without some of their other career highlights that are so apparent to the left. Perhaps he should just read what is said or even (horror) ask rather than inventing yet another conspiracy theory. This isn’t exactly rocket science.

And like most people from the traditional media he also seems to have a curious blind spot about how newspapers have their own issues with anonymous content like editorials, “staff reporters”, and newsfeeds. Not to mention the apparent ease with which most mainstream media seem to be able to be manipulated by their need for capital and revenue. Coming from a site that requires only a minute amount of revenue to operate it does seem rather apparent to me.

And apparently to others Queen of Thorns (QoT when she deigns to write here :twisted:) has fun sticking a very similar needle into the people with pseudonym phobias. I wish I’d read that first – then I could have plagiarised quoted it… There are pile more around the net, but I’m sure we have given poor Gavin enough hints that he can use google on.

53 comments on “A note to a media commentator ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Dr Terry 1
    17 November 2012 at 4:34 am

    An excellent presentation here – thanks! I guess we can see it as a good sign if the Standard is needling some of these unthinking people, obviously it is getting through even if it is touching a few raw spots. The Standard goes from strength to strength, keep it going!

    If one of the thoughtless ones has something nasty to say to me, send him (presuming it is a male) around to say it to my face. Even though I am old, I remain big and strong, and said person might find that he cops something unwanted right in his face! Nevertheless, I must remember the old school ditty “sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me”.

  2. IrishBill 2
    17 November 2012 at 6:40 am

    I’m glad you said something about this Lynn. I was particularly struck by Ellis’ effusive praising of Richard Long which managed to include a list of all Long’s journalism jobs but failed to mention the fact he was a senior political adviser to the Nats! It seems to me his call for transparency only goes so far.

  3. just saying 3
    17 November 2012 at 7:32 am

    Many like to criticise the negative potential of pseudonymity: the potential for misrepresentation and other dishonesty, for new kinds of bullying and other aggression, for deliberate vested-interest astro-turfing.

    But the positive potential is at least equally enormous. With the right balance of moderation, it can create a uniquely safe forum for those whose voices are seldom heard. It can create a capacity to talk more openly, honestly and candidly than the practicalities of “real life” may allow. There have been discussions here between people from different sides of difficult, contentious, highly charged issues, which I can’t imagine even being possible outside of the safety that pseudonymity can create. It can not only foster openness to new ways of thinking, but allow us to safely interact with new ideas and their protagonists in close to real time.

    One of the things I appreciate is the opportunity to take risks and stuff-up. To have unexamined assumptions blown to pieces. To get it wrong. To write, and to come back it, and have the undeniable ‘stupid’ burn in the privacy of my own home. Learning comes easier with that kind of freedom.

    • karol 3.1
      17 November 2012 at 7:52 am

      Well said, js.  I like that this is a pretty safe forum and that the extreme kind of bigoted abuse seen on some right wing forums is not tolerated here.

    • rosy 3.2
      17 November 2012 at 8:18 am

      You’re speaking for me there js.

      Also, I would never have commented on any blog if I had to give my real name. I have such low confidence in writing out my thoughts and questioning others that my pseudonym actually comes from blushing with embarrassment when thinking about whether I could press submit on my first-ever comment. Clearly I’ve moved on from there 😉

    • LynW 3.3
      17 November 2012 at 8:53 am

      Me too JS!

    • RedLogix 3.4
      17 November 2012 at 9:15 am

      Learning comes easier with that kind of freedom.

      I suspect that by nature most of us who participate regularly in these kinds of forums work best when were are on our own. We prefer the chance to think things through deeply without the additional drama of dealing with other people’s noise in our faces.

      • Rogue Trooper 3.5.1
        17 November 2012 at 11:41 am

        Are we not Men? We are Devo!
        (it’s a Beautiful World we live in…Working in a Coalmine…it’s just the girl…The Girl U Want)

        -picaresqueing some weeds that the chook has discriminated against in the vege garden shortly, although they are very helpful with the oxalis bulbs; love them they do, and not just the pretty, tiny flowers that I tolerate as a rationalistion for not attempting to throw them all to the wind)
        🙂

  4. Benghazi 4
    17 November 2012 at 7:58 am

    Great post! I think this attention proves The Standard has come of age, a force to be reckoned with, it’s just they are finding it hard to do that!

