A quick note to John Key

Written By: - Date published: 9:59 am, July 7th, 2014 - 44 comments
Categories: david cunliffe, education, election 2014, greens, Hekia parata, john key, labour, mana, schools, slippery, spin - Tags:

Remember when you said this:

John Key Private Schools small classes

h/t Jerome Mika on twitter, who tweeted:

Smaller classes should be for all our Kiwi children, not just .

And now, Mr Key, with your support, Hekia Parata says this:

“Labour’s ‘back to the future’ idea of reducing class sizes at the margin is proven to achieve very little in terms of better results for Kiwi kids. We know that because that was their policy last time they were in government and student achievement flat-lined at best.

The wider vision of Labour’s latest education policy, which aims to serve the many not the few.

David Cunliffe - TS-1

The Greens

and Mana

have some pretty got education policies, too.

Meanwhile, the current NZ government plays with words and spin, and fails to serve all Kiwis.

Vote left this election!

 

vote left 2014

 

[Edit] See 2012 NZ Herald article on Key’s statements and the Listener poster derived from it:

The Prime Minister told the Listener he sent his children to private schools for educational reasons, including smaller classes and better resources.

It was not a direct quote, but a picture of Mr Key with the comment alongside was posted on Facebook yesterday and by last night had appeared on numerous blogs and been shared by more than 6000 people.

Comments about it included labelling Mr Key a hypocrite for arguing now that increasing class sizes in the state sector would not affect standards of education.

[h/t Paul via Anne’s reference to his comment]

 

 

44 comments on “A quick note to John Key ”

  1. Mary 1

    That’s a very good message on that poster.

  2. Mary 2

    And after national’s failed “let’s increase class sizes” Parata on Radio NZ this morning said national will reduce class sizes “because the research is clear.” Labour needs to start making hay.

  3. Jester 3

    Guess Jerome didn’t get the memo about positivity and petty politics.

    • karol 3.1

      I wouldn’t call highlighting the Nats’ contradictory claims on some crucial polices, “petty”.

      This is not about negativity or cheap smears. it’s about comparing and debating policies, and highlighting the differences between parties and their values.

    • Paul 3.2

      Pot…kettle…black

    • Ant 3.3

      What’s petty about that? Key supports Labour’s policy, directly demonstrated by his choices in raising his own kids, a ringing endorsement.

    • Appleboy 3.4

      f for god’s sake – calling key out on his lies nis not being petty. Key said smaller class room is a he sent he sent his kids to a private school, now he says class size is not an issue. What Planet are you right whingers on?! Oh that’s right. Planet key.

      He needs to have this lie rammed down his throat til the election.

  4. North 4

    ” One Rule For Me And Mine – A Different Rule For You And Yours “. This reeks so badly of naked elitism that it must be pushed really, really hard.

    Evoking a visceral sense in the public will render presently paraded “figures” and “studies” mealy mouthed cover-up. Something to ‘say’ in the absence of anything to say. The bogus Everyman image will depete significantly with widespread exposure. There’s a paper trail a mile wide which must be hoist on GodKey and The Parrota. Social media – into it !

    To the impeccable and immaculate amongst us: what pray tell is petty or non-issue based about exposing the The Scam Of The Everyman in the many contexts in which it is operative ? That scam has been foundational to the National Party modus operandi since before its present leader was returned to New Zealand in the very early 2000s.

  5. One Anonymous Bloke 5

    What’s wrong with Hekia Parata? Why does she struggle to construct a meaningful sentence? What does “at the margin” mean in the context of her flailing incompetence wider remarks?

    How does someone with such an obvious intellectual handicap retain a seat around the New Zealand government’s cabinet table?

    Relative merit?

    • Te Reo Putake 5.1

      Could it be that Parata is a perfect reflection of National’s commitment to education?

      • One Anonymous Bloke 5.1.1

        She’s charged with destroying the public education model, hardly a minor goal. I think she’s the best they can do.

        Can you name a more talented minister?