  5. Shorts 5
    17 November 2012 at 8:02 am

    How can someone claim to be a media commentator when they simply don’t get media – I won’t call the web new media, as it simply is not new.

    It’s not hard to understand.

  6. karol 6
    17 November 2012 at 8:09 am

    The social scientist and (new) media scholar in me is interested in the shift in the MSM that is being seen with this issue.

    I recall a time when it was mainly certain right wing blogs and bloggers that got most of the MSM attention when  blogging issues were raised.  And they often failed to mention the bloggers’ right wing position.  They also seemed to not be bothered by some of the rac1st, myisogynist, and homophobic abuse that commenters indulged in.

    I can remember a time when homophobic abuse was pretty common in public and ordinary conversation.  In those days I feared I would lose my job if I came out at work.  I still feel some vulnerability around that, and will not visit some sleazy space where that kind of abuse is accepted.

    But, back to my main point: there is a shift going on here with bloggers and commenters on TS expressing a desire for a shift from the neoliberal consensus of the last couple of decades.  The MSM is not able to ignore it.  They, right wingers, and some Labour/left people are doing their best to neutralise this by smearing bloggers as “anonymous”, and worse (all those inaccurate comparisons with violent, dictatorial organisations).

    I’ll be interested to see how this plays out.  But I can’t help feeling that it represents a bubbling to the surface of a desire for a new political direction – a desire held by a lot of ordinary Kiwis.  

    And it seems to me that the “left” political parties, like many organisational structures, tend to be quite entrenched in the status quo.  And I don’t think they will shift in a new direction without the impetus coming from “below”, from a ground swell of ordinary people.  

    And I do agree with Lynn that the increase in TS posts on the Labour Leadership/caucus etc, was the result of many people thinking similar things.   Or, if it was orchestrated, I want to know why I was left out of the loop? No-one contacted me about it in advance, and I was left to go blissfully on as usual, writing and posting on whatever I decided, without any editorial interference.

    • prism 6.1
      17 November 2012 at 11:42 am

      karol And I do agree with Lynn that the increase in TS posts on the Labour Leadership/caucus etc, was the result of many people thinking similar things.

      What could NACTs find wrong with this. It’s the very basis of the neo liberal ‘heart’. That individuals forming masses with similar desires constitute the decisive force that the market reacts to and Obeys. Strains of Money money from Pink Floyd.

      Not so good when the mass want something different, say real democracy that responds to those not sitting on top of the hill with the good view, which is likely to cut down the flow of money into this here bag.

    • lprent 6.2
      17 November 2012 at 8:35 pm

      Or, if it was orchestrated, I want to know why I was left out of the loop? No-one contacted me about it in advance…

      You weren’t. I knew the previous week that Irish was unhappy because he told me when I’d phoned him about something else.

      In fact he told everyone as I seem to remember as he’d commented something to that effect, or am I remembering someone else. But I’d read Small’s article and then r0b’s and Eddie’s posts.

      While I got around to writing mine, I read several other bloggers and journos. Then bloody Irish, Mike and even QoT beat me to it.

      You were welcome to say whatever, but by that time I was determined that the next post on the topic was going to be mine……..

      • QoT 6.2.1
        17 November 2012 at 8:38 pm

        even QoT beat me to it

        When it’s a Sunday and the laundry’s all done I am simply unbeatable. 😀

      • karol 6.2.2
        17 November 2012 at 9:14 pm

        BTW, this was my attempt at a joke:

        I want to know why I was left out of the loop? No-one contacted me about it in advance…

        A bit feeble, I know.

        But I was happy to sit back and read what other people were posting on the topic.

        But I am impressed by how much all you posters had your finger on the pulse. 

  7. Lanthanide 7
    17 November 2012 at 8:44 am

    While we’re talking about site-stuff, it looks to me like we’ve had rather an influx of new commenters in the last 2-3 months. Anyone else get that impression?

    • lprent 7.1
      17 November 2012 at 9:06 am

      Probably. I will check later

      • AsleepWhileWalking 7.1.1
        17 November 2012 at 9:28 am

        It’s becoming easier to find this site : ) Great job in putting this together.

        IMHO a large part of WhaleOil’s popularity is that the site was updated regularly, issues of significance were vented, and (possibly most importantly) there was little in the way of competition. Needless to say I’m glad I found you.

    • prism 7.2
      17 November 2012 at 11:44 am

      Could be that there are hundreds – might even then not match the value of Bored.

  8. RedLogix 8
    17 November 2012 at 9:08 am

    I’ve been a small part of TS from within a week or two of when it was started. That’s quite a few years ago. I can state categorically that I have never seen any evidence that this blog is anything other than exactly than what Lynn says it is.

    Sure there may well be some private conversations going on around the margins that I’m not aware of or privvy to. But at no time has there been any sense of manipulation, conspiracy or limitation on what any author could say … within a very broad left-wing agenda.

    The extraordinary thing is the independence authors are given and trust Lynn and Mike put in us, and the degree to which a diversity of opinion and ideas is not only tolerated but encouraged.

    As for the psuedonym thing … the msm routinely fail to understand because virtually all their material these days is about attacking the messenger. Without a ‘name’ or a personality to hang their narrative off they’re helpless. Helpless because they really don’t know how to do ideas anymore.

    • PlanetOrphan 8.1
      17 November 2012 at 11:18 am

      “Without a ‘name’ or a personality to hang their narrative off they’re helpless. Helpless because they really don’t know how to do ideas anymore”

      Bloody well said M8!

    • Draco T Bastard 8.2
      17 November 2012 at 11:20 am

      <blockquoteAs for the psuedonym thing … the msm routinely fail to understand because virtually all their material these days is about attacking the messenger. Without a ‘name’ or a personality to hang their narrative off they’re helpless. Helpless because they really don’t know how to do ideas anymore.
      QFT

      The Standard (I always think of TeamSpeak whenever some puts in TS) is independent with no editorial oversight and the MSM just don’t seem to be able to grasp that.

      [lprent: We do have some. We don’t want to waste time in court or to outrage everyone so much that we have to spend all our time defending it. But it is a quite broad limit. ]

  9. marsman 9
    17 November 2012 at 9:24 am

    Who tells Gavin Ellis what to say? His praising of Richard Long sounds very suspicious to me.

  10. starlight 10
    17 November 2012 at 10:20 am

    What is the difference between radio talkback where a person can use a false name,to a blogger
    who can use a tag of identity ?
    I have no curtain to hide behind,no darkend room,just a will to get MY opinion out there and the
    standard is a vehicle for that.
    In fact i have written to opinon columns in my local paper in all things political,so i could be
    called an activist.
    My roots are entrenched, my family history is labour,therefore i feel i have an absolute right
    to have an opinion whether it be from policy,organization,party,leader,ministers,whatever,
    i will not stop because of the insults thrown at bloggers on this site.
    Thank you to the standard for allowing me the opportunity to have my say, i am a REAL
    person with an opinion, that’s all.
    ps, I also enjoy reading other opinions.

  11. Te Reo Putake 11
    17 November 2012 at 10:37 am

    Does anyone know if Ellis is equally scathing about the pseudoanonymous nature of the editorials he used to publish when he was editor of the NZ Herald?

    • QoT 11.1
      17 November 2012 at 3:59 pm

      Fuckin’ A, TRP. This is the biggest thing for me whenever the MSM start hating on blogs – at least there’s etiquette around using consistent handles, compared to our biggest daily newspapers letting any old hack put forth their opinion under an established, authoritative banner with no verifiability whatsoever.

  12. Pete 12
    17 November 2012 at 10:39 am

    I would imagine that some of the people who comment here are public servants – I was, until last year (I don’t know about the post authors, though) and are cowed from taking an open political position. Of course, it’s unwise for anyone to talk smack about their employer, but sometimes the perspective these people bring contributes much to a discussion.

  13. gobsmacked 13
    17 November 2012 at 10:42 am

    It was a very poor commentary by Gavin Ellis (he’s usually better than that).