  6. Anne 6

    And lets rub it in yet again – hat-tip to Paul on Open Mike:

    Key called hypocrite over class sizes

  7. vto 7

    Then there is the perverse act by this horrid government to subject East Christchurch (but not the northwest private schools – no, no) to not just larger class sizes, but larger super-schools…..

    ffs, when a government takes aim at ones children it really does get the blood to boil, especially when they claim and do the opposite in their own personal lives.

  8. Tracey 8

    My guess is mr key wanted his children to thrive, have choices and reach their potential.

    As PM his aim is to provide the minimum, produce fodder for the low wage economy. This govt’s objective appears based around an idea that people have a right to survive, not thrive.

    The sign of a successful nation is how many are thriving. Not living on top of rubbish tips is not the measure of this.

  9. dimebag russell 9

    now he is going to throw the education system over to lunatics who want the jobs and the prestige but have no expertise whatsoever except their own say so.
    John Key will go down as an egregious criminal wrecker of the education system if he lets this dismemberment proceed.
    best just get rid of him and his party and the rest of their peculiar ideas.

  10. NZJester 10

    Hekia Parata says this:
    “Labour’s ‘back to the future’ idea of reducing class sizes at the margin is proven to achieve very little in terms of better results for Kiwi kids. We know that because that was their policy last time they were in government and student achievement flat-lined at best.”

    Flat-lining is what most things do just before they start to go up again and how is flat-lining worse than it dropping again under National? All Labours hard work of taking the time to reduce class sizes and trying to better resource schools was tossed out the window by National just as it was about to pay off for public school students.

    National has made it so teachers are bogged down in paperwork so they can hardly give any time to students even when in class. Some of that paperwork is them just trying to get paid and hold off their creditors till then thanks to Novopay!

    National seams to have been trying to make their coalition partner happy be making schools so under funded and by closing a number of them down so that there are plenty of empty schools to be had and lots of students needing smaller classes that their parents will be happy to send them to a charter school most that will be run in previously closed public schools.

    National was very happy to fund charter schools at much higher per child rates than a public school. Charter schools have also been set up in such a way that they will end up having better results than public schools due to two big factors. They can pick and choose their students so will only take the best students and leave the harder ones for the public schools to educate. Having better funding also helps them to better educate their students.

    If National gets in for another 3 years they will use those stacked figures as proof that charter schools are better than public schools and close more public schools to replace them with charter schools.

  11. ianmac 11

    Parata reckons that class sizes won’t matter anyway because she has discovered Open Plan Classrooms. This is where you but 75 or 80 kids together in a large space with say 3 teachers. They share the group and have small withdrawl rooms for group teaching. Tried during the 80s but because of serious logistical problems, difficulty in matching compatible teachers, lack of suitable buildings, stress for many kids who were unable to fit the model, kids falling through the cracks, it faded away.The sometimes gains were outweighed by the failures.

    So Ms Parata try another harebrained idea or even consult with the people who have the research and the experience. Unless that is too hard.

    PS I believe that the Charter Schools run classes of fewer than 18 kids.

    • Tracey 11.1

      john key’s children are at university now, so class sizes are irrelevant to him.

    • miravox 11.2

      Jeepers ianmac, if class sizes don’t matter why would she need 3 teachers?

  12. dimebag russell 12

    heka paratai is just a big bag of words that mean nothing.

  13. whateva next? 13

    The far right are very worried about Labour’s policy….I have just been rung to ask if I would complete a survey for maritime NZ…..they immediately ask what I think about Labour’s policy which will cost $50,000,000 to stop parental donations??? I asked what that has to do with Maritime NZ, and she mumbled something about social policy questions being added?

    • Tracey 13.1

      yikes?

      did they carry on the questions?

    • Anne 13.2

      whateva next.

      Can you recall anything else the woman said?

      It sounds like the Tories are indulging in push polling.

      From Wikipedia:

      A push poll is an interactive marketing technique, most commonly employed during political campaigning, in which an individual or organization attempts to influence or alter the view of voters under the guise of conducting a poll.