    There are many ways that public opinion is expressed in the media. These include …

    – Opinion polls (anonymous, and scientific)
    – Online polls (anonymous, and not scientific)
    – Talkback (effectively anonymous, and now less representative than ever. In the age of the internet, talkback is confined to a small minority on the fringe)
    – Online comments (on blogs, Stuff, TradeMe, a hundred different forums)
    – Text polls (anonymous and totally meaningless)
    – E-mails being read out on TV/radio (sometimes anonymous, and not verifiable)
    – The TV/radio vox pop (i.e three or four people being interviewed on the street, and saying “The Budget is rubbish, ciggies are going up”)
    – Trawling Facebook and Twitter for “juicy” quotes

    and so on, and so on …

    All of the above are a daily staple in news reporting – whether they are valid or not. Which ones should be used? Or ignored? Now that would be a good subject for a “media commentator”.

    Instead we just got a session of uninformed, highly selective axe-grinding.

    Do better, Gavin. Much better, please.

    • just saying 13.1
      17 November 2012 at 11:13 am

      Hell, names and adresses are not taken at old-fashioned public meetings. The blogosphere is being held up to a different standard to most forms of political participation. Also, there is the little matter of everything you have previously said being available in that little search engine up on the right.

    • Morrissey 13.2
      17 November 2012 at 12:09 pm

      It was a very poor commentary by Gavin Ellis (he’s usually better than that).

      No he is not usually better than that. His contributions are not only lacklustre, they usually lack insight.

  14. Morrissey 14
    17 November 2012 at 11:18 am

    Anyone who listens to his dire weekly contributions to Kathryn Ryan’s show will know that Gavin Ellis is a dullard. After an utterly undistinguished career at the Herald, Ellis unaccountably schmoozed his way into the editorship.

    However, he will go down in infamy not so much as a dullard, but as a coward: he was the editor that was bullied and badgered by a small but fierce band of extremists (Lesley Max, David Zwarz and David Nathan) into firing cartoonist Malcolm Evans in 2002.

  15. PlanetOrphan 15
    17 November 2012 at 11:19 am

    Great article Lynn , very well said Indeed 🙂

  16. Bill 16
    17 November 2012 at 11:25 am

    When the unwashed mob can speak directly to one another in fairly large audiences without their words being mediated through some authority or being otherwise censored…then that’s kind of democratic. And democracy is dangerous shit that ought not to be encouraged. Y’know, a levelm playing field of communication might lead to ideas being formed and ideas taking hold. And ideas that don’t come from an authoritative ‘centre point’ – be that center point a megaphone or a niche within a hierarchy – is an idea that is out of control. And that is a bad thing 😉

  17. ianmac 17
    17 November 2012 at 12:10 pm

    One time when a blog site could be manipulated is when a team of suspect commentators do comment with a view to swamp a post with a themed opposition to that post. A conspiracy thinker might suspect this especially around election time.
    Teams of Right Wing Comment Manipulators? Dunno.
    Great airing of your response to Ellis, Lyn.

  18. DS1 18
    17 November 2012 at 12:47 pm

    Even if pseudonym = anonymous, anonymous =! invalid or inferior opinion.

    Besides, Mark Twain, Lewis Caroll, and George Orwell (for example) are all pseudonyms. Using their real names would not have increased the validity or quality of their writing (and it’s unlikely Orwell would have written if he’d been unable to use a pseudonym).

    • PlanetOrphan 18.1
      17 November 2012 at 12:57 pm

      Absolutely true bud, all voices a worthy of hearing, and unfettered they have a chance to express themselves honestly.

      Anonymous != Soulless , which is what some are trying to say about us “Bloggers”

  19. Mary 19
    17 November 2012 at 2:29 pm

    “I’d have to question if Gavin Ellis was looking at the operation of a pseudonym as much as he was simply disagreeing with the message.”

    That’s precisely what was happening. Interestingly, by trying to describe O’Sullivan’s and Long’s comments as showing integrity and political maturity he had the opposite effect by pointing out how they were both showing so-called “support” for Shearer not because they thought Shearer continuing as leader would assist Labour but because it would assist National. There’s no problem saying this – I’d love to see Judith Collins become leader of the National Party not because I think she’d be a good leader but because I think she’d be aggressive and divisive therefore a total liability to the party – but all three, O’Sullivan, Long and Ellis were not being honest in this way. Ellis let his own colours get in the way of genuine analysis and for this reason he’s no commentator. It’ll be interesting to see if Ellis responds on this post. I don’t think he will. People like him are gutless cheap-shot gits.

  20. weka 20
    17 November 2012 at 4:11 pm

    Kathyrn Ryan’s ignorance was also breathtaking.
     
    In the interests of balance, RNZ should now be interviewing or having a commentator who understands the dynamics of political blogging. Has Mediawatch been covering this?
     

    • Mary 20.1
      17 November 2012 at 5:20 pm

      “Kathyrn Ryan’s ignorance was also breathtaking.”

      Yes it was, but when thinking back over it it’s not surprising. Ryan’s just your average non-listening set Q&A journalist so to expect more from her is wishful thinking. If I had a dollar for every opportunity she’s had for a killer follow-up question she’s blown by simply moving on to the next question on the list I’d be a wealthy woman.

    • lprent 20.2
      17 November 2012 at 5:31 pm

      She didn’t understand the blogging side – psuedonyms and all that. However she did poke a few holes in Gavin Ellis’s arguments. It was mostly what I’d expect.

  21. tracey 21
    17 November 2012 at 5:34 pm

    Perhaps he thinks mediA commentators here are manipulated because he is embarrassed that he has often succumbed to manipulation.

  22. tracey 22
    17 November 2012 at 5:36 pm

    Shes formerly from the press gallery… often manipulated consciously or otherwise. i miss lina clark

  23. tracey 23
    17 November 2012 at 5:36 pm

    Shes formerly from the press gallery… often manipulated consciously or otherwise. i miss linda clark

  24. tracey 24
    17 November 2012 at 7:10 pm

    When an editor of the herald impugns others integrity it must be as part of a comedy routine. there can be no other explanation.

  25. peterlepaysan 25
    18 November 2012 at 12:35 am

    Ellis, like Armstrong, Watkin et al seem to think that the messenger is more important than than the message.

    They cannot “mediate” the message and then us unwashed dumb klutzs will be ill informed because they could not mediate.

    Yeah right!

  26. xtasy 26
    18 November 2012 at 2:56 am

    Who is Gavin Ellis, I first thought.

    Then I found this:
    http://artsfaculty.auckland.ac.nz/staff/?UPI=gell002

    He is clearly a former journalist of the old school, apparently struggling with the new phenomenon of blogs and the bloggers, who on this and other sites use pseudonyms as their chosen names or identity.

    That in itself does not at all disqualify the integrity and authenticity of opinion pieces written and commented on.

    Ellis seems to be fitting the mould of John Armstrong and such types of journalists.

    Kathryn Ryan on RNZ is also a typically mediocre “mainstream” radio journalist, who seems to do only superficial bits of researching, before she has persons on her program, whom she asks questions.

    I remember some time ago, when she had the head of Housing NZ on her program, who of course fed her all the dishonest, glossed over and propagandistic policies they were implementing in their management of housing. There were no hard questions asked, and she let that woman get away with telling half- and untruths, justifying the National led government’s policies they have to implement now.

    It was all dressed up in politically correct terms and all done so “fairly”, reasonably and justifiably, while in fact they force people out of their houses and stick them into shoe-box size alternative homes, so they can sell existing homes and land to private land and property developers.

    But amongst all of radio media, RNZ is still better and more informative, so that tells you what the situation about broadcast media in NZ is in general: Largely total CRAP!

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  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 hours ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    9 hours ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    10 hours ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    10 hours ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    10 hours ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    10 hours ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    10 hours ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    10 hours ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    10 hours ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    12 hours ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    13 hours ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    13 hours ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    13 hours ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    13 hours ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    13 hours ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    14 hours ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    17 hours ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    17 hours ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    17 hours ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    18 hours ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    19 hours ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    19 hours ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    20 hours ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    20 hours ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    21 hours ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    24 hours ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

    Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...