      In a push poll, large numbers of voters are contacted briefly (often less than 60 seconds), and little or no effort is made to collect and analyze response data. Instead, the push poll is a form of telemarketing-based propaganda and rumor mongering, masquerading as a poll.

    • mickysavage 13.3

      Any chance you can dig out the phone number the call was from?

    • felix 13.4

      Curias and Curiaser…

    • freedom 13.5

      This is the only operational public consultation Maritime NZ is currently engaged in that I could find
      http://www.transport.govt.nz/sea/maritime-labour-convention-2006

      It is for the Ministry of Transport and it closes on July 11 2014. Perhaps they are running a small poll to include with the submissions, but for the questions you referenced to be included in such a submission seems a bit odd. Unless there is some under the door poll gathering being done in that grey area of public consultation all Ministries seem to wrangle out of their budgets. Like the opposition policy questions on ‘Your local MP’ fact sheets that have been pouring out of some National MP electorate offices the past few months.

  14. North 14

    For as long as I’ve had any political consciousness at all, which now approaches 50 years, I’ve been aware of the National Party parading itself as possessing that admirable ‘something’ known to no other political grouping. It was irritating but one felt, grudgingly, that even with the hooting snobbery and ‘Born to Rule’ delusion there was a broad decency attaching to the ‘Old National Party’. That hint of ‘noblesse oblige’, if patronising, was somehow caring. Under the “Old National Party’ knowing one’s station at least connoted having a ‘station.’

    The Neo-National Party of today ? Wide boys/girls, cynical, bullying, hectoring demonisers, shameless self-promoters, crashing incompetents hidden in power, barefaced unrepentant liars. Many whose ethos is ” Get away with it ? Go for it ! “. Cold reptilian eyes above fake gargoyle smiles applied to professing love for Kiwis’ and New Zealand. Endless whipped-up celebration of the bogus Everyman/GodKey.

    Producing, creating, enlarging the nation’s pie for the general good, all unfashionable, unworldly, naive. Pointing of the illusory cargo-cult where it will best politically advantage the upper echelons of the Neo-National Party. Worse and more ruinously still – serial, concerted, targeted, public campaigns of vilification. To market as justified the clinical eviction of hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders from any ‘station’ in life previously held, however lowly. To render as fodder for any prevailing construct.

    The road to an emasculated, malignant, shamed, ‘toy’ state. The Neo-National Party stands ready to proceed to denouement.

    • Once was Tim 14.1

      @ North.
      Your first paragraph I find really interesting because that was my experience of the Nats too (though I’ve never voted or agreed with their politics).
      I often wonder though, what the likes of McKinnon and others think of his party today – Bolger even.
      It’s also why I can only conclude that the likes of Finlayson are either really shallow and superficial, or are basically whores operating with the expectation they’ll be rewarded with some cushy little number when they leave the chamber (probably in some nice little Pacific Isle the Kethlic Church has had to abandon). Perhaps Finlayson is actually a Populuxe2.0 – or even a 1 – maybe not! He’s more likely to be the sugar daddy than the sugar dadee.

      There’s always been cronyism (I’m useless with names), but I’m thinking of NZBC appointments, Post Masters General, SIS appointments and so on, but there is something really different about modern day Nats (aside from the fact that they’re now Natzis – prepared to whore and accommodate at will, anything and anyone that’ll serve their cause – ACT/Conservatives for example).

      It’s probably that they can legitimately lay claim to having lost their snobbery – philistines, anti-science adherents, ferals, liars, sociopaths – they’re all welcome in today’s #TeamNational (and I didn’t see a Karori Blue rinse dowager in sight at MFC the weekend before last – even though there were some pretty bloody horrendous fashion crimes coming and going).

      I ‘spose that makes them unpretentious despite being a bunch of pretenders.