    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    4 days ago

  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago

  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: “What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
    No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago

  • Sad tales from the left
    Michael Bassett writes –  Have you noticed the odd way in which the media are handling the government’s crackdown on surplus employees in the Public Service? Very few reporters mention the crazy way in which State Service numbers rocketed ahead by more than 16,000 during Labour’s six years, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • In Whose Best Interests?
    On The Spot: The question Q+A host, Jack Tame, put to the Workplace & Safety Minister, Act’s Brooke van Velden, was disarmingly simple: “Are income tax cuts right now in the best interests of lowering inflation?”JACK TAME has tested another MP on his Sunday morning current affairs show, Q+A. Minister for Workplace ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Don’t Question, Don’t Complain.
    It has to start somewhereIt has to start sometimeWhat better place than here?What better time than now?So it turns out that I owe you all an apology.It seems that all of the terrible things this government is doing, impacting the lives of many, aren’t necessarily ‘bad’ per se. Those things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Auckland faces 25% water inflation shock
    Three Waters became a focus of anti-Government protests under Labour, but its dumping by the new Government hasn’t solved councils’ funding problems and will eventually hit the back pockets of everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 8:06 am today are:The Government ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Small accomplishments and large ironies
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • The Song of Saqua: Volume VII
    In order to catch up to the actual progress of the D&D campaign, I present you with another couple of sessions. These were actually held back to back, on a Monday and Tuesday evening. Session XV Alas, Goatslayer had another lycanthropic transformation… though this time, he ran off into the ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    6 days ago

  • Accelerating the Growth Rate?
    There is a constant theme from the economic commentariat that New Zealand needs to lift its economic growth rate, coupled with policies which they are certain will attain that objective. Their prescriptions are usually characterised by two features. First, they tend to be in their advocate’s self-interest. Second, they are ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    7 days ago

  • The only thing we have to fear is tenants themselves
    1. Which of these acronyms describes the experience of travelling on a Cook Strait ferry?a. ROROb. FOMOc. RAROd. FMLAramoana, first boat ever boarded by More Than A Feilding, four weeks after the Wahine disaster2. What is the acronym for the experience of watching the government risking a $200 million break ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago

  • Peters talks of NZ “renewing its connections with the world” – but who knew we had been discon...
    Buzz from the Beehive The thrust of the country’s foreign affairs policy and its relationship with the United States have been addressed in four statements from the Beehive over the past 24 hours. Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters somewhat curiously spoke of New Zealand “renewing its connections with a world ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
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    7 hours ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
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    16 hours ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
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    20 hours ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
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    1 day ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
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    2 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
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    2 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
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    3 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
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    3 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
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    4 days ago

  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
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    4 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
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    7 days ago

  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
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    7 days ago

  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
    The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
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    7 days ago

  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research.   “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Government redress for Te Korowai o Wainuiārua
    The Government is continuing the bipartisan effort to restore its relationship with iwi as the Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Claims Settlement Bill passed its first reading in Parliament today, says Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith. “Historical grievances of Te Korowai o Wainuiārua relate to 19th century warfare, land purchased or taken ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Focus on outstanding minerals permit applications
    New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals is working to resolve almost 150 outstanding minerals permit applications by the end of the financial year, enabling valuable mining activity and signalling to the sector that New Zealand is open for business, Resources Minister Shane Jones says.  “While there are no set timeframes for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Applications open for NZ-Ireland Research Call
    The New Zealand and Irish governments have today announced that applications for the 2024 New Zealand-Ireland Joint Research Call on Agriculture and Climate Change are now open. This is the third research call in the three-year Joint Research Initiative pilot launched in 2022 by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Ireland’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Tenancy rules changes to improve rental market
    The coalition Government has today announced changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to encourage landlords back to the rental property market, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “The previous Government waged a war on landlords. Many landlords told us this caused them to exit the rental market altogether. It caused worse ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Boosting NZ’s trade and agricultural relationship with China
    Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay will visit China next week, to strengthen relationships, support Kiwi exporters and promote New Zealand businesses on the world stage. “China is one of New Zealand’s most significant trade and economic relationships and remains an important destination for New Zealand’s products, accounting for nearly 22 per cent of our good and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Freshwater farm plan systems to be improved
    The coalition Government intends to improve freshwater farm plans so that they are more cost-effective and practical for farmers, Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay have announced. “A fit-for-purpose freshwater farm plan system will enable farmers and growers to find the right solutions for their farm ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New Fast Track Projects advisory group named
    The coalition Government has today announced the expert advisory group who will provide independent recommendations to Ministers on projects to be included in the Fast Track Approvals Bill, say RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones. “Our Fast Track Approval process will make it easier and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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