      If you can show me a couple of original ideas I could rub together offered by Neshnool (i.e. ones that aren’t regurgitated shite from days gone by or from offshore), I’ll modify my opinion.
      So far, much as I try, and with the respect I hold for one or two or the ‘Old National’, I can’t see anything.
      The other thing I notice with the ‘New National’ is the effects of cargo cultists invading: Hek Yeas in sham relationships playing dress-ups; regular gals in leopard skins from the West very suddenly ‘re-imaging’ to suit their cause(s) and heading up to market North Shore; traditionalists from Wellington’s Eastern suburbs who have become SO utterly pragmatic and expedient they’re destined for ‘bitter old queen’ status; Kapiti Coast stoners who ‘never inhaled’ desperately trying to get respectable with the treats and trinkets laid on them; …… Christ – let’s not go near BOP/Tauranga!!! (It’s a bit of a lost cause but there are so many MPI/Immigration/CYFS/WINZ failures I could recount, it’s a fekkin joke).

      Do you think the trolls will be in shortly to protest (too loudly). I’ve just returned after a couple of days but they seem to be in hiding very recently.

      • North 14.1.1

        Never fear OnceWasTim – FizzyAnus stands true !

        Marvelled at in Neo-National circles for weekend after weekend after weekend – come rain or shine – of simultaneous door knocking in Johnsonville, Woburn, Melrose, Paekakariki – engaging astral travel even when Christchurch Central calls.

        Returning exhausted but satisfied to the rat hole late of a weekend afternoon to deposit in the bleak carport thereof his weekend bag of up to 300 formerly Labour and Green souls. All glowing with the ‘light’ transfused by FazzyInus.

        Then to genuflect on abcessed knee before the garishly flashing wall mounted neon study of TheGodKey. Chokingly – “Mine Labours Are For Thee Oh My Lord”.

        This faith does not go unnoticed. It is said the 9th floor puts store by FuzzyAnis delivering govern alone. Yes…..really !

  15. Anne 15

    Maritime NZ? Your caller is not operating from a bona fide polling company whateva next.

    My immediate reaction is that its a wealthy advertising agency acting for either National or ACT. I was involved in a poll conducted from a well known ad. agency back in the mid 1990s. The recipients of the calls had no idea it was a poll being carried out for ACT by ACT members and supporters. How I came to be involved is a long story but one I don’t regret. Gave me an insight into how the other political half operates.

  16. Clemgeopin 16

    What we need is not increased class sizes as proposed by Key, Parata and the National party, but a much reduced size of these stupid and dangerous right wing nut jobs in parliament after Sept 20.

  17. North 17

    Native Affairs Maori TV right now. Peter-Peter-ShonKey-Eater. What a clapped out but personally ‘done very well thank you’ old fool !

    “Colonisation took Te Reo from the people.”

    My God, HE talks about colonisation !

  18. Whatever next? 18

    The young woman asked to speak to oldest female over 18, went straight into asking if I agreed with labours policy regarding school donations costing the tax payer $50 million etc. went onto ask about if I had school age children. At the end asked if I thought everyone should wear life jackets, all the time and then asked me if I had various sea vessels, of which I have none.an 0800 number was given, but it was 6.00 and I was too busy to note it, which I regret now! Cannot get number, so I might ask maritime NZ if they are actually doing a poll at the moment?

  19. Dramaticus 19

    Tell it like it is Key, you sent your kids to private schools because your a rich elitist prick who thinks your better than everyone else and you really couldnt give a fuck about the under paid, unemployed, unemployable,lower class white people, beneficiaries,polynesians who are dying because of your shit , intellectually impaired ,fiscally challenged,poor
    ANGRY voters who have had a guts full of your fascist policies that suck the life and resources out of this country and leave us with lies, corruption, pollution, debt, despondency and a country with no history before Key came to be, You should be charged with treason and convicted

  20. Dramaticus 20

    Tell it like it is Key, you sent your kids to private schools because your a rich elitist prick who thinks your better than everyone else and you really couldnt give a fuck about the under paid, unemployed, unemployable,lower class white people, beneficiaries,polynesians who are dying because of your shit , intellectually impaired ,fiscally challenged,poor
    ANGRY voters who have had a guts full of your fascist policies that suck the life and resources out of this country and leave us with lies, corruption, pollution, debt, despondency and a country with no history before you Key came to be, You should be charged with treason and convicted

  21. Dramaticus 21

    Tell it like it is Key, you sent your kids to private schools because your a rich elitist prick who thinks your better than everyone else and you really couldnt give a fuck about the under paid, unemployed, unemployable,lower class white people, beneficiaries,polynesians who are dying because of your shit , intellectually impaired ,fiscally challenged,poor
    ANGRY voters who have had a guts full of your fascist policies that suck the life and resources out of this country and leave us with lies, corruption, pollution, debt, despondency and a country with no history before you Key came to be, You should be charged with treason and convicted

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    Nicola Willis, Chris Bishop and other National, ACT and NZ First MPs applaud the signing of the coalition agreements, which included the reversal of anti-smoking measures while accelerating tax cuts for landlords. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • 2023 More Reading: November (+ Writing Update)
    Completed reads for November: A Modern Utopia, by H.G. Wells The Vampire (poem), by Heinrich August Ossenfelder The Corpus Hermeticum The Corpus Hermeticum is Mead’s translation. Now, this is indeed a very quiet month for reading. But there is a reason for that… You see, ...
    4 days ago
  • Forward to 2017
    The coalition party agreements are mainly about returning to 2017 when National lost power. They show commonalities but also some serious divergencies.The two coalition agreements – one National and ACT, the other National and New Zealand First – are more than policy documents. They also describe the processes of the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    5 days ago
  • Questions a nine year old might ask the new Prime Minister
    First QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Questions a nine year old might ask the new Prime Minister
    First QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Finally
    Henry Kissinger is finally dead. Good fucking riddance. While Americans loved him, he was a war criminal, responsible for most of the atrocities of the final quarter of the twentieth century. Cambodia. Bangladesh. Chile. East Timor. All Kissinger. Because of these crimes, Americans revere him as a "statesman" (which says ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Government in a hurry – Luxon lists 49 priorities in 100-day plan while Peters pledges to strength...
    Buzz from the Beehive Yes, ministers in the new government are delivering speeches and releasing press statements. But the message on the government’s official website was the same as it has been for the past several days, when Point of Order went looking for news from the Beehive that had ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • DAVID FARRAR: Luxon is absolutely right
    David Farrar writes  –  1 News reports: Christopher Luxon says he was told by some Kiwis on the campaign trail they “didn’t know” the difference between Waka Kotahi, Te Pūkenga and Te Whatu Ora. Speaking to Breakfast, the incoming prime minister said having English first on government agencies will “make sure” ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Top 10 at 10 am for Thursday, Nov 30
    There are fears that mooted changes to building consent liability could end up driving the building industry into an uninsured hole. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere as of 10 am on Thursday, November 30, including:The new Government’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on how climate change threatens cricket‘s future
    Well that didn’t last long, did it? Mere days after taking on what he called the “awesome responsibility” of being Prime Minister, M Christopher Luxon has started blaming everyone else, and complaining that he has inherited “economic vandalism on an unprecedented scale” – which is how most of us are ...
    5 days ago
  • We need to talk about Tory.
    The first I knew of the news about Tory Whanau was when a tweet came up in my feed.The sort of tweet that makes you question humanity, or at least why you bother with Twitter. Which is increasingly a cesspit of vile inhabitants who lurk spreading negativity, hate, and every ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Dangling Transport Solutions
    Cable Cars, Gondolas, Ropeways and Aerial Trams are all names for essentially the same technology and the world’s biggest maker of them are here to sell them as an public transport solution. Stuff reports: Austrian cable car company Doppelmayr has launched its case for adding aerial cable cars to New ...
    5 days ago
  • November AMA
    Hi,It’s been awhile since I’ve done an Ask-Me-Anything on here, so today’s the day. Ask anything you like in the comments section, and I’ll be checking in today and tomorrow to answer.Leave a commentNext week I’ll be giving away a bunch of these Mister Organ blu-rays for readers in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • National’s early moves adding to cost of living pressure
    The cost of living grind continues, and the economic and inflation honeymoon is over before it began. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: PM Christopher Luxon unveiled his 100 day plan yesterday with an avowed focus of reducing cost-of-living pressures, but his Government’s initial moves and promises are actually elevating ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Backwards to the future
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has confirmed that it will be back to the future on planning legislation. This will be just one of a number of moves which will see the new government go backwards as it repeals and cost-cuts its way into power. They will completely repeal one ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • New initiatives in science and technology could point the way ahead for Luxon government
    As the new government settles into the Beehive, expectations are high that it can sort out some  of  the  economic issues  confronting  New Zealand. It may take time for some new  ministers to get to grips with the range of their portfolio work and responsibilities before they can launch the  changes that  ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    6 days ago
  • Treaty pledge to secure funding is contentious – but is Peters being pursued by a lynch mob after ...
    TV3 political editor Jenna Lynch was among the corps of political reporters who bridled, when Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told them what he thinks of them (which is not much). She was unabashed about letting her audience know she had bridled. More usefully, she drew attention to something which ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • How long does this last?
    I have a clear memory of every election since 1969 in this plucky little nation of ours. I swear I cannot recall a single one where the question being asked repeatedly in the first week of the new government was: how long do you reckon they’ll last? And that includes all ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • National’s giveaway politics
    We already know that national plans to boost smoking rates to collect more tobacco tax so they can give huge tax-cuts to mega-landlords. But this morning that policy got even more obscene - because it turns out that the tax cut is retrospective: Residential landlords will be able to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • CHRIS TROTTER: Who’s driving the right-wing bus?
    Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In 2023, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • GRAHAM ADAMS:  Media knives flashing for Luxon’s government
    The fear and loathing among legacy journalists is astonishing Graham Adams writes – No one is going to die wondering how some of the nation’s most influential journalists personally view the new National-led government. It has become abundantly clear within a few days of the coalition agreements ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    6 days ago
  • Top 10 news links for Wednesday, Nov 29
    TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere for Wednesday November 29, including:The early return of interest deductibility for landlords could see rebates paid on previous taxes and the cost increase to $3 billion from National’s initial estimate of $2.1 billion, CTU Economist Craig Renney estimated here last ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Smokefree Fallout and a High Profile Resignation.
    The day after being sworn in the new cabinet met yesterday, to enjoy their honeymoon phase. You remember, that period after a new government takes power where the country, and the media, are optimistic about them, because they haven’t had a chance to stuff anything about yet.Sadly the nuptials complete ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • As Cabinet revs up, building plans go on hold
    Wellington Council hoardings proclaim its preparations for population growth, but around the country councils are putting things on hold in the absence of clear funding pathways for infrastructure, and despite exploding migrant numbers. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Cabinet meets in earnest today to consider the new Government’s 100-day ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • National takes over infrastructure
    Though New Zealand First may have had ambitions to run the infrastructure portfolios, National would seem to have ended up firmly in control of them.  POLITIK has obtained a private memo to members of Infrastructure NZ yesterday, which shows that the peak organisation for infrastructure sees  National MPs Chris ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • At a glance – Evidence for global warming
    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 ...
    6 days ago
  • Who’s Driving The Right-Wing Bus?
    Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In ...
    7 days ago
  • Sanity break
    Cheers to reader Deane for this quote from Breakfast TV today:Chloe Swarbrick to Brook van Velden re the coalition agreement: “... an unhinged grab-bag of hot takes from your drunk uncle at Christmas”Cheers also to actual Prime Minister of a country Christopher Luxon for dorking up his swearing-in vows.But that's enough ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago
  • Sanity break
    Cheers to reader Deane for this quote from Breakfast TV today:Chloe Swarbrick to Brook van Velden re the coalition agreement: “... an unhinged grab-bag of hot takes from your drunk uncle at Christmas”Cheers also to actual Prime Minister of a country Christopher Luxon for dorking up his swearing-in vows.But that's enough ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    7 days ago
  • National’s murderous smoking policy
    One of the big underlying problems in our political system is the prevalence of short-term thinking, most usually seen in the periodic massive infrastructure failures at a local government level caused by them skimping on maintenance to Keep Rates Low. But the new government has given us a new example, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago
  • NZ has a chance to rise again as our new government gets spending under control
    New Zealand has  a chance  to  rise  again. Under the  previous  government, the  number of New Zealanders below the poverty line was increasing  year by year. The Luxon-led government  must reverse that trend – and set about stabilising  the  pillars  of the economy. After the  mismanagement  of the outgoing government created   huge ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    7 days ago
  • KARL DU FRESNE: Media and the new government
    Two articles by Karl du Fresne bring media coverage of the new government into considerations.  He writes –    Tuesday, November 28, 2023 The left-wing media needed a line of attack, and they found one The left-wing media pack wasted no time identifying the new government’s weakest point. Seething over ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago
  • PHILIP CRUMP:  Team of rivals – a CEO approach to government leadership
    The work begins Philip Crump wrote this article ahead of the new government being sworn in yesterday – Later today the new National-led coalition government will be sworn in, and the hard work begins. At the core of government will be three men – each a leader ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago
  • Black Friday
    As everyone who watches television or is on the mailing list for any of our major stores will confirm, “Black Friday” has become the longest running commercial extravaganza and celebration in our history. Although its origins are obscure (presumably dreamt up by American salesmen a few years ago), it has ...
    Bryan GouldBy Bryan Gould
    7 days ago
  • In Defense of the Media.
    Yesterday the Ministers in the next government were sworn in by our Governor General. A day of tradition and ceremony, of decorum and respect. Usually.But yesterday Winston Peters, the incoming Deputy Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister, of our nation used it, as he did with the signing of the coalition ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago
  • Top 10 news links at 10 am for Tuesday, Nov 28
    Nicola Willis’ first move was ‘spilling the tea’ on what she called the ‘sobering’ state of the nation’s books, but she had better be able to back that up in the HYEFU. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago
  • PT use up but fare increases coming
    Yesterday Auckland Transport were celebrating, as the most recent Sunday was the busiest Sunday they’ve ever had. That’s a great outcome and I’m sure the ...
    7 days ago
  • The very opposite of social investment
    Nicola Willis (in blue) at the signing of the coalition agreement, before being sworn in as both Finance Minister and Social Investment Minister. National’s plan to unwind anti-smoking measures will benefit her in the first role, but how does it stack up from a social investment viewpoint? Photo: Lynn Grieveson ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Giving Tuesday
    For the first time "in history" we decided to jump on the "Giving Tuesday" bandwagon in order to make you aware of the options you have to contribute to our work! Projects supported by Skeptical Science Inc. Skeptical Science Skeptical Science is an all-volunteer organization but ...
    1 week ago
  • Let's open the books with Nicotine Willis
    Let’s say it’s 1984,and there's a dreary little nation at the bottom of the Pacific whose name rhymes with New Zealand,and they've just had an election.Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, will you look at the state of these books we’ve opened,cries the incoming government, will you look at all this mountain ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • Climate Change: Stopping oil
    National is promising to bring back offshore oil and gas drilling. Naturally, the Greens have organised a petition campaign to try and stop them. You should sign it - every little bit helps, and as the struggle over mining conservation land showed, even National can be deterred if enough people ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • Don’t accept Human Rights Commission reading of data on Treaty partnership – read the survey fin...
    Wellington is braced for a “massive impact’ from the new government’s cutting public service jobs, The Post somewhat grimly reported today. Expectations of an economic and social jolt are based on the National-Act coalition agreement to cut public service numbers in each government agency in a cost-trimming exercise  “informed by” head ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand welcomes European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement
    A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Further humanitarian support for Gaza, the West Bank and Israel
    The Government is contributing a further $5 million to support the response to urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, bringing New Zealand’s total contribution to the humanitarian response so far to $10 million. “New Zealand is deeply saddened by the loss of civilian life and the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

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